Icon ficlet #8 - Original fic!

[pauraque_bk]

Er, sort of. keladryb requested a fic based on this icon, and I have a feeling I know the sort of thing she wanted. *g*

G, 259 words.


Such Sport

The spoon's warm tip slides across the dish's face. A quiet, familiar stroke. It is hard not to be comforted.

The dish has seen the cat rubbing her lips over the newly-polished bridge of the fiddle, writhing and flexing her paws. The dish doesn't want to be that way. A proper dish has many partners-- a red sauce, a white sauce, soaking into ceramic pores. The tines of a long and delicate fork, scratching and teasing. A zealous young knife that leaves marks in hard-glazed skin.

The spoon's edge catches on a shallow knife-cut as it slides, but just barely. The spoon's silver skin has gone gray with years and hands and sweat. The spoon knows about getting older.

This spoon is not like the other spoons, lying on folded white napkins and arching their backs up coyly, elegantly. This spoon is straight and plain, pulled out of the drawer for a cup of yogurt in front of the TV, or shoved briefly through the dry ingredients of a cake, and then tossed into the chipped kitchen sink, its face white with flour.

The dish sits on the sink in the nighttime. New plates have moved into the cupboard that hangs above, and they cuddle together in smug formation, all unblemished and alike. So the dish sits on the shore of the sink, with the moonlight filtering through the window onto the cracked milk jug.

And in the milk jug's shadow, there is the spoon.

One day, the dish says to itself, they are going to run away.

end.


Feedback would be appreciated.

[cross-posted to anthropomor_fic]

Comments

[keladryb.livejournal.com]

Um. You. Fucking. Rock. Totes. If anyone could pull this pairing off beautifully, it would be you. Which, really, is the main reason I requested it. This is... it's beautiful.

[biichan.livejournal.com]

You are brilliant and wonderful.

[pauraque]

*blush*

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

I love this. Kitchenware that's not humanized, but has distinct personality. Kitchenware that *develops* personality and opinions with use, as a beloved object becomes more than just a generic item. Felicities like "cuddle together in snug formation". The story reminds me of Hans Christian Andersen, except happier and with more bite. Andersen would have had them come to some dreadful end down the garbage disposal, the spoon disdainful to the last. This dish and spoon are gonna be HAPPY, dammit.

[pauraque]

Kitchenware that's not humanized, but has distinct personality. Kitchenware that *develops* personality and opinions with use, as a beloved object becomes more than just a generic item.

Yes yes yes! You got it exactly! :D

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

This is strangely beautiful. You weirdo.

[pauraque]

Guilty as charged.

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

This story NEEDS to be illustrated by Maurice Sendak. I can just see it. Eo, your atmosphere building kicks ass.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

YES! You've hit the nail (or something like it) on the head. Ow.

Angsty silverware. Wonderful, Eo!

[pauraque]

Everybody must get angst! Merci.

[asphodeline.livejournal.com]

I shall never see my cutlery in the same light again!!!! - and I shall be watching out for snuggling plates; don't want any cross porcenalisation! Very beautiful

[pauraque]

don't want any cross porcenalisation!

*snerk*

Thanks!

[k2daisy.livejournal.com]

Wow. Wonderfully done.

It's a sign of a very talented writer when they can get the reader to feel empathy for angsty silverware.

I'm just sayin'. *g*

[pauraque]

Thank you! You know, I actually find it easier sometimes to write about things, the same way I find it very easy to write about animals. People are too complicated, it's too hard to get to the essence of them.

[bardsmaid.livejournal.com]

This was wonderful, Eo. A new angle, a fresh eye and a touch of the whimsy evident in 'Oil'.

[pauraque]

Thank you!

[wolfie-thu.livejournal.com]

Mmmm...it's like those watercolour paintings where it's mainly made up of the white soft paper, except for some blue and faded red washes...


Or something like that.

[pauraque]

I always love getting feedback from you; your nonverbal impressions are fascinating and beautiful.

[bowdlerized.livejournal.com]

Oh wow--this is wonderful! I can't believe that you were able to play this pairing straight and come up with something so beautiful.

[pauraque]

Thank you! What you said can be true of fanfic generally, I think... first, you have to dare to take "a kid's book" or "just a TV show" with some degree of sincerity, before you can hope to produce something impressive.

[spican.livejournal.com]

How lovely. Like a fable about longing but more delicate and personal than a true fable. Having read it, I feel that the world is a little more beautiful and mysterious than just a minute before. Thank you.

[pauraque]

You're welcome, and thank you. I really enjoyed writing it.

[thedorkygirl.livejournal.com]

That's brilliant. Children will be sacrificed in your honor.

[pauraque]

Oh dear! Make sure they're horrid, bullying children, at least.

[thedorkygirl.livejournal.com]

actually, more likely they'll be pure wee virgins.

[maidenjedi]

Dish/Spoon!!!

Eo, you are too cool for words. :-) Wonderful job.

[pauraque]

*blush* Thanks!

[fictionbya.livejournal.com]

*is dead from teh funneh!*

[pauraque]

I can't say I meant it to be funny, but... well, at least you enjoyed it!

[meridym.livejournal.com]

Eo, that's fabulous, unique, and thoroughly unexpected. I love it. Thanks for posting.

[pauraque]

Thank you!

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

It's an incredible thing when an author can make the audience feel emotions for *dishware*, for cryin' out loud. I couldn't believe it when I found myself feeling so much for these... inanimate objects, LOL!

Thanks so much, this was wonderful.

[pauraque]

Thank you, and thanks for reccing me, I really appreciate it!

[catch22girl]

Mosinging1986 recommended this (via kristenk2) and I can see why. It's so beautiful and atmospheric. Heartbreaking and full of longing. Makes me want to cry. This was just great and the imagery was so strong. I will never see my dishes the same way again. Just lovely.

[pauraque]

Thank you. Though I didn't really have this motive in writing the story, I do think it's good for us to respect our possessions. Maybe this is why I never throw anything away. :)

[tesla321.livejournal.com]

This was so unbelievably neat.

You need to submit it to the New Yorker or somewhere.

[pauraque]

Hm, a possibility! Thank you.

[flimpy.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, wow, wow. Inanimate objects have never been more poetic. :) I love your writing style.

[pauraque]

Yay, thank you. :)

[chriswife.livejournal.com]

Beautifully written. :)

[pauraque]

Danke.

[logane.livejournal.com]

I was so strangely affected by this that I read it to my seven year old last night. This morning she refused to eat cereal because she didn't want to drown the poor spoons.

[pauraque]

You can tell her that I know all about spoons, and they don't drown like we do; all they need is for the people who use them to value and respect them, as we respect all our possessions.

[pauraque]

You're welcome, and thank you!

[kaalee.livejournal.com]

You've given new meaning to the term personification!

I'm here via greeksong, because I asked for recs. I'll shortly be mentioning this on my journal...

A zealous young knife that leaves marks in hard-glazed skin.

I really appreciated that for some reason. I think that I can both imagine the knife's enthusiasm as well as the way the human hand using it might be zealous.

anyway, my first foray into inanimate objects thoughts. Well done. :)

[pauraque]

Thank you, and thanks for the rec on your LJ. I love me some object slash. Have you ever been to anthropomor_fic?

[ursamajor]

conuly sent me here because i just linked a mark morford article on his love affair with cookware.

from such a comic premise, lyrical prose. i feel almost like i want to giggle, but it's too pretty to do that to. thumbs up. :)