Fic Album

Firefly: general--two previously unposted stories

shamusandstone — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:26:25 GMT

I made my claim as thegiantkiller in 2006 (when I wrote these); shamusandstone is my new writing journal.

Title: The Fallacy of Up
Fandom/character: Firefly/general
Artist, album and song: Neko Case, The Tigers Have Spoken: Wayfaring Stranger
Rating, wordcount: FRT (violence and angst), 1426 words
Summary/Author’s notes: Mal’s going to kill somebody tonight. Post-movie.
Of course Mal knows that "up" doesn't really exist

Title: Bleed Out
Fandom/character: Firefly/general
Artist, album and song: Neko Case, The Tigers Have Spoken: Favorite
Rating: FRM (language, gore), 1180 words
Summary/Author’s notes: Post-movie; angstalicious. Zoe’s grief finally expresses itself, but Jayne’s the only one there to comfort her.
He died alone

Dierks Bentley: Long Trip Alone CD - Long Trip Alone

dianaryan — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:16:52 GMT

Title: Long Trip Alone
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: James Butler Hickok, Belle Kingston
Word Count: 1413
Rating: PG
Summary: sometimes you have to go it alone... sometimes you want more... what do you do?

Long Trip Alone

First post. squee excited!

ashleys_mask — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:30:10 GMT

Title: Believer
Paring: Chad/Bam,
Word Count: 1196
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Characters = REAL people. Story = NOT real. I am in no way associated with either Bam Margera or Chad Ginsburg.
Italics = lyrics; copyright of Kill Hannah

WARNING: Language and mention of illegal substances.

From the outside, you'd think the inhabitant of the house was well off. Someone with a substantial amount of money, tons of friends and family. But your eyes can be deceiving. Many who stopped by the house judge it with a positive eye, but that's because they don't know. Hundreds of fans have stopped by the house in hopes of getting a glimpse of me, but after a couple of years, they stopped coming. There was a time when I hated the frequent visits from fans, but now I wish they'd come by. I wish someone would stop by, to check on me or see if I was still alive. Even my over-loving mom didn't stop by. I crouched in the corner of my room. The house was empty, not just of people and happiness, but my stuff was gone too. Any day now they'd be coming to take the house from me. Then I'd be on my own. Every night I ask why I did this to myself? Why did I let the fame go to my head?

I started picking my friends off one by one. Telling them I didn't need them anymore. First Raab, then Dico, Rake, Dunn, Gee and even Novak. The one person who told me he'd always have my back. Should have known once the money stopped coming he'd leave. Once the girls weren't impressed by him knowing 'Mr. Millionaire Bam Margera,' he left. I cried so many nights after losing him, he'd been one of my closest friends. Even my own brother didn't associate with me. He said something like, 'I don't want my kids around that.' I stared at my reflection in the mirror, it was repulsive. My body and mental state was wasting away. Soon I would be nothing. I'd went from number one to the bottom of the pack. Nowadays, I can walk out in public and no one recognizes me. There was a time when I appreciated this, but it had long gone away. Sometimes there's people who do double takes, but after a minute of looking they just shake their head.

After a year and a half of our marriage, that's how Missy began to look at me. She wouldn't touch me and we barely talked. Soon, she gave up on me and left. I resorted to Ville, my inspiration, the guy I strived to be like. He shunned me away, surprised that after so many months of not talking I finally got a hold of him. He just hung up the phone as I said hello. It broke my heart to see all the people I loved walk away from me. My parents had been the last ones standing until a few months ago. I hadn't been working for money, I'd been spending it all on drugs and booze. Trying to drown my misery away, wanting my name to be erased. Once it was though, I tried to give anything to get it back. When it didn't come I left a message on my parents phone. Yelling about how 'everyone had left me' and 'I don't need your fucking help.' So they never talked to me again, for a couple of months I pretended like I didn't care. But they were my parents, of course I cared.

I peered around the room, what a sight it was. A disheveled mattress, tatty blanket and pillow. The floor was littered with dirty needles, spoons, razorblades, empty beer bottles and cigarette butts. I sighed and stood up to stretch. Outside I could see a car pulling into the driveway. My heart jumped at the thought of it being my dealer bringing more blow or heroin, it wasn't. Neither was it someone coming to kick me out of the house.The car was way too nice for those likes. I strained my eyes, but I couldn't make out the person. They pulled up in front of the house and walked to the door. Downstairs I could hear them knocking, but I didn't move. The door wasn't locked, they'd soon realize that. I mean what was there to steal anymore. I sold everything for scraps of money. Hearing the door creak open, I waited for the person to walk upstairs. Who was it? Everyone had given up on me, hadn't they? No one had visited for months.

“Bam?” I heard someone call from the stairs. Should I answer or wait for them to find me? Since I'd been away from society for so long I didn't recognize the voice. “Bam?” They called from outside the room. They pushed open the door and our eyes connected with one another's, it was Chad.

“Bam, is that really you?” He asked, not moving into the room. I grunted, but he still didn't move any closer. “What's been going on with you, it's been months?” The last time I'd seen Chad was when I tried to get into the CKY show in Philly. He told me to go home and get some rest. He must've noticed that I hadn't slept in weeks.

“Look around, what do you think?” I said, staring out the window. He dared to step into the room, but didn't move towards me. “I fucked up Chad, this is what I have to show for it. No friends, no family, no money, no fans or career. I'm nothing.” He looked at me and stepped a little bit closer, wanting me to continue. “It's been forever since anyone visited me you know?” I told him.

“Well, I just haven't had the courage to come inside. I've stopped here many a time, just never made it inside the gate. I was kind of scared of what I'd see.” He moved closer to me, if I reached out I could touch him.

“You've been coming here?” I turned around to face him.

“Whenever I can, normally at night or early morning. You know, so Jina won't worry.”

“I'm so sorry Chad. I know I made a mistake, I just wish I could fix it.” Tears were slipping out of my eyes and he reached out for me.

“I can help you, Bam.” He touched my arm, inching closer.

“It's no use to try anymore. Does it mean that much to you?” I asked him and then I fell into his arms. “I'll stand to face it all. I'll fight for every breath until there's nothing left of us. I need you to believe in me.” I looked up at him. “And I'm not running anymore.” He smiled at me and whipped my tears from my cheeks.

“You can stay with me.”

“What about Jina?”

“I can ask her to stay with a friend for awhile if it'll make you feel better.”

“That would be nice. I'm not really used to people at the moment. One person is enough.” I said with a smile.

“Well, I am known to be a handful.” He said with a laugh.

“Me too.” I said returning his laugh. It felt good to smile and be happy. For once, I could see a ray of happiness bursting through. It was all because of you. You believed in me.

</div>

Dierks Bentley: Long Trip Alone CD - Prodigal Son's Prayer

dianaryan — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:04:06 GMT

Title: Prodigal Son's Prayer
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: James Butler Hickok, Belle
Word Count: 4079
Rating: PG
Summary: Coming home isn't always easy.

Belle looked into the mirror and tried not to cringe from the vision. The early morning light outlined each and everyone of her twenty six years on the earth, the worry, the pain, the longing… it was written like an old army map across her skin, deep furrows from the heavy hand of a man.

She lifted her hand to touch her cheek, wondering what it felt like to someone else, hard, weathered… or would someone find her skin soft, welcoming. The tear was unexpected; she’d thought she’d cried them all years ago, but there it was shimmering in the light, hanging just above her finger.

It would have been easy enough to wipe it away, a fingertip would have been enough to dash it away, but it didn’t seem to matter. She had too much on her mind. Too much to consider and her head was fairly bursting with her thoughts.

When Carrie had returned to the Saloon a few days ago Belle could tell that she was still hurting. She was a mess, covered in dust and brambles along the edge of her skirt, but she could meet Belle’s eyes when she walked in the door and for that, she was grateful.

Since that day and Emma’s visit, life went on as normal for the others at the Saloon, but for Belle, her mind had been consumed with her own thoughts, with the past… and with the future. So many unanswered questions so many wishes gone awry.

“Mrs. Kingston?” The query was muffled through the door and barely audible.

“Yes? What is it?”

“There’s a man to see you.”

Standing up from her table, she crossed to the door and opened it quickly. “Who is it?”

“He said,” Kitty looked at the toes of her shoes as she tried to remember what it was exactly, “that you were waiting for him.”

*****
She opened the door to her office and froze, her gaze directed at the man standing before the window. His face and expression were shrouded with light; the late morning sun bathed everything on that end of the room in a blinding white wash and she watched him move. “What are you doing here?”

He looked up quickly and stepped into the shadows, moving toward her across the room. “I brought the papers you asked for, the deed to the Saloon and the homestead outside of town.”

“Oh, Mr. Garvey,” she laughed a bit, a little nervous giggle that belied her shock. “I’d almost forgotten that I asked you to stop by.” She sat down in her chair as he held it out from her desk. “Thank you.

He opened the folder and placed the papers before her, indicating with his fingers the locations where she’d have to sign. “It’s not the first time I’ve had someone change their name, I just didn’t realize,” he caught her measuring look and smiled reassuringly, “that your name… wasn’t your name after all.”

She picked up the pen from her desk, dipping it into the well and signing her name with a flourish. “Well, it was a bit of vanity on my part, I guess. I wanted a new start when I opened my business and there were so many new people coming into town at the time and pretty soon everyone called me Belle.

“Now, years later I had a realization,” she smiled, remembering the tearful hug she shared with Emma when she’d left, “it’s not the name that can make things different. I just needed to turn a corner and make the decision to move on with my life.”

Mr. Garvey blotted the ink and slid the document back into the folder. “I’ll file these at the courthouse and you’ll be… well, you.”

Belle stood and extended her hand to the solicitor. “Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Garvey. I hope,” she gave him a winning smile; “you’ll join me at the Saloon tonight as one of my guests.”

He waved off the idea. “I shouldn’t… it probably wouldn’t do to… uh,-”

“Be seen at the Saloon?”

The solicitor blushed to the roots of his hair. “I don’t mean any offense Mrs. Ki-“

“None taken, Mr. Garvey… and I’ll give your best to the Mayor when he stops by to play a few rounds of Poker this evening.”

“The Mayor?” The round lenses of his spectacles flashed as he turned to the window in surprise. “He plays poker? I play a little myself from time to time.”

“Good, I hear that he’s looking for a reliable fourth at the table… if you’re interested.”

“If?” His expression brightened in the dark room. “I dare say I would be honored to play… what time should I arrive?”

She filled him in on the details as she walked him to the door, her arm tucked lightly in his, her face free from lines for the first time in days.

*****

Jimmy reined his mount at the edge of town and fought with himself over the misgivings that threatened to turn him around. Threatened to make James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok turn tail and run.

Wild Bill didn’t run from ornery gunmen… he didn’t run from slavers… he didn’t run from insurmountable odds in a gunfight… but he could and had run from happiness. In fact, it had become survival for him. If you didn’t like your life too much… if you didn’t feel the overwhelming joy that could suck you under into contentment, then you didn’t hurt so much when the moment past. When the very thing you wanted more than life itself belonged to someone else.

“Coming or going?”

The voice startled Jimmy and he had to stay the movements of his mount as the tension of his own body leaked downward into the mare. “Mrs. Biddle, how are you?”

“It’s gettin’ cold and my back’s threatenin’ to turn into a pretzel if’n I have to keep at the woodpile any longer.”

“What happened to Willy Foster?”

She waved off the mention, her face puckered in frustration. “The boy ran off with one of Belle’s new girls… oh, she was fit to be tied. Had the whole place in an uproar… and the Marshal was running hither and yon tryin’ to find the two.”

“She didn’t want them to be happy?” He said the words, but he didn’t quite believe them… couldn’t. Not with her.

Mrs. Biddle poked his leg. “I didn’t say anything of the kind, Mister-gone-a-missing. What I said was she had everyone tryin’ to find them.”

“Yes?” The woman talked in circles even when he could understand her words.

“She wanted them home and safe; weren’t much more than that to the story. Didn’t matter what they wanted to do with their night-time, she wanted to know they had money to provide… couldn’t do much of that if’n they were missin’… now could we?”

“Yes… yes… I suppose.”

She shook her head, “Suppose. Humph, seems like all you young folks do is suppose.” Hoisting her shopping basket higher on her arm, Mrs. Biddle gave him a dismissive wave. “Suppose that you come home, suppose you want a life, suppose that a woman moves on… I can’t keep up with all the supposin’ goin’ on around me.”

*****

The door fairly flew off the hinges. “Jimmy you’re back!” That was all it took to empty out the entire saloon, or so it looked to a man worried over his reception. Eager hands grabbed at his saddle bags, nagging voices competed over the chance to tell him all the news and comings and goings since he’d left.

Carrie took his arm and steered him through the group and safely up the stairs to the door. Swinging them both around she gave the assembled group a moment to quiet down when they protested her actions. “He’s tired. Give him a few moments to get settled and then you can descend on him like the bunch of magpies we are.”

Jimmy had to laugh with them as they conceded Carrie’s point. Mrs. Biddle’s niece swung the door open and held it for the rest as they marched up the stairs to deposit his things. “Well, you certainly have them in control…” he turned to her and looked at her face, noting the dark shadows beneath her eyes. “What happened?”

“I was dead set on bein’ stupid.”

“And then she stopped you.”

Carrie gave him a look that was more amazement than confusion. “Did she-”

He slung an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “You know better’n that.”

“Are you home to stay?” They walked up the stairs, heading to his room with her head on his shoulder. “Or are you going to leave again?” She stepped away from him when they reached the landing, folding her arms across her chest and lowering her gaze.

“That’s something I can’t answer yet.”

“Then when?”

Carrie started when the kitchen door slammed shut on the floor below. Jimmy leaned over the rail and smiled at the familiar voice that sounded through the house. “Where is everyone? We’re goin’ to have a busy night and there’s no one on the floor? Want a job?”

“Ummm yes, Miss Belle, I like my job.”

“Then get out there!”

Pushing away from the rail he gave Carrie a smile. “I’ll let you know tomorrow.” An unintelligible shout came from below the stairs. “I’ll need some water.”

*****

A bath should have been a quick matter of a cloth, a cake of soap and a little splishing and splashing. Unlike other members of their Express family, Jimmy had never been one to sit and prune in a tub. Until tonight.

It had to be a combination of the long ride and the warm water that Carrie and a few other girls helped him carry up from the kitchen. He knew it wasn’t the overwhelming wafting perfume of lemons coming up from the water, he didn’t even like lemons. So it had to be the fact that he’d finally admitted the truth to himself, at least in some teeny little part of himself, he was home.

Leaning his head back on the raised edge of the tub he ignored the niggling doubts that worried the back of his mind and closed his eyes just for a moment.

*****

*BANG*

The explosion of sound had Jimmy scrambling for his gun, his sleep saturated brain forgetting for a moment where he was and what he was wearing.

“Jimmy!”

Or rather, what he wasn’t wearing.

“Holy sh-”

“Jimmy!” As he grabbed for a towel he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye. He’d startled her, probably more than she’d startled him, if he were to trust the flush coloring her skin. “What are you doing?”

Reaching over, Jimmy picked up the towel he’d laid over the back of a chair. “Well if it’s alright with you, I was-” he took his time wrapping the towel around his waist, “bathing!”

He knew by her sour expression that she didn’t like the wide wolfish grin he was sporting, and by the way she had her eyes glued to his forehead she wasn’t planning on admitting it. “So did you come in here for a reason? Or did you just plan on standing there with the door open so everyone can see the show?”

“What? Oh!” Belle turned around and slammed the door shut with nearly as much force as she’d banged it open. “I didn’t mean to, it was… you just…”

“Startled you? I’d say the same, but you’d just go and tell me it’s my fault so let’s just get the niceties over with and say you missed me.” He stepped over the edge of the tub, and resisted the urge to dry off, the towel around his waist being the only one he had.

“Missed you?” He heard the rise of color in her voice so he didn’t have to see it on her face, but the way her knuckles turned white around the doorknob made him laugh. “Don’t you mock me, Hickok.” She whirled on him and he could see the spit of fire in her eyes. “Don’t you dare… not after… not when…” her fingers dug into her skirts, messing up the fancy drapes at the sides, “I can’t believe you… standing there… just standing there…” she pointed at his… feet, “dripping on my carpet.”

Jimmy looked down and wiggled his toes against the carpet. “Well, I could towel off,” he lifted his gaze , barely able to make out her figure between the wet strands of hair that fell from around his ears, “you wanna stand there while I do, or-“

She reached back and pulled the door open to step out, but whirled around at the last minute to give him a look. “Get dressed… we’re havin’ a full house tonight and you’ve been shirkin’ your duty long enough.”

Belle closed the door behind her, leaving him standing there, dripping and wondering if he should have kept riding.

*****

The noise was deafening in the Saloon by the time Jimmy came down, dressed up in his best suit. He’d left it thrown over the footboard of his bed when he’d left. He’d have to remember to thank Mrs. Biddle for the fine care she’d shown his things.

Passing through the door way, Jimmy tipped his hat toward the gentleman at the first table that nearly fell over himself to stand up in his presence. “Welcome, have yourself a good time tonight… just mind your manners with the girls.”

Nodding a little too quickly, the man sat down. “Yes sir, Mr. Hickok. I will."

Jimmy repeated the greeting as he walked around the room, earning himself the grateful smiles of all of Belle’s girls as they followed in his wake. The mayor offered him a seat at his table and Jimmy was sorely tempted when he caught site of the deck of cards laid out on the green felt. “Game night, Mr. Mayor?”

The older man chuckled and lifted his glass. “It’s Tuesday night, Hickok. You know its poker night on Tuesdays.”

“Maybe later, sir. I’ve got my job to do.”

Tipping his hat to the men at the table, Jimmy turned away so that the Mayor wouldn’t see the smile on his face. ‘Tuesday. Hell, for him every night is poker night.’
Charlie Akers paused and reached for his glass after he finished the last note of the song he was playing. “Long time no see, Hickok.”

“Not long enough if you’re still here, Charlie.”

That got a laugh. Charlie didn’t like it much. “I thought we made our peace, Hickok.”

“We’ll make our peace when you stop bein’ a man.”

Charlie hit his knee and pounded a sour note on the keyboard. “That ain’t never gonna happen, Hickok.”

“Sounds like the same answer that I’d give you, Charlie… so you just keep playin’ them pretty songs of yours, keep your hands off of the women, and I won’t break your fingers.”

Carrie walked up, putting a hand on his arm. “He’s been good since the last time, Jimmy. He ain’t never bothered us since then.”

“Good… just make sure you keep it that way, Charlie. These girls tell me everything.”

Jimmy turned offering Carrie his arm, which she took gratefully. As they stepped away, Charlie piped up. “When you’re here.”

Ignoring the steadying pressure of Carrie’s arm, he turned around and gave Charlie a look that had sent better men riding home to mama. “I’m here, Charlie, don’t you make the mistake of thinkin’ I’m gonna turn my back ever again.”

Charlie’s eyes flickered like he was considering where to go… if he needed to.

Jimmy saw that he’d made his point clear. “Then you go right on back to playin’ and earn your keep. I’m watchin’.”

Swallowing a bit hard, he turned back to the piano. “Anything you’d like to hear, Mister Hickok?”

“Just play us something pretty, Charlie… something we can dance to.”

“We? Jimmy, are you askin’ me to dance?”

His attention was drawn away from Carrie as Belle stepped in through the door way. “I think Mrs. Kingston wouldn’t like me takin’ up your time, Carrie.”

“Oh, fine.” She gave him a glare but gave a smile to the next man passing by. “Have it your way, Jimmy.” The cowboy stopped and gladly took her arm from Hickok and Jimmy without a look back moved toward the door.

Belle had a way of quietly standing by and watching the world when she wanted to. There wasn’t much anyone could do to spot her when she was of a mind not to be seen. Still, Jimmy could see her. Had seen her from the moment she stepped off the stairs and into the doorway, and if he thought about it he was sure he could have sensed her on the second floor landing. She was always there, on the edge of his thoughts.

She stopped a step inside the doorway and met up with one of her girls, pausing to listen to a whispered comment before disappearing again.

He should have let it go. Should have let her go, but he couldn’t. Jimmy Hickok didn’t have enough sense to let stay, so he followed her down the hall and nearly ran into her coming out of the kitchen.

“Whoa, there.”

“Oh God, Jimmy,” she barely managed to keep the plate from ending up flat against his coat, “what were you thinkin’?”

“I was thinkin’,” he took a plate in one hand, “that you had something big on your mind and I should help.”

She grudgingly gave him the other plate and a half a smile. “With the exception of dirtying up your coat there, that was a great idea. Thank you.” She darted back in the kitchen and popped back into the hall with another couple of plates. “Saves me the trip.”

Jimmy stepped to the side and let her walk by him; figuring he would need to follow her to find out the destination. “’sides, if you got food all over my jacket, I guess I could sweet-talk Mrs. Biddle into launderin’ it for me.”

“Really?” She looked back over her shoulder, “why her?”

Focusing his gaze on the curve of her hip, he nearly ran into the coat rack by the door. “Cause she, whoa… ‘cause she did such a nice job with this coat the first time.”

Belle paused with her hip against the door and a wicked twinkle in her eye. “You can thank Mrs. Biddle all you want, but all you’d most likely get from her is a blank stare and an order to get out of her kitchen.”

She pushed the door open and stepped through into the Saloon; Jimmy following quickly behind her. “What are you talkin’ about?”
Belle offered a greeting to the man at the head of the table and set a plate down in front of him. “Mister Mayor, here-”

“Belle, I thought we’d gotten past all of that. Yes?”

“Bob,” she smiled as she set down the other plate, “Chet. Good to see you all here.”

She took the plates from Jimmy and set them down on the table. “Mr. Garvey, I trust that you are enjoying yourself?”

Before the solicitor could answer, the Mayor gave him a hearty slap on the back. “Oh, he’s fittin’ right in. If I’m not careful, he’s going to take a lot of my money.”

“Just don’t get into any fights, now,” she cautioned, “or Mr. Hickok here will have to display his skill at breaking heads and busting jaws.”

She turned and walked away from the table leaving Jimmy to amend her statement. “That’s bustin’ heads and breakin’ jaws… I really ought to get a calling card.” Tipping his hat, Jimmy left the table.

He trailed her through the mob of patrons milling about on any available foot of floor. “Hold up.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bronson… you’re more than welcome, come again.” She moved on, nearly swallowed up by a bunch of soldiers taking their leave seriously. “Hello… thank you for coming.”

“Hold up!”

She came to a stop just inside the hall. “Are we going to make this a habit, Jimmy?”

“What?” He was frustrated with her, avoiding his question. “A habit of what?”

“Nearly running into each other ever five steps? When you were gone I didn’t have to worry about the tips of my shoes.”

Jimmy took hold of her shoulders and pulled her into a corner by the door. “Then just answer my question.”

She looked down at one of his hands and then back up into his face. “If I knew it was bothering you so much, I’d have answered it right then in the middle of the Saloon.”

He stared down at her and waited.

And waited.

And waited again. “Well?” He leaned closer.

She leaned closer, too. “Well what?”

“The answer?”

Belle smiled wider. “I forgot the question.”

He growled and stepped back, flexing his hands over and over. “The coat… Mrs. Bi-”

“Oh!” Belle moved closer, stopping just behind him. “I did it.”

“Excuse me?”

“I know how to do laundry. I’ve been doing it for years. You too for that matter.” She ticked the years off on her fingers and held them up for him to see.

“Yeah, but I’ve gotten out of the habit and usually Mrs. Biddle-”

“Yes, but I was there and you weren’t… and someone has to pick up your messes.”
She froze, her shoulders shrinking a bit as she stood there. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Yeah, you should. You have every right.”

She shook her head. “I shouldn’t… I’m sorry, can we start again?”

Jimmy gently nudged her chin to get her to look up at him. “Again? Really, I-”

A creak of noise from the staircase gave them ample warning that they weren’t alone. She turned away and he let his hand drop to his side as two of the girls descended the stairs and disappeared into the main room of the Saloon. She moved to follow them, but Jimmy’s hand caught at her arm.

“Wait.”

She shook her head. “We’ve got a full house tonight and those folks expect me to make my rounds.”

“They’ll live.”

“Not my business… Jimmy, I’m glad you’re back. It’s been… different with you gone.”

“Different?” He lowered his hand when he heard the sour disappointment in his tone, but it paled in comparison to the knot in his middle. “I guess I deserved that. You’ve had your fill of people leavin’, Belle. Why should you feel any different about me?”

He could see her twisting with emotion, her face momentarily lost all color. “You never made me any promises, Jimmy. You never needed to. It’s not my place to ask, and-”

“You’d never ask me to stay.” She looked wounded, she looked tired. And he hated himself for it. “So what if I asked?”

“Asked? For what?”

“Can I stay?”

She looked like she was the recipient of the business end of a hornet. “This isn’t a joke, Jimmy. You can’t play with my mind like this… you can’t-”

“I’ve been playin’ up ‘til now, darlin’ and it’s got to stop sometime. I figure it’s gotta be me. If you want. I’ll get down on my knees and beg… I’ll do it.”

“Jimmy, don’t.”

The door at the end of the hall swung open and Mrs. Biddle poked her head out. “Make him get down… show he means business, ‘cause I’m gettin’ an earful over here in the kitchen and it’s startin’ to make me sick.” She stared past Belle at Jimmy. “You know you got a place here, boy, don’t make her heartsick over this whole thing… or the next time you be wantin’ a warm bath, don’t come askin’ me.” The door swung shut, leaving them in relative silence again.

“We’ve got to talk.” They both said it… and they both waited for the answer. Eyes locked in a curious battle of wills they finally broke away and headed back to the main room. Truce or avoidance… one rarely knows at times like these.

Tell me there's mercy for the wanderin' soul
I lost my way but now I'm on my knees
If it's not too late won't you tell me please
You gotta place for me, a little grace for me

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:46:17 GMT

Title: Ruled By Secrecy
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor(9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit

Wash the blood off your hands
This time she won’t understand

The words the Beast spoke were true. He had been part of the ending of the two greatest civilizations. Rose must have had some idea when it came to the ending of the War.

Change in the air
And they’ll hide everywhere
And no one knows who’s in control

The Doctor understood the possible suspicions raised by the crew above ground. But they could be blamed for the releasing the Beast. They kept digging and that is what they got.

You’re working so hard
And you’re never in charge
Your death creates success
Rebuild and suppress

No matter what the Doctor thought he could do, nothing was the same. He could never change the past no matter how much he would want to try.

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:44:44 GMT

Title: The Smallprint
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor(9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Father’s Day

Take, take all you need
And I’ll compensate your greed
With broken hearts

Rose stood there. He wasn’t supposed to be upset. She saved her father and little Rose would grow up with Pete Tyler in her life. Right now, she didn’t care if the Doctor was pissed off by her actions.

Say, it’ll make you insane
And it’s bending the truth
You’re to blame
For all the life that you’ll lose and you
Watch this space

She knew he was walking to the TARDIS; talking under his breath. He would wait for her by the door or inside the console room.

And I’m going all the way

But her decision involved coming back. She went all the way to the end of the line and he would be there for baby Rose.

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:42:40 GMT

Title: Time Is Running Out
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor (9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution-Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: The Unquiet Dead

I wanna break this spell
That you’ve created

The Doctor was noticing a pattern ever since he met Rose Tyler: trouble. Everywhere they went, there it was-- big bad trouble staring them in the face.

You’re something beautiful
A contradiction
I wanna play the game
I want the friction

Like right now, they were trapped in a cellar…in Cardiff! But if he was to die right there, he was happy it was with his new friend.

You will be the death of me

Yep, he would probably die but he did not care and a laugh escaped him.

You can’t push it underground
You can’t stop it screaming out

But then he realized he should probably be upset. Well, he was. The TARDIS would be abandoned in the alley where they had left it.

I wanted freedom
Bound and restricted

They were stuck in a cellar in Cardiff! The thought crossed his mind again and he was upset.

How did it come to this?

The Doctor and Rose needed to get out, but they knew it was because of their knack to find trouble.

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 06:19:28 GMT

Title: Thoughts Of A Dying Atheist
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor(9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Parting of the Ways

Eerie whispers
Trapped beneath my pillow
Won’t let me sleep
Your memories

The Doctor heard voices run through his head. He wasn’t mad, no wait maybe he was, but he recognized the voices as himself. The past regenerations. It was the first time in his current form that he heard them.

And I know you’re in this room
I’m sure I heard you sigh
Floating in between

He looked down at his hand, knowing what was going to happen next. He started to tell Rose about Barcelona and the noseless dogs. Every time, he told someone that it was funny.

Scares the hell out of me
And the end is all I can see

Then he was worried. This form would be leaving Rose, on the TARDIS, in the middle of the time vortex. It wasn’t the best situation and his feelings at that moment reflected it.

And I know the moment’s near
And there’s nothing you can do
Look through a faithless eye
Are you afraid to die?

The pain coursing through him was excoriating. He knew regeneration was very near. Stopping Rose was important; she couldn’t touch him.

It scares the hell out of me
And the end is all I can see

And this form was no done. His ninth of twelve and not it was gone.

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 06:17:15 GMT

Title: Endlessly
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor(9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG

There’s a part of me you’ll never know
The only thing I’ll never show

The Doctor realized no matter how he felt about Rose, he could never tell her. The Time War. The brutality of it all, the evil that occurred.

Hopelessly I’ll love you endlessly
Hopelessly I’ll give you everything

He would want her to know that he always did love her. He wanted to show her everything the universe had to offer.

It’s plain to see it’s trying to speak
Cherished dreams forever asleep

When he first saw her dressed up in Dickens Cardiff, he knew something about her made his hearts beat faster. He could never say, he would never say. The dreams he had involving her could be said.

But I won’t give you up
I won’t let you down
And I won’t leave you falling

He did not want her to leave him or disappoint her with a mundane adventure. He did not want her to fall through the nothingness, a place he would never be able to go. He desperately hoped that would never be the case.

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:25:17 GMT

Title: Butterflies and Hurricanes
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who [The Doctor (9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: The End of the World

Change,
Everything you are
And everything you were

Rose stood on the observation deck of Satellite Five. She could not believe she was millions of years in the future. A wide grin spread across her face.

Best,
You’ve got to be the best,
You’ve got to change the world

As she stared out into space and the Earth far below, her hand drifted to the glass. A surge of unknown energy came through her. She knew she had to stay with the Doctor.

Fights and battles have begun
Revenge will surely come
Your hard times are ahead

She went back and sat down. While sitting there, she thought about her mother and Mickey. Then, Rose noticed the sun coming through the protective shield.

At that moment, Rose Tyler realized her life just became complicated.

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:23:08 GMT

Title: Blackout
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor(9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Parting of the Ways

Don’t kid yourself
And don’t fool yourself
This love’s too good to last
And I’m too old to dream

The Doctor pocketed his sonic screwdriver. Rose going back to Jackie and Mickey the idiot. She was going to be safe and that was all that mattered. He did not want to give her up, but she was too young to die on Satellite Five.

Don’t grow up too fast
And don’t embrace the past

He wished, no hoped, that she would follow the advice his emergency protocol was giving. But he had no expectations. She would come back and want to help him and Jack. That was just her. His Rose.

This life could be the last
And we’re too young to see

He was too young. At least younger than most of the Time Lords that had perished. Too young to die, but there was always regeneration. He had at least three lives left.

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 05:50:42 GMT

Title: Hysteria
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor(9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG

It’s bugging me, grating me
And twisting me around
Yeah I’m endlessly caving in
And turning me inside out

Rose detested her thoughts and feelings. The Doctor was her best friend. The way she felt was how she should feel about Mickey.

I want it now
Give me your heart and your soul
And I’m breaking out

She wanted him to think of her as his girlfriend. But every time someone new came along, her heart would break.

I’ll feel my heart implode
And I’m breaking out
Escaping now

But she knew it would not happen. She wanted to pretend that it would happen. No matter how many times she hoped and prayed, it probably would never happen.

Noir: Deep Blue Knot

die_frrremde — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:02:52 GMT

Title: Deep Blue Knot
Author: die_frrremde
Pairing/Fandom: Kirika/Mireille, Noir
CD: Okkyung Lee, "Nihm"
Rating: PG
Word Count: 651
Author's Notes: Written for ficalbum. "Deep Blue Knot" is song 7 on Okkyung Lee's "Nihm". Post-series.

Deep Blue Knot

Doctor Who- 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:11:43 GMT

Title: Falling Away With You
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor(9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Bad Wolf

All of the love we left behind
Watching the flashbacks intertwine
Memories I will never find

He sat there, unsure of what to think. He allowed himself to be ordered to sit. The thought of what was going on in Satellite Five did not run through his mind. The reel of how she died was on a continuously loop. The robot did not hesitate as it killed her.

So I’ll love whatever you become
And forget the reckless things we’ve done
I think our lives have just begun

But now he had to go on; travel the universe--alone. With a rush, memories flooded his mind. It seemed everywhere they went, trouble ensued.

I can feel my soul crumbling away
And falling away
Falling away with you

The Doctor had never felt death-- only extreme pain during his regenerations. He doubted that humans and other species would experience this at their death. This particular feeling would be worse-- the loss of someone you loved.

I know I won’t forget a thing

He had to leave her behind. The ashes that were her not even minutes ago.

Doctor Who- 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:09:10 GMT

Title: Stockholm Syndrome
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor(9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Doomsday

Let your hatred grow
And she’ll scream
And she’ll shout
And she’ll pray

Rose pounded the wall as hard as she could. Her screams vibrated through the hall. Her shouts were hardly there. Each time she hit the solid wall a prayer went through her mind. She wanted to go back. To see the Doctor and his brilliant smile again.

No one will recall

Her main fear was that if she stayed in Pete’s World, her memory would fade. She never wanted to forget him.

This is the last time I’ll abandon you
And this is the last time I’ll forget you

She didn’t know what to do. Her hand was sore from her repeated hits. Instead, she placed it on the wall.

And we’ll love
And we’ll hate
And we’ll die
All to no avail

And then she felt it. The same feeling she had for the past two years. He was there, his hand in the same exact spot as hers. But it was gone as quickly as it had come.

Doctor Who- (9&10/Rose)

spooky_xphile — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:03:58 GMT

Title: Sing For Absolution
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who, [The Doctor (9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Series One

Lips are turning blue
A kiss that can’t renew
I only dream of you
My beautiful

The Doctor dreamed of the kiss that sent his ninth form to its death. Subsequently, he thought of her and she sacrificed her life for him.

There’s nowhere left to hide
In no one to confide
The truth runs deep inside
And will never die

Rose felt that her hopefulness was out in the open. Jackie knew, Mickey knew, and the Doctor probably knew. She couldn’t hide from the truth and she would have to face that.

Tiptoe to your room
A starlight in the gloom
I only dream of you
And you never knew

The Doctor would sometimes sneak to her room and just watch her sleep. She was the light in his life at that moment. Without her, his depression would continue. And he was sure she would never find out.

Doctor Who- 9&10/Rose

spooky_xphile — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 09:32:07 GMT

Title: Apocalypse Please
Author: spooky_xphile
Pairing/Fandom: Doctor Who [The Doctor (9&10)/Rose Tyler]
CD: Absolution- Muse
Rating: PG
Spoilers: The Christmas Invasion

Declare this an emergency
Come on and spread a sense of urgency

Rose watched the telly with interest. Harriet Jones was doing the Queen’s speech. She could see the Prime Minister’s fear of the alien invaders.

It’s time we saw a miracle
Come on it’s time for something biblical
To pull us through

Rose walked into the room where the Doctor was currently comatose. There was not a situation in the past year that they did not figure out-- together. Now, as he lay there, she was unsure if she could solve this.

Proclaim eternal victory
Come on and change the course of history

She sat down next to him and thought once again of their adventures in the past. Everything they had changed would mean nothing.

Noir: Anything You Say, Anything You (Don't) Say

die_frrremde — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 12:16:13 GMT

Title: Anything You Say, Anything You (Don't) Say
Author: die_frrremde
Pairing/Fandom: Kirika/Mireille, Noir
CD: Okkyung Lee, "Nihm"
Rating: R for non-explicit sexual actions and language.
Word Count: 477
Warnings: Spoiler for episode 14.
Author's Notes: "Anything You Say, Anything You (Don't) Say" is song 4 on Okkyung Lee's "Nihm". Post-Episode 14. I'm afraid that this is slightly AU or OOC or whatever you want to call it, heh.

Anything You Say, Anything You Don't Say

Fic- "I Got Time" (Jean/Roy, FMA)

raja815 — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 09:33:09 GMT

Title: I Got Time
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Characters: Jean Havoc/Roy Mustang
CD and Song: Aerosmith's Nine Lives, "Fallen Angels"
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1748
Warnings: Descriptions of illness and violence. A bit of fluff.
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist is © Hiromu Arakawa. I will make no capitol benefit from this.
Author's Notes: Written for ficalbum for "Fallen Angels." Lyrics here. Set pre-series during the Ishbal rebellion, could be considered AU.

''Take a breath, boss. You’re not doing yourself any favors, holding it like that.''

ER - Ray/Neela

di_yani — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 22:09:02 GMT

Title: Dancing with the Devil
Fandom: ER
Pairing: Ray/Neela
CD & Song: Let This Go - All We Know Is Falling (Paramore)
Rating: PG
Notes:

i. and never will I have to answer again to anyone

When Neela is ten years old her sister Asha dares her to steal a biscuit.

It is one of the many rules in the Rasgotra household that you get one – and only one – biscuit a day. And, like every other rule Cherita Rasgotra sets for her children, it is not to be broken under any circumstance. Everyone knows the consequences.

So Neela, being a smart and rational girl, tells her sister no. Asha isn’t surprised, after all Neela is only ten. She’s just a scared little girl. Asha on the other hand is already twelve and, with her many years, has tons of wisdom and bravery.

Neela, who with her mere ten years has a temper as big as any other Rasgotra, does not take that lightly. She is NOT a little girl! And she surely isn’t scared.

Now she just has to prove it.

So she grabs the cow-shaped jar and defiantly sticks her hand in. She looks her older sister square in the eyes as she pulls out a nice round chocolate biscuit and takes a big bite.

Mmmmmmmmmm.

Even Asha has to admit perhaps Neela isn’t such a chicken after all.

And later, when they have dinner and after getting caught putting the cowjar back, she doesn’t even wash her hands. THAT’s how brave she is.

And even though she’s not allowed biscuits for a whole week, she sure does feel like a big girl now.

ii. And by then I’m sure I'll be pretending just like I am tonight

When Neela is 17 years old her friend Nancy dares her to sneak out and go have pizza with her. On a Wednesday. At night.

No. Her mother has rules about that. Home by 8 on weekdays. If you’re late you’d better be dead or dying.

Once, when Neela was 12, her brother and sister, Ajeet and Geeta, went to a friend’s party on a Thursday and didn’t get home until 10. She can’t exactly remember the precise details but Neela’s pretty sure there was crying involved. Ajeet was 16 at the time and Geeta already 17, but that hadn’t meant the rule didn’t apply.

Now here Nancy is, trying to get Neela to break her mother’s number 1 rule. Surely she must be barking mad. Nancy sighs and mopes that Neela’s never any fun.

Now, you should know that Neela’s no bore. She goes out plenty. Just last week she went and danced with a total stranger. She has fun all the time!

So she can’t just ignore that obvious lie and relents. They decide to meet at the park in front of Neela’s house. Neela pretends to go to bed early, having finished all her homework at record speed. She then climbs out of the window, shimmies down a drainpipe and – after marvelling at her own acrobatic skills – runs to the park where Nancy is waiting with their mates Marcus and Lilly and a random bloke she’s only met once before. She thinks his name is Kevin.

They eat pizza and chips and Kevin turns out to be terribly funny. They even play some basketball at the makeshift court in Marcus’ backyard. Neela plays to win and does, since boys always think she’s bad at sports because of her height and gender. She doesn’t like it when people judge her like that, so she kicks their arses out of principle.

When she gets home her mother is waiting for her and is terribly upset. Even though Neela tries to argue that really, it’s only 11 o’clock and she just had a slice of pizza, her mother is furious. She grounds her daughter for all eternity and shoots her one more disappointed parting look.

Neela doesn’t really care, she’s still on a chips-and-pizza high and all she can think of is funny Kevin with his green eyes and how she hopes to see him at school tomorrow.

Not to mention how she’s shown that, obviously, she is tons of fun.

iii. Please don't get me wrong

When Neela is 28 years old her ex-roommate Ray dares her to go out and do something wild.

They’re having lunch at their old apartment and were having what she thought was a nice conversation. Actually the first one not filled with tension since she had moved out. It started with balloons, she thinks, and about being a kid. And, now, here he is, daring her to ‘do something wild’.

Neela doesn’t even know what he means by that, and she’d 80% sure it’s something dirty, so she punches him in the arm like she would have done before everything and tells him to shove off. He rolls his eyes and calls it a ‘classic Neela reaction.’ He even mentions a stick up her butt.

She takes offence at that and reaches to smack him again. He’s too fast this time and she gets even more annoyed.

She doesn’t have anything up her anywhere, thank you very much! She’s spontaneous all the time. Remember, once she bought $400 shoes on a whim? And remember that time she when she went clubbing and didn’t come home until 2 in the morning? She does crazy things all over the place, like wearing hot pink nail polish even though it’s totally inappropriate and not cutting her hair for 5 months.

So fine, she’ll go do something wild. It’s not like she’s new to it. She’ll....she’ll...oh! She’ll get a TATTOO! That gets both a gasp of surprise and a burst of laughter. He doesn’t believe her, it seems, but she’ll show him.

She drags him out of the apartment and to the closest tattoo parlour she can think of in her wild (ha!) and frenzied state. Once she’s actually inside she hesitates, but one glance at Ray’s disbelieving face convinces her.

When she comes out, he wants to see it. After all, she could be faking it. So she shows him, on the side of her lower back, in small, fancy lettering: MALLON BOULEVARD.

He’s confused as to why she decided to tattoo his street name on what is essentially her butt. Neela explains that once this comes back to bite her in the arse – which she is sure it will – she wants to be able to tell whoever comes to question her about her ex-roommate’s mysterious disappearance to check her arse for his whereabouts. Hopefully they’ll refuse and they’ll never find where she buried him. Which, in case he needs to know, is in the small plot of unused land in near the end of his beloved street.

He’s too proud of her to really care that she’s already plotting his death and just calls her and her murderous tendencies ‘sweet’.

She’s not though. He should know this by now. She’s not sweet, with her aching tattoo and soaring adrenaline. She’s wild. She’s totally a wild woman.

</div>

Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone CD Challenge

dianaryan — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 06:12:13 GMT

Title: Hope For Me Yet
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: James Butler Hickok, General George Custer, Elizabeth Custer
Word Count: 3352
Rating: PG
Summary: Stopping in to visit with the Custer's, James catches a glimpse of the other side of the coin.

Read the Story

Title: Trying To Stop Your Leaving
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: Emma Shannon (Cain) & Belle Kingston
Word Count: 3227
Rating: PG
Summary: Back in Rock Creek a young woman's life shatters. Who will pick up the pieces?

Read the Story

Title: The Heaven I'm Headed For
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: James Butler Hickok, Teaspoon Hunter
Word Count: 2439
Rating: PG
Summary: What heaven could be available for a man with his past? Can an old Padre offer advice and counseling?

Read the Story

life on mars fic: dreams in dreams (then i'll be there with you)

synecdoche — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 00:30:53 GMT

Title: dreams in dreams (then i'll be there with you)
Author: synecdoche
Characters/Pairings: Annie, Sam/Annie
Spoilers: 2.08
Rating: PG.
Word Count: 945.
Summary: Annie's never gone in for comforting answers.
Notes: For jeonggam, because she's a sweetie. ♥ Also for the ficalbum challenge. Enjoy?

( don't try to say to me that this was never meant to be )

Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone CD "Soon as You Can"

dianaryan — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:57:14 GMT

Title: Soon as You Can
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: James Butler Hickok, Sam Cain, Emma Shanon (Cain)
Word Count: 1976
Rating: PG
Summary: Jimmy stops in to visit Emma and Sam

Soon As You Can

Naruto // Yamanaka Ino

skylar_inari — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 01:51:50 GMT

Title: Ariel
Fandom: Naruto
Character: Yamanaka Ino
CD & Song: Ariel - October Project
Word Count: 256
Rating: PG
Summary: The end and a time to rest.
Notes: Unbeta'd. I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does. I don't own October Project either. Lyrics are in italics. Done for ficalbum.

The day is breaking now
It's time to go away
I'm so afraid to leave
But more afraid to stay
Forgive me
For leaving
The sadness in your eyes
Forgive me

Leaving Konoha behind was hard.

It was harder still when Ino thought about her sons, and how Shikamaru would be without her. Ino though knew that it was time. Her body was tired and her spirit, ripped and frail from years of leaping from mind to mind, couldn't keep on going.

One night she lay down to sleep with the knowledge that she would never wake again. Never wake up in their small house with the leaky roof and hear the shrieks of the boys as they fought over something trivial.

Her father had gone in his sleep. So would she. It was either battle or sleep for the Yamanaka Clan and she'd been retired nearly six years now. On the battle field wasn't and option for her. Not anymore.

Ino couldn't find that she cared.

When her eyes opened next it was not to look upon the sleeping face of her husband but rather to scouring sand and whipping winds. Waves crashed rhythmically against the shore and with every step she took towards them Ino could feel the last bonds of her spirit breaking from her body.

Ino had thought she would be sad.

Now that Ino was there though, far from where any of her family could reach her, there was nothing but a quiet exultation and understated awe and the primal beauty of the landscape. Never had she seen waves like that.

And she had one thousand steps to take before she was gone. Ino went willingly. Love held nothing to her freedom.

Let the wind and ocean water
Wash across your hands
Wash away a thousand memories
Wash us all away
Like sand

Title: Where You Are
Fandom: Naruto
Character: Yamanaka Ino
CD & Song: Where You Are - October Project
Word Count: 530
Rating: G
Summary: Ino’s asking questions. Shikamaru misspeaks.
Notes: Unbeta'd. I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does. I don't own October Project either. Lyrics are in italics. Done for ficalbum. Very mild ShikaIno.

"Why don't people just tell the truth?" Ino asked artlessly as they sat on a bench while waiting for Asuma-sensei to show up.

Shikamaru glanced at Ino before rolling his eyes over her head so that Ino didn't see him.

Chouji stifled a smile, and asked because it had become something of a tradition for him to do so when Ino started asking questions, "What's brought this on, Ino?"

Shikamaru knew that Chouji asked only because a month on the same team as Ino had taught both of them that Ino was far far more irritating when you tried to ignore her. It was easier for the team if they just went along with her whims as much as possible.

"Well," she said pensively, "Dad was explaining more family stuff and how since we can enter people's minds there's an obligation to make sure that - "

Tuning her out, Shikamaru checked the street in the vain hope of seeing Asuma-sensei. He wasn't surprised, a bit disappointed but not surprised, that he didn't find him. His father had laughed when Shikamaru had complained that Asuma-sensei never seemed to be around when they could use him.

"It is human nature to lie. We can't help it. A situation will come up that makes us uneasy or, or something, and before we know it - Lies!" Ino was saying seriously, Chouji watching her with an expression that was a mix of amusement, exasperation, and alarm as she showed no sign of stopping. "Everybody does it. Nobody ever really tells you what they're thinking about, even if you ask, and..."

Ino was a talker. And even worse, since they were on the same team, she had fixated on him and Chouji as her prime sources of entertainment. When he wasn't irritated with her (which was often) Shikamaru was even willing to admit that she was half decent company as long as they stayed away from Team 7, but he did wish that she'd learn to just enjoy a bit of silence every now and then.

"Are you even listening to me? Shikamaru!" He blinked as Ino shook him roughly before prying her hands off of his arm.

"What is it?" he snapped ignoring her wounded look, "I was thinking."

"What were you thinking about?" Ino asked inquisitively. Behind her Chouji shook his head in warning? despair? Shikamaru wasn't sure.

Either way, he figured it was better to tell the truth since Ino had been harping on it. "I was thinking about you." To his surprise Ino's face went pink and then she turned to face Chouji so quickly that her hair nearly took his head off.

"As I was saying - " Ino said in a determinedly 'normal' sort of voice to Chouji as Shikamaru stared in surprise at her back, "Everybody lies."

Shikamaru wondered what on earth he'd said this time. He hadn't been lying! And why did she sound so pleased about it anyway if she thought he was lying? It wasn't like he'd said anything special. Girls didn't make any sense.

"Such a pain in the ass." Shikamaru muttered at last.

He was careful though not to let Ino hear.

Title: A Lonely Voice
Fandom: Naruto
Character: Yamanaka Ino
CD & Song: A Lonely Voice - October Project
Word Count: 594
Rating: PG
Summary: Ino hears voices.
Notes: Unbeta'd. I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does. I don't own October Project either. Lyrics are in italics. Done for ficalbum.

The very first thing Ino had every learned about her mind was how to close the doors that would let her out of it. After Ino had accidentally possessed Tanaka-san from next door when she'd been only seven, her father had sat down with her and walked her through what to do.
It had been her first time ever in the Balance Room. Ino had been well pleased with herself - it was a room that even her mother wasn't allowed to enter - and her father hadn't been able to keep the smile from his face either.

That hadn't stopped him from showing her how, now that the Talent was awake, that she would have to learn to create barriers between herself and the rest of the world. He'd let her see the doors in his mind. They were tall, smooth, and a white so pure that it made Ino's eyes water just to look at them.

Her doors, while at first had resembled his, over the years eventually changed to look rather more like ornate iron-wrought gates.

He'd been dubious about the viability of such open barriers when he'd first discovered them when she was thirteen while practising Shintenshin, but after a few hours of careful inspection had deemed them suitable.

Ino never told him about the voices she could hear just outside her gates.

They were lonely voices. Sometimes at night she'd lay awake and wonder what would happen if she ever opened up her mind and just let go of all the control that her father had taught her. Would she be able to help make them feel better? Or were they just lying, trying to seduce her into doing something that Ino had promised that she wouldn't?

It didn't stop her hands from itching to open them though. Every month or two the urge would get bad enough that Ino would start staying up later. During the day, while she was awake, it was possible to ignore her curiosity. Nights were harder by far.

Other times, the bad times, Ino was glad - almost spiteful - with the knowledge that she could hear voices lamenting for her to come and keep them company and that it was in her power to deny them that.

No matter how she felt about them though, they remained a part of her life. Even though she didn't know who they were.

It wasn't until she slept one night when she was twenty two and heard her father's voice behind the door that Ino got the first horrible idea as to what she'd been hearing. When her father's body was brought back to Konoha two weeks later - and his voice had haunted her every night - Ino had her guess confirmed.

The dead had been keeping her company. Ino had rushed from the room and retched violently. She understood now why her father's doors had been so imposing. Her little gates weren't going to stop the voices.

Ino knew what to do.

A few days later found her sitting alone, in her Balance Room. Hands shaking so badly that they could barely hold a glass of water, it took Ino longer, far longer than normal to form the seals for Shintenshin no Jutsu while looking herself in the mirror.

That was the last she heard from the voices. And her doors were the color of burnished steel and chained shut. Ino had no interest in the dead. Couldn't stand to listen to her father's lonely voice.

Better the silence of her own thoughts.

Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone CD: "Can't Live it Down"

dianaryan — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:36:57 GMT

Title: Can't Live it Down
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: James Butler Hickok, Running Buck Cross, etc.
Word Count: 2693
Rating: PG
Summary: Jimmy's face on a Wanted Poster causes him a lick of trouble

Can't Live it Down

Fic Album

Firefly: general--two previously unposted stories

Dierks Bentley: Long Trip Alone CD - Long Trip Alone

First post. *squee* excited!

Dierks Bentley: Long Trip Alone CD - Prodigal Son's Prayer

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who: 9&10/Rose

Noir: Deep Blue Knot

Doctor Who- 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who- 9&10/Rose

Doctor Who- (9&10/Rose)

Doctor Who- 9&10/Rose

Noir: Anything You Say, Anything You (Don't) Say

Fic- "I Got Time" (Jean/Roy, FMA)

ER - Ray/Neela

Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone CD Challenge

life on mars fic: dreams in dreams (then i'll be there with you)

Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone CD "Soon as You Can"

Naruto // Yamanaka Ino

Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone CD: "Can't Live it Down"

First post. squee excited!