witticaster: Several lines of crossed-out poetry and a hand holding a fountain pen, drawn in charcoal & ink. (AR)
fanfic and original writing by ar ([personal profile] witticaster) wrote2008-11-29 02:10 am

045

It isn't good, and I don't feel I did a good job at all with the voices--but hey, it's been a while. >> I was being all stalky with [livejournal.com profile] cal_sitter, as you do, and Jen had mentioned right about here the most fantastic idea evar. I feel bad for not asking before stealing wholesale, but. There we go. >>

Anyway, it's set around when Niko is...fifteen-sixteen?...and Cal is however old Cal is. It's shameful how hard I find it to keep their ages straight. But I think it's being told in retrospect--again, as you do. And it's also terrible, but that goes without saying, et cetera.


"What the hell are these?" I pulled a plastic package of neatly folded briefs from the bag Niko'd brought home from the dollar store.

"What do they look like, Cal?" He didn't bother looking up from his homework, some essay or other for his junior English class. The only other item in the bag had been a pack of cheapass black pens, and those were already in use, helping Nik write about Ophelia's madness in Hamlet. His would probably be the only handwritten essay handed in on Monday. Welcome to the Leandros household: no word processor, no problem.

I shot him a dirty look, which he didn't notice--or more likely, just didn't bother responding to--and clarified. "They have the days of week printed on them, Nik. Nine year old girls have day of the week underwear."

He sighed, set down the Bic knockoff, and looked over at me. "When did we last go to the laundromat?"

"Last Sunday." And what a treat that was, sitting in the middle of a stuffy room and being forced to do math homework under the watchful eye of my big brother. Lint and algebra both went floating right over my head.

"And how long had it been since we last went?"

"A week." It was turning into a tradition, so long as Niko had the quarters to pay for our spin cycle. After a few summers of our childhood that involved never having our clothing washed once, I think he felt very Scarlett O'Hara about the whole thing. As God as his witness, he'd never go smelly again.

"And how many pairs of underwear did you wash?" Niko inquired, an eyebrow raising as he spoke.

I didn't have an immediate answer for that one. "How the hell am I supposed to know?"

He turned back to his essay with the tranquility that came half from being the older sibling who knows everything and half just from being Niko. "The correct answer was 'one.'"

"So?"

"Those should help you keep track of your hygiene and what day it is. You're welcome."
ext_90101: jason todd being uncharacteristic (Default)

[identity profile] pitselly.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 08:35 am (UTC)(link)
That. Is not bad or terrible at all. It is really amazingly ic and voiced well and ghdfjkhgjhgj you can write Niko and Cal fiiiine, bb.I envy you for being able to not only write in first person this well, but write other people's character's in such a perfect voice. Really, just. Omg.

[identity profile] whoshotar.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 08:45 am (UTC)(link)
...Maybe I'll believe you. >>

In any case, thank you. I am glad that you enjoyed it, even if I'm being a brat who doesn't think it's up to snuff.
ext_90101: jason todd being uncharacteristic (Default)

[identity profile] pitselly.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 08:47 am (UTC)(link)
How is humbleness bratty now I'm confused. But yes, it's rather quite good, and shh I liek it.

[identity profile] whoshotar.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 08:50 am (UTC)(link)
Does it count as humility? Because it just strikes me as being bratty.

But okay, maybe we'll go with your theory that it doesn't totally suck. ._. Mostly because I don't want to go to bed yet and trying to remember how to post shit on ffn would give me an excuse to keep being awake.
ext_90101: jason todd being uncharacteristic (Default)

[identity profile] pitselly.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 09:02 am (UTC)(link)
hahaha do it, that would be awesome, I totally support this decision.

[identity profile] whoshotar.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 09:21 am (UTC)(link)
I am pointing to you as the enabler if this entire jaunt is a complete crash-and-burn. XD

[identity profile] into-theblack.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 01:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah hah hah. Oh, poor Cal. This is great. :-D

[identity profile] whoshotar.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
T-thank you. ^^;; And thank you for being lolarious in the first place, that it might exist.

[identity profile] into-theblack.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 07:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I think it's safe to blame Thurman for Cal's list with his complaint about Nik calling his underpants underoos.

[identity profile] whoshotar.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe so, but I'd rather credit you. :P

[identity profile] into-theblack.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Then I will accept this and go read Niko and Cal having a brotherly moment again. :)

[identity profile] whoshotar.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 11:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Eeeeexcellent, excellent. I think the world requires significantly more brotherly Leandros moments than it currently has record of, so. ^^;;

[identity profile] into-theblack.livejournal.com 2008-11-29 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)
So true. The warm and fuzzy feeling even if there's angst alongside is nice.