Advent Day 5 (White Pine Original Fic)
Dec. 5th, 2014 12:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Advent Day 5
Fandom: White Pine Original Fic
Pairing: Travis Murphy/Ethan McDowell
Rating: PG
Word Count: 782
Summary: A Christmas/New Year’s fic to help bump up the word count for 1_million_words. Wherein Travis and Ethan muddle their way through December and try to stay on Santa’s Nice List.
Author’s Note: A little introspection to follow four chapters of practically pure dialogue. Also, it’s weird putting my own creation under a ‘fandom’ heading. Can you call a fandom of two a fandom?
Day 5
The envelope had surprised him. First a box, and now this. What was MJ up to? She couldn’t possibly be seeking reconciliation, could she? Ethan shook his head, frowning. Fat lot of good any of it would do either of them in the long run.
Against his better judgment, he opened the thick, white paper and pulled out a Christmas card. It was handmade and screamed Melody Jean with its perfect wintery scene. His sister had always been the artsy, crafty one of the family, leaving him to feel stuffy and boring in comparison. He had to admit, it was lovely in its simplicity. A tree made from worn fabric, small hand-cut snowflakes here and there, everything brushed in shimmery dust. After taking a deep breath, he flipped it open to read what was written inside.
E –
I didn’t realize how much I missed you until I saw you again. Ever wish you could change the past, because lately I have started. Merry Christmas, little brother.
- MJ
Leave it to his sister to hit him where it hurt. He closed the card and slid it back into the envelope. Travis was going to love the craftsmanship of it and more than likely, he’d insist on hanging it with the handful of others they’d – no, he – had received, since no one ever sent Ethan a damn thing. Outside of the card the Murphys had sent, they’d all been addressed to Travis alone. Granted, if any of the people he’d known in Minden Lake had had an idea of where he was, maybe he’d get more. But that wasn’t worth thinking about.
On a whim, he left his desk and strode over to the reception area. After digging through two drawers, he found what he was looking for – the box of generic cards the sheriff had given Emma Mae, the station’s daytime receptionist , to address and mail to all of White Pine’s residents.
Ah, the joys of small town living, he thought, grabbing both a card and an envelope. Taking a minute to collect his thoughts, he began to scribble inside the card. It wasn’t much, nor was it as elegant as his sister’s missive, but it’d have to do.
My darling big sister,
I wish it was as easy as just changing the past. But unfortunately, it’s changing people’s thoughts and expectations and that’ll never be possible. Maybe we can change the future? We can try.
Ho ho ho,
Ethan
He looked at his scrawling handwriting and after a moment, added Travis’ name to the card. After all, he knew his husband-to-be would have done the same if he had any siblings of his own. Not to mention it would cause a stir if any of their other family members saw that added, male name after his own. It was childish, but they deserved it.
And he knew, without a doubt, that MJ would agree. Retrieving a stamp from Emma’s desk, he put it on the envelope and addressed it to his sister, using her card for reference. Travis would be proud of him, for making this effort. He wasn’t sure why, but knowing Travis would approve assured him that he was doing the right thing.
Although, he still worried that he was starting something he might not be able to finish. But then, Murphy had made a point to tell him he had his back – always. Even when he was being an idiot. So, if there was a battle brewing, at least he wouldn’t have to face it alone. When it came down to it, that was the kind of thing that mattered. Having someone on your side, right or wrong, who would defend you with your last breath. Travis was definitely that person for him. He only prayed that, if the time ever came, he could be the same for Travis.
Heaven help them both if they ever have to find out.
In an effort to keep himself from chickening out, he added the card to the outgoing mail pile and went back to doing well, nothing. The overnight shift in White Pine was almost superfluous, even more so during the wintertime when twelve feet of snow kept all sane people firmly inside their warm homes. However, it was a living and the sheriff had promised that, as soon as his one deputy retired next year, he’d move Ethan up into the daylight.
Ethan looked around him at the silent station, snow falling quietly outside the windows. He picked up his copy of Travis’ most recent work in progress and leaned back in the desk chair. The day shift could wait as far as he was concerned.
Fandom: White Pine Original Fic
Pairing: Travis Murphy/Ethan McDowell
Rating: PG
Word Count: 782
Summary: A Christmas/New Year’s fic to help bump up the word count for 1_million_words. Wherein Travis and Ethan muddle their way through December and try to stay on Santa’s Nice List.
Author’s Note: A little introspection to follow four chapters of practically pure dialogue. Also, it’s weird putting my own creation under a ‘fandom’ heading. Can you call a fandom of two a fandom?
Day 5
The envelope had surprised him. First a box, and now this. What was MJ up to? She couldn’t possibly be seeking reconciliation, could she? Ethan shook his head, frowning. Fat lot of good any of it would do either of them in the long run.
Against his better judgment, he opened the thick, white paper and pulled out a Christmas card. It was handmade and screamed Melody Jean with its perfect wintery scene. His sister had always been the artsy, crafty one of the family, leaving him to feel stuffy and boring in comparison. He had to admit, it was lovely in its simplicity. A tree made from worn fabric, small hand-cut snowflakes here and there, everything brushed in shimmery dust. After taking a deep breath, he flipped it open to read what was written inside.
E –
I didn’t realize how much I missed you until I saw you again. Ever wish you could change the past, because lately I have started. Merry Christmas, little brother.
- MJ
Leave it to his sister to hit him where it hurt. He closed the card and slid it back into the envelope. Travis was going to love the craftsmanship of it and more than likely, he’d insist on hanging it with the handful of others they’d – no, he – had received, since no one ever sent Ethan a damn thing. Outside of the card the Murphys had sent, they’d all been addressed to Travis alone. Granted, if any of the people he’d known in Minden Lake had had an idea of where he was, maybe he’d get more. But that wasn’t worth thinking about.
On a whim, he left his desk and strode over to the reception area. After digging through two drawers, he found what he was looking for – the box of generic cards the sheriff had given Emma Mae, the station’s daytime receptionist , to address and mail to all of White Pine’s residents.
Ah, the joys of small town living, he thought, grabbing both a card and an envelope. Taking a minute to collect his thoughts, he began to scribble inside the card. It wasn’t much, nor was it as elegant as his sister’s missive, but it’d have to do.
My darling big sister,
I wish it was as easy as just changing the past. But unfortunately, it’s changing people’s thoughts and expectations and that’ll never be possible. Maybe we can change the future? We can try.
Ho ho ho,
Ethan
He looked at his scrawling handwriting and after a moment, added Travis’ name to the card. After all, he knew his husband-to-be would have done the same if he had any siblings of his own. Not to mention it would cause a stir if any of their other family members saw that added, male name after his own. It was childish, but they deserved it.
And he knew, without a doubt, that MJ would agree. Retrieving a stamp from Emma’s desk, he put it on the envelope and addressed it to his sister, using her card for reference. Travis would be proud of him, for making this effort. He wasn’t sure why, but knowing Travis would approve assured him that he was doing the right thing.
Although, he still worried that he was starting something he might not be able to finish. But then, Murphy had made a point to tell him he had his back – always. Even when he was being an idiot. So, if there was a battle brewing, at least he wouldn’t have to face it alone. When it came down to it, that was the kind of thing that mattered. Having someone on your side, right or wrong, who would defend you with your last breath. Travis was definitely that person for him. He only prayed that, if the time ever came, he could be the same for Travis.
Heaven help them both if they ever have to find out.
In an effort to keep himself from chickening out, he added the card to the outgoing mail pile and went back to doing well, nothing. The overnight shift in White Pine was almost superfluous, even more so during the wintertime when twelve feet of snow kept all sane people firmly inside their warm homes. However, it was a living and the sheriff had promised that, as soon as his one deputy retired next year, he’d move Ethan up into the daylight.
Ethan looked around him at the silent station, snow falling quietly outside the windows. He picked up his copy of Travis’ most recent work in progress and leaned back in the desk chair. The day shift could wait as far as he was concerned.
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no subject
Date: 2014-12-05 11:03 pm (UTC)I like how Ethan knows that Travis has his back and that it gives him the courage to do something that, alone, he would not. Isn't that a relationship, pretty much in a nutshell?
Lovely note from MJ.
(To answer your question above, hell yes.) ;)
no subject
Date: 2014-12-05 11:51 pm (UTC)Thanks, and I totally agree. That person you're with has to make you comfortable enough to step outside of your usual zone as well as be there to catch you when you fall. After you've been together long enough, you stop questioning those kinds of things and accept them as true. For Ethan, this is a major realization.
Hee! I'm starting to like this chick. She needs to come out and play more fully soon.
(YES! I have a fandom of TWO!)