(no subject)
Jan. 18th, 2007 07:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
coyotegothI recently saw a photograph of Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio together at the Golden Globes; something about Leo’s slight jowliness struck a spark, and before I knew it, a fic had somehow been inspired- almost assuredly, the only story I’ll ever write set in (an AU version of) the Titanic universe. (Yes, I know the Captain America line is an anachronism, given that this is set in the late 30s. I thought about changing it to a Buck Rogers reference, but no.) It's a silly thing, as with the movie itself, but there's something about the ending that I like.
"You’re looking well," Rose said, after a pause.
“You, too- haven’t changed a hair,” Jack replied. “Umm... shall we...?”
“Of course.” Rose caught the waiter’s gaze; he led them to her usual table.
“...so, finally,” Jack said, “I woke up in a hospital in Halifax. All I could see was this blinding white light- turned out it was just the doctor’s flashlight. They still can’t explain it; they were calling me Captain America at the hospital.”
Rose nodded, and fumbled for a cigarette. He pulled out a pack; it dropped to the floor. She bent to pick it up, then glanced briefly at his bandaged hands. “Yeah,” he said, “nerve damage. The doctors said they’d done as much for me as they could, but I don’t think I’ll be doing any sketching for a while. Just as well; I’m a bit out of practice.”
She forced a smile, and fumbled with a match until it struck. He bent for a light. “Are you all right otherwise...?” she finally asked.
“Better than those other poor sons of bitches,” he said quietly, exhaling smoke. Then, he shook his head. “The papers have been going crazy. They’re making all kinds of offers for my story; I can always take one of them up on it.”
“Yes, I saw,” she said. “I was thinking of calling you...”
“Yeah,” he said, “lots to catch up on.” A pause. “So, how’s the flyboy?”
The tip of her cigarette glowed. “Howard? Oh, we broke it off ages ago- he could never settle down.”
His mouth quirked. “Too busy being king of the world?”
“Something like that. He was good about it, though.”
“I see that,” said Jack, looking at the diamonds in her ears. “Lucky you weren’t wearing those on the ship; you would've gone straight to the bottom.” There was a pause; they both glanced at the waiter as he turned on a radio, and soft chamber music filled the room.
“Radio,” he said quietly.
“This must be a lot for you to get used to,” she finally said. “The war... the Depression...”
“Life’s always had its ups and downs,” he said, smiling. “One moment you’re sleeping under a bridge...”
She smiled. “I still remember the look on his face, at that dinner party. You were wonderful.” She glanced at the clock. “God- I have to see a lawyer. I wish I could stay longer...”
“That’s all right,” he said. “I have an appointment with a train out of town, myself.”
There was a pause, as their cigarette smoke curled into the air. “Four days,” she finally said.
“Twenty-five years,” he answered. “Life is funny that way.”
"You’re looking well," Rose said, after a pause.
“You, too- haven’t changed a hair,” Jack replied. “Umm... shall we...?”
“Of course.” Rose caught the waiter’s gaze; he led them to her usual table.
“...so, finally,” Jack said, “I woke up in a hospital in Halifax. All I could see was this blinding white light- turned out it was just the doctor’s flashlight. They still can’t explain it; they were calling me Captain America at the hospital.”
Rose nodded, and fumbled for a cigarette. He pulled out a pack; it dropped to the floor. She bent to pick it up, then glanced briefly at his bandaged hands. “Yeah,” he said, “nerve damage. The doctors said they’d done as much for me as they could, but I don’t think I’ll be doing any sketching for a while. Just as well; I’m a bit out of practice.”
She forced a smile, and fumbled with a match until it struck. He bent for a light. “Are you all right otherwise...?” she finally asked.
“Better than those other poor sons of bitches,” he said quietly, exhaling smoke. Then, he shook his head. “The papers have been going crazy. They’re making all kinds of offers for my story; I can always take one of them up on it.”
“Yes, I saw,” she said. “I was thinking of calling you...”
“Yeah,” he said, “lots to catch up on.” A pause. “So, how’s the flyboy?”
The tip of her cigarette glowed. “Howard? Oh, we broke it off ages ago- he could never settle down.”
His mouth quirked. “Too busy being king of the world?”
“Something like that. He was good about it, though.”
“I see that,” said Jack, looking at the diamonds in her ears. “Lucky you weren’t wearing those on the ship; you would've gone straight to the bottom.” There was a pause; they both glanced at the waiter as he turned on a radio, and soft chamber music filled the room.
“Radio,” he said quietly.
“This must be a lot for you to get used to,” she finally said. “The war... the Depression...”
“Life’s always had its ups and downs,” he said, smiling. “One moment you’re sleeping under a bridge...”
She smiled. “I still remember the look on his face, at that dinner party. You were wonderful.” She glanced at the clock. “God- I have to see a lawyer. I wish I could stay longer...”
“That’s all right,” he said. “I have an appointment with a train out of town, myself.”
There was a pause, as their cigarette smoke curled into the air. “Four days,” she finally said.
“Twenty-five years,” he answered. “Life is funny that way.”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-01-18 02:53 pm (UTC)You have seen this (http://youtube.com/watch?v=u2NYBIKbnIc), right?
no subject
Date: 2007-01-18 08:14 pm (UTC)Wow- that just made my day :D
no subject
Date: 2007-01-18 08:18 pm (UTC)I forgot to mention that I loved the Howard Hughes/Aviator joke.
Nice touch.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-18 05:02 pm (UTC)That's so funny.
I doubt he'd be the Commie Smasher, though.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-18 10:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 02:34 pm (UTC)Of course, they could just explain it away as an imposter, Marvel-Style.
Have you ever read the "What if Captain America was revived today?" from 1984ish? I read it every fourth of july as tradition. It's the best "What if?" I've ever read.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-18 10:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-18 10:20 pm (UTC)