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ds_flashfiction2003-09-26 06:28 am
kassrachel.livejournal.com) wrote in ds_flashfiction2003-09-26 06:28 am
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Atanarjuat...!
Imagine, for the duration of this vignette, that Atanarjuat came out a few years sooner than it actually did. Thanks to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
the_star_fish for giving this one a read-through!
The Fast Runner
When the movie ended, I just sat there on the couch, watching the credits roll. Still mesmerized.
After a moment, Fraser cleared his throat. I glanced his way.
"That was...longer than I expected." He sounded apologetic. "I hope you weren't--"
Bored, was what he was going to say, but I didn't let him get there. "That was amazing. Is it really like that?"
"Pardon?"
I waved my hands in a gesture that was supposed to mean Up North, but was probably sign-language for some completely other thing. "The Northwest whatsits. Is it really like that up there?"
His eyes softened, went a little nostalgic. "It used to be." Quietly, almost talking to himself. "Still is, sometimes."
"It's so -- so bare, so -- how do people live without trees, anyway?"
Fraser smiled. "They make do. The Inuit are a surprisingly resourceful people, Ray. Why, I once saw a man turn a walrus carcass into--"
"No, I mean -- I know you can make things with, like, sinews and bones. I mean, don't people go crazy without anything to look at?"
"Ah." Now he was getting my drift. He chewed on his lower lip for a moment. "Those who are...born to it...find the spareness beautiful, even comforting. For a native of the Arctic, the temperate forests of southern Canada would be quite overwhelming. The sights and sounds, the smells, the diversity of species, might seem to him like the din of an enormous crowd does to you."
Fraser looked...homesick. Like he was pining for the fjords, you know? Or the ice floes, or the tundra, or whatever.
"But you got used to being here," I offered.
His eyes startled slightly. "Eh? Yes, I suppose I have." There was a pause. "Although I have spent significant time with the Inuit, I'm not actually Inuit myself. I didn't belong that far north. Sometimes I think I don't entirely belong anywhere."
Ouch. Hearing that felt like a punch to the gut. I could only imagine what saying it felt like.
Just to find something to say to get us off that track, I came out with, "I'd like to see it sometime."
"The Arctic?" Fraser sounded shocked.
Suddenly it sounded like a great idea. "Yeah! Why not? I get to show you all my favorite parts of Chicago, you know, Vish's pierogi place and the lake and--" I was fumbling for places to name and couldn't think of any others. "Anyway, you ought to get to show me your favorite parts of Tuktoyuktuk."
He was really smiling now, so I ran with it.
"I mean, assuming you got favorite parts of Tuktoyuktuk. For all I know, there's nothing worth seeing up there, nothing but--"
"Oh, there's plenty to see, Ray."
Suddenly my palms were wet and my mouth was dry. Fraser has a way of doing that to me: he'll come out with a line like that and it sounds *so damn much* like he's flirting that I just can't help wanting to respond. I swallowed hard and did my best to push the thoughts out of my mind.
"All right, it's a deal, then. One of these days, I'll go back there with you."
It was just a lousy vacation I was agreeing to, I knew that, but somehow it felt like I was promising more. Like more was what he wanted.
Fraser offered his hand, a shake to seal the deal I guess. His palm was warm and his grip was firm and for that second I didn't want to let go.
(593 words)
the_star_fish for giving this one a read-through! The Fast Runner
When the movie ended, I just sat there on the couch, watching the credits roll. Still mesmerized.
After a moment, Fraser cleared his throat. I glanced his way.
"That was...longer than I expected." He sounded apologetic. "I hope you weren't--"
Bored, was what he was going to say, but I didn't let him get there. "That was amazing. Is it really like that?"
"Pardon?"
I waved my hands in a gesture that was supposed to mean Up North, but was probably sign-language for some completely other thing. "The Northwest whatsits. Is it really like that up there?"
His eyes softened, went a little nostalgic. "It used to be." Quietly, almost talking to himself. "Still is, sometimes."
"It's so -- so bare, so -- how do people live without trees, anyway?"
Fraser smiled. "They make do. The Inuit are a surprisingly resourceful people, Ray. Why, I once saw a man turn a walrus carcass into--"
"No, I mean -- I know you can make things with, like, sinews and bones. I mean, don't people go crazy without anything to look at?"
"Ah." Now he was getting my drift. He chewed on his lower lip for a moment. "Those who are...born to it...find the spareness beautiful, even comforting. For a native of the Arctic, the temperate forests of southern Canada would be quite overwhelming. The sights and sounds, the smells, the diversity of species, might seem to him like the din of an enormous crowd does to you."
Fraser looked...homesick. Like he was pining for the fjords, you know? Or the ice floes, or the tundra, or whatever.
"But you got used to being here," I offered.
His eyes startled slightly. "Eh? Yes, I suppose I have." There was a pause. "Although I have spent significant time with the Inuit, I'm not actually Inuit myself. I didn't belong that far north. Sometimes I think I don't entirely belong anywhere."
Ouch. Hearing that felt like a punch to the gut. I could only imagine what saying it felt like.
Just to find something to say to get us off that track, I came out with, "I'd like to see it sometime."
"The Arctic?" Fraser sounded shocked.
Suddenly it sounded like a great idea. "Yeah! Why not? I get to show you all my favorite parts of Chicago, you know, Vish's pierogi place and the lake and--" I was fumbling for places to name and couldn't think of any others. "Anyway, you ought to get to show me your favorite parts of Tuktoyuktuk."
He was really smiling now, so I ran with it.
"I mean, assuming you got favorite parts of Tuktoyuktuk. For all I know, there's nothing worth seeing up there, nothing but--"
"Oh, there's plenty to see, Ray."
Suddenly my palms were wet and my mouth was dry. Fraser has a way of doing that to me: he'll come out with a line like that and it sounds *so damn much* like he's flirting that I just can't help wanting to respond. I swallowed hard and did my best to push the thoughts out of my mind.
"All right, it's a deal, then. One of these days, I'll go back there with you."
It was just a lousy vacation I was agreeing to, I knew that, but somehow it felt like I was promising more. Like more was what he wanted.
Fraser offered his hand, a shake to seal the deal I guess. His palm was warm and his grip was firm and for that second I didn't want to let go.
(593 words)
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I wrote a story with a similar jumping-off point a while back, just after
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I swear I saw somewhere that Atanarjuat is coming out, or has come out, on DVD.
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But since I think the snippet is set pre-CoTW, and Atanarjuat didn't come out until 2001 and I'm not exactly sure when CoTW is supposed to have happened, I figured I'd hedge my bets with a timing disclaimer... :-)
Glad you liked it!
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This really was very nice.
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Thanks for the feedback! Glad you enjoyed it.
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I can see Fraser deliberately showing Ray the movie in hopes that it would intrigue Ray and make him want to see more of the Territories. Which would, I'm sure Fraser is also hoping, make Ray want to see more of Fraser's territory.
Lovely...Ray not quite completely clueing in to Fraser's signals, but almost there.
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Hee! But of course. I mean, who wouldn't? ;-)
Thanks for the kind words!
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"Although I have spent significant time with the Inuit, I'm not actually Inuit myself. I didn't belong that far north. Sometimes I think I don't entirely belong anywhere."
No wonder Ray felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Makes me want to say, keep holding that hand Ray.
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I love this. Such a vulnerable little bit of Fraser with his own spareness.
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Fraser looked...homesick. Like he was pining for the fjords, you know?
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Guh! More! Ray is so...woobie in this. Want to squeeze him.
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Thank you kindly!
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Thanks for commenting; glad you enjoyed.
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Don't! Listen to that instinct, Ray; use the hand to pull him into a kiss. I know you wanna. ;)
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Thanks for commenting.
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I was fumbling for places to name and couldn't think of any others.
Oh, that's such a telling line, and so subtle.
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Mind you, when Rowan and I went to see this movie, all it took was the opening sequence and we were turning to each other and going "no *way* would Ray move up here." - but what do *we* know! *g*
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"Although I have spent significant time with the Inuit, I'm not actually Inuit myself. I didn't belong that far north. Sometimes I think I don't entirely belong anywhere."
Yeah he does, with Ray. I'm going to have to hide after writing something that sappy
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