Daily Drabble 70
Feb. 17th, 2012 05:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
coffeebuddhaAuthor: coffeebuddha
Rating: PG-13/FRT
Characters/Pairings: always-a-girl!Kevin Ryan/Javier Esposito, always-a-girl!Kevin Ryan/Richard Castle
Word Count: 1145
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.
Prompt:
![[info]](https://coffeebuddha.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=88.9){kind=small}
mb_jazz_freak87 requested an R/E noir au.Notes: Apparently the feminine form of Kevin is Kevine. Who knew? Title's taken from a quote by Oscar Wilde.
"You don't have to go through with this, you know," Rick says. He leans across the car's bench seat to brush a stray lock of hair out of Kevine's eyes. His fingers linger over the curve of her ear as he tucks the strands back, then trail down over her neck to rest at the hollow of her throat. "It's not too late to find another way."
"And what would you suggest," she asks with a tight smile. Her skin feels tight and oversensitive where Rick touches her, the uncomfortable pinch of an ant's bite before the pain hits, and she dislodges his hand on the pretense of twisting to retrieve her purse from the floorboard.
Rick blinks at her, his hand hovering in the space between them for a long moment before he lets it fall to his thigh with a sigh. "I know you're not overly fond of my money, sweetheart, but don't you think you're being foolish in not using it this time? You're being so stubborn when I only wish to help you."
Kevine twists the diamond solitaire on her ring finger and shakes her head. "This isn't one of those problems you can buy your way out of, Rick."
"I've yet to find a problem you can't," Rick says with a laugh that makes her mouth purse in distaste. Something in her expression must finally get through to him, because he straightens and turns suddenly somber. "Fine, we'll do this your way."
The smile barely has time to settle on her lips before he tacks on, "But why does your way have to include him?"
"Because he's the best at this sort of thing. I'm not having this argument again," she says, all the firm finality she's ever heard from Kate borrowed and injected into her own tone.
"Right, right," Rick says with a careless smile that doesn't quite disguise the frowning squint of his eyes. Kevine gives him an assessing look and when he lifts both hands in acquiescence, some of the tension leeches out of her neck and shoulders, and she nods.
"Good."
"But I feel I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that there are plenty of other, more reputable private investigators in this city who you haven't been engaged to--"
"Enough," Kevine bites out. She rubs a tired hand over her face, then immediately snatches it away and grabs the compact out of her purse to check her makeup. There are a few flakes of mascara on her cheekbone that she brushes away, but no real damage done, and she closes the compact with a sharp little snap that makes Rick flinch.
"Whatever you say," Rick says. He looks aggrieved, but Kevine really can't find it in her to particularly care right now. His sensitive ego is the least of her problems right now.
She sighs and, in the interest of peace keeping, leans close enough to ghost a kiss over his cheek. He smiles, a deceptively dopey look for such an intelligent man, and Kevine forces herself to return it.
"I know you're just stressed out right now. This is a very hard time for you." His voice is gentle, the same voice he uses when little Alexis is upset.
Instead of wailing on him with her purse, Kevine blows out a long, slow breath and opens her car door.
"This shouldn't take terribly long," she says as she slides out of the car with a little wriggle that settles her pencil skirt down over her legs. "Still, if I'm not back within the hour, just wait for me at home."
He calls something after, but she's already striding down the sidewalk and doesn't catch it. Yet another thing she should probably feel worse about.
When she turns the corner a couple blocks later, she pulls off her engagement ring and drops it in her purse.
Javier is engrossed in a stack of papers that basically boil down to 'you have no money, you're so screwed' when there's a knock at his door. He's not expecting anyone--his next appointment isn't until tomorrow and Lanie's out picking up their lunch--which means it's probably the creditors.
Again.
He sighs, thinks a little wistfully of the empty bottle of scotch in his bottom desk drawer, and calls out, "Come in," before he can think better of it.
"Javier." His name is spoken in a sweet, soft alto that makes his mouth go dry and his toes curl in his cheap shoes.
Not a creditor then, he thinks as he looks up at a vision straight out of his past. In the dim light that paints his office with a sepia sheen, Kevine Ryan doesn't look a day older than she did when he last saw her five years ago. That's not to say she looks the same, of course. No, his Kevine would have had her hair pulled up in a chignon, not falling loose over her shoulders in soft curls. Her skin would have been freckled from too much time spent out in the sun, instead of near translucent porcelain. She had preferred trousers to the type of slinky little number she's all dolled up in now.
She looks cool, expensive, untouchable; so far removed from and yet so achingly similar to his Kevine.
Javier hates it, wants to muss her up a little to prove to himself she's not as unreal as she appears.
Instead, he pulls out a cigarette and takes a long drag. Kevine wrinkles her nose, but doesn't object.
"Never thought I'd see you again," Javier says, pleased by how unaffected his voice sounds. "Not outside of the society pages anyway. You're all over those, lately. Richard Castle is quite a catch."
She winces and he can see those five missing years in the wrinkles around her eyes. Interesting.
"I'm not here to discuss Rick or any aspect of my personal life with you, Javier."
Rick, Javier mouths silently, testing the name by rolling it over his tongue. Kevine glares at him, and Javier smiles blithely back. "Then why are you here, princess?"
He can see the tight clench of her jaw while she reigns in her temper. There's his girl.
"Jenny's missing," she says shortly, her voice flat like she isn't talking about her beloved baby sister, and Javier straightens in his chair at the look on her face.
"Kev," he says softly, instinctively reaching out to offer comfort she shies away from.
"Will you help or not," she asks without meeting his eyes.
"Of course," Javier says immediately. "You should know you don't even need to ask."
Her lips quirk upward the barest hint at the corners at that, and this time when she looks at him, he can almost see some of the ice that's taken a hold of his sweet, warm Kevine starting to melt.
Thank you for reading! Feedback is always appreciated!
First commenter gets to pick the next prompt! When requesting, please keep in mind that I try to keep these between 100-500 words. For a list of my fandoms and squicks, go here. The list is worth checking out again even if this isn't your first rodeo, because it's just gone through a major overhaul. AUs, crack, genderbending, etc are all welcome in addition to more canon compliant prompts.
IMPORTANT: I'm embarrassingly behind on, well, pretty much everything at this point, so please keep the spoilers for the latest season anything still airing that's on my list AWAY from my journal in your prompts and comments. Thanks!
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no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 01:28 am (UTC)*shakes fist at you*
You are going to make me watch Castle. Then I'll be all mad b/c right now, NO ONE can tell these two aren't meant to be. And they won't be canon and I'll be all "WHY AREN'T YOU IN LOVE?"
*cause that's what happened when I finally broke down and watched Sherlock after reading all the Sherlock/Watson fic lol*
I rarely read genderbent fics (and if that's the wrong term no offense is meant so please no one get upset) but this was REALLY good (probably b/c it was yours and I'm super invested in this pairing now thanks to you lol)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 01:38 am (UTC)It's a good show right up to the point where the producers seemed to realize how many of the fans saw The Gay between Kevin and Javier and immediately threw the both of them into relationships. =P Shows that feel the need to downplay The Gay always piss me off.
SherlockBBC? Because that might as well be canon. ;)
Thank you! It was my first time writing a genderbent fic (I THINK that's the right term. lol) so I'm so glad it worked! :D
You have the prompt. Any idea what you want?
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:09 am (UTC)I was like...just kiss already! You know you want to! Be boyfriends and banter and snark and solve crime and kiss and make me HAPPY DAMN IT. LOL
Sherlock may or may not have pushed me slightly over the edge :P
I want...um part of me wants to force you to write more Glee fic but I miss my Morgan/Reid sooo...
Reid/Morgan, Spencer's cat is a cock block and Derek has had enough (not at all inspired by my bff's woes with his boyfriend's teacup pup lol)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:22 am (UTC)Oh yay, I've missed my boys! *draws heart around them* Morgan and Reid and their cockblocking kitty are a thing of beauty. (lol That would suck. XD)
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Date: 2012-02-18 02:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:51 am (UTC)YOU ARE AN ANGEL.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 03:25 am (UTC)I know, it's canon but it's not canon lol. They have that whole Arthur and Merlin thing going...even if they don't SAY it, we SEE it. They are just so made for each other it's ridiculous.
LOL I just have this image of Spencer with this snobby cat named Schrödinger that Derek hates and is locked in some sort of bizarre war with over Spencer.
And *random* I'm watching American Dad and the mom and the daughter are dressed up in red dresses and fighting and I SWEAR to grilled cheesus my first thought was "that looks like JJ and Emily in cartoon form having a catfight."
Clearly I am unwell :P
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 01:49 am (UTC)I have nothing more coherent right now.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 01:56 am (UTC)I want to write all the words of this story, but I honestly have no idea what the plot would be. XD
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 01:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:02 am (UTC)(In other news, my show might maybe possibly have a title? Maybe?)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:06 am (UTC)(Ooo. What are you leaning toward?)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:08 am (UTC)Ahahaha. XD I kind of actually snorted at that.
(Um. Possibly "My Blue Heaven." Though I'm currently looking for other song lyrics, because I'm not 100% sure if I like it or not. Not sure if it fits the mood of my show, y'know? Also, I've decided that my show's theme song is totally "Come Sail Away." Because I like that song a LOT.)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:19 am (UTC)NGL, 'My Blue Heaven' makes me giggle a little bit, but then I have silly memories of that song being sung very loudly and off-key on purpose. Maybe check the lyrics of 'Come Fly With Me' for other possible titles if you decide you don't like it after all? ('Where the Air is Rarified' has a certain ring to it, imo, but it seems kind of long for a tv show.) 'Come Sail Away' is a GORGEOUS song and I approve of it being the theme song something fierce.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:23 am (UTC)See, I don't even really know the song that much, I just have a snippet of it repeating over and over in my head. I LOVE Come Fly With Me! Aw, Frank Sinatra. Will have to check out the lyrics for sure. That bit is a little bit long for a tv show title, though (but it would get me away from my penchant for one-word titles, like I did with my other two shows.)
Yeah, I frickin' love Come Sail Away. And the radio I listen to at work plays it pretty frequently, which is awesome. :)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:27 am (UTC)Frank Sinatra is so many kinds of amazing that I can't even handle it.
\o/
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:30 am (UTC)Oh hell yes. Sinatra FTW. (They're making a Broadway musical with his songs! I totally want to see it, but that requires money and free time. Hmph.)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 02:03 am (UTC)And oh my, such a tangled love triangle... Is there going to be more of this 'verse? *crosses fingers and hopes*
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Date: 2012-02-18 02:08 am (UTC)I honestly have no idea. I want to write ALL THE WORDS for it, but I have idea what the plot would be. XD
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Date: 2012-02-18 02:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 10:52 am (UTC)I knew this would rock and be totally amazing!
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Date: 2012-02-19 02:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-02 04:21 am (UTC)I am so upset that I was completely unaware of this little gem!!!!
(of course reading this totally made my day so maybe it was for the best.)
no subject
Date: 2012-04-02 04:31 am (UTC)(I'm glad! &hearts)
no subject
Date: 2012-04-02 04:56 am (UTC)Why yes I am a creepy stalker/rabid fan......