Jun. 28th, 2020

cmk418: (Default)
As the sunlight hit his eyes, Malcolm glanced at the clock on the other side of the room. Three-fifteen. He blinked and looked at it again. Three-fifteen. He never slept that late- the nightmares wouldn't allow it- and judging by the light, it wasn't three-fifteen in the morning. Clock must have stopped, he deduced. He padded over to the coffee maker and poured himself a cup. At least the timer on that worked. He walked back to the clock on the wall and could see the second hand just hovering between the nine and the ten on the dial. He'd have to change the batteries right away, otherwise, Jessica would chalk it up to “Malcolm's not taking care of himself” on her next surprise visit. She'd given him a grandfather clock once. It lasted one night before the obnoxiously loud chime on the thing startled him awake. He'd dropped it off at her home the next day. If she liked it so much, she could keep it. She settled on this model, which he'd liked. The tick, tick, tick, was like a metronome that he could focus on and temporarily drive away the other thoughts. Without it, the apartment felt eerie and his darker thoughts began to creep in. He kept glancing at the clock.

Three-fifteen, three-fifteen, three-fifteen.

He couldn't stand it, got up, and rummaged through his kitchen drawer full of takeout menus before his hand finally settled on the desired object. A single double-A battery. He took a deep breath, clutching it in his hand. It was going to be a good day.
cmk418: (Default)
BEEN A WHILE

“It's been a while,” River said to no one in particular.

Jayne and Mal exchanged a glance between them because it had been awhile since the Reader had said anything so out of the blue. A silent conversation slash staring contest went on between them as to which one of them was going to ask the next question. Mal lost and had opened his mouth to speak when Zoe slammed her cup down on the table and walked out.

Oh, he thought, watching Zoe leave.

“You probably shouldn't have done that, River,” Mal said as he followed his first mate out the door.

“What was that about, Moonbrain?” Jayne asked.

“Trying to help,” said River.

“Got the creepiest way of helping I ever seen.”

“Not trying to help you.”

“Good. And don't start.”

Mal went in search of Zoe. He found her standing on the bridge, staring out into the Black. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I help?”

She let out a little laugh. He came closer to her and laid a hand on her arm.

“Is this about the other day?” he asked.

“I don't want to talk about it.”

“I shouldn't have done it. It was too soon. Can we go back to just being friends? Fellow crew members? Acquaintances on the same ship?”

“Been with you too long for any of that, Mal.” She met his eyes in their reflection in the glass.

“What do you want?” he whispered.

“I want this feeling to go away.”

“You don't have nothing to feel guilty for. If Wash was here, nothing would have happened.”

“I don't feel guilty.”

“What do you feel?”

“Nervous. I don't know how to be around you anymore.”

“It was one kiss.”

“And I want there to be more than that!” she yelled, finally turning toward him.

He was moving before either one of them could say anything to ruin it, pulling her into his arms, pressing his lips against hers.

“It's been a while,” she whispered.

He smiled, lacing her fingers with his own and walking hand in hand with her to his bunk. “I'm sure it'll come back to you.”
cmk418: (Default)
I snagged this over at DW. It looks like fun.

1. Be Careful What You Wish For - What you think you want isn't always what's good for you.
2. Forbidden Fruit - Whether the literal poison apple or a temptation that's just too enticing to resist no matter how glaring the warning signs.
3. Impossible Task - Our protagonist is tasked to surmount the seemingly insurmountable, against all odds.
4. The Girl in the Tower - She's trapped out of reach and far away, and might be longing for rescue or escape.
5. I Know Your True Name - Names have power, and knowing someone's true name can mean control over them, or a bond that cannot be broken, whether for good or bad.
6. Knight in Shining Armor - A hero/ine to save the day.
7. Liminal Time - The time in-between, when people or places or things are in the process of changing from one state of being to another. Danger and magic lurk here.
8. Beauty and the Beast - A beauty to tame the beast, who may not be what they appear.
9. True Love's Kiss - The power of true love can overcome all trials and tribulations.
10. Threshold Guardians - Not necessarily an adversary or obstacle, but a being who prepares our protagonist for the adventure ahead, whether through assistance or a test of resolve.
11. The Evil Queen - Queen, matriarch, or wicked witch, but is she bad to the bone or just misunderstood?
12. The Trickster - The clever fox who breaks the rules and enjoys the chaos caused.
13. The Tiger and the Dragon - Sparks fly between two spirits who are opposites yet linked together by destiny.
14. The Granter of Wishes - A jinn or fairy godmother with motives sometimes pure, sometimes not.
15. Into the Woods - A wild, dark place of some kind must be traversed before our protagonist can find resolution.
cmk418: (Default)
1. Be Careful What You Wish For - What you think you want isn't always what's good for you.
2. Forbidden Fruit - Whether the literal poison apple or a temptation that's just too enticing to resist no matter how glaring the warning signs.
3. Impossible Task - Our protagonist is tasked to surmount the seemingly insurmountable, against all odds.
4. The Girl in the Tower - She's trapped out of reach and far away, and might be longing for rescue or escape.
5. I Know Your True Name - Names have power, and knowing someone's true name can mean control over them, or a bond that cannot be broken, whether for good or bad.
6. Knight in Shining Armor - A hero/ine to save the day.
7. Liminal Time - The time in-between, when people or places or things are in the process of changing from one state of being to another. Danger and magic lurk here.
8. Beauty and the Beast - A beauty to tame the beast, who may not be what they appear.
9. True Love's Kiss - The power of true love can overcome all trials and tribulations.
10. Threshold Guardians - Not necessarily an adversary or obstacle, but a being who prepares our protagonist for the adventure ahead, whether through assistance or a test of resolve.
11. The Evil Queen - Queen, matriarch, or wicked witch, but is she bad to the bone or just misunderstood?
12. The Trickster - The clever fox who breaks the rules and enjoys the chaos caused.
13. The Tiger and the Dragon - Sparks fly between two spirits who are opposites yet linked together by destiny.
14. The Granter of Wishes - A jinn or fairy godmother with motives sometimes pure, sometimes not.
15. Into the Woods - A wild, dark place of some kind must be traversed before our protagonist can find resolution.

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