AB FIC: Scars (Anita/Asher)

[mhalachai]

Scars
An Anita Blake story for 1sentence
by mhalachaiswords

Fandom: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter
Pairing: Anita/Asher
Theme set: Beta
Rating: up to R for imagery and themes
Notes: Follows the Anita/Richard, Anita/Jean-Claude and Anita/Nathaniel sets. Not my characters or my world, etc.

~~~

01. Walking
Anita walks like no other woman Asher knows: confident and certain, with a large amount of fuck-the-world in her swagger, so sexy and provocative at the same time.

02. Waltz
Every time Asher tries to teach her to dance, Anita attempts to distract him with kisses, leading to a waltz of a different kind.

03. Wishes
Asher wishes that Anita could have seen him whole, perfect, not this scarred creature she professes to desire.

04. Wonder
He wonders if Julianna would like Anita, or if she would be jealous... he think it might be both, but it doesn't matter anymore.

05. Worry
Every night that she doesn't spend in his bed, he worries that she's finally come to her senses.

06. Whimsy
His obsession with her leopard Nathaniel started from innocent whimsy, watching them sleep in Jean-Claude's bed, wondering what Anita sees in the boy and why it is something he cannot give her.

07. Wasteland
Compared to the green hills and forests in France where he spent the last centuries, St. Louis is a concrete wasteland... and he wouldn't leave it for anything.

08. Whiskey and rum
Of all the things from his human life that he misses the most, strong spirits top the list... Asher suspects that Anita would be a mean drunk.

09. War
Asher wonders when the war will begin, between the monsters and the humans, and when it comes, whose side Anita will choose.

10. Weddings
Some of her men look at her in such a way that Asher knows they wish to marry her... he will do everything to prevent that, to keep her in his bed.

11. Birthday
He does not understand this modern obsession with birthday presents, yet Anita is so delighted at the delicate necklace he bought her after hours of agonizing.

12. Blessing
He often wonders, as she lies with her head on his chest, if her affections are a blessing or a curse.

13. Bias
He learns the hard way that in the matter of almost any argument, Jean-Claude will take Anita's side.

14. Burning
He watches Anita combing her long hair, and he hears the echo of Julianna's screams as she burned.

15. Breathing
He does not pretend to breathe like so many of her vampire lovers do... she knows what he is, fangs and scars and all, and he will not change for anyone.

16. Breaking
This thing they have between them is so fragile, more fragile than anything Asher has ever experienced, and he knows that one day he will break it like glass under his feet.

17. Belief
She has the most dangerous job Asher has ever seen, and still she believes the best in people, no matter what she may say to the contrary.

18. Balloon
In spite of all Jean-Claude says, Asher cannot shake the feeling that Anita's affections are like a balloon -- either to be popped in a fit of rage, or the air will slowly seep away to nothing.

19. Balcony
At the clubs, he will stand in shadows on the balcony, watching the humans beneath him... when Anita enters the room, she is all he can watch.

20. Bane
These modern technologies are the bane of his existence, phones and computers and noise and color all the time... he wonders how Anita can deal with it all and not go crazy.

21. Quiet
She's many things: beautiful, breathtaking, courageous, but hardly ever quiet... one minor flaw.

22. Quirks
He wonders at her quirks, strange things she always does before she can sleep -- gun underneath her pillow, cross around her neck, a silent prayer moving her lips.

23. Question
He knows he will never work up the courage to ask her why she comes to him.

24. Quarrel
Anita has turned arguing into an art form... it is not, however, at all amusing when he is on the other end of the fight.

25. Quitting
About once a week, Asher considers giving up on this insufferable woman and her impossible demands, but he can never say the words out loud.

26. Jump
Some days, it seems as if she tells him to jump and wants him to ask her how high, but vampires, especially Masters like Asher, do not jump.

27. Jester
He supposes the blond wolf plays the role of jester in Jean-Claude's court, but it is unforgivable to him that Anita would spend time in Jason's company over Asher's.

28. Jousting
Anita wonders aloud if the battles of old, jousting and sword fights, used to have more rules than modern gunfights -- Asher and Jean-Claude exchange glances and do not tell her of the utter cruelty they witnessed, and sometimes dealt.

29. Jewel
Women and men used to seek his favor, his beauty more precious than any jewel... now he has only Anita and Jean-Claude in his bed.

30. Just
No matter how beautiful Anita may look, lying bleeding on his sheets, his life has no justice... it just is.

31. Smirk
She hides how hurt she is behind a sarcastic smirk; it took him months to realize she wasn't laughing at him, but trying to stop herself from crying.

32. Sorrow
He knows that she sees the wall he had built around himself with his sorrow... he does not know if he wants her to try and breach it.

33. Stupidity
Asher calls his attitude toward Anita practical, to be wary of her every intention... Jean-Claude calls it stupidity.

34. Serenade
There is a moonlit serenade in the way her breath hitches while she is underneath him

35. Sarcasm
It is easier to fall behind sarcasm, to pretend that her choices do not wound him, than to admit to himself that he is falling in love with her.

36. Sordid
There are things he longs to do to her, sordid, wicked things... things he knows Jean-Claude will not allow.

37. Soliloquy
He loves to listen to her when she is nervous; a rambling, babbling soliloquy that holds an echo of her innocence and grace.

38. Sojourn
He knows she is on a journey, and he wants to keep her where she is, wrap her in silk and never let her change, for he fears that what she will learn about herself may destroy what they have... he fears what she will become.

39. Share
He never knew what it meant to share his human servant with Jean-Claude... not until Anita joins them in bed, turning her attentions on them both with equal, delicious determination.

40. Solitary
Asher made solitude into an art form that not even Jean-Claude would breach -- Anita barges into his room, his life, not letting him hide away anymore.

41. Nowhere
In spite of the time they have together, of the words Anita whispers to him in the dark, there are nights when the paranoia and rage rise, with comfort is nowhere to be found.

42. Neutral
As much as he tries to avoid fighting with her, they topple into verbal warfare with alarming frequency, leaving Jean-Claude to be the uncomfortable neutral voice of reason.

43. Nuance
She pays no attention to the tiny hints that he gives her, ignoring his nuanced speech, ignoring everything except what he tells her with his body.

44. Near
Her hand rests on his thigh, so tantalizingly close to his scars that he aches to push her away or pull her to him completely.

45. Natural
Most humans consider vampires lovers to be a perversion, unnatural... Anita doesn't think of their times as a perversion, even with his scars, visible and not.

46. Horizon
He taunts the sunrise, staring at the lightening horizon until it is almost too late -- she caught him doing it once, and it scared her so much that it was a week before he could watch the killing hints of dawn again.

47. Valiant
She pretends that he is a valiant man, ignoring the fact that such a man needs honor, and he has none to give her.

48. Virtuous
Jean-Claude has told him that he will not tolerate Asher destroying Anita's virtue -- Asher scoffs at how much virtue such a woman can have, but from the look in Jean-Claude's eyes, he knows he has missed a vital point.

49. Victory
He supposes it is a victory when she slaughters her enemies, but seeing her bruised and bleeding, fragile as a china doll, makes him feel worse than useless.

50. Defeat
In the end, if it comes down to it, Asher knows he will lose Anita, and he cannot think of a single thing to prevent that defeat.

Comments

[houses7177.livejournal.com]

A really interesting look at their relationship. I don't care for Asher in canon, but you make him almost appealing here. If not appealing, at least understandable. I think my favorite is 14, the memory of Julianna surfacing in such an innocent act. True tragedy creeps up on you just like that.

Commeting

[firefox1490.livejournal.com]

04. Wonder
He wonders if Julianna would like Anita, or if she would be jealous... he think it might be both, but it doesn't matter anymore.

He's right it wouldnt matter but I think that now that Julianna's dead and everything that she'd be happy for him.

05. Worry
Every night that she doesn't spend in his bed, he worries that she's finally come to her senses.

So why not go look for her? Sometimes Asher makes me so sad.

06. Whimsy
His obsession with her leopard Nathaniel started from innocent whimsy, watching them sleep in Jean-Claude's bed, wondering what Anita sees in the boy and why it is something he cannot give her.

What 'nita sees in 'thaniel is something that Asher cant give her, its unconditional love, hell whould freeze over before 'thaniel decided that he didnt want to be with 'nita but with Asher he may just freak out some day and bolt (Number 25).

18. Balloon
In spite of all Jean-Claude says, Asher cannot shake the feeling that Anita's affections are like a balloon -- either to be popped in a fit of rage, or the air will slowly seep away to nothing.

Asher needs to stop worring so much and trust Jean-Claude, he's good with knowing 'nita.

31. Smirk
She hides how hurt she is behind a sarcastic smirk; it took him months to realize she wasn't laughing at him, but trying to stop herself from crying.

They're both just as bad as each other, I swear. If anyone 'nita should try talking with him I really doubt if he'd leave no matter what she said. Ashers too stubborn.

40. Solitary
Asher made solitude into an art form that not even Jean-Claude would breach -- Anita barges into his room, his life, not letting him hide away anymore.

Hiding doesnt solve anything. He needs someone to give him a good hard shove so he can live a litte.

27. Jester
He supposes the blond wolf plays the role of jester in Jean-Claude's court, but it is unforgivable to him that Anita would spend time in Jason's company over Asher's.

Come on Asher, Jason SAFE thats why 'nita spends so much time with him. And he's always great for talking some scence into her. You should THANK him.

Re: Commeting

[firefox1490.livejournal.com]

I'm SOOOOO sick of people taking my first comment *pouts*

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Asher's a very interesting character -- he's a big mess, even if he hides it well (and sometimes not so well). He can never let that baggage with Jean-Claude and Julianna go, especially with the scars. Anyway, like I wrote above, I think it's going to end in flames.

Re: Commeting

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Second is like first, only not as fast :P

Re: Commeting

[firefox1490.livejournal.com]

But when I started to comment I was 1st its not fair.

[sabriel-0405.livejournal.com]

Sigh. You capture Asher so perfectly that I am able to wonder what is canon. Since we haven't seen Asher since CS, we can only imagine how much farther their relationship has progressed. You captured the nuances beautifully. Thank you! Asher/Anita is one of my favorite pairings.

Re: Commeting

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

The point of it all is that Asher cannot let it go, and Jean-Claude's not going to step in the middle of Asher and Anita to solve things, no matter if he's the only one who's seeing things clearly.

There's not a lot of logic in Asher's actions, same with Anita. They're both trying to avoid getting hurt, and end up hurting themseleves in the meantime. Without Jean-Claude there as a referee, they'd probably spontatneouly combust. But you're totally right -- if they were to *talk* about things, all might move smoother.

Re: Commeting

[firefox1490.livejournal.com]

There are days when I think Jean-Claude should just lock them in a room till the work this out cause its kinda funny that Asher seems to fight more with 'nita than Jean-Claude when its Jean-Claude he hates (Well kinda hates)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

We'll have more Asher in the next book, right? Maybe we'll see how that's developing.

Glad you liked it :)

Re: Commeting

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Both Asher and Jean-Claude have their Issues, and both have this strange way of dealing with it. Anita doesn't even pay attention to any of that, and just does her thing.

There are days when I think Jean-Claude should just lock them in a room

I had an idea about a fic like that once... can't recall how it ended.

Re: Commeting

[firefox1490.livejournal.com]

If 'nita paid attention to Asher and Jean-Claudes issue, I think she'd get so feed up they'd both end up really really hurt.

I had an idea about a fic like that once... can't recall how it ended.

I can see an ending. Most Jean-Claude getting killed by either 'nita or Asher. Though they may argue over who gets to kill him, Asher's had some time to think about this. Then after he's dead 'nita and Asher living happyily ever after seeing as they worked all there problems out while being locked in the room.

[alydhe.livejournal.com]

The problem with loving Asher so much is that when he's written well it rips your heart out and leaves you giddy at the same time. And honey, you write him oh so well.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Glad to make you laugh/cry ;) I had a hell of a time writing this one; it took me forever to get going on it.

[catherinecookmn.livejournal.com]

Ah, Asher. Nathaniel needs to put his tongue down his throat. (Well, not literally.)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Oh man. Asher/Nathaniel would *destroy* Anita in about ten thousand ways ("I'm not enough for them, I'm a loser, they hate me" etc.) It would do great things for Asher's ego, though.

I'm ever so curious as to how Nathaniel would see it, however. Hrm.

[practical-puss.livejournal.com]

48. Virtuous
Jean-Claude has told him that he will not tolerate Asher destroying Anita's virtue -- Asher scoffs at how much virtue such a woman can have, but from the look in Jean-Claude's eyes, he knows he has missed a vital point.

Probably my favorite, maybe because I can't pin it down either. Though 31. is it's own little ficlet.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

The point behind #48 is that Anita's virtue isn't in how many men she's slept with. She's still an idealist, she believes in the best in people, that people follow the rules and are good at heart. She pretends that she's all jaded, but she's not.

Jean-Claude values that about her, as something he's lost, and wants to protect her. Asher's still struggling with the defenition of virtue here.

Oh, 31. There's a hell of a lot of backstory in that one. Mostly in Switchback, which I should really write. Hrm.

[prettykitty-aya.livejournal.com]

asher has always intrigued me, so reading this made me extremely happy...fyi, my favourites were 33, 46, and 50.

excellent work!

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

The sunrise one... it's something stupid that Asher would do, ya know? Taunting death and just this side of suicide.

Glad you liked them :)

[practical-puss.livejournal.com]

"Oh, 31. There's a hell of a lot of backstory in that one. Mostly in Switchback, which I should really write. Hrm"

Yes. Yes, you REALLY SHOULD. :sends out hypnobeams:
I though that was what JC meant, but couldn't articulate it. You're good at that.

[practical-puss.livejournal.com]

I just remembered, I wanted to ask about 8. Why do you/Asher think Anita would be a mean drunk? I've always thought of her as a soppy one. Hugging people, flirting, crying, and so on.

[uforeah.livejournal.com]

You are scary good at this kind of stuff.

That was awesome. I love Asher and you write him so well. You want to both cuddle him and tell him everything will be ok and smack him upside the head and tell him to get over it (while cuddling).

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I personally think Anita would be a happy drunk, but I can see Asher projecting his own meanness onto her. They're too much alike in some ways for Asher to see clearly. Does that make sense?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Asher is good at provoking a zillion emotions, most of them not happy and light. He's... layered. That's a good word for it.

[(Anonymous)]

Perfect sense.