writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 11: Here there be bondage. Fades before it gets to an R rating so I'm not locking it.

The gift itself was a large, flat, very misleading box, wrapped carefully in shiny silver paper with a velvety red bow. It was so very misleading because of the contents within. Ezra watched as Avery pulled the four black cuffs attached to short sturdy metal rods out of the packaging and looked quizzically up at him. His rosebud mouth pursed as he turned them over in his hands, clearly only halfway to figuring out what they were. Ezra had cuffed him to his bed on more than one occasion already, so that these things were made to fit around Avery's wrists and ankles was pretty obvious.

( Bound and determined )

As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 3: Some May/December going on here. I've previously written them as fauxcest but this is a rebooted version where they do not become a step-family.

The weather turned bad in a matter of hours. One minute it was heavy but pleasant rain beating on the windows of the cabin and the next it had turn to icy snow. It weighed on the roof and the power lines; it was too much for the latter. The power went out and while Max froze -- figuratively -- Jack swore impressively, grabbed a powerful lantern and switched it on.

( Tips for surviving an unexpected ice storm )

I spent my writing time editing/plotting/brainstorming today so I don't really have anything new to post here. I sadly hit a roadblock yet again with the story I had been working on, but I'm hoping maybe it's just a hiccup and I can get back into it before the deadline next week. For the time being, here's this thing from a billion years ago. There are some sensitive issues being hinted at here but nothing overt.

The first time they tried to separate them was the day after the trial ended. News of the guilty verdict was fresh on the front page of everyone's morning paper and the government didn't need Eric any more. He'd done well on the stand, but now their star witness was nothing more than another ward of the state, one with a rapidly developing attitude problem.

They had no idea just how much a problem it was until they told him that he and Bobby were going to be placed in different homes. They said they were good homes, but Eric called them liars, stupid liars because didn't they know that there wasn't a home for him without Bobby? His begging, pleading, shouting words that no nine-year-old should know, fell on deaf ears. So Eric used his fists instead, his legs and arms and teeth.

He was a wild thing, like a cornered animal protecting its young and it stunned the cops that had to restrain him that one slip of a boy could cause so much damage. It took three of them, Bobby would remember. Three large full grown men to restrain one nine-year-old boy that wouldn't stop kicking, punching, biting, and screaming for his brother. Bobby was quiet, still quiet. He hadn't said anything in a long time, not since...

Eric's anger flared again. They couldn't be separated. He was Bobby's voice; someone had to look out for him, protect him. Their parents were gone, brutally slain. Why, why, would this so-called justice system take away the only things that had left: each other?

For the curious, they wound up not being separated and that led to a whole host of other things happening.

Another for the 13 days! Sorry it took me a while to get this one up.

They were beneath the mistletoe.

Laura didn't even notice at first, not when she drifted over to Les partly to escape the wives of his business associates, and partly because as much as this was supposed to be an Arrangement, she found herself seeking him out more and more frequently.

It started when she realized she was spending more time with the contractor working on the renovations on their house more than with him. The contractor was attractive, but Laura wasn't the slightest bit attracted to him. No even when the handyman smiled in a way that'd probably make Sandy's toes curl, Laura found herself thinking about how Les had that barely there smile that shone in his eyes so much more than it showed on his lips.

She thought about the long look they exchanged, all the words left unspoken, and she wondered if she was the only one who was feeling like this. She was falling in love with him, even though this was just supposed to be a marriage of convenience.

So when he eyes drifted upward and saw the cheeky decoration hanging above them only inches above Les's head, she flushed slightly and promptly blamed it on the wine. She likewise blamed it for how she leaned into Les a little. He leaned back and maybe it was just for show - they were in public, and ostensibly newlyweds, of course - how he bent and brushed his lips against hers, but it didn't feel that way. It didn't feel like an act when she slid her hand up to his neck, fingers curling at his nape, while his hand circled her waist and pulled her closer.

It wasn't an act at all, because later, when the crowd was gone and they were alone, their lips found each others again and there was nothing and no one to blame but themselves.

This story has no real title. It was written as a narrative for a character of mine, about the nightmares he has. It does however explain why Xavier is the way he is.

( The doctor dreams )

Chloe had only been in town a few hours, but she could already tell Point Hope was nothing like Nome. Point Hope was small, quiet, and in the middle of nowhere. She could tell it was clearly a place to get away from everything, and that was just what she needed.

( Despite -- or maybe because of -- the fact that the town was so small, Chloe’s arrival was not the small hushed matter she’d hoped for. )

Day Two.

( A Charlie Brown Christmas. Eric/Bobby. PG )

Day 30 of 31_days. Seeing as how April only has 30 days, this is the last one, guys. Hope you enjoyed it!

And this isn't about archangels. Their names are just coincidentally both angelic. XD

( Searching for the future. )

Day 24 of 31_days.

( Listening to the rain. )

Day 21 of 31_days.

( Love and hatred. )