sab: (s&a >> all the great love scenes)
sab ([personal profile] sab) wrote2007-05-12 09:50 pm

slings & arrows snippet

for [livejournal.com profile] mazily, who asked for Ellen/Barbara and karaoke

title: Feels like home
author: Sabine
category: Slings & Arrows, Ellen/Barbara
size: 389 words
notes: set just before the beginning of S3



New York is big, bright, and filthy, and it never sleeps, never lets up its low, relentless thrum. Ellen yearns for Canada.

Barbara squeezes her hand. They're somewhere on Broadway, in the forties, heading north, and it's got to be a hundred degrees and fucking humid, really fucking humid. "Don't you just love it here?" Barbara coos.

"Feels like coming home," says Ellen.

In New York, she's started drinking in the daytime, though she blames the longer days and sunny summer nights.

Blinking, they duck into the dark of a sports bar.

Barbara sings "Both Sides Now," every time. She writes her name on the slip with a little piece of golf pencil and then swans into her seat with a loud, melodious exhale. "Cold martini on a hot day," she says. And to the waiter, "two more?"

The drink is cold going down but hot once it's down there, and Ellen's sweating even in the air conditioning and she thinks, dammit, I should have worn a lighter coloured bra.

"You look gorgeous, darling," Barbara says. "As always." And when Barbara says it, Ellen believes it. Geoffrey never says it.

Barbara sings "Both Sides Now," and Ellen watches attentively, half thinking, what a fucking diva, and half in love. Barbara belts the big notes and blows the walls off the place, and the guys watching baseball on the TV monitor stop and clap and raise their beers when she's done.

Ellen stands up to meet Barbara when she steps off the stage to her own lingering applause. "You're so hot," Ellen says. The word is strange on her tongue, but she's a little drunk, and so she says it again. "Hot, hot, hot. You're a hottie."

Barbara slips an arm around Ellen's waist. "Back atcha, lady," she says.

Later, when she's back in Canada, Geoffrey will ask why they have to have that lizard queen around. "She was good to me in New York," Ellen will say, and this is what she'll mean.

Because Barbara guides Ellen back to her table, and leans in, hooks a thigh over Ellen's, strokes her shoulders, and kisses her. Right there in Times Square in front of God and the guys watching baseball and everyone.

"You belong here," Barbara murmurs, her lips warm and wet near Ellen's ear.

"Feels like home," Ellen agrees.
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[identity profile] zauberer-sirin.livejournal.com 2007-05-12 09:02 am (UTC)(link)
Slings & Arrows fic! for the win! aw, Ellen, how I love thee.

*thumbs up*

[identity profile] iamsab.livejournal.com 2007-05-14 08:29 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

[identity profile] ubixtiz.livejournal.com 2007-05-12 11:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, very nice. I love how the truth keeps shifting as Ellen is always changing her mind.

[identity profile] iamsab.livejournal.com 2007-05-16 05:49 am (UTC)(link)
I think even Ellen doesn't really know what she wants. Thanks!

[identity profile] cincodemaygirl.livejournal.com 2007-05-13 05:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow, you kind of made Barbara a nice person. How did you do that?!

WHY DON'T I HAVE ANY PAUL GROSS ICONS? TRAVESTY!

[identity profile] iamsab.livejournal.com 2007-05-16 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
I figure Barbara can be nice as long as she's getting what she wants.

And *I* need more Paul Gross icons TOO! Will you MAKE some?

[identity profile] cincodemaygirl.livejournal.com 2007-05-20 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh, I totally should make some. If I can remember how Photoshop works. Do you have some pictures to suggest, maybe, or text? I will see what I can some up with!

[identity profile] gamesiplay.livejournal.com 2007-05-13 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, man, YES. I love how you've filled in that gap between seasons so convincingly. And also, Ellen. I love your Ellen.

[identity profile] iamsab.livejournal.com 2007-05-16 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
I love Ellen so much it hurts. Thank you for the comment!

[identity profile] mazily.livejournal.com 2007-05-14 03:06 am (UTC)(link)
Okay, so yes. This is exactly what I wanted, only better, and, "She was good to me in New York," Ellen will say, and this is what she'll mean is just perfect.

[identity profile] iamsab.livejournal.com 2007-05-16 05:54 am (UTC)(link)
It was a good prompt; I thought I hated Barbara until you made me write this!

thank you so much, I'm so glad you liked it. Also your icon is terribly terribly FTW! Where did you get it?

[identity profile] projectjulie.livejournal.com 2007-05-15 06:00 am (UTC)(link)
OH SHOW! I want to make out with story (or possibly with the writer of this story). Barbara seems more human in this -- or maybe that's just Barbara through Ellen's eyes. how I love them.

p.s. and you have finally entered the late aughts with a modern-day layout, hurrah!

p.p.s. wanna do this (http://www.fangirlproject.com)?

[identity profile] iamsab.livejournal.com 2007-05-16 05:55 am (UTC)(link)
Big YES on fangirl project! Also big yes on you getting to make out with the writer of this story. Watch how I'll write MORE and MORE S&A femslash! I'm using that one for my round the clock...somewhere.

[identity profile] petronelle.livejournal.com 2008-06-08 02:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, Ellen. I like her best when she loves herself, and it makes sense that she can only love herself when other people love her, but sometimes that hurts a little. You've given her Barbara, as honest as Barbara can be, and that's lovely.