cruiscin_lan: (Default)
cruiscin_lan ([personal profile] cruiscin_lan) wrote2009-04-11 04:16 am

Fic: Spring (Verb, Intransitive)

Title: Spring (Verb, Intransitive)
Characters: Sylar/Claire
Rating: PG-13 (one f-bomb)
Word Count: 686
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Heroes or its characters
Spoilers/Warnings: Spoilers for the end of Vol. 3
Summary: She realizes there's no reason to be afraid of him any longer; he's taken what he wanted from her already, right?
A/N: Written for the [livejournal.com profile] sylaire_chall prompt "Spring."

Spring. To jump suddenly. Spring, as in he springs up on her in the dark hallway or she springs backward with recognition.

She hadn't seen him since the Primatech fire - a fire he'd caused, a fire that killed her biological mother and destroyed her life as she knew it. Hatred wasn't a strong enough word for the way she felt about him.

And so when she sees him, she startles at first, like a frightened mare. And, like a frightened mare, she bucks and she shudders and stamps her feet, trying to hold her ground and shake him off. She realizes there's no reason to be afraid of him any longer; he's taken what he wanted from her already, right? Might as well have some fun.

When she touches him, she expects the places where skin meets skin to burn and blister. When she kisses him, she thinks his lips taste bitter, like poison. When she makes love to him, she always calls it something else in her head.

Spring. To pay for, especially as a treat. Spring, as in he never offers to spring for dinner.

They don't go on dates, they don't go out for dinner or movies. Those are things that ordinary people do to distract themselves from one another in the name of spending time together. But these two, they're beyond that - beyond the petty displays of affection, beyond the pretense of romance.

Instead, she arrives at his apartment unannounced, and when he's there he drops what he's doing to tear off her clothes violently, pinning her against the wall as he presses his mouth to hers. When he's not there she breaks in, lies in wait like a lioness, ready to pounce the moment she hears the key click in the door. She springs on him before he's even gotten through the threshold.

Spring. To originate or arise from. Spring, as in tears spring from her eyes, unwanted and unwarranted.

In fact, they keeping springing forth with no signs of stopping. She had always reveled in her inability to be hurt, but that extends to the merely physical. A broken heart is a broken heart is a broken heart, and it aches with a sharp, throbbing pain that she's never felt before.

They didn't have a relationship. She couldn't call him friend or boyfriend or even fuck-buddy, as all these monikers implied that they had something that they didn't. What they lacked was some sort of context, a context in which they'd make sense together. But her family wasn't ready for that. The world wasn't ready for that. They weren't ready for that. So he decided for the two of them that it had to end.

She couldn't name the feeling she'd had for him until he'd taken it all away, and now, when it was too late, what would be the point?

Spring. To present or propose unexpectedly.

He's repentant now, all sorrow and sadness, when he tells her what a fool he's been, what a mistake it was to let her go. As he hands her the roses (which she accepts, though reluctantly) she sees the outline of a jewelry box in the pocket of his pants. She cannot help but smile, but her smile is tainted. She'd hated him for so long, and so strongly - it came back easily enough with time.

He asks her, he begs her, he pleads with her to take him back, not caring what the passerby think as they rubberneck, just for a moment, before they hurry back to their prosaic lives.

It's a cruel delight, turning him down in public like this, and she knows she's being especially petty and awful to him, but she doesn't care. He's taken what he wants from her already, right?

As she walks away her ponytail bounces behind her, and she revels in her new and improved imperviousness. Once again, thanks to him, she can feel no pain.

[identity profile] raitheemohugger.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 12:08 pm (UTC)(link)
This is all sorts of excellent and wonderful. Love the creative use of the prompt, and the unique style of the piece. This is amazing on its own and could be continued (you know we'll all beg). In short, thanks for sharing.

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm glad you liked it! But there's only so many definitions of "spring," so it's unlikely I'll continue.

At least this time I have a pretty reasonable excuse!

[identity profile] kathrynthegr8.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 01:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh this is lovely! I love how you took every menaing of the prompt and used it. Nice.

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 09:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks for reading! I had a lot of fun writing this one. I love it when prompts have so many directions to develop!

[identity profile] ashesfor-trees.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, I really enjoyed this! I LOVED the end--unexpected, but fitting for Sylar and Claire.

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks! I wanted to make sure Claire got to be more in control this time, since I don't typically write her that way.

[identity profile] fbdarkangel.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Damn! that was deep!

*firefly/serenity quote of the day*
Mal: Do you have time to do my hair?
Inara: Out!

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 09:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks for reading!

Does Inara perhaps have time to do my hair? Because hers is really pretty.

[identity profile] aegoceros.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 06:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Woo! This popped my Sylar/Claire fic cherry! And I liked it. The ending especially, as well as the overall mood of the piece. They have an interesting dynamic that I think you captured well.

I loved the definitions as segues into the different scenes! Such an awesomely creative use of a prompt!

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 09:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Woo! This popped my Sylar/Claire fic cherry!

Don't worry, I'll still respect you in the morning.

Glad you liked it, and I'm even gladder that you gave a new pairing a chance. :)

[identity profile] acinogan.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 08:58 pm (UTC)(link)
love love loved the format/structure! and i read it and liked it even though i am squicked out by the prospect of sylar/claire on the show. i am a sucker for linguistics, so i ventured out of my comfort zone :) i also very much enjoyed the circular nature of claire's thought process, and how sylar is the initiator and she is the respondant.

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-11 09:16 pm (UTC)(link)
love love loved the format/structure!

Thanks! I tried something a little new this time.

i read it and liked it even though i am squicked out by the prospect of sylar/claire on the show.

I think it would be the sort of thing that's so wrong that it's awesome. But I really don't mind who gets paired with who on the show, just so long as they stop killing my favorite characters...

i am a sucker for linguistics, so i ventured out of my comfort zone :)

I'm glad that you did, linguistics or not! It can be tough reading different pairings and characters, and I'm so happy that you at least gave it a chance.


[identity profile] dianelyn.livejournal.com 2009-04-12 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
Really creative and six kinds of awesome - loved it!

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-12 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! I'll try to include more kinds of awesome next time. :P

[identity profile] cameroncrazed.livejournal.com 2009-04-12 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
The comparison between Claire and the frightened mare is so imaginative and apt, and the imagery of her breaking in and lying in wait is wonderful :) I love all the different aspects of spring in their non-relationship - great job :)

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-12 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks - the animalistic imagery was one that I meant to incorporate a little more into each part, but I didn't want to overdo it. Mostly I think I've been watching too much Animal Planet...

[identity profile] eon923.livejournal.com 2009-04-12 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
This was a very unique idea and you did it so well. Nice Job!

[identity profile] cruiscin-lan.livejournal.com 2009-04-12 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks for reading :)

[identity profile] sylairemods.livejournal.com 2009-04-26 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Congratulations! This fic has been nominated for round 2 of the [livejournal.com profile] sylaire_awards.