Tag: writer’s meme

Writer’s Meme

Copy and paste part of a WIP and then tag 10 of your friends. 

I was tagged by @rabidchild67.  Thanks BB!

I’ve been crap at writing lately, but as it turns out I was trapped in the car for several hours today and so I, too, have words!  From the epilogue that never ends, and is at 9k words and counting:

It was a quiet drive to the pizza parlor, Zach driving while Chris texted their contact at Vista.  Nathan roused himself finally when they got home.

“We should bring her dvds,” Nathan said through a mouthful of pizza.  “There was a player in her T.V.  She’s too little to read books by herself, but she’d like Gustafer videos.”

“We can’t get those in stores, buddy,” Chris said.  “And we don’t have time to order them online.”

“She can borrow mine,” Nathan answered, taking another bite.  Chris turned to Zach and raised an eyebrow, making Zach grin.

“That’s…very generous of you,” Zach said.  “We can wrap them up in the morning before we go.”

“She needs a stuffy, too,” Nathan asserted.  “She should have one of hers, but I could give her my extra Build-A-Bear.  I don’t really like that purple one much.  It’s too squishy.  But her arms a smaller, so it will fit her better.”

Zach swallowed, and Chris cleared his throat uncomfortably.  “You know, Nathan,” Chris said quietly.  “We might not see her again after tomorrow.  I’m… I’m very proud that you want to help her, but we might not be able to get your things back if you loan them to her.”

Nathan furrowed his brow.

“It’s okay,” Zach reassured.  “We can order you new copies of the videos, and I’m sure Auntie Katie will be thrilled to take you to Build-A-Bear again.  These are good ideas.  You’re a good boy.”

“But… we might not see her again?”

“We’ll see her tomorrow,” Zach assured him. “And then we’ll… see.  There are other people who want her in their family, too.”

“But, not even for a play date?”

Chris caught Zach’s eye before answering, “Let’s just take it one day at a time, okay?  Let’s be happy we get to see her tomorrow, and try to make that as fun as possible.  And tonight too.  What should we do tonight that’s fun?  There’s still an hour or two before bedtime.”

The evening moved on to games and bathtime and bedtime. Once Nathan was down, Chris and Zach opened some wine and talked more about the visit, pulled together their documentation from Vista, and got confirmation from their adoption assistant that he’d be there by one.  Chris was reserved through the  conversation.  Not unenthusiastic; he made it clear that he wanted to go for it, accept Mira if they were offered her.  But he was strangely reticent.  Or maybe just tired.

They turned in early, but Zach woke at 2:30 to find the other side of the bed empty and cold.

I’ll tag @ao3-brihna, @drgrlfriend, @lesbianchrispine, @multifandom-madnesss, @psychoticpterodactyl16, @rycolfan, @television-and-tea, @trekbedtimestories, @seepunkrun, and @suedescripture.

I like the way your characters reveal so much about themselves in their reactions to every day things. It stuck with me in Bleary how Chris was so organized and collected (and making graphs and taking notes!) while Nathan was sick, and then when he and Zach realized Nathan was getting better, how during that intense relief and removal of pressure, that was the moment that he broke down. It was such a great comment on his strengths and his very human vulnerabilities!

Oh, thank you so much for that!  It was something I did really deliberately – giving Chris and Zach different reactions to the stress of Nathan’s illness.  Some readers took it as Chris being stronger in a crisis, but you read it the way I intended…they just fall apart at different times.  Chris’ “organization” is also sort of avoidance.  He’s dealing with minutia so he doesn’t have to think of the big picture.  Zach is focused on the big picture, what he might lose, savoring what he has. In a way he’s being braver, even though he looks like a wreck on the outside.  And when the crisis is over, it hit’s Chris all at once.  I’m so glad that it worked for you.  I was honestly never really sure that it did.