Request Ficlet for Fabu

[dwgm]

Another reply for the Drabble/Ficlet Request Meme, this time for fabu:

~ Questionable Virtue ~

“Jack…”

“Hmm?”

“Do you know what my old nurse used to tell me? Back in England, when I was small.”

“Can’t say as I do.”

“She used to say, Every devil I meet is an angel in disguise.”

There was no reply for a minute, just closed eyes and even breathing. Elizabeth curled even closer to his warmth, and set her hand over his heart, smiling at its now slow and steady beat.

He finally took a deep breath, and caught the hand in his, giving it a slight squeeze. “Sounds as though she’d more hair than wit, your nurse.” He cracked one eye and turned his head enough to look at her. “You’re not crediting me with any of this angelic virtue?”

She managed a straight face. “Should I not?”

He closed his eyes again. “Good God, no. Thought you’d know better by now. But p’rhaps another demonstration of my ruthless self-interest is in order.” A smile touched his lips at her little shiver of anticipation. Then her hand loosed itself and slid south, renewing close acquaintance with skin, muscle, and bone, and the smile was erased as his breath caught.

He opened his eyes to look into hers as she pushed herself up on one elbow, and found angels and devils, both, reflected back at him.

She said, “I believe you’re right. You must show me, again,” and set her lips to his.



~.~

Comments

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Angels and devils, indeed... Will add to memories straight away, I love the tone in this, the sense of relaxed familiarity and affection. And the last line is great :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was thinking you might like this one -- was thinking of you, as well as fabu, when I wrote it. ;)

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

;-) And you have one more J/E request to write, haven't you? I'm looking forward to that...

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Yes. However, I have been reading orange_crushed's work today and am feeling wholly inadequate. She is an amazing writer. Thanks for reccing her stuff.

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

She's great, isn't she? But... inadequate? Darling, your work is so wonderful and I love it so very much and you should definitely not feel inadequate! Savvy? :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the vote of confidence. Occasionally I will be utterly blown away by another author's work, and then have to remind myself that this is all just for fun and simply told stories have their place, as well as Works of Art. Some of her phrases/chapters/stories make me want to yelp, "Wait a minute, that's what I wanted to say!"

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean, it happens to me quite often, and my favourite published author (Michelle West) always blows me away, I can't read anything else for days after reading her work, or write at all. At the same time, she's a constant inspiration.