“You really have moved on, haven’t you?” His former landlady grins at him.
“Mrs Hudson—”
“Oh, I almost forgot. You’ve got some mail. I know, I might have sent it on to you, but I kept expecting you’d come by.” She holds out a small stack of mail. “Nothing very important looking. No bills.”
“It’s fine. You’re right. I should have called or stopped by after…” Flipping through the envelopes, he sees that it’s mostly junk, but there are three addressed in a familiar hand, narrow and angular, not particularly legible. “It’s fine.”
He says his goodbyes to Mrs Hudson, promises to come by again soon.
Heading home on the bus, he studies the three envelopes. Each is addressed to Dr John H Watson, 221B Baker Street, London, NW1 6XE, UK. The first was postmarked somewhere in Nepal, April of 2012. The second bears a New Delhi postmark and is dated a year after the first, April of 2013. The final one is recent, just weeks earlier, mailed from Istanbul. He doesn’t open them.
Closing his eyes, he tries not to think.
I can tell you what you can do. You can stop being dead.
Mary’s not home when he arrives at their flat, and for some reason he’s relieved to be alone. He pours himself a drink, sits down, and looks at the first envelope.
The envelope is just a normal envelope, somewhat squarer than a business letter. What’s inside feels like card stock. The other two envelopes are identical.
When he’s satisfied that the outside has no more clues, he uses a knife to slit the top flap and slides the contents out.
Happy Birthday. A bunch of multicoloured balloons. Inside: I’m sending this card / As I wanted to say / I hope you have / A truly amazing day.
Written below, by the same hand that addressed the envelope: I heard you.
He thinks about that birthday, over two years ago. He remembers coming home, finding Sherlock on the sofa, contemplating some problem.
Before he can dwell on that memory, he opens the second. Another birthday card, this one with birds and flowers, the kind of card you’d buy for an acquaintance, not a relative or friend. Everything your heart desires / Is what I wish for you / Not only on your birthday / But throughout the whole year too!
Another handwritten message: I’m sorry I can’t be with you today.
The final envelope was sent in early September. What’s inside is another card, a generic lighthouse scene, the moon over a calm sea. There is no verse, just a handwritten message: I’ll see you soon.
Taking a deep breath, he rubs the tears from his eyes.
The note he leaves for Mary is a bit terse, maybe even cryptic. They were supposed to have dinner tonight, and he’d made reservations. He might cancel, but she was looking forward to it, so he just tells her to invite a friend. He passes the jewellery store, doesn’t stop inside to pick up the ring.
Instead, he heads back to Baker Street. Hearing sounds in the flat above, he moves quietly up the stairs.
He’s standing at the window, looking out. From behind, he looks much the same. Thinner, perhaps. He might sense a presence behind him, and turns his head. When he sees who it is, he turns all the way towards the door, smiling. The dead-white tinge of his skin tells John that he hasn’t been leading a healthy life. And somehow, he found the time to mail John three birthday cards.
Sherlock is silent, his eyes wide. John can’t think of a single thing to say.
“I didn’t know,” John finally says, stepping towards him. “You must have had your reasons, but I wish…”
The grey eyes overflow. “John.” His voice is rough with emotion. “I’m so sorry.”
There must be no more distance between them, no more silence. Putting his arms around the thin ghost of his friend, he says, “Welcome back.”
663 Words / Flash Fiction
This is a sequel to the last two: Green and Burn. Less angst, more realisations. 💕
I'm not sure if anyone is still interested in doing this, but I plan to fill out the month. You can read the rest of my ficlets HERE.
If anyone wants to suggest a prompt/scenario, please do!
Sooooooo.... for my fixit fic for The Vampire Diaries (my alternate take on season five), I have a Circle of witches (like from The Secret Circle) that are going to play a big part in the story and the continuation, which will be an alternate season two/three of The Originals.
Would it be too confusing to name them after villains of future seasons of the show that, for obvious reasons, won't be in the story? Like Kai, Cade, Rayna, etc? I'm thinking it would be a nice homage, but I'm also thinking it would be confusing as hell because these characters all have a following.
Let’s play a game. One of these things is not like the others!!!
Steve in The First Avenger: breaks rules and goes against orders to save Bucky, ( He didn’t even know he was alive he went against orders on the chance that he could find him) then sobs and crash lands a plane knowing he would die after he loses Bucky on the train (obviously has feelings for Peggy Carter and is heartbroken when he wakes up in the future without her)
Steve in The Winter Soldier: takes down SHIELD/Hydra when he finds out how evil it is and then puts on his old less armored suit hoping Bucky will recognize him and lets Bucky almost kill him because he’s “with you till the end of the line” (literally almost dies because Bucky is alive and he won’t fight him for reals). Plus he gets Bucky’s file so he better knows how to find him and help. (Gets to talk to Peggy and get to know the older her a little bit, finds out about her family and her life and everything she’s done)
Steve in Age Of Ultron: Talks to Sam at the party about their mission, meaning looking for Bucky. “The guy who wanted all that went into the ice 75 years ago” talking about wanting to be married and have a family. (Because Peggy is old and he’s moving on from the past and like living in the present with his new family the avengers)
Steve in Civil war: literally says fuck off to everyone about the accords and goes off to save Bucky who didn’t blow up that building and was going to be killed on sight because they thought it was him. “He said Bucky and suddenly I was a 16 year old kid again in Brooklyn.” He tells Wanda after almost dying because Crossbones said Bucky’s name. JUST HIS NAME. Steve fights Tony who is ready to kill Bucky over something he did when he was brainwashed and under Hydra’s control. Steve fights everyone for Bucky the movie ™ (and Peggy’s funeral, which was sad but he’s moved on and now he’s going to do everything he can to do what’s right and live how he knew she would want him to)
Steve in Infinity War: Hugs Bucky immediately when he sees him and it’s confirmed they had Skype sessions (dates) while they were apart. Bucky’s last word was Steve’s name and Steve fell to the ground “oh God” looking heartbroken and upset (Peggy is gone so Bucky is the last thing left from his past and he has been fighting so hard for him. Fighting to help get him a better life)
Steve in Endgame: doesn’t even talk about Bucky the whole movie and then the first chance he gets after the funeral he goes back in time to marry Peggy Carter and live in the past with her knowing full well she had moved on with Sousa and had a family with him and leaves Bucky to be tortured by Hydra knowing full well that was happening at the same time. Abandons his new family, the avengers, and goes back to get the married family life that he said he had moved on from in every other movie since the first Avengers movie. Leaves Sam and Bucky alone to be the new Captain America and figure out the future alone. (DING DING DING THIS IS THE ONE THAT ISNT LIKE THE OTHERS AND IS TOTAL SHIT AND IM MAD THANKS FOR COMING TO MY RAGE FILLED POST I AM MAD AND READY TO RANT ABOUT IT WHENEVER JUST MESSAGE ME ALSO I DO STUCKY RP FIXITS AND AM WRITING TEN FICS TO UNDO THIS MESS THANK YOU GOODBYE)
That comic about about coming to appreciate fixit fics had made me put into words that there are at least two kinds, and that I call one kind something else. There's the "I will change a decision to kill a character/destroy a relationship/etc. to bring about a different outcome" kind, which I generally just lump into "AUs," and then there's the "canon needed a few more rewrites" kind.
It occurs to me that the latter is probably more common in videogame fandoms, what with series often having multiple authors and/or considering story a tertiary concern next to gameplay and/or having a language barrier and varying quality of localisations.
I guess the first kind didn't really strike me as "fixit" since, like. It's not something I would consider a "fix" in my own work - just a happier AU. When I'm fixing, I am usually fixing, like, basic plot structure that falls apart when poked because the devs only had so much time and other things like gameplay were higher priority. But I can see where the useage comes from.
Rules: Its time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 favorite works youve created this year (fics, art, edits, etc!) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things youve brought into the world in 2017. Tag as many writers/artists/etc as you want (fan or original!) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works. <3
It’s all Vaylin, all the time. There was a time I might have apologized for that, but that’s passed now. There will be more of it this year. I also have to go through and get the stuff I have organized and crossposted to AO3 at some point.
1. I Shall Save Myself: Where Vaylin takes action to save herself during the second Battle of Odessan, and the story that continues from there. It was my first attempt at doing this, and still my favorite piece. Link is to the first chapter, The Final Chain.
2. Commander Thexan: Started as a bit of a joke that became a thing, haven’t gotten back to it in too long now. And it’s all @emperor-of-eternal-sands fault, anyway, for publishing a picture. Link is to my favorite chapter, the first one, One More Night. Senya has a dream of the future, the events of KotFE/EE, and flees with her children after one more night playing in the swamp with them.
3. The Last Gunslinger of Zakuul: My NaNoWriMo for 2017, it’s actually not done though I did surpass the 50,000 words. Still kind of recovering a bit from this and the holidays, but at some point more will be put up for it. Blends the Dark Tower series and a new life for Vaylin and her family. Link is to the list of posted chapters, which is currently slightly incomplete but the tag should work.
4. Darkest Throne: Well, all right, not quite all Vaylin, but she does have a prominent role in the story. The Commander has decided that Arcann must die, and killed Senya to reach him only to watch him escape. Arcann eventually chooses to ally with his sister against the Alliance, causing the following events to go much differently. It is not a happy place, and includes suicidal thoughts and talk of abuse and brainwashing. Handle with care, but it is a completed story. Link is to the first chapter, there are a total of ten.
5. Not Enough: Vaylin survives being shot by the Commander, barely, ripping her spirit and her power back from Vakorion as he tries to drain her. She escapes into the wilds of Odessan. Things then go poorly for the Alliance, since she is not there to help defeat her father. Woefully unfinished at the moment. Link is to the first chapter of the story.
I have no tags to give, if anyone sees it and wants to join in, please do.
