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enemyofperfectI don't know what's been up with my energy level this past week, but hey, I wrote three Finch/Reese snippets for dorinda for Chocolate Box!
Title: Intrinsic Motivation
Fandom: Person of Interest
Pairing: Harold Finch/John Reese
Other characters: Bear
Rating: General Audiences
Contains: No kisses, but loyalty kink in spades.
Word count: 300
Summary: "Foei! No!" There was an urgent scuffling over the line, and then, despairingly: "Oh, Bear." Finally resignation set in, leaving Harold's tone almost philosophical when he said, "Why is it always the rare editions?"
"Foei! No!" There was an urgent scuffling over the line, and then, despairingly: "Oh, Bear." Finally resignation set in, leaving Harold's tone almost philosophical when he said, "Why is it always the rare editions?"
John, almost to the top of the stairs, had to smile. "I don't know, Finch. Library full of dusty old books--why would he pick the ones that smell like you?"
Then he was there with them. "From your favorite bakery," he announced with pleasure, depositing the pastries in front of Harold.
"I haven't told you my favorite bakery," Harold protested, but there was that little lightening of his face, more eagerness than smile.
#
Occasionally, people would get pretty intense about trying to hire John away from Harold. Money, sex--a few even tried to pitch it as saving the world.
He'd hear them out, if Harold needed the time for anything. Or he'd turn them down with however much prejudice seemed appropriate.
"Name your price, then," the latest suitor had said, exasperated, but there wasn't any price to name.
#
Funny thing about military dogs: they don't train them with food. Partly because food runs out, and then what does the dog think--they weren't doing what you wanted?
But that isn't the whole reason. You don't stop to reward a dog in the field, either, but they figure that out okay.
Usually, you train them with toys, but getting to play with them isn't really the reward. The really important part is getting to play with you.
That was how John was able to take Bear away from those assholes who didn't give a damn about him, and how he knew Bear wouldn't let Harold down for anything.
A working dog doesn't obey to get something out of it. They do it because you ask.
Title: Without Saying
Fandom: Person of Interest
Pairing: Harold Finch/John Reese, past Harold Finch/Nathan Ingram
Rating: General Audiences
Contains: Grief, emotional hurt/comfort, still no kisses, devotion.
Word count: 300
Summary: "You two were close," John said when Harold's voice failed him.
"You two were close," John said when Harold's voice failed him.
Harold knew it was meant as reassurance: There's a reason for what you feel. Of course it hurts. John wasn't prying; he wasn't even wondering. He was saying he already knew as much as he needed to.
The generosity of that simple acceptance bit Harold's conscience deeper than any bitter words could. Did John deserve so little?
"I loved Nathan," Harold said, painfully but distinctly, "for the better part of my life. I have never so much as known another person for as many years as I loved him, and even setting aside the risks of our line of work, it is unlikely that I ever will."
John was an arrested shape in the periphery of his vision, silent and unmoving.
"He was the first person I trusted after I left home. For decades, he was the only person I trusted." But that sounded like a choice of desperation. Harold admitted: "I didn't want anyone else. We were happy." He made a small gesture, cutting off an objection John would never make. "Of course later things grew complicated, but--we were happy."
Needing suddenly to be believed, he looked at John and found his face wide open with understanding and his hands held low at his sides, strangely helpless--but as soon as Harold's eyes met his, John flowed forward and put his arms around Harold, wonderfully close and sure.
Yet the very swiftness with which John provided the comfort he craved only inflamed Harold's sense of an intolerable disparity. Why do the best people I know always ask so little of me?
"John--" Harold clutched at him. "John, I want to make you happy."
The catch in John's breath pressed against his chest as well.
"Harold--you do."
Title: Painstaking
Fandom: Person of Interest
Pairing: Harold Finch/John Reese
Rating: General Audiences
Contains: Tending wounds, canon-typical peril, kisses finally.
Word count: 300
Summary: "That was far too close a call, Mr. Reese."
"That was far too close a call, Mr. Reese." Harold's voice trembled the way his hands didn't. He was pretty shaken up, and fair enough: John hadn't much enjoyed the thought of being dragged behind a moving truck, either.
But here he was, safe and mostly sound, with Harold picking the grit out of his hands and dabbing on antiseptic. It wasn't hard to take deep breaths and relax into it. Eventually Harold's body would catch up, too, and realize it could wind down.
"You stopped them, Harold," John said, and watched his mouth crimp while his tweezers hand stayed steady. So maybe Harold wasn't ready to let the fear go yet.
Well. Work calmed Harold down, sometimes, but this didn't seem to be one of them. A hand on his shoulder could help too, just to ground him in his own skin, but this maybe wasn't a good time for that.
That left distraction. John settled in his chair, getting comfortable. Then he said, "Guess there might have been a better way to get you to hold my hand."
Harold did flinch then, pulling away from John and curling his hands against the shaking that finally hit. "Don't joke, John. Not now."
And that--wasn't just the near miss getting to Harold. It sure wasn't disgust, either.
It looked a lot like longing tangled up in some kind of doubt or shame.
"Harold," John said urgently, reaching out, but Harold pulled back, and no wonder--John's hands were still all dirt and blood. So he got halfway to his feet instead, planting his elbows and leaning forward, and there--Harold's eyes were wide, but his lips parted, and he leaned in just the slightest bit, too, until it was a kiss.
And that was much better than any distraction.
It was really good to be back in this old fandom writing my OTP, I have to say. Maybe I'll even be able to translate the inspiration into finishing some old WIPs that have been languishing, who knows?
dorinda for Chocolate Box!Title: Intrinsic Motivation
Fandom: Person of Interest
Pairing: Harold Finch/John Reese
Other characters: Bear
Rating: General Audiences
Contains: No kisses, but loyalty kink in spades.
Word count: 300
Summary: "Foei! No!" There was an urgent scuffling over the line, and then, despairingly: "Oh, Bear." Finally resignation set in, leaving Harold's tone almost philosophical when he said, "Why is it always the rare editions?"
"Foei! No!" There was an urgent scuffling over the line, and then, despairingly: "Oh, Bear." Finally resignation set in, leaving Harold's tone almost philosophical when he said, "Why is it always the rare editions?"
John, almost to the top of the stairs, had to smile. "I don't know, Finch. Library full of dusty old books--why would he pick the ones that smell like you?"
Then he was there with them. "From your favorite bakery," he announced with pleasure, depositing the pastries in front of Harold.
"I haven't told you my favorite bakery," Harold protested, but there was that little lightening of his face, more eagerness than smile.
Occasionally, people would get pretty intense about trying to hire John away from Harold. Money, sex--a few even tried to pitch it as saving the world.
He'd hear them out, if Harold needed the time for anything. Or he'd turn them down with however much prejudice seemed appropriate.
"Name your price, then," the latest suitor had said, exasperated, but there wasn't any price to name.
Funny thing about military dogs: they don't train them with food. Partly because food runs out, and then what does the dog think--they weren't doing what you wanted?
But that isn't the whole reason. You don't stop to reward a dog in the field, either, but they figure that out okay.
Usually, you train them with toys, but getting to play with them isn't really the reward. The really important part is getting to play with you.
That was how John was able to take Bear away from those assholes who didn't give a damn about him, and how he knew Bear wouldn't let Harold down for anything.
A working dog doesn't obey to get something out of it. They do it because you ask.
Title: Without Saying
Fandom: Person of Interest
Pairing: Harold Finch/John Reese, past Harold Finch/Nathan Ingram
Rating: General Audiences
Contains: Grief, emotional hurt/comfort, still no kisses, devotion.
Word count: 300
Summary: "You two were close," John said when Harold's voice failed him.
"You two were close," John said when Harold's voice failed him.
Harold knew it was meant as reassurance: There's a reason for what you feel. Of course it hurts. John wasn't prying; he wasn't even wondering. He was saying he already knew as much as he needed to.
The generosity of that simple acceptance bit Harold's conscience deeper than any bitter words could. Did John deserve so little?
"I loved Nathan," Harold said, painfully but distinctly, "for the better part of my life. I have never so much as known another person for as many years as I loved him, and even setting aside the risks of our line of work, it is unlikely that I ever will."
John was an arrested shape in the periphery of his vision, silent and unmoving.
"He was the first person I trusted after I left home. For decades, he was the only person I trusted." But that sounded like a choice of desperation. Harold admitted: "I didn't want anyone else. We were happy." He made a small gesture, cutting off an objection John would never make. "Of course later things grew complicated, but--we were happy."
Needing suddenly to be believed, he looked at John and found his face wide open with understanding and his hands held low at his sides, strangely helpless--but as soon as Harold's eyes met his, John flowed forward and put his arms around Harold, wonderfully close and sure.
Yet the very swiftness with which John provided the comfort he craved only inflamed Harold's sense of an intolerable disparity. Why do the best people I know always ask so little of me?
"John--" Harold clutched at him. "John, I want to make you happy."
The catch in John's breath pressed against his chest as well.
"Harold--you do."
Title: Painstaking
Fandom: Person of Interest
Pairing: Harold Finch/John Reese
Rating: General Audiences
Contains: Tending wounds, canon-typical peril, kisses finally.
Word count: 300
Summary: "That was far too close a call, Mr. Reese."
"That was far too close a call, Mr. Reese." Harold's voice trembled the way his hands didn't. He was pretty shaken up, and fair enough: John hadn't much enjoyed the thought of being dragged behind a moving truck, either.
But here he was, safe and mostly sound, with Harold picking the grit out of his hands and dabbing on antiseptic. It wasn't hard to take deep breaths and relax into it. Eventually Harold's body would catch up, too, and realize it could wind down.
"You stopped them, Harold," John said, and watched his mouth crimp while his tweezers hand stayed steady. So maybe Harold wasn't ready to let the fear go yet.
Well. Work calmed Harold down, sometimes, but this didn't seem to be one of them. A hand on his shoulder could help too, just to ground him in his own skin, but this maybe wasn't a good time for that.
That left distraction. John settled in his chair, getting comfortable. Then he said, "Guess there might have been a better way to get you to hold my hand."
Harold did flinch then, pulling away from John and curling his hands against the shaking that finally hit. "Don't joke, John. Not now."
And that--wasn't just the near miss getting to Harold. It sure wasn't disgust, either.
It looked a lot like longing tangled up in some kind of doubt or shame.
"Harold," John said urgently, reaching out, but Harold pulled back, and no wonder--John's hands were still all dirt and blood. So he got halfway to his feet instead, planting his elbows and leaning forward, and there--Harold's eyes were wide, but his lips parted, and he leaned in just the slightest bit, too, until it was a kiss.
And that was much better than any distraction.
It was really good to be back in this old fandom writing my OTP, I have to say. Maybe I'll even be able to translate the inspiration into finishing some old WIPs that have been languishing, who knows?
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Date: 2019-02-28 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-01 03:47 am (UTC)