Lovingthis was sorely tempted to write something really funny but she was aware that she has an exam tomorrow morning which she is terrified about, so she decided to talk in third person and leave a small AN at the start and hoped that people would leave reviews to make her feel better about life.
Then she decided to revise, promising herself a few hours of reading Primeval stories after the exam if it went well enough.
Although, secretly she knew she'd be reading them if she didn't do well to try and cheer herself up.
And if that didn't work, she always had Becker.
Enjoy! (Apparently "Ben Mansfield" is ;) Haha! )
Becker was attacking the punch bags like there was no tomorrow.
"Umm… Lovingthis?"
Yes, honey?
"Can you start a bit later in the story? We know you've got the first bit right and I've lost count of the number of 'quarter of hours' I've spent punching this bag… it's exhausting."
Ooh yeah! Wow! You have some stamina.
"Yeah." Becker smirked. "I know."
Hey! I'm taking full credit! *winks*
-/-
Becker remained tense throughout the entire process and she was yet to say a word. Rebecca smiled softly at him as she pushed his hair back from his face, the sweat from his forehead causing it to stick in a half upright position.
"Wanna get smashed?"
He scrunched up his eyes. He couldn't doubt that it was a tempting offer; he would do almost anything to erase the memories of earlier that day. Rebecca, to her credit, got the meaning of the action and backed off a few paces.
"Or not?" She gave a small smile before back away further.
"I'm sorry, Re-re. I would've like to but," he pulled a face, "after today…"
"I understand."
"I don't think you do." He gave her his stern I-Am-Man-Nothing-Can-Hurt-Me expression.
Rebecca smiled as she asked. "Why wouldn't I understand?" She asked.
…
…
…
Um… Becker, sweetie…?
…
Becker?
…
HILLARY BECKER!
…
I WILL BROADCAST YOUR MIDDLE NAMES TO THE WORLD IF YOU DO NOT ANSWER ME!
"WHAT?"
Thanks, hun. Lovingthis smiled at him for replying. It was your cue…
"I'm not doing it."
What?"Have you seen what you just wrote? She asked 'this.' She asked."
Yeaaaand?
"Well we already know she asked it! Not only did you tell us but there are question marks! We don't need to you write it again."
Seriously? You threw a tantrum over that?
"I did not throw a tantrum."
Becker! I had to threaten you with exposure of your middle names before you replied! That's a tantrum!
"I don't do tantrums, Lovingthis."
Evidently you do.
"You just have to have the last word don't you?"
Lovingthis said nothing.
-/-
Becker remained tense throughout the entire process and she was yet to say a word. Rebecca smiled softly at him as she pushed his hair back from his face, the sweat from his forehead causing it to stick in a half upright position.
"Wanna get smashed?"
He scrunched up his eyes. He couldn't doubt that it was a tempting offer; he would do almost anything to erase the memories of earlier that day. Rebecca, to her credit, got the meaning of the action and backed off a few paces.
"Or not?" She gave a small smile before back away further.
"I'm sorry, Re-re. I would've like to but," he pulled a face, "after today…"
"I understand."
"I don't think you do." He gave her his stern I-Am-Man-Nothing-Can-Hurt-Me expression.
"I do." She insisted.
"You don't."
"Yes. I do!"
"YOU DON'T!"
"I DO, BECKER!"
"IT'S BEHIND YOUUUUU!"
BECKER! What the hell was that?
"Sorryyy." He sarcastically intoned. "I thought we were pantomiming!" The soldier pulled a face.
FOR..! ARGH! IT'S CALLED AN ARGUMENT!
"No. An argument is when people show their disagreement by putting forth their opinions!"
I was- Lovingthis clenched her fists in annoyance as Becker interrupted her again.
"Being boring. The only thing that would entertain is a three year old."
Lovingthis growled and started to contemplate changing her name to Hatingthis. Writing a story had never been so hard before!
-/-
Becker remained tense throughout the entire process and she was yet to say a word. Rebecca smiled softly at him as she pushed his hair back from his face, the sweat from his forehead causing it to stick in a half upright position.
"Wanna get smashed?"
He scrunched up his eyes. He couldn't doubt that it was a tempting offer; he would do almost anything to erase the memories of earlier that day. Rebecca, to her credit, got the meaning of the action and backed off a few paces.
"Or not?" She gave a small smile before back away further.
"I'm sorry, Re-re. I would've like to but," he pulled a face, "after today…"
"I understand."
"I don't think you do." He gave her his stern I-Am-Man-Nothing-Can-Hurt-Me expression.
Rebecca smiled. "Why wouldn't I understand?" She asked.
"Because…" He turned from her, rubbing his hand over his face as he attempted to disguise a rare display of emotion. "Because… Well… Because…"
"You love all your men and you blame yourself when things go wrong."
"Durh."
Becker! Don't be mean!
"Don't state the obvious. This is an emotional scene. Get some depth would you?"
WHAT? I WAS GOING FOR DEPTH!
"Try a little reflection. Show that Re-re knows what's happening to me and empathises. Don't just state it. It's again treating the reader like they're idiots. They can survive without it being said as fact. But they'll like it if you get INTO the character's head and work for their inner thoughts."
Sometimes I wonder why I bother with you.
"Yeah and then you remember-"
BECKER! NOT IN PUBLIC!
He winked.
-/-
Becker remained tense throughout the entire process and she was yet to say a word. Rebecca smiled softly at him as she pushed his hair back from his face, the sweat from his forehead causing it to stick in a half upright position.
"Wanna get smashed?"
He scrunched up his eyes. He couldn't doubt that it was a tempting offer; he would do almost anything to erase the memories of earlier that day. Rebecca, to her credit, got the meaning of the action and backed off a few paces.
"Or not?" She gave a small smile before back away further.
"I'm sorry, Re-re. I would've like to but," he pulled a face, "after today…"
"I understand."
"I don't think you do." He gave her his stern I-Am-Man-Nothing-Can-Hurt-Me expression.
Rebecca smiled. "Why wouldn't I understand?" She asked.
"Because…" He turned from her, rubbing his hand over his face as he attempted to disguise a rare display of emotion. "Because… Well… Because…"
He struggled to get the words out. Becker hated opening up, after the last time the ARC was invaded he had been put through so much that Lester had ordered him to therapy. He had fought the idea until the point when Lester dropped the ultimatum "go or get fired" and he did as told. Since, his view of therapy had changed somewhat. He still hated talking, appearing weak, but he had grown to love the times he could release some of the burden, to just say it out loud and get it out there.
Rebecca watched as he struggled, wondering what was going on behind the mask he wore. She knew at times, when he was sure no-one was looking, there would be a small break in the stern expression. Sometimes, just sometimes, she caught a glimpse of the soldier who
Lovingthis started to hit the backspace key.
Sometimes, just sometimes, she caught a glimpse of the man who -
"I like that."
What?
"The change in words."
Lovingthis rolled her eyes. What?
"I'm not complaining. I'm complimenting."
Then why did you interrupt me? Lovingthis spoke through clenched teeth.
Becker frowned. "So that I could say something nice."
BUT I WAS WRITING!
"No need to get so touchy, Lovingthis."
YOU TOLD ME TO GET INTO YOUR HEAD! HOW CAN I DO THAT WHEN YOU WONT STOP TALKING IN MINE?
"I was just going to say…" He paused, hoping to get her interest.
Lovingthis was sad to admit it worked.
Yes. A twitch started in her eye as she tried to suppress her annoyance.
"Using 'man' instead of 'soldier' is clever because it expresses a different side to me."
I KNOW! Lovingthis's grow became more prominent. That's why I changed it!
-/-
He struggled to get the words out. Becker hated opening up, after the last time the ARC was invaded he had been put through so much that Lester had ordered him to therapy. He had fought the idea until the point when Lester dropped the ultimatum "go or get fired" and he did as told. Since, his view of therapy had changed somewhat. He still hated talking, appearing weak, but he had grown to love the times he could release some of the burden, to just say it out loud and get it out there.
Rebecca watched as he struggled, wondering what was going on behind the mask he wore. She knew at times, when he was sure no-one was looking, there would be a small break in the stern expression. Sometimes, just sometimes, she caught a glimpse of the man who the soldier tried to hide. The man who was broken every time he didn't manage to protect everyone, the man who tried to build walls and hide behind the title of his job. As she studied him she wondered what more there was. Why he felt the need to protect everyone, what was it in his history which made him shy away from love and human contact while he still evidently cared?
Re-re directed her fiery and precise determination, with which the good Lord had graced her on the joyous morn of her birth, delving deeply down to the fathomless depths of her mind in her arduous endeavour to disengage the petal thin yet iron strong folds which, as a pungent-smelling lily flower arches in graceful curves inward to protect its sweet, precious, nectar, had the insurmountable task of fortifying the inner shrine, the location at which the military man's pure, true and golden soul lay, veiled as a virgin on her most blessed wedding day symbolising the gentle delicacy with which she must be held, sequestered from the hideous cruelty of the infinite universe which so wholly encompassed the sanctum.
Becker
Umm… BECKER? There was no reply.
BECKER? Lovingthis looked around but couldn't see him.
BECKER WHERE ARE YOU?
She started to go through all the 'ARC' rooms that lived in her head. She finally found him in the break room molding an intricate gun out of Nutella. He was halfway through the process.
BECKER! GET BACK INTO THE TRAINING ROOM!
"Why?"
BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO WRITE A STORY HERE! I CAN'T DO IT IF YOU'RE HERE INDULGING YOUR LOVE FOR ART! The eye twitch that had started earlier grew.
"What does it matter?"
Becker! What's got into you? Don't you care about the people reading about you? They want to know what's going to happen!
"Lovingthis, honey, they're still trying to decipher that last paragraph."
No they're not.
"Yeah. They are."
They're not stupid Becker. They know that it says Re-re is trying to look past the walls you build and into who you really are.
"Really? Because it looks like a thesaurus has vomited on your keyboard."
I have to admit YouHaveLovelyHair and I spent a good amount of time writing a paragraph that convoluted. So a big thank you to her!
If you're interested in the stages we took to get that bad I'd be more than happy to share... but I don't really want to teach you something that- if I'm honest- I can't even read with a straight face!
THANK YOU MY LOVELIES!