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schmericaBad Things Coming, We Are Safe
by Pearl-o
Wizards of Waverly Place. Justin/Alex subtext. Takes place during "Wizards of Waverly Place: the Movie", immediately following the campfire scene. 600 words. Title from Emmy the Great.
*****
They sit by the fire long past the time they have anything to say, watching the embers slowly die out. Alex can't quite face the idea of sleep. With so few hours left, it feels wrong, somehow. Even though she knows they can't get any farther tonight, not like this in the dark, and even though she's exhausted after a day following the trail. She's pretty sure Justin feels the same way.
Her head feels heavy, and she rests it against Justin's shoulder, turning a little into him. His shirt smells like mud and green stuff and gross jungle crap, not at all the way Justin is supposed to smell. Justin is supposed to smell like Ivory soap and chewing gum and that horrible minty hair gel he wears. It's a little thing, it doesn't even matter, but on top of everything else it's just too much. Nothing is the way it should be. Nothing is right. Nothing may ever be right again.
"It's okay," Justin says, and his arm goes around her shoulders, pulling her in tighter. His breath is warm on her hair. It's not cold, even with the fire burning out, but she feels herself shaking anyway.
"It's not okay," Alex says, and she's surprised by her own voice. It sounds strong. It sounds angry. It sounds like her, in control, the way things are supposed to be.
Justin's hand catches hers and squeezes, just once, lightly, before he lets her go, but Alex doesn't let him. She grabs his hand back, lacing their fingers together, and when she squeezes it's tight, holding on and not letting go.
"Justin..." Alex says, and she can't even name what she's feeling right now. It's feelings she can't put words to. She's already said things to her brother today she never thought she'd say out loud, how much she loves him and needs him, so what is still keeping her back? I could never do this without you. I'm glad you're here with me. When you say it's going to be okay, I almost believe you. I wish things were different.
She turns her head and looks up, and he is looking right back at her. His eyes are dark in his face, his mouth is open. He looks almost wild, and that's not right at all.
"Alex," Justin says, and his voice sounds a little creaky and dry, "I think we should go to sleep."
"I'm not tired," Alex says, and that's a lie, but she's lied to Justin plenty of times before, and she'll do it many times again. If they survive this. Which they will. Nothing's going to change. Nothing.
He tries to take his hand away again, but she won't let him.
"Will you hold me tonight?" Alex says. "While we sleep?"
Justin doesn't say anything for a few seconds, but finally, "Yeah."
"It's getting a little cold," Alex says; she's bluffing, of course, but it doesn't matter. "It'll be warmer. Plus, you know, there might be snakes or something. I don't want you getting scared."
Justin's smile is crooked. "Oh, yeah, you're going to protect me?"
"Don't I always?" Alex says, and the grin she gives him is almost real.
Justin's arms are warm and weirdly safe, and she can feel his presence all along her back. He falls asleep almost immediately -- she knows the soft even sounds of his sleeping breath better than anybody -- and once he's gone, she reaches out behind herself to feel him, reassure herself again he's still there.
She falls asleep quicker than she's expecting, and she sleeps through the night.
by Pearl-o
Wizards of Waverly Place. Justin/Alex subtext. Takes place during "Wizards of Waverly Place: the Movie", immediately following the campfire scene. 600 words. Title from Emmy the Great.
*****
They sit by the fire long past the time they have anything to say, watching the embers slowly die out. Alex can't quite face the idea of sleep. With so few hours left, it feels wrong, somehow. Even though she knows they can't get any farther tonight, not like this in the dark, and even though she's exhausted after a day following the trail. She's pretty sure Justin feels the same way.
Her head feels heavy, and she rests it against Justin's shoulder, turning a little into him. His shirt smells like mud and green stuff and gross jungle crap, not at all the way Justin is supposed to smell. Justin is supposed to smell like Ivory soap and chewing gum and that horrible minty hair gel he wears. It's a little thing, it doesn't even matter, but on top of everything else it's just too much. Nothing is the way it should be. Nothing is right. Nothing may ever be right again.
"It's okay," Justin says, and his arm goes around her shoulders, pulling her in tighter. His breath is warm on her hair. It's not cold, even with the fire burning out, but she feels herself shaking anyway.
"It's not okay," Alex says, and she's surprised by her own voice. It sounds strong. It sounds angry. It sounds like her, in control, the way things are supposed to be.
Justin's hand catches hers and squeezes, just once, lightly, before he lets her go, but Alex doesn't let him. She grabs his hand back, lacing their fingers together, and when she squeezes it's tight, holding on and not letting go.
"Justin..." Alex says, and she can't even name what she's feeling right now. It's feelings she can't put words to. She's already said things to her brother today she never thought she'd say out loud, how much she loves him and needs him, so what is still keeping her back? I could never do this without you. I'm glad you're here with me. When you say it's going to be okay, I almost believe you. I wish things were different.
She turns her head and looks up, and he is looking right back at her. His eyes are dark in his face, his mouth is open. He looks almost wild, and that's not right at all.
"Alex," Justin says, and his voice sounds a little creaky and dry, "I think we should go to sleep."
"I'm not tired," Alex says, and that's a lie, but she's lied to Justin plenty of times before, and she'll do it many times again. If they survive this. Which they will. Nothing's going to change. Nothing.
He tries to take his hand away again, but she won't let him.
"Will you hold me tonight?" Alex says. "While we sleep?"
Justin doesn't say anything for a few seconds, but finally, "Yeah."
"It's getting a little cold," Alex says; she's bluffing, of course, but it doesn't matter. "It'll be warmer. Plus, you know, there might be snakes or something. I don't want you getting scared."
Justin's smile is crooked. "Oh, yeah, you're going to protect me?"
"Don't I always?" Alex says, and the grin she gives him is almost real.
Justin's arms are warm and weirdly safe, and she can feel his presence all along her back. He falls asleep almost immediately -- she knows the soft even sounds of his sleeping breath better than anybody -- and once he's gone, she reaches out behind herself to feel him, reassure herself again he's still there.
She falls asleep quicker than she's expecting, and she sleeps through the night.
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(no subject)
7/9/09 05:32 (UTC)(no subject)
7/9/09 05:34 (UTC)(no subject)
7/9/09 13:51 (UTC)THE SHAME
(no subject)
7/9/09 13:54 (UTC)(no subject)
7/9/09 14:12 (UTC)(no subject)
7/9/09 18:32 (UTC)I have a bigger story I want to write for them, and I have lots of notes, but I can't get into the first scene yet. I'm hoping letting it percolate a few days will help.
(no subject)
7/9/09 18:32 (UTC)(no subject)
7/9/09 18:33 (UTC)(no subject)
7/9/09 18:34 (UTC)You do have to watch the show! It really is surprisingly enjoyable, even outside the subtext.
(no subject)
7/9/09 18:35 (UTC):DDD:
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7/9/09 20:20 (UTC)(no subject)
8/9/09 03:43 (UTC)(no subject)
8/9/09 09:14 (UTC)(no subject)
8/9/09 15:43 (UTC)(no subject)
8/9/09 15:43 (UTC)(no subject)
8/9/09 15:44 (UTC)I didn't mean that pun. Um.
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8/9/09 18:18 (UTC)(no subject)
9/9/09 12:54 (UTC)(no subject)
11/9/09 06:16 (UTC)(no subject)
18/9/09 23:49 (UTC)(no subject)
18/9/09 23:50 (UTC)(no subject)
21/9/09 08:46 (UTC)