Sunset (one-shot, 1xR)
Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 7:16 pm
So, I got out of class at six-thirty, but couldn't go home because I had to be back on campus at seven-fifteen. So, with nothing else to do, I decided to see if I could write a fic and post it in just forty-five minutes. The final result: I've got two minutes to spare. Go team.
So, here it is. I prefaced it with that little story to explain why it's so short. It's kind of a ficlet. It's just a bit of mindless fluff, but I enjoy it. The sunset part reminds me of home. How nice.
Pairing: 1xR
Rating: G
Sunset
It was only seven in the evening, and already the day had been at least forty-eight hours long. She sat at her desk, squinting against the rays of the setting sun that always found their way into her window at this time of day. The office was thankfully silent, after a day of phone calls and meetings and arguments, but still there loomed on her desk untidy piles of paperwork, an unwelcome reminder that her workday was not over yet.
She dropped her head into her hands and began to massage her temples. Day after day of too little sleep had settled into a dull ache behind her eyes, but she was afraid that if she took any more pain pills for her head than she already did, she?d become an addict. With a sigh, she moved her hands to below her chin so she could open her eyes and look at the paper on her desk. Another document, another proposal, another agreement for her to sign. It never changed.
Not that she wanted anything to change. No change meant the world was still stable, that the peace she valued so dearly still surrounded them like a mother?s arms, comforting and protecting. That was worth everything in the world to her. That was worth the headaches she got from late nights and early mornings. That was worth her total dedication. She knew that. She just sometimes wished . . . what for, she wasn?t sure. Sometimes she just looked up at the sky and wished.
But wishing wouldn?t solve anything, and it certainly wouldn?t get this document read. With a resigned smile, she sat back to examine the document.
Then she stopped as a figure appeared in her doorway. It was her bodyguard, watching her through dark blue eyes half hidden behind a fall of dark hair. He hadn?t knocked, but then he never did, always seeming to know intuitively when she didn?t want to be disturbed. He seemed to know a lot of things about her intuitively. It was just one of the reasons he did such a wonderful job protecting her.
Setting the document down on the desk, she smiled tiredly at him. ?What is it?? she asked softly, and he motioned out the door with a nod of his head. ?There?s something you should see,? he intoned, and she stood, stretching, and followed him out.
They went to the elevators, but instead of going down to the main Preventers offices, like she?d expected, her bodyguard hit the button for the top floor. Her brow furrowed. ?Where are we going?? she asked, but he didn?t answer. She shrugged and stood by him in silence for the rest of the ride, content just to be near him. She loved him, still, as much as she had when she?d first followed him into the world of war and politics. He, on the other hand, had much more trouble with that emotion. But she knew that he cared for her, somehow, in some way, even if he didn?t show it, and that was enough for her. He was enough.
On the top floor, he led her out of the elevator and up a staircase that led them out onto the roof. Emerging into the fading sunlight, she squinted and looked at him in confusion. ?What are we doing up here?? she asked. He simply motioned to the edge of the roof. ?There?s something I wanted you to see.?
Still perplexed, she followed him to the edge, then stopped short, awed. The sun was halfway hidden beneath the blue mountains in the distance, and its slanting rays were scattering out across the evening sky. There were many clouds still in the sky from the morning?s rainstorm, and the sun?s rays were dying them in vibrant colors, filling the sky with brilliant pinks and purples and peaches. The vivid colors in the sky were reflected softly in the lake at the foot of the mountains. A soft breeze was blowing through the city, and she closed her eyes as it washed over her.
?I noticed you always face away from your window at sunset,? he said, interrupting her reverie, ?so I figured you haven?t seen this in a while.? She looked at him in bemusement, surprised he?d noticed. ?No,? she spoke softly, ?I haven?t. Thank you.?
They remained on the roof a few minutes longer, until the sun had completely set and the clouds had faded to a bruised blue. Then, with one accord, they turned silently away and walked back inside the building. In the same quiet contentment, they rode the elevator back to her floor, and he walked her to her office.
Smiling in quiet happiness, she turned back to him. ?Thank you,? she said again. ?I really needed that.? He didn?t smile back- he never did- but she?d known him long enough to interpret his expression ? contentment and affection and hope. ?You deserve it,? he said, reaching out to touch her face. Then he turned and disappeared into the hallway.
She watched him go, then smiled and returned to her desk.
FIN
So, here it is. I prefaced it with that little story to explain why it's so short. It's kind of a ficlet. It's just a bit of mindless fluff, but I enjoy it. The sunset part reminds me of home. How nice.
Pairing: 1xR
Rating: G
Sunset
It was only seven in the evening, and already the day had been at least forty-eight hours long. She sat at her desk, squinting against the rays of the setting sun that always found their way into her window at this time of day. The office was thankfully silent, after a day of phone calls and meetings and arguments, but still there loomed on her desk untidy piles of paperwork, an unwelcome reminder that her workday was not over yet.
She dropped her head into her hands and began to massage her temples. Day after day of too little sleep had settled into a dull ache behind her eyes, but she was afraid that if she took any more pain pills for her head than she already did, she?d become an addict. With a sigh, she moved her hands to below her chin so she could open her eyes and look at the paper on her desk. Another document, another proposal, another agreement for her to sign. It never changed.
Not that she wanted anything to change. No change meant the world was still stable, that the peace she valued so dearly still surrounded them like a mother?s arms, comforting and protecting. That was worth everything in the world to her. That was worth the headaches she got from late nights and early mornings. That was worth her total dedication. She knew that. She just sometimes wished . . . what for, she wasn?t sure. Sometimes she just looked up at the sky and wished.
But wishing wouldn?t solve anything, and it certainly wouldn?t get this document read. With a resigned smile, she sat back to examine the document.
Then she stopped as a figure appeared in her doorway. It was her bodyguard, watching her through dark blue eyes half hidden behind a fall of dark hair. He hadn?t knocked, but then he never did, always seeming to know intuitively when she didn?t want to be disturbed. He seemed to know a lot of things about her intuitively. It was just one of the reasons he did such a wonderful job protecting her.
Setting the document down on the desk, she smiled tiredly at him. ?What is it?? she asked softly, and he motioned out the door with a nod of his head. ?There?s something you should see,? he intoned, and she stood, stretching, and followed him out.
They went to the elevators, but instead of going down to the main Preventers offices, like she?d expected, her bodyguard hit the button for the top floor. Her brow furrowed. ?Where are we going?? she asked, but he didn?t answer. She shrugged and stood by him in silence for the rest of the ride, content just to be near him. She loved him, still, as much as she had when she?d first followed him into the world of war and politics. He, on the other hand, had much more trouble with that emotion. But she knew that he cared for her, somehow, in some way, even if he didn?t show it, and that was enough for her. He was enough.
On the top floor, he led her out of the elevator and up a staircase that led them out onto the roof. Emerging into the fading sunlight, she squinted and looked at him in confusion. ?What are we doing up here?? she asked. He simply motioned to the edge of the roof. ?There?s something I wanted you to see.?
Still perplexed, she followed him to the edge, then stopped short, awed. The sun was halfway hidden beneath the blue mountains in the distance, and its slanting rays were scattering out across the evening sky. There were many clouds still in the sky from the morning?s rainstorm, and the sun?s rays were dying them in vibrant colors, filling the sky with brilliant pinks and purples and peaches. The vivid colors in the sky were reflected softly in the lake at the foot of the mountains. A soft breeze was blowing through the city, and she closed her eyes as it washed over her.
?I noticed you always face away from your window at sunset,? he said, interrupting her reverie, ?so I figured you haven?t seen this in a while.? She looked at him in bemusement, surprised he?d noticed. ?No,? she spoke softly, ?I haven?t. Thank you.?
They remained on the roof a few minutes longer, until the sun had completely set and the clouds had faded to a bruised blue. Then, with one accord, they turned silently away and walked back inside the building. In the same quiet contentment, they rode the elevator back to her floor, and he walked her to her office.
Smiling in quiet happiness, she turned back to him. ?Thank you,? she said again. ?I really needed that.? He didn?t smile back- he never did- but she?d known him long enough to interpret his expression ? contentment and affection and hope. ?You deserve it,? he said, reaching out to touch her face. Then he turned and disappeared into the hallway.
She watched him go, then smiled and returned to her desk.
FIN
It was so romantic!