Intercontinental Sigh
By Jillian Storm
(Disclaimer: Three unrelated quotes. 1. Finny had tremendous loyalty to the
class, as he did to any group he belonged to, beginning with him and me and
radiating outward past the limits of humanity toward spirits and clouds and
stars." 2. "So he trembled alone there in the middle of the park for hours,
wondering what would happen if he had an attack of appendicitis . . ." 3.
"Sometimes you are too ashamed to leave . . . and sometimes you need too much
to know the facts, and so humbly and stupidly you stay." Thank you John
Knowles. As much as I cannot claim those marvelous tidbits, a great deal of
this story is not mine. Besides the mistakes that is. This is a brief transitional
ficlit.)
Days. Days of waking up to unknown potentials and begging braveness.
Rediscovering intrinsic courage and then finding, yet again, an uneventful day
of rehearsal. Scarcely any mention that he'd come at all. Come and slipped by.
Slipped back. Like the longest tide. And the moon was pulling strongly,
diligently, until the chord was taunt. Buzzing.
Practice greeting number one: "You've been a long time coming home."
You ran out of stories
and the night is long
Like the iciest winter we struggle,
the bond is gone
Traps sprung in conversation
And your silence is welcome
"So how's it going with everything?" Catherine hovered just inside the
refrigerator door, the brilliant glow illuminating her attentive waiting. When
Juri didn't answer she scooped the milk from among the well preserved
leftovers. It was early morning for both of them, but Catherine had prospective
clients to meet for the better part of the day and they had wanted to make time
for each other. "Just wait, I make a mean hot chocolate." She winked, letting
the new subject become a screen. "We'll make it a genuine sleepover morning
before I take you home."
"Why are you so busy on Saturdays now?" Juri mused.
"That's the way it works." Cathy said, leaning one hip against the lower
cabinets, whisking something with a free hand and using the other to stir inside
another cup. "At first, that is. After I've sold them on my business, they'll just
leave me voice messages. Ms. Bloom do this. Ms. Bloom do that."
"Whenever I'm with you nothing else seems so urgent I can still avoid what is
unpleasant." Juri relaxed her cheek into one hand, smiling wistfully. "I suppose
I'll miss that."
Catherine had turned away, a strange pause hovering between them. Then she
spun around to abruptly deposit Juri's steaming cup onto the table. With a very
eager smile Catherine said, "Why'd you stop? A girl could use a good bit of
flattery to start out the day." Then, sinking into the seat opposite her guest,
"Unless you want to talk with me about everything."
"If only you were the person I needed to talk to," Juri sipped the drink, timid for
all the lingering steam and heat radiating from the cup. "But is it so wrong of
me to want to avoid this with every heart beat?"
"I suppose it's understandable not to forgive someone who must have hurt you
so much." Catherine said, unable to meet Juri's eyes. Holding onto her mug
with white tipped fingers.
Practice greeting number two: "You've let me down."
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
He didn't have to look up. He had sensed her presence long before the horn had
blown and the constant chug of the wheels overwhelmed the other city sounds.
Sunlight traveled across his features only broken now and again by a passing
building or another train.
"What's the matter, Shiori?" He continued relaxing into the worn and warped
green plastic cushion. His thick fingers twisting around the page and continuing
to read undisrupted.
Another shadow crossed, cooling his body and causing the words to disappear
for a moment until his vision adjusted accordingly.
"I thought I told you that one should never mix power with love. It damages the
results and the outcome is always spoiled for the weakness of the emotion." He
didn't pity her really. After presenting her with alternate opportunity after
opportunity, Shiori had still chosen to bait her own prey.
"It was just sex."
Nichol glanced up to meet Shiori's steely eyes facing him. She looked more
unkempt than ordinary. She had nothing with her. Her fingers loosely entwined
over her knees, her ankles crossed and delicately balanced under the train seat.
"Oh, was that all?" Nichol raised an eyebrow. He lifted his chin and laughed.
"Looks a bit more like failed revenge to me."
Shiori snapped away her eyes, pulling her arms up to cross them. Tapping a
finger restlessly and pouting in profile. Her hair trembling with hardly
concealed rage.
Nichol relaxed. "So what are your plans for the day? I was thinking about
taking a boat out on the lake."
Practice greeting number three: "I never wanted to wake up feeling like a
tourist."
You dream yours
and I'll dream mine
and we'll be happy
For when I sleep,
I am who I always wanted to be
We dream our love will grow
Your fake Brando, my fake Monroe
She'd fallen asleep about twenty minutes in to the movie and the eerie
background music was pulling heavy on his own eyelids. But even the hypnotic
haze of the vast desert scenes could not lull him into final sleep. He was all too
aware of her head on the pillow in his lap, her fingers lightly curled underneath
and resting around his knee. Her hair was almost indistinguishable from the
desert gold. Spike lifted a near piece and affectionately rubbed it with his
thumb.
He again promised himself this was going to be the last evening she connived
him into watching Lawrence of Arabia. No matter how sincere her intentions to
stay awake 'this time.' Counting this as the fourth attempt that he would have sat
through the entire director's cut as Julia slept, he at least was going to insist she
watch it with a stiff cup of coffee glued between her hands.
He was always too darn comfortable to get up and take out the tape. And each
time he felt a sliver closer to understanding the wild optimism Lawrence clung
to. A self sacrificing innocent that dared all for some unobtainable, ridiculous
ideal.
Maybe if Julia stayed awake, she could explain it to him. In the meantime,
Spike found himself frowning. His thoughts drifting from the movie and back to
the theater.
Ruka's return was almost like a dream. Without word from him in some time,
their friend simply showed up at the Road Rage for a days worth of almost
familiar entertainment to disappear again. They didn't even know where he was
staying.
Damn, how long would those camels keep walking? Was the desert never
ending? But the ending always came too soon and never with proper warning.
Practice greeting number four: " It never ends when you're bored, curious and
unsure . . . so tell me-why?"
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
"I promise I will not drink like a crazy man for some time."
"Okay, let's try that once more now." Faye lifted her arms like a conductor.
"I promise I will not drink like a crazy man for some time." Sano rolled his
eyes.
"Now this one, 'I will not destroy my liver before I'm twenty-two."
"Thanks, Miss Chain-smoker, I get the drift." Sano rolled his head back along
the top of the couch. "Why ever did I agree to come visit you? I knew I was
going to get the Spanish inquisition."
"Better than if I told mom and dad." Faye taunted. "You need to get out, but to
places where the alcohol is de-emphasized. I heard through the fine wine vine
that Spike, Kenshin and even Ruka have taken you home this past week." She
left the wooden kitchen chair from which she had taken the offensive and
quickly sat near him on the couch, letter her head drop and balance on Sano's
still young and bony shoulder. "I'm only worried about you, alright?"
"I can't even remember how long it's been since I talked to her."
Faye nodded into his arm, "Dummy, you don't have to fix her problems
anymore. Hear me?"
"I really wanted to."
"That's why you're one of the good ones."
Practice greeting number five: "You really haven't changed one bit."
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
She was far past admitting that she was beginning to resent waiting for him to
come to her. The inevitability was certain, but the opportunity was severely
limited. And she had yet to decide what avenues and actions she would take to
initiate the coming reunion. Becoming what? And that was another question.
The question she'd been able to skirt for months on the simplicity of continued
ignorance. Avoiding the concern and the disgust. Avoiding the choosing of
either.
Left to linger.
"Someone somewhere must be having more fun that this." Juri grumbled.
Catherine was busy. Catherine who had quite honestly been able to accept
everything without judgment. Savoring the potential answers for the questions
that were never asked.
The only other distraction was a small sting against her cheek. A sting that was
undressed compared to the greater balance of discontent.
Reflecting on her options again, she could quite simply say, "Ruka, why did you
even bother?"
If she asked herself later, she wouldn't be able to quite pinpoint why she
answered this call while she let all the others go. Snapping up the phone at the
small announcement someone was trying to reach her.
"This is Juri." Initial inquiry.
"Why are *you* calling me?" A bitter taste.
"The hospital?" Disbelief.
"She's what? Shut up. Nevermind all that. I'll be there soon enough."
"Dammit." Juri said after snapping closed the phone. She knew she needed a
car. It was at times like this that she could only rely on providence. But
glancing out the window earlier that day she'd noticed that Sano had been gone
all day. Catherine was gone. Perhaps Trowa? Or Spike? Or even Saitou?
She started at the knock on her door. Opening it with a rush.
"Do you have a car here? Get me to the hospital."
"Which hospital?"
As she flew by without bothering to lock her door, Ruka embraced the sudden
relief. Before, hesitating just outside the door, he hadn't been quite sure what he
was supposed to say.
By Jillian Storm
(Disclaimer: Three unrelated quotes. 1. Finny had tremendous loyalty to the
class, as he did to any group he belonged to, beginning with him and me and
radiating outward past the limits of humanity toward spirits and clouds and
stars." 2. "So he trembled alone there in the middle of the park for hours,
wondering what would happen if he had an attack of appendicitis . . ." 3.
"Sometimes you are too ashamed to leave . . . and sometimes you need too much
to know the facts, and so humbly and stupidly you stay." Thank you John
Knowles. As much as I cannot claim those marvelous tidbits, a great deal of
this story is not mine. Besides the mistakes that is. This is a brief transitional
ficlit.)
Days. Days of waking up to unknown potentials and begging braveness.
Rediscovering intrinsic courage and then finding, yet again, an uneventful day
of rehearsal. Scarcely any mention that he'd come at all. Come and slipped by.
Slipped back. Like the longest tide. And the moon was pulling strongly,
diligently, until the chord was taunt. Buzzing.
Practice greeting number one: "You've been a long time coming home."
You ran out of stories
and the night is long
Like the iciest winter we struggle,
the bond is gone
Traps sprung in conversation
And your silence is welcome
"So how's it going with everything?" Catherine hovered just inside the
refrigerator door, the brilliant glow illuminating her attentive waiting. When
Juri didn't answer she scooped the milk from among the well preserved
leftovers. It was early morning for both of them, but Catherine had prospective
clients to meet for the better part of the day and they had wanted to make time
for each other. "Just wait, I make a mean hot chocolate." She winked, letting
the new subject become a screen. "We'll make it a genuine sleepover morning
before I take you home."
"Why are you so busy on Saturdays now?" Juri mused.
"That's the way it works." Cathy said, leaning one hip against the lower
cabinets, whisking something with a free hand and using the other to stir inside
another cup. "At first, that is. After I've sold them on my business, they'll just
leave me voice messages. Ms. Bloom do this. Ms. Bloom do that."
"Whenever I'm with you nothing else seems so urgent I can still avoid what is
unpleasant." Juri relaxed her cheek into one hand, smiling wistfully. "I suppose
I'll miss that."
Catherine had turned away, a strange pause hovering between them. Then she
spun around to abruptly deposit Juri's steaming cup onto the table. With a very
eager smile Catherine said, "Why'd you stop? A girl could use a good bit of
flattery to start out the day." Then, sinking into the seat opposite her guest,
"Unless you want to talk with me about everything."
"If only you were the person I needed to talk to," Juri sipped the drink, timid for
all the lingering steam and heat radiating from the cup. "But is it so wrong of
me to want to avoid this with every heart beat?"
"I suppose it's understandable not to forgive someone who must have hurt you
so much." Catherine said, unable to meet Juri's eyes. Holding onto her mug
with white tipped fingers.
Practice greeting number two: "You've let me down."
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
He didn't have to look up. He had sensed her presence long before the horn had
blown and the constant chug of the wheels overwhelmed the other city sounds.
Sunlight traveled across his features only broken now and again by a passing
building or another train.
"What's the matter, Shiori?" He continued relaxing into the worn and warped
green plastic cushion. His thick fingers twisting around the page and continuing
to read undisrupted.
Another shadow crossed, cooling his body and causing the words to disappear
for a moment until his vision adjusted accordingly.
"I thought I told you that one should never mix power with love. It damages the
results and the outcome is always spoiled for the weakness of the emotion." He
didn't pity her really. After presenting her with alternate opportunity after
opportunity, Shiori had still chosen to bait her own prey.
"It was just sex."
Nichol glanced up to meet Shiori's steely eyes facing him. She looked more
unkempt than ordinary. She had nothing with her. Her fingers loosely entwined
over her knees, her ankles crossed and delicately balanced under the train seat.
"Oh, was that all?" Nichol raised an eyebrow. He lifted his chin and laughed.
"Looks a bit more like failed revenge to me."
Shiori snapped away her eyes, pulling her arms up to cross them. Tapping a
finger restlessly and pouting in profile. Her hair trembling with hardly
concealed rage.
Nichol relaxed. "So what are your plans for the day? I was thinking about
taking a boat out on the lake."
Practice greeting number three: "I never wanted to wake up feeling like a
tourist."
You dream yours
and I'll dream mine
and we'll be happy
For when I sleep,
I am who I always wanted to be
We dream our love will grow
Your fake Brando, my fake Monroe
She'd fallen asleep about twenty minutes in to the movie and the eerie
background music was pulling heavy on his own eyelids. But even the hypnotic
haze of the vast desert scenes could not lull him into final sleep. He was all too
aware of her head on the pillow in his lap, her fingers lightly curled underneath
and resting around his knee. Her hair was almost indistinguishable from the
desert gold. Spike lifted a near piece and affectionately rubbed it with his
thumb.
He again promised himself this was going to be the last evening she connived
him into watching Lawrence of Arabia. No matter how sincere her intentions to
stay awake 'this time.' Counting this as the fourth attempt that he would have sat
through the entire director's cut as Julia slept, he at least was going to insist she
watch it with a stiff cup of coffee glued between her hands.
He was always too darn comfortable to get up and take out the tape. And each
time he felt a sliver closer to understanding the wild optimism Lawrence clung
to. A self sacrificing innocent that dared all for some unobtainable, ridiculous
ideal.
Maybe if Julia stayed awake, she could explain it to him. In the meantime,
Spike found himself frowning. His thoughts drifting from the movie and back to
the theater.
Ruka's return was almost like a dream. Without word from him in some time,
their friend simply showed up at the Road Rage for a days worth of almost
familiar entertainment to disappear again. They didn't even know where he was
staying.
Damn, how long would those camels keep walking? Was the desert never
ending? But the ending always came too soon and never with proper warning.
Practice greeting number four: " It never ends when you're bored, curious and
unsure . . . so tell me-why?"
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
"I promise I will not drink like a crazy man for some time."
"Okay, let's try that once more now." Faye lifted her arms like a conductor.
"I promise I will not drink like a crazy man for some time." Sano rolled his
eyes.
"Now this one, 'I will not destroy my liver before I'm twenty-two."
"Thanks, Miss Chain-smoker, I get the drift." Sano rolled his head back along
the top of the couch. "Why ever did I agree to come visit you? I knew I was
going to get the Spanish inquisition."
"Better than if I told mom and dad." Faye taunted. "You need to get out, but to
places where the alcohol is de-emphasized. I heard through the fine wine vine
that Spike, Kenshin and even Ruka have taken you home this past week." She
left the wooden kitchen chair from which she had taken the offensive and
quickly sat near him on the couch, letter her head drop and balance on Sano's
still young and bony shoulder. "I'm only worried about you, alright?"
"I can't even remember how long it's been since I talked to her."
Faye nodded into his arm, "Dummy, you don't have to fix her problems
anymore. Hear me?"
"I really wanted to."
"That's why you're one of the good ones."
Practice greeting number five: "You really haven't changed one bit."
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
Someone somewhere must be having more fun than this
She was far past admitting that she was beginning to resent waiting for him to
come to her. The inevitability was certain, but the opportunity was severely
limited. And she had yet to decide what avenues and actions she would take to
initiate the coming reunion. Becoming what? And that was another question.
The question she'd been able to skirt for months on the simplicity of continued
ignorance. Avoiding the concern and the disgust. Avoiding the choosing of
either.
Left to linger.
"Someone somewhere must be having more fun that this." Juri grumbled.
Catherine was busy. Catherine who had quite honestly been able to accept
everything without judgment. Savoring the potential answers for the questions
that were never asked.
The only other distraction was a small sting against her cheek. A sting that was
undressed compared to the greater balance of discontent.
Reflecting on her options again, she could quite simply say, "Ruka, why did you
even bother?"
If she asked herself later, she wouldn't be able to quite pinpoint why she
answered this call while she let all the others go. Snapping up the phone at the
small announcement someone was trying to reach her.
"This is Juri." Initial inquiry.
"Why are *you* calling me?" A bitter taste.
"The hospital?" Disbelief.
"She's what? Shut up. Nevermind all that. I'll be there soon enough."
"Dammit." Juri said after snapping closed the phone. She knew she needed a
car. It was at times like this that she could only rely on providence. But
glancing out the window earlier that day she'd noticed that Sano had been gone
all day. Catherine was gone. Perhaps Trowa? Or Spike? Or even Saitou?
She started at the knock on her door. Opening it with a rush.
"Do you have a car here? Get me to the hospital."
"Which hospital?"
As she flew by without bothering to lock her door, Ruka embraced the sudden
relief. Before, hesitating just outside the door, he hadn't been quite sure what he
was supposed to say.