Flash Fiction (Take 14-Part Two)
Jun. 20th, 2011 07:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dracoqueen22a/n: So... yeah. I don't know WHERE some of these flash fic are coming from, but they are odd. Also, reminder, I've not read the Bleach manga past the Butterflaizen arc so I have no clue what's happening in current chapters. And my poor abused logic circuits have blocked half of what happened in that arc so I don't remember clearly what happened. *laughs* Ergo, I'm making it up as I go.
With that said, now that I've frightened everyone, please enjoy the latest three flash fics!
For![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rionarch
Prompt: Sokka, Ty Lee, and Chey with Hakoda getting freighted
Fandom: Avatar the Last Airbender. Warning for spoilers, possible OOC-ness.
Formandalee1013
Prompt: Renji, TBL'verse, crush
Fandom: Bleach, The Beautiful Lie universe. Warning for fic-spoilers. Light slash. Language. Crack.
Ichimaru has daddy issues. Which is simultaneously cute and weird for Renji to think about. Weird cause it's Ichimaru, and weird because Renji thinks it's cute. And weird because Renji actually thinks about Ichimaru now which just tops off the scale of what the fuck his life has become.
Yeah, he spends a lot of time with Ichimaru now. If time is what he's supposed to call it. They don't measure it anymore. There's no rise and fall of the sun to follow anymore. Nor is there a clock with sweeping arms to watch, or digital numbers to roll forward. There's just waiting. And talking.
Lots of talking.
With Ichimaru – no, not Ichimaru. He's Gin now. About fifty conversations ago, they'd decided that all the formality stuff had to go. They weren't enemies anymore. They didn't hate each other. All that negative, turbulent crap had kinda wilted in this afterlife, this half-existence, gray, formless place.
Gin's actually not half-bad, now that Renji can look at him without remembering he's the asshole that almost killed Rukia and put his captain in the fourth division for a week. For one thing, Gin's got a wicked laugh. Whatever half-assed, mocking chuckle he'd used before, it's gone. Now he laughs like he means it, and somehow, that always makes Renji want to laugh, too. Especially when they start talking about stupid stuff.
They are more alike than Renji has ever realized. Apart from the obvious, he means. That sense of similarity makes it even easier to spend time with Gin. Much easier than Renji could have ever expected. If someone had told him, years ago, that one day he'd spend whatever constitutes his afterlife next to Ichimaru Gin and he'd enjoy it, Renji would have had to give them a taste of Zabimaru.
But in the here and now, things are different. He gets along with Gin. He talks to Gin. He likes Gin.
Renji's mind stutters to a halt. Huh. Well, that's certainly unexpected.
It is also, of course, the moment when a slim finger pokes him in the side. “Ya gonna play sometime today, Renji?” Gin asks, sounding both amused and curious.
Renji blinks out of his wandering thoughts, and refocuses on the game at hand – which Gin has acquired by means Renji finds it safer not to ask about. “Yeah, I am,” he says, and tries to ignore the heat in his face.
Huh. Apparently, being dead did not necessarily mean the end of life. Or whatever. Renji could still blush – and did – while Gin could – and did – chuckle at him for it. Damn.
Forttenandayo
Prompt: Chad/Himself, “the doctor is in”
Fandom: Bleach. Warning for spoilers like whoa. And probably not what the prompt intended but what the muses demanded.
With that said, now that I've frightened everyone, please enjoy the latest three flash fics!
For
rionarch Prompt: Sokka, Ty Lee, and Chey with Hakoda getting freighted
Fandom: Avatar the Last Airbender. Warning for spoilers, possible OOC-ness.
Logically, Hakoda knows that the war is over. At least, for the most part. He knows that the Fire Nation, per their brand new Fire Lord, has agreed to cease hostilities. He knows that there will be no more battles and that peace is soon to come. Somehow, the occupations will end, the soldiers will gladly return home, and the scars of a century-long war will fade away. He knows that the entire world has the Avatar to thank for it.
Well... Aang and a scarred fire brat who finally opened his good eye to the truth and helped take down his psychotic sister.
Logically, Hakoda knows that the Fire Nation is no longer his enemy. But it's hard to erase a lifetime of pain and loathing and fear. It's even harder to believe that a nation of soldiers is that willing to lay down arms and submit to peace.
Hakoda doesn't buy it.
Years of watching his friends and brothers die, screaming in scorched agony, makes this peace bitter to bear. The aching hole inside of him where his wife should be makes the cease-fire too little too late. The grief of separating from his children in order to protect them makes all celebration ring hollow.
Nothing, however, is as terrible as the sight of his son sitting amiably at a bonfire between two obviously Fire Nation people. One of them a former companion to the crazed princess, another a self-proclaimed deserter who hasn't done anything worth noting in Hakoda's opinion.
As if aware of Hakoda watching them, and to spite him for it, the girl – Ty Lee if he remembers -- giggles. Leans in close to Sokka, pressed against his side, eyes glinting at him from a face that's been painted. Nothing but a fake Kyoushi warrior. And then Chey, on Sokka's other side, laughs. He makes broad gestures with his arms, as though recounting some amusing escapade that makes Sokka laugh, too.
It fills Hakoda with a deep and smoldering fury. Logically, he knows he should celebrate this as a sign that the peace he so longed for is finally at hand. Instead, all he can see is Sokka... far from home, surrounded by the trappings of a Fire Nation empire, and happy for it. Even if he is bruised and battered from destroying the mad Phoenix King's fleet of flame-bearing airships.
Worse that Sokka has built a deep friendship with the new Fire Lord. Worse that he treats his weapons instructor like a replacement father. Worse that the nation which has only brought Sokka agony has now found means to replace every essence of Water Tribe home in Sokka's heart.
Worser still, in all of this, Hakoda fears he only has himself to blame.
Well... Aang and a scarred fire brat who finally opened his good eye to the truth and helped take down his psychotic sister.
Logically, Hakoda knows that the Fire Nation is no longer his enemy. But it's hard to erase a lifetime of pain and loathing and fear. It's even harder to believe that a nation of soldiers is that willing to lay down arms and submit to peace.
Hakoda doesn't buy it.
Years of watching his friends and brothers die, screaming in scorched agony, makes this peace bitter to bear. The aching hole inside of him where his wife should be makes the cease-fire too little too late. The grief of separating from his children in order to protect them makes all celebration ring hollow.
Nothing, however, is as terrible as the sight of his son sitting amiably at a bonfire between two obviously Fire Nation people. One of them a former companion to the crazed princess, another a self-proclaimed deserter who hasn't done anything worth noting in Hakoda's opinion.
As if aware of Hakoda watching them, and to spite him for it, the girl – Ty Lee if he remembers -- giggles. Leans in close to Sokka, pressed against his side, eyes glinting at him from a face that's been painted. Nothing but a fake Kyoushi warrior. And then Chey, on Sokka's other side, laughs. He makes broad gestures with his arms, as though recounting some amusing escapade that makes Sokka laugh, too.
It fills Hakoda with a deep and smoldering fury. Logically, he knows he should celebrate this as a sign that the peace he so longed for is finally at hand. Instead, all he can see is Sokka... far from home, surrounded by the trappings of a Fire Nation empire, and happy for it. Even if he is bruised and battered from destroying the mad Phoenix King's fleet of flame-bearing airships.
Worse that Sokka has built a deep friendship with the new Fire Lord. Worse that he treats his weapons instructor like a replacement father. Worse that the nation which has only brought Sokka agony has now found means to replace every essence of Water Tribe home in Sokka's heart.
Worser still, in all of this, Hakoda fears he only has himself to blame.
For
mandalee1013 Prompt: Renji, TBL'verse, crush
Fandom: Bleach, The Beautiful Lie universe. Warning for fic-spoilers. Light slash. Language. Crack.
Ichimaru has daddy issues. Which is simultaneously cute and weird for Renji to think about. Weird cause it's Ichimaru, and weird because Renji thinks it's cute. And weird because Renji actually thinks about Ichimaru now which just tops off the scale of what the fuck his life has become.
Yeah, he spends a lot of time with Ichimaru now. If time is what he's supposed to call it. They don't measure it anymore. There's no rise and fall of the sun to follow anymore. Nor is there a clock with sweeping arms to watch, or digital numbers to roll forward. There's just waiting. And talking.
Lots of talking.
With Ichimaru – no, not Ichimaru. He's Gin now. About fifty conversations ago, they'd decided that all the formality stuff had to go. They weren't enemies anymore. They didn't hate each other. All that negative, turbulent crap had kinda wilted in this afterlife, this half-existence, gray, formless place.
Gin's actually not half-bad, now that Renji can look at him without remembering he's the asshole that almost killed Rukia and put his captain in the fourth division for a week. For one thing, Gin's got a wicked laugh. Whatever half-assed, mocking chuckle he'd used before, it's gone. Now he laughs like he means it, and somehow, that always makes Renji want to laugh, too. Especially when they start talking about stupid stuff.
They are more alike than Renji has ever realized. Apart from the obvious, he means. That sense of similarity makes it even easier to spend time with Gin. Much easier than Renji could have ever expected. If someone had told him, years ago, that one day he'd spend whatever constitutes his afterlife next to Ichimaru Gin and he'd enjoy it, Renji would have had to give them a taste of Zabimaru.
But in the here and now, things are different. He gets along with Gin. He talks to Gin. He likes Gin.
Renji's mind stutters to a halt. Huh. Well, that's certainly unexpected.
It is also, of course, the moment when a slim finger pokes him in the side. “Ya gonna play sometime today, Renji?” Gin asks, sounding both amused and curious.
Renji blinks out of his wandering thoughts, and refocuses on the game at hand – which Gin has acquired by means Renji finds it safer not to ask about. “Yeah, I am,” he says, and tries to ignore the heat in his face.
Huh. Apparently, being dead did not necessarily mean the end of life. Or whatever. Renji could still blush – and did – while Gin could – and did – chuckle at him for it. Damn.
For
ttenandayo Prompt: Chad/Himself, “the doctor is in”
Fandom: Bleach. Warning for spoilers like whoa. And probably not what the prompt intended but what the muses demanded.
The mirrors at the Kurosaki clinic are the largest, angled so that he can see all around him easily, and best of all, after hours, they are private as well. A privacy that has been given to Chad with Ichigo's permission. Now, there's no one to bear witness to what has become an almost nightly ritual for Chad. A daily attempt to get back what had been ripped from him, something he absolutely needs if he is to keep standing at Ichigo's side.
It's quiet. One of the coolers containing medicine hums a mournful tune. The wall clock ticks in perfect intervals. The HVAC unit rumbles to life with startling regularity. All of this is background noise compared to Chad's focus.
He strips off his shirt, leaving himself clad in only jeans. His feet are bare on the chilled linoleum. The buzzing overhead lights seem to wash out his skin tone, making the scars on his upper body stand out in harsh relief.
His fingers are drawn to them, as they are every night, stroking over the ridged flesh. Pale pink and silvery, like soft spiderwebs in his skin. Across his chest, and shoulders, down his arms – yes, both of them. So many scars, so many reminders.
Inoue could have healed them, rejected their existence, but Chad had declined the offer. He both wants and needs these scars. He can't allow himself to forget. They might be the only link left for Chad, a link to the past and a broken power.
Closing his eyes, Chad inhales slowly. He reaches for that place inside of himself where the power resides. The forces of defense and offense; one to bring death, one to protect life. As conflicting as they are complimentary. That power unfurls, rippling through him. He opens his eyes, watches it flicker across his skin in flares of light, plays of black-crimson electricity. Like a Hollow.
His left hand twitches, fingers opening and closing. Power races through them unabated. The walls shudder. The numbness fades, replaced by warmth, and a smile touches Chad's lips. He can still fight. He can still--
Pain. His right arm spasms and Chad drops to his knees, legs buckled. The power builds and so does the agony, lashing his innards. His right arm twinges violently, skin crackling and bleeding as it turns black. The dark energies folding inward, collapsing on themselves, subjecting him to its furious backlash.
With a gasp, Chad cuts off the connection to Brazo Directa del Gigante. The power vanishes with a sharp snap and Chad's left feeling cold. Broken. Helpless once again. He sucks in several breaths, staring mutely at the linoleum, head bowed.
Unohana-taichou said it was irreparable. He hadn't wanted to believe her. Chad hadn't wanted to lose that strength, but no matter what he tried, he couldn't fix himself.
a/n: Two more fics to come and that'll be all for this time's flash fic Friday. Thanks to everyone! Feedback is always welcome and appreciated!It's quiet. One of the coolers containing medicine hums a mournful tune. The wall clock ticks in perfect intervals. The HVAC unit rumbles to life with startling regularity. All of this is background noise compared to Chad's focus.
He strips off his shirt, leaving himself clad in only jeans. His feet are bare on the chilled linoleum. The buzzing overhead lights seem to wash out his skin tone, making the scars on his upper body stand out in harsh relief.
His fingers are drawn to them, as they are every night, stroking over the ridged flesh. Pale pink and silvery, like soft spiderwebs in his skin. Across his chest, and shoulders, down his arms – yes, both of them. So many scars, so many reminders.
Inoue could have healed them, rejected their existence, but Chad had declined the offer. He both wants and needs these scars. He can't allow himself to forget. They might be the only link left for Chad, a link to the past and a broken power.
Closing his eyes, Chad inhales slowly. He reaches for that place inside of himself where the power resides. The forces of defense and offense; one to bring death, one to protect life. As conflicting as they are complimentary. That power unfurls, rippling through him. He opens his eyes, watches it flicker across his skin in flares of light, plays of black-crimson electricity. Like a Hollow.
His left hand twitches, fingers opening and closing. Power races through them unabated. The walls shudder. The numbness fades, replaced by warmth, and a smile touches Chad's lips. He can still fight. He can still--
Pain. His right arm spasms and Chad drops to his knees, legs buckled. The power builds and so does the agony, lashing his innards. His right arm twinges violently, skin crackling and bleeding as it turns black. The dark energies folding inward, collapsing on themselves, subjecting him to its furious backlash.
With a gasp, Chad cuts off the connection to Brazo Directa del Gigante. The power vanishes with a sharp snap and Chad's left feeling cold. Broken. Helpless once again. He sucks in several breaths, staring mutely at the linoleum, head bowed.
Unohana-taichou said it was irreparable. He hadn't wanted to believe her. Chad hadn't wanted to lose that strength, but no matter what he tried, he couldn't fix himself.
