Title: Cloud 9
Author: Amiroq. aka Gypzy
E-mail: fitchett@netaccess.co.nz
Size: 3K
Rating: PG
Codes: K/T, C/T, others
Teaser: Harry wonders about snakes' tails and irony.

Disclaimer: no $$$

Challenge Response. This was written a couple of months after the actual
challenge was issued, but basically, you have to write a story using no
articles (a, an, the). It's harder than it sounds, until you get the hang of
it.
 

Cloud 9
 

It's simple things that get me. Like, you're walking along, right? And you see
your ex, having a friendly conversation with your best friend. You got no idea
what they're talking about, but you feel this sudden rush of jealousy. What
if he's asking her out? Of course he isn't, there's no way he's interested and
you know that. Your brain knows it, at least, but your gut has this way of
taking random facts and twisting them around in your stomach until you feel
sick.

It's like that with B'Elanna. She smiles at some joke I've just made, and my
stomach feels like thousands of butterflies fluttering around my mom's garden.
I'm on Cloud Nine all day when she smiles. Now, I know and Tom knows and she
knows that she's really falling all over Chakotay, but is that gonna stop my
gut wrenching every time she looks at me? 

Which is why I'm in my quarters tonight. I'm not that masochistic that I'm
going to sit all night in Sandrine's, watching her watching him while he's
oblivious to her and she's oblivious to me. Now *that* is a case of Ouroborus.
It could be worse, I guess. I might be oblivious to Chakotay. But before that
happens, Kathryn's going to have Tom's children.

I only make it an hour before my doorbell rings. I bet myself on who it's
gonna be - one side thinks B'Elanna, one side Chakotay. It's Chakotay. He
comes in and sits down, cool as anything. "I was just wondering where you got
to tonight," he says. He sounds like he's getting into counsellor-mode.

"I'm surprised you even noticed."

"Everyone notices."

"Yeah, well, I just couldn't be bothered being a part of this cycle that seems
to be constantly in motion." I can tell that confuses him. He's not too
observant, for someone who knows how to hunt deer.

"Which cycle would that be?"

I debate telling him. My sadistic side wins out. "You know, the one where
everyone likes someone else and pretends no one knows about it. It gets...
boring, eventually."

"You mean you know?"

"Know? I've known for ages. It's not that hard to work out, you know." I lean
back some in my armchair to watch him better. He's got this weird expression
on his face, this "tell me more" deal. "Why do you think I hardly ever go out
with you and B'Elanna anymore?" I continue.

"Well, if that's how you feel--" He doesn't bother finishing that sentence,
just gets up and leaves. I blink. What did I say? I wonder what could be so
infuriating about me liking B'Elanna, and for some reason, I think of lizards.

FINIS