Drabble #65: Hearts
Friday, 2 February 2018 00:01![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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labyfic...we had a quieter response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 64, with entries by the gorgeous
ghislaine and me (your intrepid drabble proposer jalenstrix). We were more lively on the commenting love, with encouraging words by me, the tremendous 3iggy, and the gorgeous ghislaine.Oh, dear intrepid labyfic collective, I love you so!
For this prompt, we continue with our one-word drabble roots, taking inspiration from a signature symbol of Valentine’s Day:
Hearts
Whose hearts? (Did they make tarts, all on a summer day? Sorry, my Alice in Wonderland roots are showing.)
Tell us all about it. You know you want to.
I continue to enjoy the 300 word limit, so let's continue with it for this month. Though remember that shorter pieces are most definitely welcome!
Your entry should take the following format, posted as a comment on this entry:
Word count: # of words
Drabble: $your_beautiful_drabble
I'll aim to get the next drabble challenge out on the first Friday of next month (Mar 2).
I'm also very happy to take suggestions if something in particular strikes your fancy -- comment on this post or PM me with your suggestions. You can see our current collected suggestions here.
Remember: Feedback is LOVE. So do reply to your fellow labyficcers' drabbles if so inclined. (Though be careful of concrit unless specifically okayed by the author beforehand.)
Drabble #65
2018-02-14 01:03 (UTC)A/N: I don’t usually write young Sarah’s but I loved the idea of spending V-day in the 80’s.
Sarah couldn’t help but smirk at all the pink and red clad girls filing out of the classrooms, headed for the doors, clutching carnations over their hearts. Rolling her eyes, Sarah slammed the locker shut and pulled her backpack up onto her shoulder.
It was cold and raining as she made her exit. There was no love struck boy waiting to take her to a bad movie. Oh no—life could never be that simple.
Sarah raked her fingers through her wet hair and quickly pulled it back with a scrunchy. The park came into view—grey and forlorn. Taking out her Walkman, she jammed the headphones over her ears and claimed her usual bench which was sheltered from most of the rain by the limbs of an old and friendly tree.
Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the tree and listened as Heart came roaring out the headphones. Everything was perfect until she felt the weight of his stare.
She pretended not to notice.
The minutes ticked away and Toto replaced Heart on her mixed tape. Was it possible for a stare to grow heavier?
With a sigh, Sarah sat up and pulled her headphones down around her neck, bracing herself before she opened her eyes.
“Your taste in music is questionable,” he sneered. It was amazing how well he fit into the gothic atmosphere of the park, a modern day Heathcliff stranded in the moors of Connecticut.
She smiled. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
His eyes twinkled despite the gloom. “I’ve brought you gift.”
“Oh really?” Sarah’s smile vanished as she straightened further, now wary of the king sitting beside her on the old wooden bench. “Are you here to paint me mornings of gold? to spin my Valentine’s evening?”
His grin grew wide and feral. “So glad you remember,” he said with a graceful twirl of his wrist.
Sarah stared at the crystal. “It is truly a gift?”
“Of course,” he held it out to her.
Hesitating only a moment, knowing the risk, Sarah reach for the offering anyway. When her fingers closed gently around it, the orb transformed into a sleek white cassette tape. Astounded she drug her gaze away from it to question the giver, but he was gone—just like that.
With a grin, Sarah plucked up the Walkman and quickly switched out the tape. Who needed heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and cheap flowers anyways?
Re: Drabble #65
2018-02-15 04:10 (UTC)Re: Drabble #65
2018-02-18 23:58 (UTC)Re: Drabble #65
2023-04-18 10:33 (UTC)no subject
2018-02-15 04:08 (UTC)Author’s note: I’ve been playing a lot of bridge lately and just couldn’t get this snippet out of my head.
Drabble:
“Six hearts.”
I stared at Jareth for a long moment, with his devil eyes and implacable smile, and wondered again why I’d agreed to this setup. “You didn’t mean four hearts? Or maybe three?”
“I meant precisely what I said.”
I took a nice, deep, calming breath. “You better have more than three hearts in your hand this time. And more than two points. I’m serious. I’m not playing another round where we get clobbered because you overshot the bidding.”
“I find your lack of faith disturbing, Sarah.”
“That line would be far more effective if you had Darth Vader’s voice.”
“But alas, here I am with a facsimile of David Bowie’s instead. You’ll simply have to cope.”
“With your crazy six hearts response to my demure and perfectly sensible one heart opening.”
“Precisely so. Perhaps my lilting voice will help allay your fears.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Pass.”
I waited for Didymus to play his opening card so Jareth could lay down his hand. When I saw said hand, my voice could have frozen a penguin’s ass off. “Jareth.”
His voice was a mocking imitation of mine. “Sarah.”
“You have the six of hearts. That’s it. Those other high card points in other suits are lovely but you have a single frickin’ heart.”
He fluttered his eyelashes. “And it beats just for you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why do you hate me?”
“I just don’t want you to be bored. I’m sure you’ll find a way to get what you want.” His gaze caught mine in a torrent of innuendo. “You always do.”
I swallowed hard. “I really hate you right now. And we are so never partnering again at bridge. Ever.”
“Mmm. As long as it doesn’t interfere with our other partnering activities.”
no subject
2018-02-15 11:35 (UTC)no subject
2018-03-02 05:03 (UTC)no subject
2018-02-19 00:00 (UTC)no subject
2018-02-20 00:08 (UTC)no subject
2023-04-18 10:38 (UTC)no subject
2023-04-25 19:24 (UTC)Solace
2023-04-18 10:39 (UTC)Drabble:
Sarah was curled around Jareth, her head on his shoulder. “What were you making while I was working at the pottery?”
“Nothing.” Sarah glanced up with a frown of confusion. “Erich is a swordsmith and metallurgist. While we had access to his expertise, we’ve been working on test alloys for future sculptures. We also cast billets for future bladesmithing projects.” She smiled in delight at Jareth’s enthusiasm, even if he’d lost her on the details.
“I have to ask.” Sarah’s fingers fluttered nervously on his chest. “Did you sleep with Rook and Erich?”
“Considering you joined us, I think you know the answer to that, my love.”
Sarah made an annoyed huff and didn’t need to look to know Jareth was smiling. “You know what I mean.” She waved her hand around in frustration.
“Have I fucked them?” Sarah grunted at the crudity. “Of course.” She gasped in shock. “But, in deference to your cultural sensibilities, not during this test. That would have been.” Jareth paused in thought. “Impolite without discussing the matter with you first.”
“So you love them?” She couldn’t prevent the waver that crept into her voice.
“They are my chosen family.”
“So this is some Underground romantic entanglement?” Disappointment lent a bite to Sarah’s response.
“Hardly.” Jareth barely stifled a snort of laughter. “Humans are mostly visual creatures. Shapeshifters rely on more of our senses and, post testing, we have an intense primal urge to engage all of those senses.”
“Sex is some sort of pack bonding thing?” Sarah was trying to draw parallels from her knowledge of the world Above.
“That’s a close enough approximation.” Jareth rubbed his chest. “It helps ease the scraped out raw feeling.” He cupped her face and he ran a thumb across her lower lip.
“What about the magic tattoos you gave them?”
Rather than answering, Jareth laced their fingers together and helped guide Sarah’s magic to slide along the back of his hand and wrap around his wrist in a delicate bracelet. “Can you feel that?”
Sarah nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. “I can feel my magic sitting just below your skin.” She ran a finger over the design, smiling as it rotated to follow the movement. “There’s a faint pulse here.” She laid her hand over her heart. “It’s comforting.”
Jareth smiled. “And I can feel you in return.” He held up his hand to admire the design gracing his wrist.
Sarah pondered what she’d been told. “So not having sex with them is the reason it’s taken longer than usual to recover.”
“Clever girl.” Jareth kissed her forehead fondly.
With a pleased smile, Sarah snuggled closer. “I would rather you didn’t have sex with other people.”
“I expected as much, my sweet. But you will eventually have to manage the come down yourself and when that happens, you may have a change of mind.” Sarah spluttered in indignation as Jareth ran a fond finger down her nose. “But that is a discussion for another time.”