Counterweight by Celeritas

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Author: Celeritas
Title: Counterweight
Rating: G
Theme: Pairs
Elements: bread & butter
Author's Notes: I hope that this little tale will stand on its own. Minds desirous of a little more context are directed to the tale embedded in my most recent chapter of A White Shell, which may be found here. The tale starts about halfway down the page.
Summary: Estella Bolger watches her brother and his betrothed.
Word Count: 100

Jessamine’s having more success with him than Estella ever did. She, too, must remind him to keep eating, but that’s because he’s staring at her, not into space. And he’s smiling, joking, and—heavens!—clearing his plate!

Estella saw him once, after they’d left Budgeford, when they thought Jessamine dead—and looking at his eyes, she thought Fatty had died, too. But she’s not dead, she’s sitting next to Fatty, buttering him a hunk of bread. He looks so happy, looking at her, and if Jessamine can bring her brother back, Estella can’t complain.

So why does she feel lonely?

Comments

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

No matter how glad you can be for the other, there's still the feeling of being the odd one out when a sibling falls in love. Feels very real.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

They've been in love with each other for a while, now, but the Troubles forged a connection between them that Estella can't share, and I think that gets her as much as anything else. Thank you!

[bfb.livejournal.com]

Oh, intriguing! Even though I'm unfamiliar with the full story, the picture you have here is very clear and vivid. Poor Estella, I always imagine it must have taken a while before she and Merry finally settled down in the end. I'm definitely going to check out the rest of the story now. :)

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Canon gives us no information for when Merry and Estella got together--I've seen it written convincingly both ways--but in my case I do have them take a little while because it took Estella a little while to show up on the family trees. There must have been a story-internal reason for that. (And in my case, it's because Merry royally messed things up early on.)

Do check it out, and I hope you like it! I'm afraid it's not much, but that's what happens when a love story is filtered down 130 years.

[clodia-metelli.livejournal.com]

Aww, poor Estella, and certainly she can't complain about it; but I couldn't blame her for wanting to. The moment is beautifully captured. Thank you!

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

I can't blame her for wanting to, either, but Estella isn't used to this so she doesn't feel she ought to indulge in even that (at least in my estimation).

You're quite welcome, and thank you for reviewing!

[gamgeefest.livejournal.com]

Poor Estella, losing her brother. No matter how happy she may be for the couple, she can't help but feel lonely. But we know that she'll soon be with her Merry. :)

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Soon... or eventually... I'm afraid I made Merry and Estella's road to each other just a wee bit rubbled. In fact I think part of why she feels so odd right now is because things are strained between them, and seeing a couple together--especially her brother--just makes it feel that much keener.

[dreamflower]

This stands alone nicely, but within the context of your universe, it stands *out*, with all the subtext there for the alert reader to savor.

Which, of course, is what a drabble is all about.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

That's weird... I thought I'd replied to this!

I'm glad you think this worked well on its own, because of course I had all the subtext in my head when I was writing it and thus couldn't be quite sure. And goodness, it's a lot of subtext, actually, isn't it?

Thanks for the review!!

[goldvermilion87.livejournal.com]

This is lovely! I can't wait to read the whole thing! (Can't right now, though. :-( )

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

The tale this is based on is maybe 1500 words long, but of course the thing it's embedded in is a leviathan so no worries.

I'm glad you enjoyed the drabble!

[thunderatiger.livejournal.com]

A wonderfully vivid little moment. I can see the actions around the plates and how Fatty starts clearing his. And it's very easy to picture Estella feeling more and more removed as she realizes she's both found and lost her brother.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Thank you! In my idea of things, Fatty does gain his weight back, and pretty quickly at that, because Jessamine won't marry him until he's healthy (in her estimation) again. Of course that just increases the distance between him and Estella.

[mercuries.livejournal.com]

This is sweet and sad and I love how you've used the prompt.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!

[wormwood-7.livejournal.com]

This is a very vivid scene between abrother and asister, and very believable. Thanks for sharing :)

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reviewing!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

A very sweet drabble.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

That's high praise, coming from you! Thanks so much!

[paranoidangel]

This does work well on its own. I like how you show through eating what a difference Jessamine has made in Fatty's life and how Estella feels about it.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's good news, then! It's very easy to write (and learn) about hobbits through their connection with food. Thank you!

[antane.livejournal.com]

Nice celebration of the return to life and health for a beloved brother.

Namarie, God bless, Antane :)

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, but I hope there's more to it than that or I didn't do a very good job!

Thanks!

[mrowe.livejournal.com]

Even if I'm too unfamiliar with the background to catch all undercurrents, this is still a touching moment of family dynamics, especially with the last line.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm by no means a drabblist, but the best drabbles I've read always have zingers at the end so I made sure to put one in here.

[someplacetobe.livejournal.com]

So much do Jessamine and Fatty fit together - like bread and butter.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad you think so!

[foxrafer.livejournal.com]

This is a really nice use of the prompts; thanks for sharing it.

[labourslamp.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it; thanks for reviewing!