dominique012: ([stock] books)
dominique012 ([personal profile] dominique012) wrote2007-08-16 11:04 pm
Entry tags:

original fic: green (1/1)

Finally...some fic. Feels good. :) An original piece, which is a nice change of pace.

Rating: G
Word Count: 599
Summary:She wants to be the girl from before. She wants to remember what it's like.


She gets caught up in the boring stuff, before she realizes, and without knowing why.

Somehow, it's become important - bills, brothers, oil changes, job trouble, interfering mums. It's boring, fiddly, and petty. Somehow, she's all numb and knotted up where she used to be shuddering and wrapped in him, leaning in to meet soft and searching lips.

She leans against the counter, staring glumly as she holds the phone against her ear and listens to the empty, on-hold tirade. The mobile bill requires deciphering; only the wise sage of customer service can help.

He sits at the table and watches her, mocking her with his wistful smile and lazy, appraising glance over her body. He wants to kiss her, she knows. But, progressing in the queue, she doesn’t hang up.

She tries to think in rose-petalled sheets, late nights, long walks. Maybe it's her - a true romantic wouldn't falter. But that she's just not.

He is. He remains a dreamer.

She finds a poem written for her on the back of her tax bill. She smiles—it's a sweet one—and carefully cuts it out before writing the cheque.

+++

She wants to be the girl from before. She wants to remember what it's like. But she can't work out what he's trying to do.

He's standing in front of her, a little heap of soil cupped in his hands. Her eyes follow a trickle as it slides through his fingers, onto the carpet.

She frowns. "What are you doing?" But her tone is shrill, and she hears What the hell are you doing?

"It's soil…from Alberto. It thought we could put a little in with the next one…Alberto2, or…Alberta."

Alberto. The lemon tree by the back door. Their first little project, a hundred million kisses ago. He'd wanted to grow a second one, a companion.

He follows her gaze down to the mess of dirt on the floor. He looks crestfallen. "Sorry about the mess."

She smiles, but she sees something horrible, like a little bit of fear, in his eyes.

+++

She's meant to be buying groceries. She's left him at the bookshop: Alberta research.

Her reflection stares back at her through the mottled glass of the op shop mirror. She's holding a dress up against her body. It's a soft green, his favourite colour. Only $10.

She sees them at the beach, her in this dress, him holding her hand and carrying a bag with rolls and chips and chocolate mud muffins. It could be a romantic moment.

A relaxed happy afternoon, even.

She takes out her wallet.

+++

When she gets home, he's sitting on the couch, his nose buried in a book. She dumps the shopping bags on the table, excited for the first time in ages.

She turns and smiles, but his concentration is focused on the open pages. Her heart plummets.

Home Budgeting for Dummies.

He looks up from the book, a puzzled scowl. "This makes no sense. And it's boring."

She sits down next to him, strangely relieved to see him puzzled. "I know. What are you doing?"

He raises his eyebrows loftily, "I…am reading about budgeting. You know, to be a bit more…"

She kisses him suddenly, startling him, pressing her lips to his. Strange-yet-familiar. Sweet. Wow.

He takes a breath, smiles, and quirks an eyebrow. "What are…you…doing?"

She grins and reaches for the dress. "I bought a dress. You know, to be a bit more…"

She watches the frown fall away as he grins and says, "It's a lovely green."

She leans in for another kiss.

Post a comment in response:

This account has disabled anonymous posting.
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting