http://honoraryhobo.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] honoraryhobo.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] taxonomites2011-06-21 11:42 am

[accidental visual | location: twelfth floor] trust our deepest secrets to the artificial lake

The sun's scrambled high into the sky like a sure-footed kid climbing a tree—it's the itch under his collar and the sweat on his palms. He raises the hoe and swings it down into dry earth, sending up a puff of dust. There's always one weed left. Sun's baleful glare on his back, he drives the blade in again. He hears himself grunt (it sounds more like a squeal, like he's gonna cry) as if from far away.

He must close his eyes because the next thing he knows his hands are empty—slick with sweat and streaked with dirt but empty. He wipes them on his pants and looks up.

His eyes go wide. His arms prickle with goosebumps; he hugs himself against the sudden cold. He takes a step back, then another—it's a white room with a bed and the covers are rumpled. Maybe he should see if they're warm but he takes another step back and stumbles over a bottle. A gasp snags on something before it can escape his throat. He freezes, goes rigid. Listens with all his might.

The tablet switches on to show a dark-haired boy in clothes—a grimy shirt, suspenders, brown pants—that are worn but not ratty stooping to carefully right a whisky bottle.

[visual]

[identity profile] bonescientist.livejournal.com 2011-06-27 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
Brennan is awfully bad at identifying emotions on others. However, distrust she recognizes instantly. She knows it because she's been distrustful herself from an early age, even if not quite as early as this boy. The foster care system hadn't always been kind to her - the people claimed to be her new families (and there had been many) hadn't always been kind to her. She knew what it was like, to receive apparent friendliness only to have it turn into harsh words and harsher actions later on. She doesn't hold any suspicions against him.

The name Archie Whitman tells Brennan absolutely nothing, so all Dick gets in return is a nod. "Okay. It's nice to meet you, Dick. Is that short for Richard?"