crack_van | Acceptance of Conflict, by SEF (PG)

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: None
Length: Medium
Author on LJ:

sef1029
Author Website: Fiction by SEF1029
Why this must be read:

During the Dark Quickening Duncan nearly killed his student Richie. Almost a year later, on his return to Seacouver, Duncan realizes mending bridges will take a lot more than saying he's sorry. Sue explores all the conflicting emotions, miscommunications, and missteps both Richie and Duncan need to work through. The story is told with such honesty and understanding that many readers adopt it as canon for this under-explored but critical transition in their relationship.

Happily Sue wrote a sequel as well.

A bit of Conflict

Duncan leaned heavily against the wall. This had been a mistake. He shouldn't have come here like this after ignoring Richie for months. He should have sent a letter through Joe months ago. Or flown back to the States. Stop it, he told himself firmly. You're here now, so get on with it.
At any rate, he wasn't going to do this in the doorway. "May I come in?"
"Hey, mi casa, su casa."
Duncan was trying very hard to ignore Richie's sarcasm. He knew the bravado was an act, but it was making it difficult for him to launch the kind of conversation he'd come here to have. He stepped toward the center of the room.
Involuntarily, Richie's hands gripped the edge of the desk. He pushed back in his chair, wishing he could be anywhere else. Duncan didn't want to stand there, talking down to Richie, but there were no other chairs in the room.
"Richie, I didn't stay away because I don't care. You must know that." The words hung in the air. Even Duncan didn't find them quite believable.
Richie looked down at his hands. "So why now?" he asked in a low voice.
Good question, Duncan thought. Too bad I didn't think of that earlier. "I didn't know where you were. I didn't know what to say. 'I'm sorry' doesn't cover it." He moved to the side of the desk, hoping to force Richie to look at him. He resisted an urge to touch him, knowing that could prove disastrous. "Not when I hurt you." He whispered. "Body and soul." That brought Richie's head up. "Tried to murder you."
"Well, it wasn't you." The words were clipped; the tone as carefully neutral as Richie could manage.
"Yes, it was. You saw that as well as I did." Something in Richie's eyes confirmed the statement.
Duncan suddenly realized why he'd put off this apology for so long. He'd been fooling himself, thinking the worst thing he had to account for was a crazed act of violence. But he'd openly despised Richie's weakness. Deliberately tried to humiliate him. "The wolf is under wraps now, but he's not dead."
There was a long pause. Say something, Duncan willed. Tell me how you feel. Cry, curse, yell. Do anything except sit there.
Finally Richie stood up and backed away, keeping the length of the desk between MacLeod and himself. "What do you want?"
It's too late, Duncan thought. I've lost him.

Acceptance of Conflict
Protective Measures

Acceptance of Conflict, by SEF (PG)

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