I've got a total of 21 drabble prompts, so this is just the first batch. More to follow!
For dune_drd: Torchwood; Jack; starlight
Post 'Children of Earth'
Starlight
The cabin is dark and always moving. When he's shaving, Jack has to sway to keep pace with the mirror, and even then, he's fairly sure he missed a bit by his ear. Not that there's anyone to really shave for out here – the crew are more interested in Jack's coaxing another lightyear out of the engines than in anything else.
He shaves by the light of a lamp; there's no starlight in hyperspace, and he wouldn't know which was Sol anyway, but it's easier, knowing he can't see it. No point in running if even the light follows you.
For naye: Doctor Who; Donna; shiny
Post 'Journeys End'
Among the Stars
It's weird, but lately Donna's found herself turning into something of a magpie, buying clothes and jewellery that sparkle, anything shiny. There's the scarf with the metallic thread woven through it, and the dangly earrings that catch the light as they turn. She keeps taking them off just to look at them. It's like she's star-struck, only for actual stars.
She doesn't know why, nor why she's got those daft glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to her ceiling. But she knows that lying in the dark, staring up at them, she feels content somehow. Like this is where she's supposed to be.
For avon_09: Donna vs Castiel; ticked off
Kidnapped
"You just take me back right now, you winged freak."
Absently, Castiel rubs his chest where she poked him. He understands human anger as a fact, but being confronted with this much all at once is starting to hurt his head.
"I don't care what you think you're doing, I'm got friends in high places."
"We know." He almost has to shout to be heard. "That's why you're here."
That calms her a little. Only a little though, and as she starts again, Castiel has to wonder if this was a good idea.
Or if earplugs would make it easier.
For apiphile: Discworld; Vimes; youth
Known by Name
As much as his knees creak and his back cracks when he gets up from playing 'dragons,'* Vimes never wishes he'd done this earlier. If he has his way, the only monsters his son will have to face are under his bed and the only demons the imps in his disorganizer. But if he doesn't have his way, then the distance between the boy he was and the copper he's become means that he doesn't have to worry. He knows every monster and demon by name and young Sam won't face them unprepared.
*Which Sybil considers more suitable than 'horsies'
For donutsweeper: Criminal Minds; Garcia; sunny
Into the Light
Penelope blinks against the light, the brightness almost hurting her eyes.
"You okay?" Reid's touch is light on her shoulder.
"I guess. Just can't remember the last time I left work in the daylight."
"Summer's coming."
"Is that good?"
"Possibly. Although some studies have found that murder rates increase as the temperature goes up."
It's hard not to smile; Reid always has an answer for everything, even more than she does.
"That's good to know." Penelope pinches his cheek before setting off for her car. If she drives fast, maybe she'll be able to catch some rays before they disappear.
For white_hart: Discworld; Death; knitting
Monsieur Defarge
Clickclickclick.
"Are you making a scarf?"
"ER. YES?" Amongst the old women in the front row, it had seemed the thing to do.
"Very good colour, that. It's hard to find good black at the moment. You here for the revolution?"
"I…HAVE WORK HERE."
"Well, it's good to take a break. The next bunch of filthy aristos should be along soon."
"AND MY WORK WILL BEGIN."
"What a shame. You'll miss it."
"NOT EXACTLY."
Clickclickclick.
"I like the pattern. Are they skulls?"
"YES."
"Very realistic. What size needle are you using?"
Death looked down at his long, thin fingers. "NEEDLES?"
For perspi: SGA; Ronon; after
Downtime
What he does after a mission is just as important as the prep beforehand, cleaning his gear, polishing his boots, making sure his gun is recharged and ready to go. Around here, a mission can start before the last one is finished, and there's no way Ronon will risk being caught out.
It's also his own ritual, the wind-down that he needs, just like Teyla's meditations, Sheppard's run, or McKay's gabbling. There was never any time for this while he was running, and he makes time for it now, no matter hwat. Because who knows how long it will last.
For xwingace: SPN; John Winchester; angels
Someone to watch over me
"Don't you boys have a home to go to? No father to keeping an eye on you?"
"No, ma'am, I'm afraid he passed a few years ago."
"I'm sure he's up there, watching over you."
Dean barely manages not to wince, fervently wishing himself out of this conversation.. The comment is kindly meant, but the old lady doesn't know what she's talking about.
She can't know what being watched over from above really means, that he'd actually welcome his father's impossibly high expectations and stern guidance. Compared to the burden he's being asked to carry, John Winchester's rules seem light.
For travels_in_time: Discworld; Sam Vimes; fatherhood
Tall Tales
Everyone always asks young Sam what his father was like. Did he really do everything they say? Did he really arrest the Patrician that time? Did he ever smile? Everyone's heard the stories, and somehow think he'll tell them which are real and which aren't. As though most of them didn't happen before he was even born.
Sammy never knows what to tell them. Because for every true story, he's heard ten fake ones, and sometimes even he finds it hard to tell one from another. So he looks blank, like Dad taught him, and says,
"He was my father."
For karaokegal: Torchwood; Owen; pride
Broken
There's no point binding up his fingers, not really. Everything will break eventually, and if he's not careful, he'll end up mummified. He does it, though, just like he keeps getting up in the morning as though he slept the night before, and keeps going into work as though it's worth doing. He pretends not to see how the others look at him. Even his pride has limits.
He might not have beaten death, not really, but he's not done yet. Because if it comes down to a battle of wills, Owen against Death, no one should bet against him.
For dune_drd: Torchwood; Jack; starlight
Post 'Children of Earth'
Starlight
The cabin is dark and always moving. When he's shaving, Jack has to sway to keep pace with the mirror, and even then, he's fairly sure he missed a bit by his ear. Not that there's anyone to really shave for out here – the crew are more interested in Jack's coaxing another lightyear out of the engines than in anything else.
He shaves by the light of a lamp; there's no starlight in hyperspace, and he wouldn't know which was Sol anyway, but it's easier, knowing he can't see it. No point in running if even the light follows you.
For naye: Doctor Who; Donna; shiny
Post 'Journeys End'
Among the Stars
It's weird, but lately Donna's found herself turning into something of a magpie, buying clothes and jewellery that sparkle, anything shiny. There's the scarf with the metallic thread woven through it, and the dangly earrings that catch the light as they turn. She keeps taking them off just to look at them. It's like she's star-struck, only for actual stars.
She doesn't know why, nor why she's got those daft glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to her ceiling. But she knows that lying in the dark, staring up at them, she feels content somehow. Like this is where she's supposed to be.
For avon_09: Donna vs Castiel; ticked off
Kidnapped
"You just take me back right now, you winged freak."
Absently, Castiel rubs his chest where she poked him. He understands human anger as a fact, but being confronted with this much all at once is starting to hurt his head.
"I don't care what you think you're doing, I'm got friends in high places."
"We know." He almost has to shout to be heard. "That's why you're here."
That calms her a little. Only a little though, and as she starts again, Castiel has to wonder if this was a good idea.
Or if earplugs would make it easier.
For apiphile: Discworld; Vimes; youth
Known by Name
As much as his knees creak and his back cracks when he gets up from playing 'dragons,'* Vimes never wishes he'd done this earlier. If he has his way, the only monsters his son will have to face are under his bed and the only demons the imps in his disorganizer. But if he doesn't have his way, then the distance between the boy he was and the copper he's become means that he doesn't have to worry. He knows every monster and demon by name and young Sam won't face them unprepared.
*Which Sybil considers more suitable than 'horsies'
For donutsweeper: Criminal Minds; Garcia; sunny
Into the Light
Penelope blinks against the light, the brightness almost hurting her eyes.
"You okay?" Reid's touch is light on her shoulder.
"I guess. Just can't remember the last time I left work in the daylight."
"Summer's coming."
"Is that good?"
"Possibly. Although some studies have found that murder rates increase as the temperature goes up."
It's hard not to smile; Reid always has an answer for everything, even more than she does.
"That's good to know." Penelope pinches his cheek before setting off for her car. If she drives fast, maybe she'll be able to catch some rays before they disappear.
For white_hart: Discworld; Death; knitting
Monsieur Defarge
Clickclickclick.
"Are you making a scarf?"
"ER. YES?" Amongst the old women in the front row, it had seemed the thing to do.
"Very good colour, that. It's hard to find good black at the moment. You here for the revolution?"
"I…HAVE WORK HERE."
"Well, it's good to take a break. The next bunch of filthy aristos should be along soon."
"AND MY WORK WILL BEGIN."
"What a shame. You'll miss it."
"NOT EXACTLY."
Clickclickclick.
"I like the pattern. Are they skulls?"
"YES."
"Very realistic. What size needle are you using?"
Death looked down at his long, thin fingers. "NEEDLES?"
For perspi: SGA; Ronon; after
Downtime
What he does after a mission is just as important as the prep beforehand, cleaning his gear, polishing his boots, making sure his gun is recharged and ready to go. Around here, a mission can start before the last one is finished, and there's no way Ronon will risk being caught out.
It's also his own ritual, the wind-down that he needs, just like Teyla's meditations, Sheppard's run, or McKay's gabbling. There was never any time for this while he was running, and he makes time for it now, no matter hwat. Because who knows how long it will last.
For xwingace: SPN; John Winchester; angels
Someone to watch over me
"Don't you boys have a home to go to? No father to keeping an eye on you?"
"No, ma'am, I'm afraid he passed a few years ago."
"I'm sure he's up there, watching over you."
Dean barely manages not to wince, fervently wishing himself out of this conversation.. The comment is kindly meant, but the old lady doesn't know what she's talking about.
She can't know what being watched over from above really means, that he'd actually welcome his father's impossibly high expectations and stern guidance. Compared to the burden he's being asked to carry, John Winchester's rules seem light.
For travels_in_time: Discworld; Sam Vimes; fatherhood
Tall Tales
Everyone always asks young Sam what his father was like. Did he really do everything they say? Did he really arrest the Patrician that time? Did he ever smile? Everyone's heard the stories, and somehow think he'll tell them which are real and which aren't. As though most of them didn't happen before he was even born.
Sammy never knows what to tell them. Because for every true story, he's heard ten fake ones, and sometimes even he finds it hard to tell one from another. So he looks blank, like Dad taught him, and says,
"He was my father."
For karaokegal: Torchwood; Owen; pride
Broken
There's no point binding up his fingers, not really. Everything will break eventually, and if he's not careful, he'll end up mummified. He does it, though, just like he keeps getting up in the morning as though he slept the night before, and keeps going into work as though it's worth doing. He pretends not to see how the others look at him. Even his pride has limits.
He might not have beaten death, not really, but he's not done yet. Because if it comes down to a battle of wills, Owen against Death, no one should bet against him.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 04:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 05:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 05:19 pm (UTC)YOU OWE ME BIG-TIME. *sniff* I'M COMIN' AFTER YOU FOR THAT ONE.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 05:35 pm (UTC)NO, I REALLY DIDN'T.
Um. SRSLY, I didn't, not in my own head. In my head, Sammy's grown up and proud of his father.
Also, please to not be shouting at me or I will cry at you WITH INTENT.
*hides*
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 06:38 pm (UTC)Okay, it was the "young Sam" and "Sammy" references that confused me, and then I got the idea that he didn't know which were the true stories because his dad wasn't around to straighten him out.
I'm happy to be wrong!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 06:43 pm (UTC)Hmmmm...yes, I can see how that's confusion, and part of the problem is that this is a glimpse into a bigger story in my head, where Sammy is all grown up (Sammy to distinguish him from 'Vimes' and 'Sam' from Nightwatch) and he knew his father but doesn't really feel he *knew* him, because it's not like Vimes is a feeling-talking expert. So he *didn't* necessarily get straightened out because it's not easy to get information about a copper, but I definitely didn't see him as having grown up without his Dad.
Sorry *snuggles* I'm terribly fragile right now and it's not necessarily good for sense-making...
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 06:56 pm (UTC)Oooh, imagine what would happen if Young Sam met up with Death and asked him about his dad. That might be an interesting conversation.
Also, now I have read the other drabbles and the idea of Vimes playing "dragons" is wonderful. Of course Sybil would think that was more appropriate!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 06:59 pm (UTC)*pets* Of course I don't judge you. You'll note that I haven't gone on to write the last set of stories in that 'verse...
I couldn't resist putting a footnote in at least one of them! And yes, I think the "young Sam" story needs writing, because there isn't enough Discworld fic out there (dammit) and isn't anyone else intrigued as to what's going to happen when Sam grows up?
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 07:13 pm (UTC)He's going to be the richest and best-connected man on the Disc (thanks to his mum's habit of keeping in touch with everyone she's ever met) and he's going to know the city like the soles of his feet (thanks to his dad's habit of only buying him the cheapest boots). He's going to know all the criminals because he started off in the Watch as a lance-constable and he's going to know all the toffs because of having gone to school with them, and all the social functions that his mum dragged him to. The Patrician isn't getting any younger, and he has PLANS for Young Sam.
Whether or not Young Sam will go along with these plans meekly remains to be seen...
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 05:23 pm (UTC)XWA
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Date: 2009-10-20 06:51 pm (UTC)Mind you, judging by the weather forcast, a sou'wester might be the most appropriate costume anyway...
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Date: 2009-10-20 06:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-10-20 08:43 pm (UTC)Into the Light – lovely! Reid with the murder rate stats, and Garcia going off to take advantage of some rare sunshine.
(I'm loving the 'light' theme btw...)
Monsieur Defarge – SQUEEE. Death would SO knit at the revolution. With his finger bones – I didn't see that coming! Hee. And I agree with the other comment, you got the terms perfect. (I've had this scarf on my list of things to eventually make, and I think Death might enjoy the Snowball's Chance in Hell armwarmers too. *g*
Downtime – I really love the insight in this. Post-event ritual is important, too often neglected, and the fact that Ronon never had a chance to wind down while he was on the run would affect him a lot, I'd think.
Broken - He does it, though, just like he keeps getting up in the morning as though he slept the night before, and keeps going into work as though it's worth doing. Ach, my heart. Very nice.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 09:52 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 09:55 pm (UTC)The light theme was totally unintentional, but understandable considering I've had my SAD lamp on solidly at work for the last few days - it's so gloomy here that I've felt the need.
The image of Death knitting with his fingers was the first that came to me, and it took me three attempts to get there - glad it worked!
Thank you so much, hon :)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 09:36 pm (UTC)Damnit, Good Father fics break me in unexpected places.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 09:56 pm (UTC)Er. Sorry? And thank you? It's definitely an aspect of Vimes I think I want to prod some more.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-20 09:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-10-20 10:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-23 01:57 pm (UTC)And happy birthday!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-21 04:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-23 01:58 pm (UTC)Thanks :)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-21 05:01 am (UTC)I also love knitting Death, and the look at being Vimes' son, and oh, OWEN, owww.
You do good words. ♥
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-25 07:23 pm (UTC)Thank you so much :) I utterly adore Donna and so glad I did her justice.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-23 05:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-25 07:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-25 04:36 pm (UTC)Such a big punch in so little words = Wow.
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Date: 2009-10-25 07:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-11-10 02:01 pm (UTC)Thank you so much. I did love the way they went together - unintentional but a very happy accident :)
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Date: 2009-11-09 05:45 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-11-10 02:13 pm (UTC)