![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[fic] my love's an iron ball.
Dec. 31st, 2012 01:29 amHe flits in and out her life; silently, like a shadow.
She’ll turn around and he’s there. She could be washing dishes and feel him press against her, be up screaming and throwing up in bed on a bad night and notice him place a hand on her shoulder to steady her. Usually she’s curled up in the corner of the room, lost in piles of books, and look up to discover him watching with a small smile, a new pile of books in his hands.
He only stays as long as she’d like him to. As the time passes, she wants him to stay forever, but she knows deep down, that he can’t exactly do that. Still, she’ll take any moment of his company he gives her.
And in time, Justine is quite sure she loves him. She’s never been in love before and she doesn’t know how to describe it, but she’s pretty sure that’s what it is.
She whispers it to him one night as they sit quietly amongst the books. She’s having trouble breathing and her forehead feels like it’s on fire, her Calling flaring up and warning to cause some trouble for the days ahead. But she says it, just three small, tiny words whispered into his arm.
He doesn’t reply, and she’s fine with that. She wanted to say it and she’d said it.
The next time she sees him, he wakes her up in the middle of the night. She feels finger brush around her jaw and she instantly knows it’s him. She can’t see him at first, which is normal, but there’s a muffled sound that confuses her. Pulling herself up in bed, she suddenly feels something cool pressed into her hands and a kiss placed on her forehead.
It’s something made out glass; smooth and circular. A jar. It hums and drums in her hands and she’s not entirely sure why and there’s a spark of wondrous fear in her heart.
“What.. what is it?” she breathes into the darkness.
Reaching for her bedside, she flicks on a lamp, filling the room with gentle light. He’s sat on the end of her bed, smiling at her. Without a word, he motions to the object in her hands.
Justine looks down and gasps.
A heart. An actual human heart. The sound she heard was it’s steady beat. She doesn’t know how it’s possible, how such a thing can be done. But she knows that not everyone has a friend who slips around the world as a shadow.
There’s a mix of emotions in her chest; she knows it’s an odd gift, but somewhere, deep down, it’s sweet and it makes her heart sing. It’s a very bold and deep gesture. And she thinks she understands it.
‘You told me you loved me.’ He writes. ‘This is my reply. I give you something much truer than words.’
Justine gazes at him, barely able to breathe. Without a word, she places the jar safely on her bedside and clambers out of bed. Taking only a few short strides, she reaches for him, buries her fingers in his hair, places little kisses on face. She can feel a swell of tears in her eyes, but just this once, she won’t cry.
“I’ll… I’ll keep it… forever.” She says after a few moments. “Like… a secret. Safe.. and well.”
She’ll turn around and he’s there. She could be washing dishes and feel him press against her, be up screaming and throwing up in bed on a bad night and notice him place a hand on her shoulder to steady her. Usually she’s curled up in the corner of the room, lost in piles of books, and look up to discover him watching with a small smile, a new pile of books in his hands.
He only stays as long as she’d like him to. As the time passes, she wants him to stay forever, but she knows deep down, that he can’t exactly do that. Still, she’ll take any moment of his company he gives her.
And in time, Justine is quite sure she loves him. She’s never been in love before and she doesn’t know how to describe it, but she’s pretty sure that’s what it is.
She whispers it to him one night as they sit quietly amongst the books. She’s having trouble breathing and her forehead feels like it’s on fire, her Calling flaring up and warning to cause some trouble for the days ahead. But she says it, just three small, tiny words whispered into his arm.
He doesn’t reply, and she’s fine with that. She wanted to say it and she’d said it.
The next time she sees him, he wakes her up in the middle of the night. She feels finger brush around her jaw and she instantly knows it’s him. She can’t see him at first, which is normal, but there’s a muffled sound that confuses her. Pulling herself up in bed, she suddenly feels something cool pressed into her hands and a kiss placed on her forehead.
It’s something made out glass; smooth and circular. A jar. It hums and drums in her hands and she’s not entirely sure why and there’s a spark of wondrous fear in her heart.
“What.. what is it?” she breathes into the darkness.
Reaching for her bedside, she flicks on a lamp, filling the room with gentle light. He’s sat on the end of her bed, smiling at her. Without a word, he motions to the object in her hands.
Justine looks down and gasps.
A heart. An actual human heart. The sound she heard was it’s steady beat. She doesn’t know how it’s possible, how such a thing can be done. But she knows that not everyone has a friend who slips around the world as a shadow.
There’s a mix of emotions in her chest; she knows it’s an odd gift, but somewhere, deep down, it’s sweet and it makes her heart sing. It’s a very bold and deep gesture. And she thinks she understands it.
‘You told me you loved me.’ He writes. ‘This is my reply. I give you something much truer than words.’
Justine gazes at him, barely able to breathe. Without a word, she places the jar safely on her bedside and clambers out of bed. Taking only a few short strides, she reaches for him, buries her fingers in his hair, places little kisses on face. She can feel a swell of tears in her eyes, but just this once, she won’t cry.
“I’ll… I’ll keep it… forever.” She says after a few moments. “Like… a secret. Safe.. and well.”
