on the cusp by orangesparks (PG-13)

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

Happy Christmas!

Fandom: THE HISTORY BOYS
Pairing: gen
Author on LJ: orangesparks
Author Website: orangesparks
Why this must be read:

The title nails it: it's all about being just barely on the brink of something, and waiting for someone to make a move, and not sure which way everything's going to fall out. Scripps POV, and we all know how miserable he is at actually ever taking action, but Posner's there and maybe, maybe. Plus a really embittered Dakin, behaving exactly how one might expect a peevish Dakin to behave.


“This is my friend, David! David Posner, or as he likes to be known, Posner, Pozzy, Poz,” Dakin announces to the pub, Posner’s face now scarlet. Akthar raises his glass and toasts them, although looking as though he’s not entirely sure why.

Scripps is beginning to think the initial reason for his celibacy was not entirely to do with God, but more a subconscious attempt at avoiding these kinds of messes.

The night, of course, hadn’t ended well. Timms and Lockwood, visiting from Cambridge, were kicked out for ‘indecent behaviour’ (“What kind of a country is it where a bloke can’t have a nice little dance on a table?” Timms had bellowed, half-heartedly swinging his fists, as Lockwood pulled him away), Akthar’s forehead and the bar counter made their acquaintance after realising too late that he really couldn’t outdrink the patchy-bearded wino sitting beside him, and Scripps’ attempts at wrenching Dakin off of Posner had only resulted in a ridiculous amount of arm-waving and a slurred shout of, "You luvvim so much, why don't you have a go?"

Scripps would later tell himself that it was only Dakin’s embarrassing volume that made him attempt to shut him up.

on the cusp