15minuteficlets // Prompt word: open // “Distraction”

First entry for the new year and I am sickly but quite satisfied with life.  New Years was absolutely splendid, despite the absolutely rubbish weather and being shot in the head with a party popper gun.  Actually, the last just added to the amusement more than anything.  There shall be a more comprehensive report on that later, most likely with accompanying photographic evidence of enjoyment.

I hope everyone else had equally splendid new years eves or at least will have a splendid 2007.

For now, I present the first fifteen minute ficlet I have written by hand.  I got Bindi to write the prompt word down on a piece of paper and fold it up so I could do the ficlet while I was away.  I couldn’t even take my laptop with me, due to its deciding to break down a week before.  (And of course, it chose to destroy the battery - the only thing not covered by my extended warranty...)

Anyway, here is the ficlet.  Original fic this time.  Bonus points for guessing the prompt word (and I promise not to sneeze on them).
This week’s prompt word of "open" was guessed by naelany.

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Title: Distraction
Fandom: Original
Rating: PG13 (some slightly graphic imagery towards the end)
Word count: 412
Prompt word: open

“I love you all,” she said.

I rolled my eyes.  Please tell me we’re not at the stage where she starts declaring undying love for us all.  Because that’s only one step away from the stage where she attempts to make a pyramid out of beer glasses.  And that’s only one step away from the stage where she decides that indoors is a good place to practise her sharp-shooting.

And she can’t even hit things much smaller than an elephant at point-blank range even when she’s completely sober.

I pat her arm, trying to avoid the residue of the chocolate body paint as best I can.  “That’s great.  We love you too.”

Yeah, just don’t look at the guys right now.  Two hours ago, I could have glared them into removing those shocked looks from their faces.

Not now.

Not now she’s mostly wearing only body paint and reeking of almost every drink in the place.

“No, I mean it,” she says, lowering her voice and giving me her patented puppy-dog eyes.  “I really, really mean it.  You think I’m just thinging this because I’m...”  She pauses, looking distantly puzzled.  “Oh yeah.  Because I’m a bitch.”

I close my eyes in frustration.  Maybe I should have stopped this a while back... such as when she said: hey, let’s go for a drink!

But I can’t say no to her right now.  Not after what she’s just been through.

“You’re not a bitch,” I tell her.

Her face crumples into tears.  Well, tears and body paint.  “That’s so sweet,” she sobs at me.  “I love you, Kara.”

Oh, are we back there?  Fantastic.  But I don’t have much time to lament this fact, because the next thing she says is:

“Can you guys pass me the thing glasses?  I want to make a myrapid!”

And it’s only a short step from there to the shooting practice.  Half an hour ago, I didn’t think I’d be happy about the fact that she’s not wearing any actual clothing but I am now.  Because it means she can’t possibly be hiding any weaponry on her.

But I’m going to hand her those glasses and I’m going to watch her build that pyramid because right before she suggested going for a drink, she told me all about seeing her best friend’s head being shot open.

And if I can help her forget about that for just a few hours, then I’ll do whatever it takes.

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Wow - could I have possibly started any more sentences with conjunctions?  I think I’ll have to work on cutting that back in my next ficlet.

Comments and feedback are most appreciated. :D