Written for the sookieverse one shot challenge. Theme: The colour red. Week 7/2013
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All the characters within are the sole property of Charlaine Harris.
A/N: Thank you to Breathesgirl for her beta awesomeness.
I've been feeling pretty listless lately so I have decided to repaint my living room. Since I have no idea what colour I want to paint it I ask the sales associate at the hardware store to help me pick something. She hands me a paint card that has several different shades on it. Reds.
I used to love the colour red. It was a power colour, something to wear to make you feel pretty and confident. It was the colour of my favorite confidence building pumps. Also my preferred colour of lingerie. The colour of a perfect southern sunset, ripe tomatoes and perfect strawberries.
Then vampires came out of the coffin. The colour started changing, at least to my eyes. It became tangled with the red of synthetic blood that was sold in stores, the colour of mystery and I wondered when I would meet a vampire. How many times have I wanted to take that wish back?
I look at the shades of the paint sample and think of the reds in my life.
Sam's hair; hot red gold. Sam, always so steady and trustworthy. He meddles a little too much but so does every other male I know. Why should he be any different. I think there is an unspoken agreement that Sookie Stackhouse cannot take care of herself so all men must meddle here. I imagine there is even a sign pointing the way.
Arlene's hair: Bright, vibrant and fake. It suits her perfectly with her ever changing personality based on the man currently warming her bed.
The colour of vampire tears. I wonder if I have ever seen honest ones shed. I doubt it.
The first order Bill ever placed with me. Red wine. To this day I can't drink it because it just reminds me of betrayal.
The colour of Bill's blood filling the containers as the Rattray's attempted to drain him. I saved him that night. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just let them have him. Then I remind myself that I am not that type of person.
A red sports car coming at me full speed when the Rattray's tried to run us over. I only just managed to get us out of the way.
The colour of my blood pooling around me when the Rattray's attacked me in retaliation for ruining their draining plans.
Bill's blood dripping from his wrist as he healed me. I'd be dead if he hadn't done that, maybe he should have left me there.
The flowers on my dress the first time I walked into Fangtasia. I definitely did not fit with the theme there.
The Fangtasia sign: red neon screaming brightly in the night's darkness. The décor inside, heavy on the reds, with black and gray as well.
My Gran's blood pooling on the kitchen floor after Rene stabbed her to death in her own home. He meant for that knife to be used on me. Even though the kitchen has been rebuilt I can still see her blood sometimes.
The red soil that Bill crawled out of in the cemetery right before we passionately made up. Wish I had known then that he was a lying bastard.
Eric's Ridiculous car. A corvette, of course, that he drives with all the care of an Indy driver.
The obscence flower Eric sent to my hospital room.
Lafayette's toe nails when I found him in the back of Andy Bellefluer's car, murdered by his own neighbours. I miss his flamboyance and out there personality.
Trudi's spiked hair and then her blood as she was murdered in a house in Dallas by FOTS members. Even though I never really knew her she still stands out in my mind. I was the last person to have a conversation with her.
The maenad covered in the blood of Lafayette's murderers after driving everyone to madness. I am still terrified of her. If I ever see her again I will be getting out of her way just as fast as I can.
The thoughts of Weres, Shifters and Demons. Tangled, confusing, dark red.
The dress I wore that first night I went to Club Dead. When I thought Alcide and I might have a chance. It's a shame that we never got that chance. I think in different circumstances we could have been good together. Of course, our lives are what they are and there is no point wishing any different.
The pentagram on the floor of Fangtasia where I found two of Eric's waitresses: one dead and one seriously injured but still devoted to their master. I miss cursed Eric, he was so much easier to deal with.
The coat that Eric bought me after I killed Debbie Pelt: cranberry red. Mine was ruined when I shot her.
Debbie's blood splattered all over my kitchen. She couldn't even die conveniently.
Sam's blood pouring out of his leg after Sweetie shot him.
The flames giving the sky a dull red hue as my house went up in flames. Vampire payback for being important to Eric. I did get a new kitchen and enclosed porch out of that though.
The last dress Hadely ever wore. She was trying to impress the Queen and make her regret her decision to marry another.
The brick I used to break Calvin Norris' hand because my bother refused to do it himself. He couldn't even handle his own dirty work. He never did apologize for that.
Eric's décor at home. All those beautiful jewel tones.
Eric's blood, so freely given to me, so very precious to him.
The colour of my bond to Eric. Swirling, blending red.
Red. The colour of blood, anger, rage, torture, scars, embarrassment, desire and love.
I hate the colour red.
I throw the paint sample down and walk out of the hardware store. Maybe I'm not ready to paint after all.