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rainbowfic2012-07-09 09:37 pm
shadowsong26) wrote in rainbowfic2012-07-09 09:37 pm
White Opal #19, Heart Gold #22, Eisenhower Green #23
Story: Coming Forward
'Verse: Feredar
Colors: White Opal #19. When I was young I wanted to be..., Heart Gold #22. It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all. - Samuel Butler, Eisenhower Green #23. that's an awfully specific thing to hate
Supplies and Materials: eraser (Confessions AU), pastels (my current gen+romance card O5 "home"), feathers, glitter (Make a list of people who have made the biggest impression on you. Bonus: What did they do to make that impression? Was it positive or negative in the affect it had on you?), glue ("At other times you might choose to remain quiet...but now you're ready to fight to maintain your boundaries."), novelty beads ("I used to think...")
Word Count: 818
Rating: R
Characters: Mel Artwick, Pem Artwick
Warnings: References to and descriptions of murder with mutilation, blaming oneself for someone else's crimes
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always. This takes place in an alternate 980 FY.
The last three weeks on the Eagle had been more than difficult for Mel. It was all he could do to stick to his original resolve and not bolt, to smile at his--at the Captain and act like everything was normal, like he hadn't seen the box in the Captain's cabin, to not go over every little interaction with the Captain in his entire life and spend hours and hours trying to figure out why he hadn't seen this coming.
Which wasn't to say he never thought about that at all. He had, after all, worshipped the Captain when he was a child, wanting nothing more than to grow up to be just like him. He'd spent hours following him around, whenever he was home. No matter how much it upset his mother. He just did his best to push it out of his mind when he was working, try not to think about it whenever he had to deal with the Captain directly, try not to let it get in the way of his duties and make things harder on the rest of the Eagle's crew.
But between all that time spent worshipping the Captain and the fact that he couldn't escape the knowledge that it had started because of him...
It was hard.
And now they were back home, on the island where Clan Artwick headquartered. He had arranged a meeting with Pem, the Clan Head, and--either because he was, through his father, from one of the highest-ranking Clan lines, or because he'd managed to word his request with the right amount of urgency--had very little time to steel himself for it. At least the Captain still hadn't figured things out. Mel was almost positive of that. Surely he would have done...well, something, something very, very bad, if he'd known Mel had seen the box.
As he waited outside Pem's office to be called in for the meeting, he realized with a sinking feeling that there was a chance he might not even be believed. After all of this... He stared down at his hands and shivered. If he don't believe me, I'll figure somethin' else out. He couldn't let the Captain continue what he'd been doing.
The door opened and Mel was beckoned inside. He took a deep breath and slipped inside.
"What was it you were wantin' to talk about?" Pem asked. He was a little curt--he always was, always busy, with the size of Clan Artwick and all he had to oversee.
Mel took a deep breath. "I...saw somethin' disturbin' in my Captain's cabin," he said, all in a rush. Best to get it over with as fast as possible.
Now he had a little closer attention from the Head. "What sort of disturbin'?"
"A box. With human hands in."
Pem stared at him for a minute. "Human hands?"
Mel flinched a little. He doesn't believe me... "Yessir." Another deep breath. "And...there were rumors. In the town we were stopped in. 'Bout murders--metal-mages, got...gutted, then their hands cut off."
Pem was silent for a long moment. "You're absolutely sure about this? You really saw the hands?"
Mel nodded. "Six of 'em, lined up neat, and careful, the way you line up chains in a jewelry box so they don't tangle. And..." He hesitated. I can't leave this part out. "...and I think I know why he's doin' this."
Pem arched an eyebrow.
He kept his eyes on his hands. " 'Bout three years ago, not long after I signed on with the Eagle, we tried to take a prize. Big Bardic ship. Had a metal-mage on, and he fought back. I got cut open, like...like the bodies have been."
There was a long moment of silence. "Mel. Look at me."
He took another deep breath and did as he was told.
"If what you're sayin' is true--and I'm not sure it is yet, mind--but if it is...it ain't your fault. If Kit's butcherin' people...well, the kind of man who does that is always goin' to do it. If what happened to you did anythin', it just told him who to hit. If you hadn't been cut open, somethin' else would've happened and he'd've found another target."
That didn't really make sense to Mel. The Captain wouldn't be a murderer if not for him. "Yessir..." he said, because he felt he had to say something.
Pem sighed. "I'll look into this. Thanks, for comin' forward. I know it probably took a lot."
Mel knew a dismissal when he heard it. He stood up and carefully did not flee out of the office and back to the little room he was renting--his house still had tenants.
He wrapped his arms around himself and stared out the window, towards the docks, where he couldn't quite see the Eagle tied up.
All I ever wanted to be was you.
'Verse: Feredar
Colors: White Opal #19. When I was young I wanted to be..., Heart Gold #22. It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all. - Samuel Butler, Eisenhower Green #23. that's an awfully specific thing to hate
Supplies and Materials: eraser (Confessions AU), pastels (my current gen+romance card O5 "home"), feathers, glitter (Make a list of people who have made the biggest impression on you. Bonus: What did they do to make that impression? Was it positive or negative in the affect it had on you?), glue ("At other times you might choose to remain quiet...but now you're ready to fight to maintain your boundaries."), novelty beads ("I used to think...")
Word Count: 818
Rating: R
Characters: Mel Artwick, Pem Artwick
Warnings: References to and descriptions of murder with mutilation, blaming oneself for someone else's crimes
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always. This takes place in an alternate 980 FY.
The last three weeks on the Eagle had been more than difficult for Mel. It was all he could do to stick to his original resolve and not bolt, to smile at his--at the Captain and act like everything was normal, like he hadn't seen the box in the Captain's cabin, to not go over every little interaction with the Captain in his entire life and spend hours and hours trying to figure out why he hadn't seen this coming.
Which wasn't to say he never thought about that at all. He had, after all, worshipped the Captain when he was a child, wanting nothing more than to grow up to be just like him. He'd spent hours following him around, whenever he was home. No matter how much it upset his mother. He just did his best to push it out of his mind when he was working, try not to think about it whenever he had to deal with the Captain directly, try not to let it get in the way of his duties and make things harder on the rest of the Eagle's crew.
But between all that time spent worshipping the Captain and the fact that he couldn't escape the knowledge that it had started because of him...
It was hard.
And now they were back home, on the island where Clan Artwick headquartered. He had arranged a meeting with Pem, the Clan Head, and--either because he was, through his father, from one of the highest-ranking Clan lines, or because he'd managed to word his request with the right amount of urgency--had very little time to steel himself for it. At least the Captain still hadn't figured things out. Mel was almost positive of that. Surely he would have done...well, something, something very, very bad, if he'd known Mel had seen the box.
As he waited outside Pem's office to be called in for the meeting, he realized with a sinking feeling that there was a chance he might not even be believed. After all of this... He stared down at his hands and shivered. If he don't believe me, I'll figure somethin' else out. He couldn't let the Captain continue what he'd been doing.
The door opened and Mel was beckoned inside. He took a deep breath and slipped inside.
"What was it you were wantin' to talk about?" Pem asked. He was a little curt--he always was, always busy, with the size of Clan Artwick and all he had to oversee.
Mel took a deep breath. "I...saw somethin' disturbin' in my Captain's cabin," he said, all in a rush. Best to get it over with as fast as possible.
Now he had a little closer attention from the Head. "What sort of disturbin'?"
"A box. With human hands in."
Pem stared at him for a minute. "Human hands?"
Mel flinched a little. He doesn't believe me... "Yessir." Another deep breath. "And...there were rumors. In the town we were stopped in. 'Bout murders--metal-mages, got...gutted, then their hands cut off."
Pem was silent for a long moment. "You're absolutely sure about this? You really saw the hands?"
Mel nodded. "Six of 'em, lined up neat, and careful, the way you line up chains in a jewelry box so they don't tangle. And..." He hesitated. I can't leave this part out. "...and I think I know why he's doin' this."
Pem arched an eyebrow.
He kept his eyes on his hands. " 'Bout three years ago, not long after I signed on with the Eagle, we tried to take a prize. Big Bardic ship. Had a metal-mage on, and he fought back. I got cut open, like...like the bodies have been."
There was a long moment of silence. "Mel. Look at me."
He took another deep breath and did as he was told.
"If what you're sayin' is true--and I'm not sure it is yet, mind--but if it is...it ain't your fault. If Kit's butcherin' people...well, the kind of man who does that is always goin' to do it. If what happened to you did anythin', it just told him who to hit. If you hadn't been cut open, somethin' else would've happened and he'd've found another target."
That didn't really make sense to Mel. The Captain wouldn't be a murderer if not for him. "Yessir..." he said, because he felt he had to say something.
Pem sighed. "I'll look into this. Thanks, for comin' forward. I know it probably took a lot."
Mel knew a dismissal when he heard it. He stood up and carefully did not flee out of the office and back to the little room he was renting--his house still had tenants.
He wrapped his arms around himself and stared out the window, towards the docks, where he couldn't quite see the Eagle tied up.
All I ever wanted to be was you.
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Pem will, once he confirms that Mel isn't imagining things/making things up. It's...a pretty big accusation, which is why he's not sure if it's true right off the bat, but he does go through a proper investigation for it, at least.
Mel...well, it take him a while, but he does eventually mostly believe it. At least that it's not his fault Kit started killing people. Convincing himself that not having noticed sooner doesn't mean he's to blame...takes a little while longer.
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He does, in time, as much as he can come to terms with his big brother being a serial killer.
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Yeah. As much as Pem doesn't want this to be true, he'll take all the necessary investigative steps to prove it one way or the other. And at least try to help Mel realize it's not his fault.
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He will. And yeah, it was one of the hardest things Mel ever has to do.