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crack_van2009-04-10 06:00 am
wneleh.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2009-04-10 06:00 am
Entry tags:
Three Questions by Helen Adams (PG)
Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Pairing: None
Length: ~13,500 words
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Helen's Fanfic Page
Why this must be read:
Several years ago, I posted a request on the sadly-now-inactive Mag7Challenge Yahoo list for "Stories which explore events which are pivotal in establishing the standard canon/fanon relationships amongst the guys. This can be initial meetings or critical early encounters." Among the responses was this wonderful story.
You know the cardinal rule of storytelling, "Show don't tell"? Well, this story proves that rules are made to be broken. The set-up is simple: ATF!Ezra offers to answer three questions each from the other six. Who asks what; why; and how; and how Ezra answers, gives a lovely portrayal of where the men are in their lives, what's important to them, their relationships with each other, and their desire to bring Ezra more fully into the group. So I guess there's plenty of showing here after all!
A taste:
"Y’know, it just ain’t right." Vin's statement caught everyone by surprise, seeming to come from nowhere. Vin had been sitting back quietly, sipping his beer as Team Seven sat around their favorite table at the Saloon.
"What ain’t…isn’t right, Mr. Tanner?" Ezra demanded, shaking his head at the momentary slip in grammar. He had either had too much beer or he had been spending too much time around Vin and Buck lately.
Vin shifted in his chair so that he was leaning on his forearms, fixing Ezra with a pointed stare. "We been here for the last couple hours, shootin’ the bull and havin’ a good time, right?"
"Yep," Chris, who was seated next to him, confirmed, momentarily distracting Vin as he turned to look at him. Today the team had completed a successful bust, the culmination of a month of concerted effort and everyone was celebrating. Vin was by no means drunk, but he had had enough alcohol to take the edge off and become a bit more talkative than usual. In fact, everyone seemed to be enjoying the chance to relax and let off a little steam, so they had all looked up in interest at Vin’s declaration. Wondering where he was going, Chris prompted, "So, are you gonna tell us or do we have to guess?"
The longhaired man snapped out a finger toward the man seated across from him. "Him! He ain’t said nothin’ all night. He never says nothin’."
From his place next to Ezra, Nathan Jackson let go a snort. "You gotta be kidding. If we let him, Ezra’ll talk until we all pass out from his having used up all the oxygen in the room!" The medic flashed Ezra a saucy grin that got wider when the other man retaliated by childishly sticking his tongue out.
"Oh, he talks, all right," Vin agreed easily. "He just never says anything that really matters. It ain’t right, I tell ya."
Three Questions
Pairing: None
Length: ~13,500 words
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Helen's Fanfic Page
Why this must be read:
Several years ago, I posted a request on the sadly-now-inactive Mag7Challenge Yahoo list for "Stories which explore events which are pivotal in establishing the standard canon/fanon relationships amongst the guys. This can be initial meetings or critical early encounters." Among the responses was this wonderful story.
You know the cardinal rule of storytelling, "Show don't tell"? Well, this story proves that rules are made to be broken. The set-up is simple: ATF!Ezra offers to answer three questions each from the other six. Who asks what; why; and how; and how Ezra answers, gives a lovely portrayal of where the men are in their lives, what's important to them, their relationships with each other, and their desire to bring Ezra more fully into the group. So I guess there's plenty of showing here after all!
A taste:
"Y’know, it just ain’t right." Vin's statement caught everyone by surprise, seeming to come from nowhere. Vin had been sitting back quietly, sipping his beer as Team Seven sat around their favorite table at the Saloon.
"What ain’t…isn’t right, Mr. Tanner?" Ezra demanded, shaking his head at the momentary slip in grammar. He had either had too much beer or he had been spending too much time around Vin and Buck lately.
Vin shifted in his chair so that he was leaning on his forearms, fixing Ezra with a pointed stare. "We been here for the last couple hours, shootin’ the bull and havin’ a good time, right?"
"Yep," Chris, who was seated next to him, confirmed, momentarily distracting Vin as he turned to look at him. Today the team had completed a successful bust, the culmination of a month of concerted effort and everyone was celebrating. Vin was by no means drunk, but he had had enough alcohol to take the edge off and become a bit more talkative than usual. In fact, everyone seemed to be enjoying the chance to relax and let off a little steam, so they had all looked up in interest at Vin’s declaration. Wondering where he was going, Chris prompted, "So, are you gonna tell us or do we have to guess?"
The longhaired man snapped out a finger toward the man seated across from him. "Him! He ain’t said nothin’ all night. He never says nothin’."
From his place next to Ezra, Nathan Jackson let go a snort. "You gotta be kidding. If we let him, Ezra’ll talk until we all pass out from his having used up all the oxygen in the room!" The medic flashed Ezra a saucy grin that got wider when the other man retaliated by childishly sticking his tongue out.
"Oh, he talks, all right," Vin agreed easily. "He just never says anything that really matters. It ain’t right, I tell ya."
Three Questions