Able was I, ere I saw Elba by fiercynn (R)

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

Fandom: THE HISTORY BOYS
Pairing: Posner/Scripps
Author on LJ: fiercynn
Author Website: fic masterlist
Why this must be read:

This was the fic that made me fall in love with Posner/Scripps as a pairing. fiercynn really nails Scripps at Oxford, his gift for recording the world around him paired with his paralyzing fear of actually acting on anything, his tendency towards pretentiousness and his yearning to just have everything running smoothly. And of course Posner, finally getting over Dakin and coming into his own, and knowing what he wants and that he's got to be the one to make the first move. Also offers up some terrific glimpses of Dakin and Akthar, plus a bit of arguing about history and How Stuff Happens, and she captures that just-starting-college feeling perfectly, and really, it's just lovely all around.


He didn’t search out Posner any more, but reveled in the times when Posner found him; their conversations were just as normal and natural, but shone out in Scripps’ memory like no other. And music especially, Scripps realizing how in synch they were, even though he already knew it (tragic hero, yes).

Scripps tried to be edgy. It felt pathetic, but it was probably better than nothing. He picked out the first few notes of “Easy to Love” on the old piano in the practice room, and of course Posner chimed in, We’d be so grand at the game, so carefree it does seem, hitting a high note on shame, his voice never leaving Scripps’.

It wasn’t like with Dakin, where any display had been, well, a display, so eager and direct that the only outcome could be embarrassment or skepticism. But this was no showy serenade. This was seduction.

And Scripps was so unreasonably terrified by it, as if even more change would be more than he could handle, after everything that was horrible had gone back to normal for so long.

Able was I, ere I saw Elba