Ember, Dirt Brown: Reaction

[finch]

Name: Jack
Story: Puzzles/commonplace
Colors: Ember 14, heat, Dirt brown 7, gnome
Word Count: ~500
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Notes: Also written for the cottoncandy_bingo square "allergies".

I sneezed, dropping my screwdriver again and sending the tiny screws rolling across the tabletop. I sighed.

"百岁," Jian said from the other side of the apartment.

"Sorry," I answered automatically as I tried to gather up the screws. I just wanted to get the plate back on the robot before I managed to drop it or sneeze inside it or something and do even more damage.

"Why are you apologizing? I thought it was expected that one says something after another person sneezes."

I blinked at him, barely aware I'd said it. "I, oh, it's nothing."

"If it was nothing, you wouldn't be turning that shade of red," he pointed out.

"Just... Xiu He used to complain when I made noises like that. She thought it was gross because, you know, bodily functions and all. So I got in the habit of apologizing all the time." I turned away, focusing very intently on the tiny screwdriver and the tinier screw and resisting the temptation to look back at Jian again.

"That is not acceptable." He was nearly yelling, and I rarely saw him angry. I still didn't want to look. I could practically feel his anger peeling off like heat from a sidewalk. I flinched.

Behind me, I heard nothing. He stopped moving.

"I'm not upset at you," Jian said. His voice was quiet. "I'm upset that it happened. That I didn't stop her more thoroughly to begin with."

"That's not... you weren't even there, Jian, you couldn't have..."

I turned to look at him finally. He was glaring out the window.

"Jian, if I hadn't met her, I never would have met you."

He didn't answer me right away, so I turned back to my robot. The last screw was nowhere to be found, and I muttered something about gnomes stealing things before I gave up and took another one out of the kit.

I turned the robot on and noted with satisfaction that it booted up without a problem. The motherboard replacement had everything working smoothly again.

Well, almost everything.

"Jian." He hadn't moved while I finished the work. He still had a way of disconnecting sometimes, as if he forgot that time passed; I guess it's hard to get out of the habit of being immortal.

I stood from the desk and walked over to him, running my hand down his arm and taking hold of his wrist. He didn't jerk away, but I did feel his muscles soften under my touch.

"No regrets," I told him.

"But she-"

I pressed a finger against his lips. "None. I'm here with you now. I'm happy. That's enough for me."

He frowned more heavily, then his expression softened. He must have decided it wasn't worth arguing about.

"As you wish."

"I do wish. Or, I guess I don't. I don't need to wish for anything."

I sneezed again, ruining the moment, but he smiled. I smiled back. And in that moment, it was true. I didn't really want anything to be different.

Comments

[isana]

Wow, I had no idea there was a Chinese phrase for after someone sneezed. (usually we say "bless you" or apologize just like the narrator did) (/Americanized)

Anyway, there's so much story in so few words here--you can tell that there's still healing to be done, but I have a feeling they'll make it.

[finch]

I've heard mixed comments about how many people actually say it, so I was fully prepared for someone to tell me it was made up by a language professor, but looking around online, it seems like it's not uncommon, just not common either, so I figure he probably picked it up because of the American habit of saying something. (*probably overthinking this*)

Thanks!

[isana]

figure he probably picked it up because of the American habit of saying something. (*probably overthinking this*)

Yeah, that was my guess as well. It was interesting, though, since I read the characters and went, "why's it 'hundred' instead of 'ten thousand'?" before checking it out and going, "ohhh..."

[finch]

One of those weird little bubbles of language, I guess. Funny how those happen, isn't it?

[ce_jour_la]

Oh. Oh, honey.

The psychology is... "subtle" is not the word I'm looking for, but it's as close as I can get; it avoids the media-typical portrayal, even as it acknowledges that there are still repercussions, and Jian's indignant fury is right on the mark. I find myself keeping my fingers crossed for these two; nice work!

[finch]

Thanks. This is one area where a lot of my own experiences are going into it, and I know it's really easy to take it into the realm of melodrama, so I appreciate it.

[bookblather]

Aww, that end. This is... it's not that the relationship didn't leave scars, but they're healed over. They're there but not painful. Good job.

[finch]

Thank you! <3