Prompt #17 & #18
Feb. 11th, 2010 01:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blood_wingedTitle: Prompt #17
Genre: General/Romance
Pairing(s): USxUK
Rating: U
Warnings: None
Summary: Shortfic. In which Arthur is on a chatshow, and Alfred makes a surprise appearance.
Prompt: Link
The show began and attention moved to the young blonde man sat calmly in the chair across from the chat-show host. In her hands, she held a book, and when the title music stopped she turned to camera three and smiled a big, Hollywood smile, lifting the book to show to the audience. On the cover, the title ‘Transatlantic Relations’ was written in a neat font, catching the light briefly before it was placed down and she turned that smile to her guest, who smiled politely back.
“I would like to welcome to the studio today,” she chirps cheerfully. “Arthur Kirkland, the author of the engaging and very witty Transatlantic Relations, a title which has captured the attention of many as the first widely selling self-help book to deal with relationships between continents. More interestingly, dealing very specifically with...” She paused, as if searching for the correct word, casting an almost nervous glance to her guest who simply quirked one heavy eyebrow in her direction. “Homosexual relationships.” Another glance, as if the suddenly anxious host were making sure that she hadn’t used a term that would offend. After the young man nodded once again, the smile returned and she clasped her hands over her knees.
“So, Mister Kirkland- Arthur, may I call you Arthur?”
“Of course.”
“Arthur, what was your inspiration?”
“I’m going to assume that you haven’t read it,” the blonde man said with a sigh. When the host looked immediately startled, he forced a smile and cleared his throat. “Well, it seemed to me that the market was open for a book like this and I just happened to have the experience to be able to write one.”
“Would you tell us a little more about that?”
Clearly, Arthur hadn’t wanted to be here. The faint look of distain which fell upon the woman at that question and the awkward shifting as he tried to make himself comfortable in the chair showed his unwillingness to be in this situation. He couldn’t say that he’d been pushed into it but there had been more than enough cajoling by his publisher, telling him that it would be good for publicity and he had agreed, in the end, just so they would stop calling him.
“If I must,” he muttered, just low enough to not be picked up by the microphones though the woman across from him definitely heard it. He cleared his throat. “The man’s name is Alfred. Alfred Jones, and it feels like centuries since we first met. We had a... tumultuous relationship from the very start. I am rather older than I look and some years older than him, and though we got along splendidly at first, it didn’t take long for him to begin to feel stifled.” He paused, and the host nodded, encouraging him to continue. “Of course, when we met, such things were illegal.” Arthur noted her look of surprise at that, and knew that she would now be trying to work out how old he was. “Which made things difficult, though it mattered more to me than it did to him. I suppose it shouldn’t have mattered to me – of course this is one of the points that I make. Even if a relationship is difficult to maintain, if you really love the person, you shouldn’t rely on them to make all of the effort.”
“You broke it off?”
“Eventually.”
“And you regret it?”
“Ah, so you did read it.” An amused smile crossed the young man’s face and he tapped his lower lip lightly with the tip of one finger. “I’m afraid that not all love stories can have a happy ending, but there are ways to deal with it. Knitting helps.”
“If you don’t mind, for the benefit of the audience of course, would you tell us how your story ended?”
“I don’t mind.” Arthur sighed, casting a glance heavenwards. “We fought, over something that probably could have been resolved had I had the mind to listen to him, and I left, came back to England, and I’ve been here ever since.”
“Do you miss him?”
It was a brazen question, and he hadn’t expected it. The audience hadn’t expected it. The show’s producer was screaming in the woman’s earpiece but she was ignoring it. Clearly, she had taken more of an interest in Arthur’s life than he had first thought, and he could hardly avoid the question now. After all, to not give an answer was as good as giving one in cases like these.
“Yes,” he said simply, and even to say that single word hurt.
“Aw, Artie, I knew it!”
“Alfred!”
And suddenly an innocent evening chat show had turned into Jerry Springer. Arthur had started up from his seat as soon as he had heard that American twang, his eyes a little wild as they fell on the idly reclining form of the one-time love of his life, leaning against the stage entrance. His heart pounded. What could he do? What would any sane, well adjusted person do?
He ran across the set, almost tripping over a step and a bundle of wires, the cameras following him all the way and a great whooping rising from the audience as he threw himself into the American’s arms and kissed him with the kind of desperation that one only sees in lovers separated unwillingly. Warm arms wrapped tightly around him and vaguely he heard the show host making a surprised introduction of somebody who she had hoped to bring onto the stage as a last minute arrival.
“I couldn’t wait,” Alfred whispered, a small, but undeniably mischievous smile dancing on his features and lighting his eyes.
“I’m glad you didn’t.” Arthur replied, glancing down as fingers clasped his and squeezed.
“Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
The story hadn’t ended.
Title: Prompt #18
Genre: General
Pairing(s): PrussiaxCanada
Rating: U
Warnings: None
Summary: Song! Rewrite of Wicked's 'Popular', Gilbo style!
Prompt: Link
GILBERT:
(Spoken)
Mattie, now that we’re friends, I’ve decided to make you my new project!
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
Y-you really don’t have to, eh...
GILBERT:
(Spoken)
I know! That’s what makes me so great!
(Sung)
Whenever I see someone who’s not as great as me,
And let’s face it, who is there who’s not as great as me?
I almost always stop to have a see.
And if I think they’re cool enough,
The edges just a little rough,
I know, I know that it’s all up to me.
And even in your case...
Though it’s the toughest case I’ve yet to face,
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
Oh, thanks.
GILBERT:
(Sung)
No worries, I know that I’ll succeed!
Because, come on, it’s me!
And, my dear Matt, you will be...
Cooler than anything this world has seen,
I’ll show you all the ways
To set minds ablaze
How to make sure that you’re seen.
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
What?
GILBERT:
(Sung)
I’ll teach you how to force the ones
You want to listen
To hang upon your every word.
Sensational! You’re gonna be fantastic.
There’ll be attention paid to you
By the time I’m through
Everyone will know your name!
So, let’s start,
You’ll not get anywhere looking the same!
It isn’t that I don’t mean that you’re not fine just how you are,
But imagine what could change if they all knew just who you were,
And now that I’ve decided that I’m gonna change some things,
You’ll not believe it,
Wait until you see it,
No one knows more than me about..
Awesomeness, and you could be awesome too.
With a big hand from me
You will surely see
That instead of dreary who you are-
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
Hey!
GILBERT:
(Sung)
What?
Nothing here can stop you
From becoming awesome..er.
When I see the uncool public
It’s enough to make me homesick
I know Old Fritz would want me to do him proud
And – teach – them
How to be as cool as me,
But my attention’s all on you now.
You’d best be grateful, Mattie,
It isn’t easy to teach!
MATTIE:
(Spoken)
Are you sure about-
GILBERT:
(Sung)
Matt! I can make you so awesome.
You’ll find that it works out well
You’ll not need to yell
People will listen to you!
Because you’ll be almost as cool as me!
(Spoken)
Come on, Mattie. You know I can do it.
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
You’re crazy, this won’t work.
GILBERT:
(Spoken)
Get back here!
(Sung)
Though you turn your back
Ignore the things you lack
You’ll come back to me.
And I’ll be right here waiting,
‘Cause everything depends on me!
Yeah!
You’ll be so awesome!
But not quite as awesome as me!
Prompts List
Genre: General/Romance
Pairing(s): USxUK
Rating: U
Warnings: None
Summary: Shortfic. In which Arthur is on a chatshow, and Alfred makes a surprise appearance.
Prompt: Link
The show began and attention moved to the young blonde man sat calmly in the chair across from the chat-show host. In her hands, she held a book, and when the title music stopped she turned to camera three and smiled a big, Hollywood smile, lifting the book to show to the audience. On the cover, the title ‘Transatlantic Relations’ was written in a neat font, catching the light briefly before it was placed down and she turned that smile to her guest, who smiled politely back.
“I would like to welcome to the studio today,” she chirps cheerfully. “Arthur Kirkland, the author of the engaging and very witty Transatlantic Relations, a title which has captured the attention of many as the first widely selling self-help book to deal with relationships between continents. More interestingly, dealing very specifically with...” She paused, as if searching for the correct word, casting an almost nervous glance to her guest who simply quirked one heavy eyebrow in her direction. “Homosexual relationships.” Another glance, as if the suddenly anxious host were making sure that she hadn’t used a term that would offend. After the young man nodded once again, the smile returned and she clasped her hands over her knees.
“So, Mister Kirkland- Arthur, may I call you Arthur?”
“Of course.”
“Arthur, what was your inspiration?”
“I’m going to assume that you haven’t read it,” the blonde man said with a sigh. When the host looked immediately startled, he forced a smile and cleared his throat. “Well, it seemed to me that the market was open for a book like this and I just happened to have the experience to be able to write one.”
“Would you tell us a little more about that?”
Clearly, Arthur hadn’t wanted to be here. The faint look of distain which fell upon the woman at that question and the awkward shifting as he tried to make himself comfortable in the chair showed his unwillingness to be in this situation. He couldn’t say that he’d been pushed into it but there had been more than enough cajoling by his publisher, telling him that it would be good for publicity and he had agreed, in the end, just so they would stop calling him.
“If I must,” he muttered, just low enough to not be picked up by the microphones though the woman across from him definitely heard it. He cleared his throat. “The man’s name is Alfred. Alfred Jones, and it feels like centuries since we first met. We had a... tumultuous relationship from the very start. I am rather older than I look and some years older than him, and though we got along splendidly at first, it didn’t take long for him to begin to feel stifled.” He paused, and the host nodded, encouraging him to continue. “Of course, when we met, such things were illegal.” Arthur noted her look of surprise at that, and knew that she would now be trying to work out how old he was. “Which made things difficult, though it mattered more to me than it did to him. I suppose it shouldn’t have mattered to me – of course this is one of the points that I make. Even if a relationship is difficult to maintain, if you really love the person, you shouldn’t rely on them to make all of the effort.”
“You broke it off?”
“Eventually.”
“And you regret it?”
“Ah, so you did read it.” An amused smile crossed the young man’s face and he tapped his lower lip lightly with the tip of one finger. “I’m afraid that not all love stories can have a happy ending, but there are ways to deal with it. Knitting helps.”
“If you don’t mind, for the benefit of the audience of course, would you tell us how your story ended?”
“I don’t mind.” Arthur sighed, casting a glance heavenwards. “We fought, over something that probably could have been resolved had I had the mind to listen to him, and I left, came back to England, and I’ve been here ever since.”
“Do you miss him?”
It was a brazen question, and he hadn’t expected it. The audience hadn’t expected it. The show’s producer was screaming in the woman’s earpiece but she was ignoring it. Clearly, she had taken more of an interest in Arthur’s life than he had first thought, and he could hardly avoid the question now. After all, to not give an answer was as good as giving one in cases like these.
“Yes,” he said simply, and even to say that single word hurt.
“Aw, Artie, I knew it!”
“Alfred!”
And suddenly an innocent evening chat show had turned into Jerry Springer. Arthur had started up from his seat as soon as he had heard that American twang, his eyes a little wild as they fell on the idly reclining form of the one-time love of his life, leaning against the stage entrance. His heart pounded. What could he do? What would any sane, well adjusted person do?
He ran across the set, almost tripping over a step and a bundle of wires, the cameras following him all the way and a great whooping rising from the audience as he threw himself into the American’s arms and kissed him with the kind of desperation that one only sees in lovers separated unwillingly. Warm arms wrapped tightly around him and vaguely he heard the show host making a surprised introduction of somebody who she had hoped to bring onto the stage as a last minute arrival.
“I couldn’t wait,” Alfred whispered, a small, but undeniably mischievous smile dancing on his features and lighting his eyes.
“I’m glad you didn’t.” Arthur replied, glancing down as fingers clasped his and squeezed.
“Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
The story hadn’t ended.
Title: Prompt #18
Genre: General
Pairing(s): PrussiaxCanada
Rating: U
Warnings: None
Summary: Song! Rewrite of Wicked's 'Popular', Gilbo style!
Prompt: Link
GILBERT:
(Spoken)
Mattie, now that we’re friends, I’ve decided to make you my new project!
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
Y-you really don’t have to, eh...
GILBERT:
(Spoken)
I know! That’s what makes me so great!
(Sung)
Whenever I see someone who’s not as great as me,
And let’s face it, who is there who’s not as great as me?
I almost always stop to have a see.
And if I think they’re cool enough,
The edges just a little rough,
I know, I know that it’s all up to me.
And even in your case...
Though it’s the toughest case I’ve yet to face,
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
Oh, thanks.
GILBERT:
(Sung)
No worries, I know that I’ll succeed!
Because, come on, it’s me!
And, my dear Matt, you will be...
Cooler than anything this world has seen,
I’ll show you all the ways
To set minds ablaze
How to make sure that you’re seen.
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
What?
GILBERT:
(Sung)
I’ll teach you how to force the ones
You want to listen
To hang upon your every word.
Sensational! You’re gonna be fantastic.
There’ll be attention paid to you
By the time I’m through
Everyone will know your name!
So, let’s start,
You’ll not get anywhere looking the same!
It isn’t that I don’t mean that you’re not fine just how you are,
But imagine what could change if they all knew just who you were,
And now that I’ve decided that I’m gonna change some things,
You’ll not believe it,
Wait until you see it,
No one knows more than me about..
Awesomeness, and you could be awesome too.
With a big hand from me
You will surely see
That instead of dreary who you are-
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
Hey!
GILBERT:
(Sung)
What?
Nothing here can stop you
From becoming awesome..er.
When I see the uncool public
It’s enough to make me homesick
I know Old Fritz would want me to do him proud
And – teach – them
How to be as cool as me,
But my attention’s all on you now.
You’d best be grateful, Mattie,
It isn’t easy to teach!
MATTIE:
(Spoken)
Are you sure about-
GILBERT:
(Sung)
Matt! I can make you so awesome.
You’ll find that it works out well
You’ll not need to yell
People will listen to you!
Because you’ll be almost as cool as me!
(Spoken)
Come on, Mattie. You know I can do it.
MATTHEW:
(Spoken)
You’re crazy, this won’t work.
GILBERT:
(Spoken)
Get back here!
(Sung)
Though you turn your back
Ignore the things you lack
You’ll come back to me.
And I’ll be right here waiting,
‘Cause everything depends on me!
Yeah!
You’ll be so awesome!
But not quite as awesome as me!
Prompts List
