FICS: Jump-Start, Like a Polaroid (both AB)

[mhalachai]

A couple of ficlettes. My brain's a little broken from earlier. You know, up is down and black is white and God's disproving his own existence. Ugh. So to cheer me up, I wrote fic.

Title: Jump-Start
Fandom: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter (master list here)
fanfic100 Prompt: 72 - Fixed
Characters: Anita, Nathaniel
Disclaimer: The Anita Blake universe belongs to Laurell K. Hamilton. I'm only borrowing and will return them at the end of the fic.
Author's Note: eavling wanted an Anita Blake story that had something to do with jumper cables.
Word count: 650 or so
Summary: Anita + a car that won't start + Nathaniel... not such a great pairing on no sleep.

~*~
"Anita?"

"I'm asleep," I mumbled into the pillow, and pulled the quilt up higher over my head.

"Anita, please."

There was a thin line of panic in Nathaniel's voice. It made me open my eyes, disoriented on my two hours of sleep, and sit up as best I could. "What's wrong?"

Nathaniel crouched by the bed, all dressed to go outside. "My car won't start."

I looked at him for a second, then slid back under the covers.

"I'm going to be late for my appointment, Anita, I can't be late. Please," Nathaniel said. He was almost begging. With anyone else, I'd have kicked them out of the bedroom to let me sleep, but it was Nathaniel. It'd be like kicking a kitten.

"So take my jeep," I muttered.

"You have to be at work this afternoon, and I won't be back in time."

Damn it. I blinked hard, trying to clear my hazy vision. The clock told me that it wasn't quite ten. If I got Nathaniel out of here soon, I might be able to get at least four hours more sleep before I had to hightail it to work. Happy times. I sat up again. "I don't suppose you know how to use the jumper cables?"

"Not on a car, no."

I just looked at him. Was he talking about... No, I so didn't want to go there. "Go make me coffee," I ordered, tossing back the covers. "I'll come jump-start your car."

"Thank you!" Nathaniel exclaimed. He dashed out of the room.

"Yeah, whatever," I grumbled. Getting clean clothes out of the closet would be too hard, so I pulled on the clothes I'd stumbled out of when I got home after sun-up. I probably wasn't going to be up for long enough to care. At least I hadn't bled on anything at work last night.

When I made it out to the kitchen, Nathaniel had a cup of coffee all ready for me. "Did I take that long?" I asked, frowning into the cup.

"No, I put it on before I went in to ask you," he said, shoving his arms into his jacket.

I lowered the cup to stare at him.

He smiled, not nearly as sorry as I'd like him to be. "I know you, Anita, I knew you'd like coffee." He turned his back to me as he pulled his hair out of his coat. "If we hurry, I can still make it to my appointment."

I watched him as he walked toward the hall. Maybe I was half-sleep, but there was something he hadn't said, that was as important as what he did say.

*~*~*

I slammed the hood of Nathaniel's now-running car. "You're all set to go," I said as I coiled up the jumper cables. "If you can't start it again after your appointment, call me and I'll come pick you up."

"Thanks so much, Anita," Nathaniel said warmly, holding open the back of my jeep so I could put the jumper cables away. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

I tried to frown at him, but he looked so happy that my irritation vanished. "Well, tomorrow I'm going to show you how to use those things. Maybe even change a flat tire while you're at it."

Nathaniel came over and stood close enough for a hug, but not touching. Not yet. "I think I'd like you to show me how to jump-start your engine."

I smacked him lightly on the arm. "You and me both," I said with an exhausted laugh. "Now, go to your appointment."

"Okay." He lifted one hand, but let it fall to his side.

I was too tired to think how to handle Nathaniel today. I wrapped my arms around him in a hug, pressing my cheek against his neck, breathing in the warm scent of his skin. "I'll see you later," I promised.

"Okay." He hesitated, then kissed my hair.

I pulled away and watched him get into his car, then waved as he drove off. Only then did I turn around and trudge into the house. I made sure the coffee maker was off, then staggered back to my bedroom. I was already falling back to sleep as I stripped off my clothes and crawled back into bed. I arranged the covers around me, laid my head down on the pillow, and closed my eyes.

A minute later I opened my eyes. "What appointment?" I asked the empty room. I had no idea where Nathaniel was going, or what he was doing.

How the hell was I going to sleep now?

~*~

Title: Like a Polaroid
An Anita Blake drabble
Note: I missed the cut-off for this week at abvh100. So I'm putting it here. Anita POV

~~*~~

Jason was watching Nathaniel's dance from backstage when I made my way down from Jean-Claude's office. "What are you doing?" I asked, donning my jacket.

Jason gave me a grin. "I always like to see how his set ends," he said. "He's really very good at this."

I glared at Jason, not at all comfortable watching Nathaniel shake it for the audience.

Jason laughed at my discomfort. "You can watch my end if you want," he said, and obligingly wiggled his butt at me.

I shook my head as I walked away. "Save it for the customers, Jason," I said.

~*~

Comments

[cissasghost.livejournal.com]

Hee hee re: "What appointment?" Yeah, nobody says "my appointment" unless there's a reason they're not saying what it is. Otherwise you say, "my doctor's appointment" or "the hairdresser" or "my interview". Huh. Gonna tell us what Nathaniel was rushing off to do?

-Sonya

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Maybe. Maybe I need to write a fluffy sequel in which Nathaniel tries to distract Anita. Who knows? Not me. My head is broken.

[cissasghost.livejournal.com]

. . why is your head broken?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I ran an 8-kilometre race today, and I have a massive headache and an upset tummy from the glare of the sun + the coffee I drank afterward. I'm feeling rather stupid. Not that such an occurence ever stops me from doing anything.

[cissasghost.livejournal.com]

Ewww, okay, yeah, dehydration + coffee = BAD plan. Go drink gatoraid, right now!

I feel your pain, though, that was me all today. Migraine city. And I didn't even run or anything, and yet I feel like I got trampled or something.

How'd you do with the race, though?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

It wasn't dehydration so much as other stuff. Anyway, yeah. Ibuprophen and a real dinner helps lots.

Are you feeling better?

I finished, which considering I was out of training and other stuff. 1:02:15. Lesse.... that's 4.97 miles, which makes it a 12.5 minute mile or so. Meh. Not bad considering I had to walk part of it.

Must get better! Actually, I feel pretty good now that I'm not dying.

[cissasghost.livejournal.com]

I feel much better but wobbly . . very drained. Which is ridiculous considering I've been horizontal most of the day, but there you have it. Bleh.

12.5 minute mile is not bad at all, for walking partway - and y'know, I'd be walking the rest of the way after the first quarter mile, so I'm impressed and stuff. I can walk forever, at a pretty good clip, but running? Not so much.

Glad the painkiller and dinner helped.

BTW, I'm on both IM and gmail if you wanted to hash out underworld crossover ideas and such as you'd mentioned a while back. We're both melty-brained so it could be fun and demented interesting.

[(Anonymous)]

Rule Number One: No caffeine after noon, especially if you're doing heavy exertions! (I learned that one the hard way.)

But glad you ran well.

[beachmouse.livejournal.com]

Good job on the race!

In some ways, I think 5K and 8K races are harder than a 10K or longer are because they somehow seem more intense.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was out of training, so the 10K i have to run in a month should be better (when I'm back on track with training). It was a fun time, though :)

[sabriel-0405.livejournal.com]

As always, you just get it. The Nathaniel piece was particularly good because I could see Nathaniel and Anita both and it worked. The second drabble was so very Jason. He is going to get himself hurt one of these days and not necessarily by Anita!

Am I not supposed to post late drabbles?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Am I not supposed to post late drabbles?
No, it's fine. Is for me, anyway. I'm just being ornery. Personal preference and a headache and all kinds of grumpiness.

[mlady-rebecca.livejournal.com]

"Not on a car, no." Oh, my.

Very cute. Wonder what that mysterious appointment was.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Oh, my

I couldn't help myself. It's Nathaniel, after all.

Thanks :)

[eavling.livejournal.com]

Pur~~~~fect! <3 You just cured my headache and wrote a wonderful story. But I wanna know mo~~re! *plaintive meowing...miya~~~~!* <

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<but [...] good.>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

Pur~~~~fect! <3 You just cured my headache and wrote a wonderful story. But I wanna know mo~~re! *plaintive meowing...miya~~~~!* <<But don't tell me unless it's really, really good. The mystery's the best part!>>

I was surprised, yet again, at how well and how completely you transformed the suggestion into a fully formed idea...er, um...if that doesn't make any sense, then let's just say that I thouroughly enjoyed reading this! Thank you so much! Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! You're the best!

ps-I liked the other one, too.

[eavling.livejournal.com]

I just re-read it, and *BAM!*

"I think I'd like you to show me how to jump-start your engine."


Did Nathaniel just say what I think he just said? Poor Anita...too tired to fully appreciate the comment. But we sure can! Go! Go! Nathaniel!

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

He sure did just say that :)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it :)

It makes sense. It's all just a matter of letting the mind wander until you get to an idea. I was in the mood to write some fluffy Anita/Nathaniel fics :)

[catherinecookmn.livejournal.com]

Actually, Nathaniel's meeting secretly with Edward to quiz him on Anita's tastes in weaponry and ordnance, Nathaniel knowing better than to ask Anita herself. He's planning on giving her one hell of a Christmas gift this year.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Oh man. The thought of Edward and Nathaniel in the same room.... oh man.

[catherinecookmn.livejournal.com]

Nah. Edward would take one look at Nathaniel and peg him (perhaps wrongly) as a submissive wuss not worth wasting bullets or effort on.

Now, Cristoff or Jean-Claude or Micah -- that would be another matter.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Edward would take one look at Nathaniel and peg him (perhaps wrongly) as a submissive wuss not worth wasting bullets or effort on.

Keep this in mind, for later in Inevitable, OKTHNX

[houses7177.livejournal.com]

Hee. Cute snippets. I do so love your Nathaniel.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love my Nathaniel too. Such a cute little confusing lad.

Although I shouldn't mock -- I don't know how to jump-start my car or change a tire either.

[shopteacher-guy.livejournal.com]

I like this because Nathanial knows how to get what he needs.. submissive doesn't mean dumb.
He made coffee, because he knew he could get Anita to help...
He knew, or was counting on, Anita being to out of it to ask about the appointment.. she would focus on the *now*

very good..
Sorry to hear about the run/feel bad thing..

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I've got this theory that the submissives (in any walk of life, human or animal) notice more than those more dominant. In this case, Nathaniel knows that no matter how bad she was feeling, Anita would get out of bed and help him (with much grumbling) because that's what she does.

I'm feeling much better now, thankfully. Me and my feet had a little conversation.

[page-r.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Maybe he's pregnant!!!!

>_>

Anyway, vury gud. Makes me feel sleepy to read.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Nathaniel being pregnant would certainly raise a few eyebrows. And, you know, make Anita's head explode ;)

Always glad to put my readership to sleep.

[ansku]

:D Lovely :)