dS flashfic: "All You Need's a Friend" (PG)

[hsavinien]

Title:  All You Need's a Friend
Author: H. Savinien
Fandom: due South
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Atlantis/Alliance and the Pauls.
Wordcount: 300
A.N.: Written for ds_snippets  Tag Amnesty Event #3, prompt: "worn down by strangers; all you need's a friend."  Pre-series and gen.

***

Benton closed the door and toed off his boots with two dull thuds, leaving them on the mat to dry.  He moved automatically through the indoor chores, lighting the stove and putting a kettle on to boil before stripping down.  The dirty clothing he left in a heap; neatness hardly mattered with clothes stiff with the dirt and sweat of a pursuit.  He washed quickly in the still-chilly water from the basin and pulled on a clean pair of long-johns, absently stretching his sore shoulder.  Benton made his tea, sat, and let his head drop.

Aylesbridge was a perfectly adequate posting, a small outpost that served a town of 944 and a territory of over 1000 square kilometres.  The sergeant looked at him bemusedly whenever he entered the office, the cleaning staff (seventeen-year-old Shareen) pouted at him, and Mrs. Bekker, who ran the only diner, hadn’t served him since he’d arrested her cousin’s nephew for trafficking drugs.  This time it had been the aftermath of a sexual assault case, made more complicated by the survivor’s extreme reticence in revealing that her attacker had been her ex-girlfriend.

Benton rubbed his eyes and reached unseeingly for the breadbox.  The loaf should still be fairly fresh and pemmican, while amazing in its properties, was a rather tedious diet.  He tore off a piece absently and ate, the sound of his jaw working almost unbearably abrupt. 

A sharp bark from outdoors jerked his head up so sharply his neck cracked.  

Benton’s chair screeched on the floor and he had the door open for Diefenbaker three strides later.  Dief jumped up on him to dirty his clean clothes with damp paws and breathe dead mouse in his face and Benton felt his face stretch into a real smile for the first time in a week.

Comments

[akite.livejournal.com]

Awwww...Dief. I imagine that it would be tough policing in a very small town, but that Bekker woman is mean. Fraser needs a friend to make him smile.

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Somewhat unsurprising in a close community, but still sad. He really does.

[sl_walker]

Awww...! Poor Fraser! So glad Dief was there to give him some company.

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Yup, Dief is a big help.

[akamine_chan]

Awwww. *pets Fraser*

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Yeah...he's bad at connecting like that sometimes.

[lucifuge-5.livejournal.com]

*pets Fraser*

I really liked how this snippet went from a somber and worn out tone to a more peaceful one. \Diefenbaker!/

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Dief is a help.

[exbex.livejournal.com]

<3 It's simple but it's very moving.

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much.

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

That's really moving.
Dief coming in and Fraser smiling - it's like the sun coming out <3

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much.

[hazelwho.livejournal.com]

Aww, poor Fraser. *pets him* Dief FTW!!

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Dief FTW indeed.

[spuffyduds.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's lovely.

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly.

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, Benton! I like this stark reality that we don't always see in due South. This look at Fraser's loneliness is so sad! Lucky thing he's got Dief there to bring him some companionship.

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Not always, no, but it's certainly there. Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[mergatrude.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is really well done. *hugs Benton*

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly.

[ride-4ever.livejournal.com]

Touched by this! *hugs Fraser, pets Dief"

[hsavinien.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly. ^_^