Prompt 2 for the fanfic100 challenge...

[myfics]

Title: The Middle
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Harry/Ron/Hermione
Prompt: 2. Middles
Word Count: 269

In a relationship like theirs, someone must always be in the middle. Sometimes it’s whoever wants to be cheered up. Sometimes it’s whoever has been away recently and needs to be reminded of where home is. But sometimes, it’s just whoever needs it the most.

When Ron lost his job, they both showed him that it was okay and things would get better soon. They loved him no matter what and they would be fine until he found something he loved.

When Hermione was in the middle, they showed her that it was okay that she was away so often doing her research or working. They loved her no matter what and would support her because for every hour that she was away, it only made their reunion that much sweeter.

When Harry is in the middle, it’s never because he wants to celebrate or he needs cheering up. Sometimes they know he needs it because he tells them about a nightmare he had last night about the war. Sometimes, he walks around muttering under his breath and shaking. Then they know it’s time. But more often than not, they see it in his eyes. Those emerald green orbs tell them everything that they need to know. And those times are the most special because they each take the time to love him so completely that even if it’s only for that brief moment, he forgets the past and the future, and there is only the three of them, moving as one.

Those nights, it doesn’t really matter who’s in the middle. They’re just grateful that they’re all there.




Title: Trapped
Rating: PG
Pairing: Monica/Chandler
Prompt: 2. Middles
Word Count: 186

They’re trapped. Trapped in the middle of being friends and lovers, some gray area in between. Outwardly, they still act as if nothing has happened, as if they haven’t shattered the invisible wall that separates the two distinct types of relationships. They still tease each other the same as before. He still steals food from her refrigerator as though his life depends on it (and with a roommate like Joey, it probably does). He’s still, at the end of the day, her brother’s best friend.

Behind closed doors, everything is different. A smile in here lights up her life in a way that a smile out there never could. His arm around her shoulder takes on a whole new meaning. A simple touch of his hand to her face suddenly becomes a scary, life-changing event. Deep down, she knows that they’ll have to tell eventually. They can’t keep hiding this thing that’s between them, if for no other reason than she’s going to explode soon.

Monica knows deep down that she and Chandler can’t stay stuck in the middle forever. Eventually, something will have to give.






Title: Give Her Something
Rating: PG
Pairing: Ross/Rachel
Prompt: 2. Middles
Word Count: 306

When it comes to Rachel, Ross will always be stuck in the middle. There are days when he hates her and wishes she’d never came back into his life. Then there are days when all he can do it look at her and think, God, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. But the problem with Rachel is that she’s his life’s greatest tragedy; the best thing that could ever happen to him, but also the worst at the same time. She’s everything he’s ever needed and wanted, but at the same time, she’s exactly those things that repel him just on principle.

He can never really give her everything he has. Not again, anyway. He did that once, when she finally opened her eyes and saw that everything she ever wanted was right there in front of her, and look what happened. She put everything else in her life before him, purposely trying to distance herself from him. In the ensuing months that it took him to get over her, he figured out that she did this because he was too much, too fast and she couldn’t handle it.

Ross knows that he can never give himself to her entirely ever again. But when he looks into her eyes, he knows that he has to give her something. He can’t go through life pretending that some days he doesn’t love her, because he really does. He can’t ignore that rush he gets every time her hand brushes his. He can’t overlook the heat he sees in her eyes she when she meets his. He doesn’t want to.

She’s his lobster, after all. Lobsters stick together through the new jobs, the copy girls, and the quickie marriages to British chippies. That’s just what they do. And Ross knows that. Who is he to tempt Fate?




...and the Friends muscles are starting to come back! Yessss! They're not back completely yet, but let's just say that oil has been added to the rusty joints and it was muchly appreciated. :-D

Comments

[octagonal.livejournal.com]

Ahahahaha, man. That ship will still be there to claim when you're done with all 300 of yours, I'm sure.

OOOH. I have a thing about the claiming of challenges like that and I just want to claim one SO MUCH. But, you know. Mine would be so bad! XD <-- Off topic.

[guest-age.livejournal.com]

You should claim C/H/MM! I guarantee you you could do it. You can take as long as you want, and it's honestly not that hard to write! If you can make graphics, then you've already got your creative juices flowing! :-D