The Boston Mercy Christmas Party is far from the most interesting place Charles and Donna have ever been. Neither of them dislike parties, necessarily, especially since this one is coupled with presentations from each department.
Charles has given his speech already, on the number of successful cardiothoracic cases, patient recoveries, new fellowships. There is a string quintet arranged to the left of the stage, silent throughout his presentation, and he wishes they would be allowed to play. What on earth are they here for?
He returns to the banquet table, where Donna has staked out a corner for them, a pair of chairs offset. He sits with his hands at his sides.
“You were great,” Donna says. “I had no idea we handled that many cases.”
“They do tend to bleed together, don’t they?”
It is always the strangest things that transport Charles back to Korea. That many cases. He could have handled thousands; he doesn’t know. The momentary triggers don’t tend to bother him, but they do perplex him. Now everything about surgery - his passion, his expertise - can send him back to a war zone? It really isn’t fair.
Donna sets her hand on the table. She is distractingly radiant, shimmering blue gown, pearls woven through her curled hair. Charles is grateful she makes his life seem so normal, from the outside looking in. He is grateful he doesn’t need to attend functions like this alone; he’s grateful he was not in Korea alone either.
“You wanna dance?” Donna asks him.
There is not any music playing, yet, but the speeches seem to be finished.
“Come on,” Donna nudges him, gently. “We’ll go bother the band.”
She has never asked a question Charles has been compelled to deny. He reaches for her hand as he stands up, guiding her to do the same, and he kisses her hand as they walk together toward the stage.
A Winter Night (in which Hawkeye nearly freezes in a Boston snowstorm and ends up passing out on Charles’s doorstep) (read on AO3 / tumblr)
Dedicated to the dear @blue-ravens, who in winter 2019 sent me the writing prompt “slowdancing” for Hawkeye and Charles, which lead to me writing one of my favourite fanfics to date, “A Winter Night”. Blue recently also said some super kind things about the slowdancing scene in the fic, so have some rare pair content, y’all 💜
1. Tell us about your current project(s) – what’s it about, how’s progress, what do you love most about it?
Current Project #1 is my Back to the Future AU. It follows the plot of the movie fairly faithfully with one twist - since Doc is Daniel Pierce, in 1955, he has a son named Hawkeye. It's going well, I'm most of the way done the first draft and hope to post it in a few weeks. What do I love most about it? Aside from the fact that it's one of my most beloved hyperfixations with a twist? Blending the movie canon with my own personal canon!
Current Project #2 is a Charles/Donna fic set during Mr & Mrs Who, and it's nice because I haven't written much for them lately and they're like an old friend (funny enough since the project is FOR an old friend... not naming names 🥰🤭)
2. Tell us about what you’re most looking forward to writing – in your current project, or a future project?
Hehe... I mean TECHNICALLY I answered this already, but I'm answering it again with the "yessir that's our baby au my beloved <33" answer. Goddamn, I want to write it so bad, like @ the timing... be right.
3. What is that one scene that you’ve always wanted to write but can’t be arsed to write all of the set-up and context it would need? (consider this permission to write it and/or share it anyway)
I mean, I should have an answer for this, but of course, my mind is blank! Naturally...
The other three under the cut
4. Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like).
I mean, you know it's gotta be the coming out scene from Spies.
“No,” he says, and holds his breath, expecting the worst with what he’ll say next. “I’m not exactly… interested in sex. At all. Really more the… opposite, actually. I mean, I’m not… I’m not attracted to anyone in... that way.”
And just like that, with his halting explanation, the threshold has been crossed.
There’s a pause, during which Charles waits, his heart beating like the drum of a death march, and he can’t read Donna’s reaction, which makes it hard to breathe. How easily this illusion could all be shattered.
And then Donna says casually, “So... does that mean you’re asexual?”
The relief hits him, sharp and bright, and he nearly chokes on the lump rapidly forming in his throat. “You mean you understand what that means?”
“Well I’ll confess that I don’t understand it perfectly , and I know there’s lots of… variables, but I…” she shifts slightly, clearly nervous, judging by the hesitation in her voice. “I sort of… kind of read up about asexuality.”
He’s thunderstruck. “You mean… you knew ?”
“Well I didn’t-” She’s definitely flustered now, worrying at her lower lip with her teeth again. “I didn’t know exactly, and it wasn’t my place to ask , but I… I know you, and I wondered. And I didn’t want to… to be ignorant if you were. You… you mean too much to me for that.”
“I… what?” he asks, her words sinking in. “I…”
“You mean too much to me,” she repeats, softly. “Every part of you, because you’re my colleague and my friend, and… and you matter, how can you not know this?”
“I do know,” he says around the lump in his throat. “I do , Donna, I just hadn’t realized how much.”
“It’s a hell of a lot,” she says, and then clears her throat. “But just because I care about you, it… it doesn’t mean you have to tell me anything.”
“Yes, I do, and I want to,” he says softly, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I am. I’m asexual.”
5. What character that you’re writing do you most identify with?
Oh... uh.... it definitely used to be Hawkeye. Nowadays... hmmm.... Peg maybe? Probably still Hawkeye, somewhat.
6. What character do you have the most fun writing?
James T. Kirk is a big romantic nerd and I love writing him... but also the Swamp Rats are a delight and all of the ladies who can keep them on their toes.
