Kitty ([info]kittyrainbow) wrote,
@ 2005-10-10 01:59:00
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"Escapism": a Holly/Juliet songfic.
Okay. This is getting creepy. I've actually written another fic. No, I've still not finished that drunk!Holly one. This is one I've actually been meaning to do for a long time, but today the idea just kind of took hold of me and so I finally did it. It's a songfic but I hope that even if you don't generally like songfics, you won't ignore this fic on that basis.

-----

Escapism


Juliet flicked the indicator and pulled into the overtaking lane. She put her foot down to zoom past the blue Volvo and then slowed again as she slipped back into the middle lane. Once she'd done so, she stole a glance at her passenger, and a smile broke onto her face.

Not gonna get us
They're not gonna get us
Not gonna get us
Not gonna get us


Somehow, after everything, after all the planning, they were really doing this. Running away. Her and Holly. Away from the LEP, away from Artemis and Butler. They were driving to the airport, to take a flight to the middle of nowhere. To escape from everyone who wanted to drag them down.

Starting from here, let's make a promise
You and me, let's just be honest
We're gonna run, nothing can stop us
Even the night that falls all around us


Juliet tried to stay calm, not to check all of the mirrors every few seconds. She was so nervous she was glad she hadn't had breakfast, or she thought she might've been sick. But she didn't want Holly to know. She didn't want to make it any harder for her.

Up ahead she could see long lines of almost stationary traffic; they must be getting close. There was always far more traffic trying to get to the airport than the roads had been designed for. Juliet sighed as they halted at the end of the queue of traffic. She pushed her hair behind her right ear and gazed out of the window at the bright sunshine. The sight of it hardly cheered her.

Soon there will be laughter and voices
Beyond the clouds, over the mountains
We'll run away on roads that are empty
Lights from the airfield shining upon you


There was an air of tension in the car. Even just to get both of them on the plane was going to be difficult. But they knew that wouldn't be the end of it. They would have to completely leave behind their old lives, their old identities, would always have to lie - to hide what Holly was. Craft themselves a new life, in a hidden corner of the world where life was hard. A new life together.

But first, that meant getting through all this traffic. At the moment they had slowed to a crawl. They still couldn't even see the airport.

Nothing can stop this, not now I love you
They're not gonna get us
They're not gonna get us
Nothing can stop this, not now I love you
They're not gonna get us
They're not gonna get us
They're not gonna get us


How had they ever started this journey? She knew how they had talked, secretly, fervently, about their plans, about what they would have to do to really get away; how they'd convinced each other to go for it, dragged each other along, all the way to the doors of the car. But that wasn't what she meant. How had they really started it?

Was it after their last adventure, when they had started keeping in contact? Was it when they had faced Spiro for the second time? When they had fought the awakened Opal clone? When they had infiltrated Spiro Needle together? Was it even when Artemis had kidnapped Holly?

She couldn't pinpoint it. Maybe that was why it worked. It had had no beginning. Always, forever.

Not gonna get us
Not gonna get us


Juliet checked the rear view mirror. It was such a hot day, she could see heat haze shimmering above a Landrover a few cars behind them. The next thing the driver knew, there'd be smoke coming from the bonnet and he'd have to pull onto the hard shoulder for half an hour. The girls couldn't afford for that to happen to them. Juliet gripped the wheel tighter and checked the engine heat gauge. No, they were fine. They were going to get away.

We'll run away, keep everything simple
Night will come down, our guardian angel
We rush ahead, the crossroads are empty
Our spirits rise, they're not gonna get us


As space opened up in front of them, Juliet moved the car forward a few inches. It was a painfully slow process. Stop, start, stop, start. Their destination seemed hardly to be coming closer at all.

“You humans haven't quite got the hang of traffic management yet, have you?” said Holly, trying to smile but ending up grimacing.

“Don't forget, you're a human now too.” Juliet winked at her.

Holly looked down at her hands, frowning a little. “I still have my magic...”

“True,” Juliet replied, “but you'll have to pretend to understand our primitive ways.” She smiled, even though she was privately thinking that it was a very good thing Holly had kept her magic. They might need it.

My love for you, always, forever
Just you and me, all else is nothing
Not going back, not going back there
They don't understand, they don't understand us


“There are some primitive ways of yours that I'll never understand,” said Holly darkly. “Like prejudice against closeness with another species. Even your brother...” She sighed, her expression lightening up a little. “Well, I'm just glad it doesn't run in your family.”

“Your LEP won't be too happy about this either, will they?” responded Juliet, trying to ignore the comment about her brother - even though she knew Holly was right. But she also knew he only had her best interests at heart. His reasons, oh, they all made sense – but this wasn't about sense, this was about feelings. He just didn't understand...

“That's a matter of national security,” mumbled Holly.

They said nothing, the bad feelings this short conversation had stirred up holding down their tongues, along with their private burdens of anxiousness and fear. But they knew each other well enough to know that they were both regretting their words. That was all the apology they required.

Not gonna get us
Not gonna get us


The turning! Juliet put on the indicator and followed the car in front into the airport. She took the signs to the car park. Short stay. Artemis would find the car soon enough and have her brother take it back to Fowl Manor, where it belonged.

“We're so close,” breathed Holly, hardly meaning to.

Juliet nodded. Once they were on that plane, they were set. Nobody could catch them in time, not even Artemis in his private jet. They would disappear into the country on the other side, nameless strangers. Once they were on that plane, they had escaped.

Nothing can stop this, not now I love you
They're not gonna get us
They're not gonna get us
Nothing can stop this, not now I love you
They're not gonna get us
They're not gonna get us
They're not gonna get us


They slid past rows upon rows of parked cars of every description: red, blue, green, black, white; coupes, people movers, vans. But no empty spaces. Holly shifted uneasily in her seat as they pulled into yet another row.

“Don't worry,” whispered Juliet. “We'll find one.” They exchanged smiles – nervous, faltering smiles. There would be a space somewhere. Holly's new passport would get her through customs. They'd arrive before Artemis had worked out their destination. The mesmer would cause the taxi driver to forget where he dropped them. It had to. It all had to.

They both breathed a sigh of relief as they spotted a space – at last! - and Juliet swung the car into it.

Not gonna get us
Not gonna get us


Juliet released her seat belt and turned to grab her bag from the back seat. Holly had held her own backpack in her sweaty grip for the whole journey. They grinned at each other, resisting the urge to break into hysterical laughter. They were shaking more now that they were here, now that they were safe, than either had done even during that long traffic jam.

“Ready?” hissed Holly.

“You bet,” said Juliet. They didn't break eye contact until their doors were open and they had to turn to step outside.

Neither of them had noticed that around their car there was a ring of improbable heat haze, shimmering more far intensely than anywhere else in the car park.

-----

With this I was trying to almost subvert the lyrics: even though the two girls are still running and still believing they won't be caught, it's day when it should be night, there's a traffic jam when the roads should be empty, they're lying and fighting when they should be being honest and happy. And even before they know it, they're twice "gotten" - the LEP are on their trail without them realising and they've thought about this so little that even if they did get away, their relationship wouldn't work.

Which is kind of odd, I guess, as this is a Holly/Juliet fic that basically says they'd be fools to try it - and I actually support the ship. Huh. I am so weird sometimes.

...Now I'm getting serious deja vu and hoping I haven't already written a fic to this song and forgotten about it. Aaahh. *pokes brain*

And now I must be off to bed.


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thisisnotcamden
2005-10-10 02:24 am UTC (link)
With this I was trying to almost subvert the lyrics

which is an interesting thing to do. I didn't notice because I suck. You pulled off the feeling of anxiety between the two really well. Good job!

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-10 02:15 pm UTC (link)
Actually I guess it's kind of good that you didn't notice, because I was worried I was being too blatant. Even though the heat haze is mentioned halfway through the fic, I didn't want people to guess what was going on until the end...

Thank you. :)

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[info]tyr
2005-10-10 02:45 am UTC (link)
Very nice songfic, Kitty! You integrated the lyrics into the fic well, and I especially liked Juliet's character. My only complaint would be that there's not enough physical Holly/Juliet, but then again, only I would probably crave for little scenes like that. >3

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-10 02:23 pm UTC (link)
Thanks. :D

Physical Holly/Juliet? As in, holding hands, kissing, etc.? *blinks* I have extreme difficulties either writing or imagining that sort of thing in any relationship. (I only have two fics with kisses in, and I think both only work because they're not mutual, lovey-dovey things: one character takes the other by surprise.) I don't even hint at that sort of thing, because for me, it just isn't there. My brain can't comprehend sexuality. So if you want physicality you'll have to chase up someone else, sorry. :3

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[info]balletpixie13
2005-10-10 03:07 pm UTC (link)
And, thank the Lord you don't do physical stuff. Kissing is all right, just...not in....slash fics... (This one is actually okay. With your H/J fics, I can just pretend they're friends and not...eh...)

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-10 07:20 pm UTC (link)
I think if I did do physical stuff, I probably wouldn't write slash... *blinks*

(The point is that they aren't exactly... "eh". Because I believe that what turns a friendly/sisterly love into a slashy love is the sexual element, and I do not write a sexual element, therefore they are not "eh". But I write it the same way as I would write a proper slashy fic of the same rating, and so the nature of the relationship is purely in the interpretation of the reader. I could use & instead of / for all my fics - Holly&Juliet, Holly&Artemis, Artemis&Juliet - and I don't think it would make a difference.)

That said, one of the kiss!fics is sort of slash. Which is why I've been so hesitant about posting it anywhere, even my own website. I think at the moment it's still only in a f'locked post on here. But the kiss works because it is intended to shock the recipient, not to show love for them. (Although there is some ambiguity about whether the kisser is in fact suggesting they also have feelings for the kissee; but the fic is mainly about how the kisser has a false persona and so I don't think it is too much of a stretch for them to "reveal" yet another pretend version of themselves.) I have no idea if you've read this fic though.

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[info]balletpixie13
2005-10-10 10:20 pm UTC (link)
I don't know why I put "eh". You're right though, all though I still really don't like slash. Some of it is tolerable (like yours!), but some are just stupid...

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[info]blueyeti
2005-10-11 03:06 am UTC (link)
As a blatant slasher with no shame and no qualms about "eh" and physical "eh", I have to agree with you. The number of completely unwarranted and unfounded slashy ships which don't create anything interesting is HUGE. Some ships, however, can explore interesting ideas and realtionships by slashing (arguably almost all the same experiences and such can be expressed in a '&' fic of the same pairing - such as the common 'learning/understanding about darkness' theme in Snape/Harry fics).

Meh, most slash is slashed because the author can or wants to, not based on the character or plot opportunities.

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-11 11:17 am UTC (link)
Personally what draws me to writing the slash ships that I do - in fact, any of the ships that I do - are the tensions between the characters in canon, the meatiness of their interactions, etc. So it is less about their genders and more about a general relationship/love theme.

I think that's true, and in some ways I guess all of us Crimmers were guilty of that sort of thing, as we stuck random characters together just because nobody had before. XD; Okay, so we were trying to take these random characters and make it plausible, but... *laughs and shrugs*

*feels like this comment has entirely gone off on some random tangent and she now has no idea what she's on about* Oops.

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[info]blueyeti
2005-10-11 12:52 pm UTC (link)
The existing canon interactions should be what draws anyone to any ship. The possibilities of interactions which don't occur in canon is a reasonable substitute as well - even though we haven't seen a lot of constructive Harry & Snape interactions in canon, we do know the characters and their backgrounds, and we know what is stopping their interactions from being less... explosive. (Forgive the references to Harry and Snape - most people, even non-fandom-readers, know who I'm talking about and know there's a huge Snarry following, so it's good examples.)

My one fic which really and truely was for the express purpose of shipping particular characters was Forty-Two, because I wanted to write a Artler epic, and I *still* haven't got a passable plot down.

Slashing because you can is very very fun, though. But, hey, you can get the same reactions (or better) by tackling the known ships in a different manner, a la Frigid.

The Crimmers aren't the main violators of that clause, either. If you go to ff.net now there are crossdressing!slut!Artemis/Butler without plot or purpose. A large Holly/Butler following. Foaly/anyone in a physical relationship. Crimmers, as you said, try to make them *plausible* and apply them as backstory (Julius/Briar) or possibilities (Holly/Root).

I shall take it off on a more random tangent: Any thoughts on the reasonable!(Holly/Chix) fic?

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-11 01:17 pm UTC (link)
I think Harry & Snape (also Harry & Draco) are kind of the flipside to the "positive" meaty interactions: the "negative" meaty interactions, i.e. you can ship them because in canon they have such a bad relationship. Generally that sort of thing doesn't interest me when writing fic - and not just because often I find those ships squicksome - but in terms of my original stories (don't say it, but you know which I mean) I do take that into consideration in trying to set up the possiblity of these ships for readers.

I think when trying to invent new ships and make them plausible it is acceptible to "substitute" characters when your pairing have never met, e.g. shipping Juliet/Trouble because J and H are fairly similar and you can see how H/T would work. But otherwise to veer that far from canon is a little random. (Although it can be fun!)

...Obviously I need to visit FF.net more: I had no idea there were crossdressing!slut!Artemis/Butler fics on there. o.O; Or perhaps I shouldn't visit FF.net more.

Hmm. Thoughts on reasonable!(Holly/Chix)... Besides "how the heck am I going to do that" and "why on earth did I agree to do it"? No. None at all. :/

Actually with the events of TOD I am finding it hard to ship Holly with pretty much anyone now, as it is difficult for her to get into a situation with them where they can talk...

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-11 11:03 am UTC (link)
I think there are a lot of people who slash just because they're like, "ooh two guys kissing - hot", and thus their fics aren't about the interaction between the characters at all. I think that sort of thing is stupid. But there are het fics which I think are stupid, also because the author hasn't considered what the characters are like...

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[info]blueyeti
2005-10-11 03:00 am UTC (link)
*sniffles at the end* Run, Juliet! Run, Holly!

Pooie. Why won't it all work? *wallows in shallow and ungrounded H/J*

I thought that was all very well portrayed. I could see the questioning, the awkwardness, the lack of preparation, the simplicity of their ideas. I liked how the simplicity of their running and the simplicity of the running in the song conflict, with reality intruding, and your little subversions make a very nice whole.

*now wants to finish my happy-happy H/J fic of dreams to counterbalance the anti-H/J which now exists on the net.*

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-11 11:28 am UTC (link)
Thankies, dearling. :)

I don't think it was exactly anti-H/J... But, I don't know, it does kind of say that sometimes even love cannot surmount the obstacles of two entire species being against you. At least not without a proper plan.

Yesss, you need to finish your happy-happy H/J fic. *waggles fingers* We always need more H/J fic. :D

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[info]blueyeti
2005-10-11 12:56 pm UTC (link)
Yes. Silly girls. They need to learn to *plan* their escapes from civilisation(s). Now I want to see a remix where they actually worked it all out, got Butler to take their tax returns while they were away, got little maps and guidebooks, and did it all *properly*.

Uh... I think I may have mis-represented it. It's not so much happy-happy!(Holly/Juliet) so much as persistent!(Holly/Juliet). Happy-happy in so much as it portrays unstoppable love which will appear in any number of multiverses. But not happy-happy in terms of what actually happens in each of these multiverses. Also human!Foaly as a cameo, which is really a cameo of Patrick Foley = fun.

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-11 01:26 pm UTC (link)
Rofl. *salutes* Yes, ma'am!

So it's going to have several different multiverses in one fic? *scratches head* Well, anyway, H/J is good. Persistant!(H/J) is good.

Human!Foaly... Err, should I be worried here? o_O;

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[info]blueyeti
2005-10-11 01:45 pm UTC (link)
Dismissed, Corporal! Bring me a tea when you've got the fic ready.

It's got multiverses in the fic, all portrayed through a series of almost-dreams where I put them both in significantly different situations (both human, Juliet fairy etc). So, yes, persistent!(H/J) is the word for it.

He's human. He's Foaly. My human!Foley is like... all the bad bits of Foaly, with none of the good, and a distinct lack of being able to kick people who push him into a fetish club with 'virgin slave' written on his back. Be worried.

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[info]kittyrainbow
2005-10-11 02:01 pm UTC (link)
Milk, two sugars?

This fic sounds verily fun if also very confusing and complex. But whoo, H/J.

*wonders what sort of worried she should be...*

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