Fanfic - SPN: Gather at the River (G, Gen: Winchester Men)

[writingbyebonio]

Title: Gather at the River
Author: eboniorchid
Fandom: Supernatural
Characters: Winchester Men (unspecified)
Prompt: "There is a man standing by the water" from ignipes's First Line Meme. "049-Happy " for 100moods, challenge table here.
Word Count: 200 words exactly.
Rating: G for squeaky clean.
Warnings/Spoilers: No spoilers. Implied character death. Angst. Future. Plot. Double drabble. Present tense.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Really. Nothing.
Summary: Soon his pilgrimage will cease.
Author's Notes: After I destroyed all of the Winchester men so thoroughly (disturbing content here), it seemed appropriate to post a more uplifting bit of fic. Don't ask me who is in this scene. I have ideas, but it's meant to be flexible and possibly repeatable.

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There is a man standing by the water and he can see that it's him, a slow smile lighting the face that turns to welcome him. They both close their eyes as their arms wind around each other and squeeze, holding on for one long deep breath before they're pulling back again.

"Didn't know if you'd make it."

"Didn't think I would."

"Must've made them pretty angry."

"Yeah, probably." His eyes duck down, then shift to the simple boat, swaying gently on the nearly still river. "That it?"

"Yep."

"And they let you bring it over to get me … even after everything?"

"Especially after everything."

He's barely through with his nod when he feels a warm hand at his back and finds himself walking into the river and climbing into the boat, his nerves settling as the oars begin to row. The shore behind is slipping away into a darkness that he can feel, but he won't look back this time or any time. He just finally allows himself to see beyond loss and grief and ending. Then the joy in the other man's eyes gives him peace enough to last forever as they reach the other shore together.

Comments

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. The whole uncertain-identities bit could have been gimmicky, but it works SO WELL. I'm just... wow. It works as a beautiful story and then works again on re-read and then makes your reader start thinking about all the parallels and echoes in their relationships, all in 200 words! *flappy hands*

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm glad it wasn't gimmicky and makes you thinky. :)

[nyoka.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is so exquisite. There is so much here, a sense of weight and depth to it, that you really are able to capture in just 200 words. And I really love the ambiguity of it.

He just finally allows himself to see beyond loss and grief and ending. Then the joy in the other man's eyes gives him peace enough to last forever as they reach the other shore together.

This is just beautiful.

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hun! You're always making me blush (or something) with your comment cooing. :)

[iamstealthyone.livejournal.com]

Nicely done, not only with the imagery, but also with the sense of peace the boys have here.

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And yeah, they deserve a bit of peace, no?

[iamstealthyone.livejournal.com]

Definitely. :)

[tahirire.livejournal.com]

"And they let you bring it over to get me … even after everything?"

"Especially after everything."

Oh, just ... thank you. There are tears in my eyes.

Finally. Peace.

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Awww! Thanks! I'm glad it hit a good spot for you. :)

[lostandalone22.livejournal.com]

Great story! *hugs*

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you! *big hugs*

[trias-cube.livejournal.com]

Oh, so good! The ambiguity makes the story really special. And the image of the river and the boat and the two men - it stays with you. I kept wanting to read the last paragraph over and over again.

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And I love writing re-readable stuff. *snugs*

[ckll.livejournal.com]

You make me think a hundred things here, i love it!!

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you! 'Tis the awesome thing about drabbles. Such big ideas in little packages. :)

[deirdre-c.livejournal.com]

Lovely and tender and clever and YAY. :)

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! So glad you liked it! :)

[may7fic.livejournal.com]

"Especially after everything."

YES!

Gorgeous and so damn impressive that you were able to convey soooo much with so few words. Lovely!

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad it worked for you! I thought the guys could do with a little good news. :)

[may7fic.livejournal.com]

From your keyboard to Kripke's eyes.

???

Yeah, I know. I doubt it too.

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Heh. Probably not. :)

[grayscaled.livejournal.com]

This has been recced in the current edition (http://community.livejournal.com/crack_impala/134185.html) of crack_impala.

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Wow! Thanks so much! XD

[mgbutterfly.livejournal.com]

Oh that was lovely. So beautiful and heartwarmingly lovely. It makes me kind of tilt my head to the side and say, "oh. wow. *sigh*"

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad it hit a good spot! :)

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, nice

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is really beautiful. Lovely.

[writingbyebonio.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you liked it! :)