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ds_flashfiction2004-09-11 06:07 am
akite.livejournal.com) wrote in ds_flashfiction2004-09-11 06:07 am
Entry tags:
Jewelry Challenge
This is a sequel* to a story I posted in my journal a couple of months ago called Shards. You can (re)read it here: http://www.livejournal.com/users/akite/70121.html
I tried to make this stand alone, but it would help to read the earlier story to understand relationship dynamics between Ray Vecchio and Ray Kowalski. Big thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
_aerye for beta reading. Weighing in at 572 words and rated PG, I give you
Iguana
It was the only thing I had left, the only reminder of my time as Armando Langoustini. A lousy, ugly tie pin, a gold enameled iguana with emeralds for eyes. I remember when Sonny Iguana gave it to me with a wink and a slap on the back, "Emeralds to match those pretty green eyes of yours, Armando." It was a gift that I couldn't refuse. I was expected to wear it everyday. It showed my loyalty to 'The Family'. I hated the damned thing, but I couldn't throw it away.
I carried it with me to Florida with Stella, down there and back to Chicago when that didn't work out. It came back with me to my old room until everything I owned, bit by bit, found its way from my Ma's house to Kowalski's apartment. I took it out of its box whenever I did something or said something that was too much like Armando. Whenever he wouldn't stay hidden under my skin.
It was there as a reminder of the scum I didn't want to be until the day Kowalski opened the box. It was the day that Frannie's first set of twins were christened. He was rummaging through my stuff, his stuff, looking for God only knows what, but he must have found it in my sock drawer.
"Vecchio?" Kowalski called from the bedroom. I was already dressed, just waiting on him to get done so we could hit the road for the church. "What the hell is this lizard thing you got here?" Shit. I didn't answer, and he came in out of the bedroom to where I was sitting to see what was up. "This is like, great. Really cool."
I couldn't believe it. Only he would think something like that was cool. I reached out and took it from him. "Give me that thing. It is not great or cool or anything like that."
He looked at me, puzzled. "So how come you kept it then?"
I looked at the clock. "We really don't have time for this right now. We're going to be late."
"So, we're late." He shrugged. That was my Stanley. He grabbed the box back and opened up again. "The quicker you tell me, the quicker we leave, Ray."
The Ray got me. Kowalski and I, even with everything we are to each other, hardly ever call each other Ray. "I keep it as a reminder, ok? Just because I haven't looked at it in a long time doesn't mean I don't know it's there. I keep it in case I ever start acting like him again, I can open that box and hopefully, snap the hell out of it."
"You don't need that anymore then, dink. That's what I'm here for."
Kowalski leaned over me and kissed me. It got hot and heavy quickly, but when I felt his hand at my zipper, I had to push him away. "Whoa! Whoa there! We really do NOT have time for this."
He rolled his eyes, but he straightened up. "All right. Later, then?"
I agreed, "Later, Stanley." He smacked my head and went to finish getting dressed. I opened the box and looked at the iguana. Kowalski was right. I didn't need this thing anymore. I got up and did what I should have done a long time ago. I threw it in the trash along with Armando.
The End
*Not The Sequel. I'm sure there will be more in this universe sometime.
I tried to make this stand alone, but it would help to read the earlier story to understand relationship dynamics between Ray Vecchio and Ray Kowalski. Big thanks to
_aerye for beta reading. Weighing in at 572 words and rated PG, I give you Iguana
It was the only thing I had left, the only reminder of my time as Armando Langoustini. A lousy, ugly tie pin, a gold enameled iguana with emeralds for eyes. I remember when Sonny Iguana gave it to me with a wink and a slap on the back, "Emeralds to match those pretty green eyes of yours, Armando." It was a gift that I couldn't refuse. I was expected to wear it everyday. It showed my loyalty to 'The Family'. I hated the damned thing, but I couldn't throw it away.
I carried it with me to Florida with Stella, down there and back to Chicago when that didn't work out. It came back with me to my old room until everything I owned, bit by bit, found its way from my Ma's house to Kowalski's apartment. I took it out of its box whenever I did something or said something that was too much like Armando. Whenever he wouldn't stay hidden under my skin.
It was there as a reminder of the scum I didn't want to be until the day Kowalski opened the box. It was the day that Frannie's first set of twins were christened. He was rummaging through my stuff, his stuff, looking for God only knows what, but he must have found it in my sock drawer.
"Vecchio?" Kowalski called from the bedroom. I was already dressed, just waiting on him to get done so we could hit the road for the church. "What the hell is this lizard thing you got here?" Shit. I didn't answer, and he came in out of the bedroom to where I was sitting to see what was up. "This is like, great. Really cool."
I couldn't believe it. Only he would think something like that was cool. I reached out and took it from him. "Give me that thing. It is not great or cool or anything like that."
He looked at me, puzzled. "So how come you kept it then?"
I looked at the clock. "We really don't have time for this right now. We're going to be late."
"So, we're late." He shrugged. That was my Stanley. He grabbed the box back and opened up again. "The quicker you tell me, the quicker we leave, Ray."
The Ray got me. Kowalski and I, even with everything we are to each other, hardly ever call each other Ray. "I keep it as a reminder, ok? Just because I haven't looked at it in a long time doesn't mean I don't know it's there. I keep it in case I ever start acting like him again, I can open that box and hopefully, snap the hell out of it."
"You don't need that anymore then, dink. That's what I'm here for."
Kowalski leaned over me and kissed me. It got hot and heavy quickly, but when I felt his hand at my zipper, I had to push him away. "Whoa! Whoa there! We really do NOT have time for this."
He rolled his eyes, but he straightened up. "All right. Later, then?"
I agreed, "Later, Stanley." He smacked my head and went to finish getting dressed. I opened the box and looked at the iguana. Kowalski was right. I didn't need this thing anymore. I got up and did what I should have done a long time ago. I threw it in the trash along with Armando.
The End
*Not The Sequel. I'm sure there will be more in this universe sometime.
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Ray's lucky Kowalski didn't go out and get a tattoo to match the tie pin.
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Well, it's nice to hear any way. Thank you, Shay.
Ray's lucky Kowalski didn't go out and get a tattoo to match the tie pin.
Yikes! Now that would be scary.
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It's good to see Vecchio letting go of the last trappings of Armando, and it's good, I think, that it takes him so long to do it.
For some reason, I especially liked this part:
The Ray got me. Kowalski and I, even with everything we are to each other, hardly ever call each other Ray.
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I hope there's more to come in this universe because I'm loving it!! The tie pin is a great touch!
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I'm thinking not. Too much of a Tennessee Williams connection there. Ray might whack me for that. I'm glad you liked the story, though.