sweetprince | OMG, snippet party...

I've been having so much trouble finishing my fics, so you know what that means? Gimme some prompts and I'll reply with snippets. Any fandom I've participated in, although only AU prompts for J2. You can even request bits from this crazy Gladiator fic that I will never finish below...

He’s Suione. The man in the ring. Tall, with his blond hair shorn short. Nate doesn’t understand anything about the games, but he knows the Suione is good. He clips the Baktrian fighter in the jaw with the hilt of his sword and then dumps him in the sand. The crowd roars and the Suione bends down and rips out his throat, raising up again with crimson stained fists. Nate drops his eyes, and when he raises them up again he finds the Suione staring right into his box, gaze arrowing straight through him.

“Is he looking at me?” Nate’s sister breathes, grabbing at his elbow. “He’s so strong and graceful in form.”

“Could be,” Nate says softly, unable to look away from Brad.

*

Nate agrees with great reluctance to go with his friends to the Ludus Magnus. He’s never had much stomach for gladiators, but Servillius and Clodius won’t stop badgering him until he agrees to come. Nate sighs, and allows himself to be dragged out.

The ludus is saturated with the smell of sweat. They’re quickly shown the gallery by a circumspect slave, and Clodius and Servillius laugh and joke with each other, wondering if the Barbarian’s even had the facility to speak. Nate’s only half paying attention, but he doesn’t know why he’s surprised to see the Suione, running through forms in the practice ring with a wooden sword. He stops, watching the way the Suione’s muscles bunch and shift under his oiled skin.

“I see that the Suione has caught the young tribune’s eye,” the master of the ludus says, he sticks his tongue in his cheek and turns to the slave, “Summon Brad.”

Nate colors. “No, please, I importune you not to…”

His protests fall on deaf ears.

-More Winery!AU for

pjvilar (from this story Here)
-Horrible First Date (from FBI!Nate/Cop!Brad 'verse) for

amberlynne
-More Gladiator!Brad and Tribune!Nate for

alethialia
-Sci-Fi AU: AI Brad for

oxoniensis
-Brad/Nate, hottest day of the year for

soul_cake_duck
-High School AU, Brad in military school for

strangie
-More Gladiator!AU for

melloniel
-Winery!AU: Brad's History for

bijoux
-Brad/Nate Pre-Kuwait, Pre-Slash for

jujubinha
-Brad/Nate, Cuddly Bear for

tikiaceae

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I totally reinterpreted your prompt. Mostly because people have written so many great snowed in and rained in fics and I was like…can I do better? I don’t think so.

*

It’s 110 degrees—a record high. Brad spent most of the day at the beach where the wind off the waves cooled the air down, but he agreed to watch the Orioles game with the LT in the later afternoon so he couldn’t stay there forever. At 4 PM it’s even simmering in the shade of the LT’s porch. The air is so still and heavy it’s hard to breathe. His skin feels too tight. He rings the doorbell, sticky and uncomfortable. The sound of the chime floats through the door.

There’s a long moment of silence and then a thump. “It’s open,” the LT calls, voice muffled.

Brad pushes the door open. It swings back into the house with a rusty squeak. He finds the LT lying on the floor in a t-shirt and exercise shorts, flushed red.

“LT?” Brad asks. It’s dark in the house. All of the blinds are drawn and none of the lights are on. There’s a fan whirring away at the backdoor. He looks at the LTs prone form and asks, “What happened?”

The LT groans and shifts. “I went for a run.”

Brad stares at him for a long moment. “I never thought you’d have the intelligence of a demented rabbit, but apparently, you learn new and fun things every day.”

The LT shuts his eyes and thunks his head against the floor. “And the air-conditioner broke on the hottest day of the year.” He pauses and then blinks. “Are rabbits particularly dumb?”

“Yes.”Brad plunks down on the floor next to the LT. “Are we watching the game?”

The LT waves a weary hand at the remote sitting on his coffee table and then drops his arm feebly back to the floor. Brad laughs and reaches out to grab it, turning the television onto the pre-game commentary. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so pathetic.”

The LT actually sticks out his tongue. Brad laughs at him. The LT smiles back and then shifts so that his shirt hitches up over his abs. Brad looks pointedly away from the trail of reddish hair disappearing into his shorts. After a moment unsure of what to do with himself, Brad moves to the LTs sofa.

Twenty minutes later they’re into a round of boring commercials, the Orioles are in the Outfield and the White Sox are at bat. The LT still lies on the floor, but watches the screen out of the corner of his eye. There’s the hiss of automated sprinklers outside and the LT lifts his head up. Brad shakes his head fondly as Nate slowly picks himself up off the ground, groaning as he straightens up. The LT gives him the finger and then goes to the back door, carefully stepping around the fan.

“LT?” Brad calls as he disappears into the backyard. Brad rolls his eyes and gets to his feet. He gets up and follows him to the backdoor. He finds the LT standing in the jet of the sprinkler, face tilted up to the sky and expression blissful.

His hair falls wet and dark into his eyes and he opens them suddenly and says, “Are you just going to stand there?”

“You’re a very strange man, LT,” Brad replies.

The LT grins at him and plunges a hand into the spray, directing the water off his palm right at Brad. Brad shouts at the sudden icy spray hitting him right in the face.

He wipes his face off slowly and says, “You’re going to pay for that one.”

The LT laughs and replies, “Bring it.” He takes off as Brad starts to chase him and they run circles around the backyard, forcing Brad to leap through sprinklers just to follow, but then the LT slips on the sodden grass and Brad is upon him. He’s laughing as Brad gets him in a sleeper hold.

“You win, you win,” he cries, choked up with mirth and Brad lets him go. He falls back into the wet grass, breathing hard as the sprinklers arc over him.

The LT tugs at his t-shirt and it comes away from his skin with a sucking smack. “Much better,” the LT says and slumps back beside him. He’s still flushed under his tan, but he looks far less mournful.

“I’m surprised they let a deranged over-grown child lead men into battle, sir.”

The LT makes a sound and doesn’t answer for a long moment. When he does, he says, “You know I’m not a lieutenant anymore.”

“I’m sorry, Captain,” Brad replies, sardonic twist to his mouth.

The LT flicks water into his eyes. “No, I mean, I’m a civilian now…”He’s staring at Brad with a strange light in his eyes.

Brad swallows. “Are you directing me to ask you a question, sir—Nate?”

“Yes,” Nate says, leaning in.

“Are you—”

“No, the answer is yes,” Nate interrupts and bends down over him to catch his mouth in a kiss. It’s a wet, tentative press, flavored by sprinkler water, and Brad tolerates it for a second before dragging Nate down on top of him. Their mouths part and Nate breathes hard. Brad feels those breaths through his entire body.

He looks up at Nate’s face almost in awe and runs his fingers through his hair. It’s grown a fair bit since Godfather was forcing them to cut their hair every day in Iraq. Nate’s eyes slide shut and Brad leans up and brings their mouths back together again. This is not how he imagined it. He never thought in a million years that there would be room for tenderness between them, but Nate’s mouth is gentle on his. His tongue swipes over Brad’s lower lip and when Brad moans he does it again and again.

Suddenly Nate jerks himself away. “The game!” he cries and scrambles to his feet.

“Seriously?” Brad replies, still sprawled out in the grass.

Nate looks down at him and smirks. “If the Orioles win, I’ll blow you.”

Brad breathes deep. “Oh, right. The game. That I find myself suddenly caring about.”

Brad breathes deep. “Oh, right. The game. That I find myself suddenly caring about.” I find myself saying this far too often, and for mostly incomprehensible reasons.

Generatal impression? Aww <3.

Hahaha, love the ending!

Awesome, I only got the first part in my email, so its even better coming to leave a comment and getting a (surprise) second part!

“I never thought you’d have the intelligence of a demented rabbit, but apparently, you learn new and fun things every day.”

Demented rabbit - I like it :D

I like this version of Nate. More relaxed and playful - its nice, a change from the usual, more...somber Nate you tend to get. So yay for re-interpreting prompts.

I so love Nate teasing Brad, obviously testing out his reactions (as though anyone could resist seeing him soaking wet and shirtless!). And the kissing!!! OMG ♥♥♥

I just adore this version of Nate so much. The end just kills be with their adorableness! YAY!!!

I love it sooooooo much when they are playful and happy and nnnnnnngh making out in the graaaaaaaaaass.

“And the air-conditioner broke on the hottest day of the year.”

Hah. This actually happened to me. In the middle of a long weekend, too. And I live in Rio. So yeah, Nate, even though I did not go running, I feel your pain.

But then again, Nate uses this to get wet and jump Brad, so I don't think things are all that terrible for him.

I love the idea of Brad and Nate hanging around and watching sports and being boys. And then making out, obviously. Also, I love that Nate is telling even before Brad's asking. This whole story is delightful!

Edited 2010-03-09 02:52 (UTC)

OMG, snippet party...

Brad/Nate, It's Too Hot and Sticky To Move, Part 1

Brad/Nate, It's Too Hot and Sticky To Move, Part 2

Re: Brad/Nate, It's Too Hot and Sticky To Move, Part 2

Re: Brad/Nate, It's Too Hot and Sticky To Move, Part 2

Re: Brad/Nate, It's Too Hot and Sticky To Move, Part 2

Re: Brad/Nate, It's Too Hot and Sticky To Move, Part 2

Re: Brad/Nate, It's Too Hot and Sticky To Move, Part 2

Re: Brad/Nate, It's Too Hot and Sticky To Move, Part 2