Sunday Warm-up: Don't Rock the Jutebox
Mar. 12th, 2018 01:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beekeeperofedenMethod hasn't changed: music on shuffle, I stop writing when the song ends. The results were mostly Legend of Drizzt, but an Avatar: The Last Airbender ficlet snuck in there somehow.
"Step It Out Mary" - The Irish Descendents
[Roleswap!AU]
"Stay hidden," Dinin told Artemis. He seemed sincere, and Artemis had to wonder what the trap was. He narrowed his eyes.
"Why?"
"A priestess from the fourth house is visiting Nalphyn. She might want to take him as a consort. Seeing you could ruin it for him." And you don't want that was left unsaid.
Dinin and Artemis had a shared fear and disdain for the eldest. What they lacked in brotherhood of blood, they had in blade. Nalphyn was a mage, and knew what power it gave him. This had made them uneasy allies, on the brief occasions when they were worried he might get vindictive.
That wouldn't stop Artemis from adding a parting shot before he hid.
"No one ever seems to be visiting you for such things."
-
"Wanted Man" - The Last Internationale
[A:TLA fic, of all things, sometime during S2]
"Why are you following me?"
Zuko knew he should take this opportunity. The Avatar was right there, in an open field, not trying to run or attack or--
He was holding out food.
Zuko knew he couldn't win in a fight right now. He wasn't meant to be a fugitive, and it showed in the weight of his bones, the fatigue dragging his shoulders down. If he were rested and had eaten, maybe he could. But not right now.
If he accepted anything from the Avatar, that would make it harder to capture him later. Zuko had tried to ignore what he knew of keeping captive enemy benders, since finding out how young the Avatar was, but he remembered at the most inopportune times.
Like now.
The Avatar shrugged at the question. "I could ask you the same thing, really."
"You're a threat to the Fire Nation. It's--" my duty, my redemption, nothing personal.
-
"Dutch" - Dessa
"I wasn't expecting you so early." Sharlotta smiled at Jarlaxle in the practiced manner that Jarlaxle recognized from the mirror, the I'm on your side if you'll have me look. She was good at it, and he was sure all these surface males ate it with a spoon and a side of honey.
"I thought we could talk about your future."
"Then please, come in."
Sharlotta's room was as much a mask as the rest of her. Warm drapery on the walls, soft cushions. She placed a tea set on the table, bending to show off her cleavage as she did.
He could appreciate the view, and even more the skill of the performance. There were books on a shelf in the corner--history, tactics and strategy, politics. Oh yes, he could respect the performance.
-
"My Baby Think's He's a Train" - Jamie Lampkins and Heather Grady
Problems with living with a dark elf, #158: Jarlaxle never slept.
Artemis Entreri thought of himself as someone who didn't waste time on sleeping, but he was still human. Jarlaxle could run on about half the sleep Entreri needed, and often did.
Sometimes he'd be gone at all hours. This was fine. Entreri had stopped worrying about his partner deserting him somewhere on the road north.
But in bad weather, and the weather was always bad now, Jarlaxle seemed to prefer the comfort of their apartment. Reading by candlelight. Fidding with magic items and refining them. Pacing, even with boots politely silent.
Entreri muttered and covered his head with a pillow. The movement must have drawn attention, because the sound of movement paused. He could feel Jarlaxle's stare prickle on the back of his arm, the only part of him currently exposed instead of hidden under blankets.
-
"Row" - Cosy Sheridan
[post-canon]
"He has to visit eventually." Entreri's voice made it clear he cared little if that was true. Dahlia studied him and sighed.
"He can avoid the city. You did, for a while."
"Not if he wants to visit Jarlaxle."
"We could go find him." If anyone could track down Drizzt when he didn't want to be found, it would be Artemis Entreri.
"What would be the purpose?" Entreri's voice cracked with emotion for the first time in the conversation. "He is pretending we do not exist. He probably prefers it that way, for his undead wife."
-
"The Wrong Company" - Flogging Molly
"Go to hell," Entreri said as Jarlaxle entered the cell.
"If that's how you've been greeting visitors, no wonder it's quiet."
-
"Tam Lin" - Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer
Somewhere in the garden. That was all Drizzt could remember as he clutched, dizzy, at the rose bushes for support.
Meet me in the garden.
Blood stained the hem of his green cloak, turning it black in the starlight.
Meet me
Where the hell was Entreri? This was the time, he'd thought. Entreri had been elusive in his explanation, had said he might be late without talking about why.
in the garden.
They both knew why.
Entreri was late. Drizzt was injured and Entreri was late and the roses were blooming far too well for the weak soil of the region, what were they being fed?
Heavy footsteps on the grass, too loud to be Entreri, and Drizzt lept behind the rosebush.
"Come out, little drow." A tall shadow with horns. A smaller shadow behind him, quiet and angry. "If want to keep him, I'll give you the chance. But only if you can hold on to him."
The roses moved, and the smaller shadow changed.
-
"The Black Fox" - Heather Dale
"A highwayman?" Entreri scowled at the poster. "I thought you might have something more interesting in mind."
Jarlaxle shrugged. "Perhaps it will be a dragon in disguise, to make things a challenge."
Three hours later, Entreri watched the grinning man on the other side of the river bare sharp teeth.
"You just had to say it, didn't you?" he muttered to Jarlaxle.
"Do you want to be right or do you want to run?" Jarlaxle responded, taking a step back.
They chose to run.
"Step It Out Mary" - The Irish Descendents
[Roleswap!AU]
"Stay hidden," Dinin told Artemis. He seemed sincere, and Artemis had to wonder what the trap was. He narrowed his eyes.
"Why?"
"A priestess from the fourth house is visiting Nalphyn. She might want to take him as a consort. Seeing you could ruin it for him." And you don't want that was left unsaid.
Dinin and Artemis had a shared fear and disdain for the eldest. What they lacked in brotherhood of blood, they had in blade. Nalphyn was a mage, and knew what power it gave him. This had made them uneasy allies, on the brief occasions when they were worried he might get vindictive.
That wouldn't stop Artemis from adding a parting shot before he hid.
"No one ever seems to be visiting you for such things."
-
"Wanted Man" - The Last Internationale
[A:TLA fic, of all things, sometime during S2]
"Why are you following me?"
Zuko knew he should take this opportunity. The Avatar was right there, in an open field, not trying to run or attack or--
He was holding out food.
Zuko knew he couldn't win in a fight right now. He wasn't meant to be a fugitive, and it showed in the weight of his bones, the fatigue dragging his shoulders down. If he were rested and had eaten, maybe he could. But not right now.
If he accepted anything from the Avatar, that would make it harder to capture him later. Zuko had tried to ignore what he knew of keeping captive enemy benders, since finding out how young the Avatar was, but he remembered at the most inopportune times.
Like now.
The Avatar shrugged at the question. "I could ask you the same thing, really."
"You're a threat to the Fire Nation. It's--" my duty, my redemption, nothing personal.
-
"Dutch" - Dessa
"I wasn't expecting you so early." Sharlotta smiled at Jarlaxle in the practiced manner that Jarlaxle recognized from the mirror, the I'm on your side if you'll have me look. She was good at it, and he was sure all these surface males ate it with a spoon and a side of honey.
"I thought we could talk about your future."
"Then please, come in."
Sharlotta's room was as much a mask as the rest of her. Warm drapery on the walls, soft cushions. She placed a tea set on the table, bending to show off her cleavage as she did.
He could appreciate the view, and even more the skill of the performance. There were books on a shelf in the corner--history, tactics and strategy, politics. Oh yes, he could respect the performance.
-
"My Baby Think's He's a Train" - Jamie Lampkins and Heather Grady
Problems with living with a dark elf, #158: Jarlaxle never slept.
Artemis Entreri thought of himself as someone who didn't waste time on sleeping, but he was still human. Jarlaxle could run on about half the sleep Entreri needed, and often did.
Sometimes he'd be gone at all hours. This was fine. Entreri had stopped worrying about his partner deserting him somewhere on the road north.
But in bad weather, and the weather was always bad now, Jarlaxle seemed to prefer the comfort of their apartment. Reading by candlelight. Fidding with magic items and refining them. Pacing, even with boots politely silent.
Entreri muttered and covered his head with a pillow. The movement must have drawn attention, because the sound of movement paused. He could feel Jarlaxle's stare prickle on the back of his arm, the only part of him currently exposed instead of hidden under blankets.
-
"Row" - Cosy Sheridan
[post-canon]
"He has to visit eventually." Entreri's voice made it clear he cared little if that was true. Dahlia studied him and sighed.
"He can avoid the city. You did, for a while."
"Not if he wants to visit Jarlaxle."
"We could go find him." If anyone could track down Drizzt when he didn't want to be found, it would be Artemis Entreri.
"What would be the purpose?" Entreri's voice cracked with emotion for the first time in the conversation. "He is pretending we do not exist. He probably prefers it that way, for his undead wife."
-
"The Wrong Company" - Flogging Molly
"Go to hell," Entreri said as Jarlaxle entered the cell.
"If that's how you've been greeting visitors, no wonder it's quiet."
-
"Tam Lin" - Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer
Somewhere in the garden. That was all Drizzt could remember as he clutched, dizzy, at the rose bushes for support.
Meet me in the garden.
Blood stained the hem of his green cloak, turning it black in the starlight.
Meet me
Where the hell was Entreri? This was the time, he'd thought. Entreri had been elusive in his explanation, had said he might be late without talking about why.
in the garden.
They both knew why.
Entreri was late. Drizzt was injured and Entreri was late and the roses were blooming far too well for the weak soil of the region, what were they being fed?
Heavy footsteps on the grass, too loud to be Entreri, and Drizzt lept behind the rosebush.
"Come out, little drow." A tall shadow with horns. A smaller shadow behind him, quiet and angry. "If want to keep him, I'll give you the chance. But only if you can hold on to him."
The roses moved, and the smaller shadow changed.
-
"The Black Fox" - Heather Dale
"A highwayman?" Entreri scowled at the poster. "I thought you might have something more interesting in mind."
Jarlaxle shrugged. "Perhaps it will be a dragon in disguise, to make things a challenge."
Three hours later, Entreri watched the grinning man on the other side of the river bare sharp teeth.
"You just had to say it, didn't you?" he muttered to Jarlaxle.
"Do you want to be right or do you want to run?" Jarlaxle responded, taking a step back.
They chose to run.