Primeval fic: Broken Wings (16/17)
Jan. 30th, 2012 09:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
knitekatTitle: Broken Wings (16/17)
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~1270 (of ~27300)
Characters: Tom Ryan, James Lester, team and OC soldiers.
Pairing: James Lester/Tom Ryan, various.
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace. The OCs belong to Fred and Luka. 'Broken Wings' is a song by Mr Mister.
A/N: For Fred and her prompt of Lester/Ryan and Technical Hitch. Thanks go to Luka for looking at it and to the wonderful Fifi for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.
A/N2: Continues from Part 15 and continues in Part 17.
Warning (for all parts): Timey-wimey AU: death!fic, dark!fic, dub!con, hurt/comfort, angst, slash, het, OOC-ness.
Ryan sighed softly as James had strolled off without a backward glance once they had been released from the pen. He glared at Abby as she approached one of the other pens and stalked over to talk to her. Ryan's voice was bitter as he asked her, “Why?”
Abby turned and blinked at him. “Why what?”
“Why did you have to interfere? James isn't interested in me. He's still grieving for his Ryan.”
She gave him a sad smile. “I know. But he has to move on, Ryan.”
“And I'm the best candidate? The double of his lover? A man whose very face must be like a knife through his heart?”
“James is being a stubborn fool, Ryan.” Jenny's voice almost made Ryan jump. “I... we don't want to add to James' grief. Or your own.”
Ryan's eyebrow almost disappeared into his hair as he asked, his voice full of incredulity, “You don't? You have a bloody strange way of showing it.”
“No.” Jenny sighed. “If you leave here without trying to see if you and James could have something, you will always wonder about it. So will James. He'll wonder for the rest of his life if he's lost you twice. It will eat away at him, Ryan and he'll never move on with his life. I don't want him to live with regrets and what might have been.” She meet Ryan's angry gaze. “I don't want either of you to live like that.”
Ryan nodded reluctantly. “And this date will prove to us both if we could make it or allow us to move on, knowing we tried?” A loud trumpeting made Ryan start and he stared at the shuddering closed door of the pen. “What the...?”
Abby laughed. “Oh, that's Monty. He wants his apples.”
“Monty?”
“Columbian mammoth from an anomaly on the M25,” Abby told him before her voice dropped to a confidential whisper. “Lester likes him.”
Ryan quirked his eyebrow in a way that made both women smile, and he knew he had copied James' mannerisms again. He sighed before asking, “He does?”
“Oh yes. Monty saved his life from the Future Predator Leek released into the ARC.”
Ryan's heart thudded painfully in his chest and his knees almost buckled.
“Ryan?” Jenny's voice sounded so concerned. “Are you all right? Abby, call Ditzy.”
Ryan shook his head. “I'm fine.” Jenny raised an unconvinced eyebrow at him and Ryan continued, “We had the same anomaly, but we sent the mammoth home.” His voice cracked, “If I hadn't..?”
Jenny shook Ryan's shoulder. “You can't second guess what might have happened. As I understood it, your ARC was invaded by four or five Predators.”
Abby nodded as she added, “Even Monty couldn't have seen off that many.”
Ryan rubbed his face. “In other words, Monty's presence wouldn't have changed a damn thing.”
Jenny tugged on Ryan's sleeve. “Right. One hot, sweet tea and you can tell me all about this Claudia Brown Cutter's spent the last several months going on about.”
Ryan smiled. He knew Jenny was trying to distract him and he was quite willing to let her.
Ryan woke early and stared at his clock in confusion until he remembered why he was awake at this ungodly hour. Today was his date with James. He was short with Connor when the boy invited him to join him and Abby for breakfast. The hurt in the puppy-dog eyes had Ryan quickly apologising and a knowing smirk on Connor's face. The rest of the day passed in a blur. Every time Ryan had a spare moment and started to brood, someone – Connor, Abby, Lyle or another of the soldiers, even the professor and Stephen – was there to distract him. It seemed to be an ARC-wide campaign to keep him from worrying about their date. Everyone except Jenny, who apparently aided by someone called Lorraine, was keeping an eye on James and making sure their snarky boss didn't yell at anyone who didn't deserve it. Apparently, he wasn't the only one worried about their date. Ryan couldn't decide if that was a good thing.
Ryan leaned back in his chair and watched as James savoured the expensive and apparently excellent brandy. In Ryan's opinion the meal had gone well, far better than he had dared hope. The food had been excellent, the company even more so.
It had been hard to begin with, neither man comfortable to talk, too concerned they might mention something painful to the other. Soon they had found themselves commenting on the food and that led to small-talk. There had been the occasional hiccup when one of them mentioned some event the other knew nothing of. But slowly, the evening had become easier as they found common ground. Ryan had been so happy to discover that this James Lester was so similar to his own, even though he knew he'd never forget his original James. Just as James would never forget his own Ryan. Ryan almost sighed as he remembered that this James Lester was only here because Jenny and Abby had made him agree to it.
James paid the bill over Ryan's protests, silencing them efficiently by reminding Ryan he had no money in this world. Ryan sighed softly as they stepped out into the cool evening air, the soft drizzle seemingly apt for the sadness Ryan knew was about to come. He had no wish for this evening to be over, for his one date (even forced) with the man beside him to be at an end. But James would be going home and Ryan had a lovely bed at the ARC with his name on it.
Ryan toed the uneven paving stone with his shoe as he took a deep breath. This was the moment of truth. “So, James. Now what?”
James seemed equally at a loss. “Did you have a pleasant evening, Ryan?”
“Sir?”
“James, remember?” James smiled slightly. “It is a simple question...”
Ryan blinked. Had he had a pleasant evening? Of course he bloody well had. But it made this part the hardest. When James thanked him for his time and they went their separate ways. His rucksack was still packed and Ryan knew he would be gone as soon as a suitable anomaly opened, to continue his search for a James Lester who wanted him. A James who needed Ryan as much as Ryan needed him.
“Ryan?” James' eyebrow was quirked as he waited for Ryan to answer.
“It was lovely.”
“Good.”
“James?” Ryan asked in confusion.
James looked uncharacteristically nervous as he looked around as if to check they were alone. “Ryan.”
Ryan swallowed as James stopped and licked his lips. “James?”
James seemed to be having an argument with himself before he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, mussing it in a way that made him look even sexier. “Ryan. I was wondering. That is.” James took a deep breath. “Would you care for a second date?”
Ryan just looked at James in shock. His mind numb as his thoughts whirled. James wanted a second date? Without anyone pushing him into it.
James dropped his gaze and nodded, his stance once more brittle. “I see. I'll see you at the ARC tomorrow, Ryan. We can have you on your way as soon as possible.”
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~1270 (of ~27300)
Characters: Tom Ryan, James Lester, team and OC soldiers.
Pairing: James Lester/Tom Ryan, various.
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace. The OCs belong to Fred and Luka. 'Broken Wings' is a song by Mr Mister.
A/N: For Fred and her prompt of Lester/Ryan and Technical Hitch. Thanks go to Luka for looking at it and to the wonderful Fifi for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.
A/N2: Continues from Part 15 and continues in Part 17.
Warning (for all parts): Timey-wimey AU: death!fic, dark!fic, dub!con, hurt/comfort, angst, slash, het, OOC-ness.
Ryan sighed softly as James had strolled off without a backward glance once they had been released from the pen. He glared at Abby as she approached one of the other pens and stalked over to talk to her. Ryan's voice was bitter as he asked her, “Why?”
Abby turned and blinked at him. “Why what?”
“Why did you have to interfere? James isn't interested in me. He's still grieving for his Ryan.”
She gave him a sad smile. “I know. But he has to move on, Ryan.”
“And I'm the best candidate? The double of his lover? A man whose very face must be like a knife through his heart?”
“James is being a stubborn fool, Ryan.” Jenny's voice almost made Ryan jump. “I... we don't want to add to James' grief. Or your own.”
Ryan's eyebrow almost disappeared into his hair as he asked, his voice full of incredulity, “You don't? You have a bloody strange way of showing it.”
“No.” Jenny sighed. “If you leave here without trying to see if you and James could have something, you will always wonder about it. So will James. He'll wonder for the rest of his life if he's lost you twice. It will eat away at him, Ryan and he'll never move on with his life. I don't want him to live with regrets and what might have been.” She meet Ryan's angry gaze. “I don't want either of you to live like that.”
Ryan nodded reluctantly. “And this date will prove to us both if we could make it or allow us to move on, knowing we tried?” A loud trumpeting made Ryan start and he stared at the shuddering closed door of the pen. “What the...?”
Abby laughed. “Oh, that's Monty. He wants his apples.”
“Monty?”
“Columbian mammoth from an anomaly on the M25,” Abby told him before her voice dropped to a confidential whisper. “Lester likes him.”
Ryan quirked his eyebrow in a way that made both women smile, and he knew he had copied James' mannerisms again. He sighed before asking, “He does?”
“Oh yes. Monty saved his life from the Future Predator Leek released into the ARC.”
Ryan's heart thudded painfully in his chest and his knees almost buckled.
“Ryan?” Jenny's voice sounded so concerned. “Are you all right? Abby, call Ditzy.”
Ryan shook his head. “I'm fine.” Jenny raised an unconvinced eyebrow at him and Ryan continued, “We had the same anomaly, but we sent the mammoth home.” His voice cracked, “If I hadn't..?”
Jenny shook Ryan's shoulder. “You can't second guess what might have happened. As I understood it, your ARC was invaded by four or five Predators.”
Abby nodded as she added, “Even Monty couldn't have seen off that many.”
Ryan rubbed his face. “In other words, Monty's presence wouldn't have changed a damn thing.”
Jenny tugged on Ryan's sleeve. “Right. One hot, sweet tea and you can tell me all about this Claudia Brown Cutter's spent the last several months going on about.”
Ryan smiled. He knew Jenny was trying to distract him and he was quite willing to let her.
****
Ryan woke early and stared at his clock in confusion until he remembered why he was awake at this ungodly hour. Today was his date with James. He was short with Connor when the boy invited him to join him and Abby for breakfast. The hurt in the puppy-dog eyes had Ryan quickly apologising and a knowing smirk on Connor's face. The rest of the day passed in a blur. Every time Ryan had a spare moment and started to brood, someone – Connor, Abby, Lyle or another of the soldiers, even the professor and Stephen – was there to distract him. It seemed to be an ARC-wide campaign to keep him from worrying about their date. Everyone except Jenny, who apparently aided by someone called Lorraine, was keeping an eye on James and making sure their snarky boss didn't yell at anyone who didn't deserve it. Apparently, he wasn't the only one worried about their date. Ryan couldn't decide if that was a good thing.
****
Ryan leaned back in his chair and watched as James savoured the expensive and apparently excellent brandy. In Ryan's opinion the meal had gone well, far better than he had dared hope. The food had been excellent, the company even more so.
It had been hard to begin with, neither man comfortable to talk, too concerned they might mention something painful to the other. Soon they had found themselves commenting on the food and that led to small-talk. There had been the occasional hiccup when one of them mentioned some event the other knew nothing of. But slowly, the evening had become easier as they found common ground. Ryan had been so happy to discover that this James Lester was so similar to his own, even though he knew he'd never forget his original James. Just as James would never forget his own Ryan. Ryan almost sighed as he remembered that this James Lester was only here because Jenny and Abby had made him agree to it.
James paid the bill over Ryan's protests, silencing them efficiently by reminding Ryan he had no money in this world. Ryan sighed softly as they stepped out into the cool evening air, the soft drizzle seemingly apt for the sadness Ryan knew was about to come. He had no wish for this evening to be over, for his one date (even forced) with the man beside him to be at an end. But James would be going home and Ryan had a lovely bed at the ARC with his name on it.
Ryan toed the uneven paving stone with his shoe as he took a deep breath. This was the moment of truth. “So, James. Now what?”
James seemed equally at a loss. “Did you have a pleasant evening, Ryan?”
“Sir?”
“James, remember?” James smiled slightly. “It is a simple question...”
Ryan blinked. Had he had a pleasant evening? Of course he bloody well had. But it made this part the hardest. When James thanked him for his time and they went their separate ways. His rucksack was still packed and Ryan knew he would be gone as soon as a suitable anomaly opened, to continue his search for a James Lester who wanted him. A James who needed Ryan as much as Ryan needed him.
“Ryan?” James' eyebrow was quirked as he waited for Ryan to answer.
“It was lovely.”
“Good.”
“James?” Ryan asked in confusion.
James looked uncharacteristically nervous as he looked around as if to check they were alone. “Ryan.”
Ryan swallowed as James stopped and licked his lips. “James?”
James seemed to be having an argument with himself before he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, mussing it in a way that made him look even sexier. “Ryan. I was wondering. That is.” James took a deep breath. “Would you care for a second date?”
Ryan just looked at James in shock. His mind numb as his thoughts whirled. James wanted a second date? Without anyone pushing him into it.
James dropped his gaze and nodded, his stance once more brittle. “I see. I'll see you at the ARC tomorrow, Ryan. We can have you on your way as soon as possible.”
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no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 10:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 10:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 10:30 pm (UTC)*eagerly awaits final part and lovely happy ending that is coming, isn't it?!*
no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 10:36 pm (UTC)*next and last part is tomorrow* (No spoilers).
Thanks for reading.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 10:32 pm (UTC)*ahem* This is fabulous, and it looks like my guess might gave been right :)
no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 10:38 pm (UTC)Hee, No spoilers but you will find out tomorrow if your guess is right or not ;)
Thanks for reading.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 10:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 11:48 pm (UTC)Glad you liked it and thanks for reading
but the boys say not to thank you for the attempted banging together of their heads ;)no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 11:06 pm (UTC)I LOVE THIS SO MUCH *VEG*
no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 11:51 pm (UTC)*blushes* Thanks kindly. Thanks again for the beta and for reading.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-31 12:13 am (UTC)Ryaaaan! Say something. Preferably something that shows Lester that you would like to go on a second date. *thumbs Ryan*
no subject
Date: 2012-01-31 07:51 pm (UTC)Ryan's just a bit shocked ;) Hee, you will find out later tonight *eg* Ryan looks around and says ouch.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-31 01:26 am (UTC)YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for another great chapter.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-31 07:55 pm (UTC)Hee, I think you liked it and thanks for reading.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-31 02:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-31 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-31 04:16 pm (UTC)Eh... sorry...
*compose herself*
Great fic!!! :) I'm sorry that it's already going to end!
no subject
Date: 2012-01-31 08:11 pm (UTC)Hee.
Glad you liked it and thanks for reading. It is going to be odd not posting it every few days ;)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-01 12:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-01 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-02 04:30 pm (UTC)Ok, then, happy holiday to your muse, but I hope it will come back soon!!! :)
no subject
Date: 2012-02-02 06:58 pm (UTC)although that doesn't mean I'd say no if a bunny appeared *g*. As for a mini-bang, I'm poking my current Bloodverse WIP (44K or so words at the moment).*sigh* I wish it would, although at least my drabble muse is still around.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-03 02:32 am (UTC)But, hooray, their date was a success! James awkwardly asking Ryan out at the end is so adorable, even if he would hate me saying so. I also loved Jenny's explanation for why they'd forced the date and ouch for Ryan hearing about the mammoth saving this James.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-03 08:33 pm (UTC)*nods* It is a start. Hee, James has folded his arms and is looking disapprovingly. Glad you liked Jenny's explanation and sorry, but Ryan had to learn Monty's role.
Glad you liked it and thanks for reading.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-20 09:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-20 10:03 pm (UTC)