Challenge 216, Once Upon a Time
Feb. 7th, 2010 02:28 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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kh_drabbleChallenge: #216, Once Upon a Time
Title: Please. Hear me.
Word Count: 575
A/N: Haven't written anything in AGES, so this is my first something after quite some time. I like the idea and the concept but not the writing itself. dshgsahjsdfhjdf this sounded xxxx times better in my head. (I have never written them before, so forgive me if I butchered them :-/)
PROBABLY SPOILERS FOR BBS.
"So the hunter, in his desperation, let Snow White go and brought the Queen a boar's heart and tongue, to prove that he had killed Snow White." Ansem pauses, lets his eyes rest on the little boy on the bed. Ienzo's eyes are small and Ansem can see that he's trying not to yawn. Chuckling to himself, Ansem closes the book. "I think this is enough for tonight."
"But I want to know what happens then," Ienzo immediately says, his small hands flexing under the too-big pyjamas. "It is just beginning."
"The story will still be here tomorrow. And you have to sleep now, for tomorrow we will start on real physics." Ansem raises an eyebrow. "Or have you already forgotten that?"
"No, no, of course not!" Ienzo shakes his head. Opening his eyes widely, he says, “But I’m really not tired at all –“
A mighty yawn cuts through his words and Ansem smiles. "It will also be good learning material tomorrow night. You will sleep now."
"But I’m really not -"
"No."
"Please, just ton-"
"No," Ansem repeats. "I said no, Ienzo."
Ienzo stills.
"Now, goodnight." Ansem sighs, pulls the blankets higher up to Ienzo's neck. He stands before Ienzo's bed, looks at the small boy, waits for him to say something. Ienzo doesn't. Just lies there silently, looking at the ceiling. Ansem, aware of the silent treatment he’s being given, decides not to react.
"Sleep well, then." Ansem turns, and as he reaches the door, he pauses. "Do you want the lights out tonight?"
"...No," comes the belated murmur. "I wish for them to stay on, please."
"All right."
(Ienzo only sleeps with light. And only three months after, Ienzo still says mom and dad every night. Sometimes it’s only please. It hurts Ansem to hear this.)
Somehow Ansem hesitates to leave. He feels like he wants (should) continue the story after all; he doesn’t want to leave Ienzo like this. Even so, maybe it’s better.
So Ansem ignores the churning in his stomach and tells himself that Ienzo will be fine.
Before he closes the door, Ienzo suddenly says sleepily, "It is beautiful."
"What is beautiful?"
Ienzo waits until he has Ansem's eyes on him. Then he says, while blue holds onto gold, "The hunter. How he was so sad and didn't know what to do."
(Please.)
Gold cannot break away from blue, but it’s blue who does, eventually.
(I'm trying to tell you. Please listen.)
"...Goodnight," Ansem says eventually and closes the door behind him.
Leaves Ienzo alone in a room of artificial light.
--
Ienzo would be fine. Emotions might be subordinate to Ansem, but that doesn't mean he's not a victim. What it means is this: This love renders him helpless and inept.
For once upon a time, Ansem couldn’t feel. Then a (too) clever small boy came and made him feel.
--
Then, one day, he does hear. Does see.
And it’s too late.
Too late to say, no, this is not what’s beautiful. Too late to say, what’s beautiful is this: how the hunter had let Snow White go.
--
In another story, a young man sometimes dreams of his former life. He doesn’t dream of a warm smile, walks in the park, hearing stories before going to bed.
In his dreams, a silent please whispered into hotwet cried fabric is all that remains.
PS. I hope it's clear why it isn't "good" that Ienzo found this beautiful? Because he adored the sadness and the being torn apart on the hunter's side, the desperation and Ansem should have taught him that this is not what he should find beautiful - but what he should find beautiful should have been that the hunter let Snow White go, because his "good" side won in the end. ...Or something.
Title: Please. Hear me.
Word Count: 575
A/N: Haven't written anything in AGES, so this is my first something after quite some time. I like the idea and the concept but not the writing itself. dshgsahjsdfhjdf this sounded xxxx times better in my head. (I have never written them before, so forgive me if I butchered them :-/)
PROBABLY SPOILERS FOR BBS.
"So the hunter, in his desperation, let Snow White go and brought the Queen a boar's heart and tongue, to prove that he had killed Snow White." Ansem pauses, lets his eyes rest on the little boy on the bed. Ienzo's eyes are small and Ansem can see that he's trying not to yawn. Chuckling to himself, Ansem closes the book. "I think this is enough for tonight."
"But I want to know what happens then," Ienzo immediately says, his small hands flexing under the too-big pyjamas. "It is just beginning."
"The story will still be here tomorrow. And you have to sleep now, for tomorrow we will start on real physics." Ansem raises an eyebrow. "Or have you already forgotten that?"
"No, no, of course not!" Ienzo shakes his head. Opening his eyes widely, he says, “But I’m really not tired at all –“
A mighty yawn cuts through his words and Ansem smiles. "It will also be good learning material tomorrow night. You will sleep now."
"But I’m really not -"
"No."
"Please, just ton-"
"No," Ansem repeats. "I said no, Ienzo."
Ienzo stills.
"Now, goodnight." Ansem sighs, pulls the blankets higher up to Ienzo's neck. He stands before Ienzo's bed, looks at the small boy, waits for him to say something. Ienzo doesn't. Just lies there silently, looking at the ceiling. Ansem, aware of the silent treatment he’s being given, decides not to react.
"Sleep well, then." Ansem turns, and as he reaches the door, he pauses. "Do you want the lights out tonight?"
"...No," comes the belated murmur. "I wish for them to stay on, please."
"All right."
(Ienzo only sleeps with light. And only three months after, Ienzo still says mom and dad every night. Sometimes it’s only please. It hurts Ansem to hear this.)
Somehow Ansem hesitates to leave. He feels like he wants (should) continue the story after all; he doesn’t want to leave Ienzo like this. Even so, maybe it’s better.
So Ansem ignores the churning in his stomach and tells himself that Ienzo will be fine.
Before he closes the door, Ienzo suddenly says sleepily, "It is beautiful."
"What is beautiful?"
Ienzo waits until he has Ansem's eyes on him. Then he says, while blue holds onto gold, "The hunter. How he was so sad and didn't know what to do."
(Please.)
Gold cannot break away from blue, but it’s blue who does, eventually.
(I'm trying to tell you. Please listen.)
"...Goodnight," Ansem says eventually and closes the door behind him.
Leaves Ienzo alone in a room of artificial light.
--
Ienzo would be fine. Emotions might be subordinate to Ansem, but that doesn't mean he's not a victim. What it means is this: This love renders him helpless and inept.
For once upon a time, Ansem couldn’t feel. Then a (too) clever small boy came and made him feel.
--
Then, one day, he does hear. Does see.
And it’s too late.
Too late to say, no, this is not what’s beautiful. Too late to say, what’s beautiful is this: how the hunter had let Snow White go.
--
In another story, a young man sometimes dreams of his former life. He doesn’t dream of a warm smile, walks in the park, hearing stories before going to bed.
In his dreams, a silent please whispered into hotwet cried fabric is all that remains.
PS. I hope it's clear why it isn't "good" that Ienzo found this beautiful? Because he adored the sadness and the being torn apart on the hunter's side, the desperation and Ansem should have taught him that this is not what he should find beautiful - but what he should find beautiful should have been that the hunter let Snow White go, because his "good" side won in the end. ...Or something.
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Date: 2010-02-07 04:33 pm (UTC)This is going in my favorites. <33333333
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Date: 2010-02-08 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-07 04:58 pm (UTC)Poor Ienzo. We'll give you hugs!
no subject
Date: 2010-02-08 08:16 pm (UTC)Thank you.
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Date: 2010-02-08 12:40 am (UTC)On the other hand, you are a fantastic writer. :)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-08 08:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-08 01:46 am (UTC)[also undying love for you icon omfg so preeeeetty]
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Date: 2010-02-08 08:16 pm (UTC)[which one? The one I'm having now? Cause yes, it is :D]
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Date: 2010-02-09 02:43 pm (UTC)(Though is it just me, or is there something REALLY unnerving about child Ienzo? Maybe that's why I think this situation is so plausible, though heartbreaking too.)
Anyway...great work!
no subject
Date: 2010-02-09 06:49 pm (UTC)Thank you!