cloversworld (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cloversworld) wrote2012-03-04 09:13 am
cloversworld) wrote2012-03-04 09:13 am
Entry tags:
AU Fic: Outcasts
Outcasts
written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
au_bingo, prompt: dystopia
fandom: american idol; pairing: cook/ archie; rating: pg; approximately 1,870 words
Disclaimer: I do not own American Idol nor am I affiliated with the characters used in this story. This is only fiction, created for non-profitable purpose.
Author's Note(s):
- I know I said I won't be writing any cookleta fics for a while since I want to finish all cookleta WIPs first. But I am aiming to fill a black out for the au bingo card and some plots just point to the pairing.
- This fic is based on or more like inspired by No. 6, both the animé and manga, just changed the name of the city/ area to Region 6. It's a rushed version and as open-ended as the animé.
My AU bingo card
It shouldn't feel like this, like there's this gaping hole in his chest and he feels absolutely nothing. There should be envy or jealousy or regret, at least. Allison is getting the chance to study abroad, something Archie had always wanted – or used to want, but not anymore.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Allison nudges him with her shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You're jealous, aren't ya?" she said, tone teasing and her eyes flickering with excitement and maybe a little pride. "You could've made it, too, you know? We should be going there together. If only you didn't turn down the privilege to take the Special Exam four years ago."
Archie sighs, trying to fight the urge to clear things up but fails and he ends up muttering, "I didn't turn it down, Allie, I…" He swallows the words now rising up his throat. He can't tell her everything, can't risk anyone hearing him. But Allison is his best friend and she deserves to know the truth. Or just a part of it. "Something happened that made them strip me off my privileges as an Elite. I was revoked of the right to take the Special Exam."
"What happened, Archie?" Allison's face turns serious. "Was it so horrible that they removed you and your mom from Chronos and transferred you to the Lost Town?"
"I can't tell you." Archie tears his gaze away from Allison's, afraid to see the hurt and disappointment he often sees every time he has to hold back information from her. "Lost Town isn't so bad. Mom has her bake shop business and I'm doing okay with my job as a park supervisor."
Allison snorts, says, "Yeah, right," which sounds more like you're a bad liar and Archie can feel her eyes burning a hole on the side of his face. "You were one of the top Elite, Archie, if not the best in class. You had so much potential and everyone was rooting for you to succeed. It makes me wonder what you could've done to lose all that."
The words that left Allison's mouth stir up memories Archie's been trying to repress and his mind inevitably slips back to one particular stormy night four years past, back to the night he met Cook. But Archie can't tell Allison about Cook, about how Cook had escaped from the reformatory, and he can't certainly tell her how he hid Cook from the Authorities and let him escape the next morning without calling the Ministry of Peace. He doesn't regret it though, even if he's lost the right to live in the upper class society of Region 6. Cook has become his close friend ever since.
After lunch, they part on the bridge leading back to the main heart of the City. Allison tells Archie she's leaving in two days and Archie feels a weight settle in his chest. Why does it feel like this is the last time he'll ever see his friend?
*
Archie dreads to come to work, the unusual incident yesterday at the park still fresh in his mind.
"There's a young woman here earlier, says she's the wife of the man we found dead yesterday," is the first thing Jason says when Archie enters the monitoring room.
"Young woman?" Archie asks because the man they found looked like he's around eighty years old. Archie's jaw drops when Jason says that the dead man was only thirty-one and Archie doesn't realize he's voicing out his thoughts. "That's weird. I wonder if there's some plague in the City and the Authorities are hiding information from us."
Jason looks appalled and he rises from his chair, blurting out, "Don't. Don't you dare say anything against the City and its Authorities. Someone can hear you," while inching his way to the tea corner. With trembling hands, Jason grabs a cup, asks, "You want some tea?" but his fingers barely curls around the pot's handle when his whole body starts convulsing violently.
"Jason?"
Everything that happens next is a blur of Jason collapsing and aging rapidly, making him look like he's suddenly eighty in years. The next thing Archie knows, he's being taken by Public Security, accusing him of murder.
"Where are you taking me?" Archie asks when they push him inside the car, panic rushing through his bloodstream.
"The Correctional Facility," one of the men announces and Archie can see his whole life flashing before him. Just as Archie starts wondering if he'll ever see his mom again, the car stops. There's something in the middle of the road. Archie's not able to see what it is though because a shadow falls over them. A hooded figure pulls the men out of the car, kicking and throwing punches as if the men are made of paper.
When the hood comes off the stranger to reveal disheveled auburn hair, Archie feels his heart drop. "Cook?"
*
So Cook saves Archie from whatever hell the Public Security men were taking him, asks—or more like demands Archie to get rid of his identification bracelet ("But this has my registration number, Cook!" Archie yells only to have Cook tell him twice to trash it) then steals a pickup truck so they can escape from the endless shower of bullets.
"How did you know where I was or that I was in trouble?" Archie asks, feeling his heart race more because of Cook's proximity than the fact that he has barely gotten out of a sticky situation unscathed. It's a feeling he's been having for the past year, emotions that grip at him every time Cook visits and Archie has always, always been so afraid to explore it.
"Let's just say I've been keeping an eye on you," Cook says without taking his eyes off the road.
"Have you been stalking me?" Archie knows the very idea should daunt him, but instead it sends a thrill up his spine.
"Don't flatter yourself, Archuleta." Cook's eyes keep on springing up to the rear view mirror, prompting Archie to do the same.
"No one's following us," Archie says thoughtfully and he should be relieved but there's this strange thought gnawing at the back of his head.
"What did you do anyway? Why are they taking you to the Correctional Facility?"
Archie doesn't even try to hide the defensive lilt in his tone when he hollers, "Nothing!" because it's true. As far as he's concerned, he hasn't done or said anything wrong. Then the thought of Jason touches the forefront of his jumbled brain. "Or… or it might be something." He wonders if he should tell Cook. But he realizes Cook is probably the only one he can trust now.
"You don't have to tell me if you think you'll get into more trouble with the Authorities." Cook's voice is soft, barely audible and judging from the way his jaw seems to tighten and his knuckles going white from gripping on the steering wheel, Archie can tell Cook meant otherwise.
"I think it's a little too late for that." Archie believes he's already waist-deep in trouble anyway. He tells Cook about the dead man they found in the park the day before, about how Archie had expressed his suspicions that there may be a possible conspiracy and about what happened to Jason.
"So… there's a plague in the City and the Authorities are keeping it a secret." Cook chuckles, a low rumble that makes Archie's entrails twist in knots. "You should've known they have listening devices in your work place. They watch every citizen of Region Six like a hawk. Why do you think the Authorities make you wear bracelets?"
"We have to inform the Bureau of Health," Archie says and he bites his tongue when Cook laughs out loud this time.
"What makes you think the Bureau of Health isn't behind this?" Something cold and sinister flashes in Cook's eyes. "For all we know, they might be involved in some illegal experiments." As soon as the incriminatory phrase pour out of Cook's mouth, a Public Security car comes skidding out of nowhere and are soon close behind them.
"Hold tight." Cook steps on the pedal, bringing the truck toward the wall that surrounds the City. "Get down," he says in an uncharacteristically calm way when they're almost at the gates
Archie caught a glimpse of the massive steel doors sliding down at an alarming rate. Oh gosh. "We'll never make it!"
"I said get down!" Cook yells and reaches out to shove Archie's head down.
All Archie hears next is the sound of a crash and it feels like he's been thrown over the edge of a cliff, shards of glass raining on his back. In a heartbeat, it seems he's stuck somewhere between reality and dream.
The vehicle skids to a stop and Cook says, "Get out," sounding frighteningly unruffled as if they didn't just cross the dangerous line between survival and death. Cook hauls Archie out of the wreck before Archie can even feel his legs then drags Archie through the sewers. It seems like hours have passed when they finally climb out of a duct and he finds himself at the edge of the West District.
Archie stands on top of the hill, eyes surveying the slums and ruins that stretch beyond the dried, arid land. "Is this…?" The desiccated area is a complete opposite of Region 6, like it has been stripped away of its right to exist.
"Welcome to reality, Arch."
His head is as heavy as lead when Archie twists around to glance back at towering walls that hides the City he has called home for the past sixteen years.
"It's no use looking back." The warmth of Cook's palm against the small of Archie's back should be comforting enough to ease Archie's qualms but nothing can placate him right now.
Archie wonders what his life will be from this point on, wonders if he'll ever have the chance to return to Region 6 and most of all, he wonders if there's a way to let his mom know where he is.
"You're thinking about your mother," Cook says and his eyes are dim when Archie meets them. "I'll find a way to send her a message. We need to get moving." Cook begins his descent. "Follow me."
Archie puts one foot in front of the other with great effort. The thought of being an outcast draining all the energy he has left. He keeps his gaze on the ground and only looks up when Cook stops to hook a finger under his chin.
"Hey." The shadow of contempt that usually clouds Cook's face dissipates, an alluring gentleness settling in its place. "You'll be fine, I promise," Cook whispers then leans closer.
The kiss is chaste, just a brush of their lips, but it's enough to push all the uncertainties and misgivings out of Archie's chest.
Archie remains rooted on the ground for a while, his fingertips lingering on his lower lip. He snaps out of trance when Cook says, "Come. I'll show you your new home," and Archie thinks that maybe… maybe living in the West District won't be so bad. As long as Cook is with him.
~fin~
written for
au_bingo, prompt: dystopiafandom: american idol; pairing: cook/ archie; rating: pg; approximately 1,870 words
Disclaimer: I do not own American Idol nor am I affiliated with the characters used in this story. This is only fiction, created for non-profitable purpose.
Author's Note(s):
- I know I said I won't be writing any cookleta fics for a while since I want to finish all cookleta WIPs first. But I am aiming to fill a black out for the au bingo card and some plots just point to the pairing.
- This fic is based on or more like inspired by No. 6, both the animé and manga, just changed the name of the city/ area to Region 6. It's a rushed version and as open-ended as the animé.
My AU bingo card
It shouldn't feel like this, like there's this gaping hole in his chest and he feels absolutely nothing. There should be envy or jealousy or regret, at least. Allison is getting the chance to study abroad, something Archie had always wanted – or used to want, but not anymore.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Allison nudges him with her shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You're jealous, aren't ya?" she said, tone teasing and her eyes flickering with excitement and maybe a little pride. "You could've made it, too, you know? We should be going there together. If only you didn't turn down the privilege to take the Special Exam four years ago."
Archie sighs, trying to fight the urge to clear things up but fails and he ends up muttering, "I didn't turn it down, Allie, I…" He swallows the words now rising up his throat. He can't tell her everything, can't risk anyone hearing him. But Allison is his best friend and she deserves to know the truth. Or just a part of it. "Something happened that made them strip me off my privileges as an Elite. I was revoked of the right to take the Special Exam."
"What happened, Archie?" Allison's face turns serious. "Was it so horrible that they removed you and your mom from Chronos and transferred you to the Lost Town?"
"I can't tell you." Archie tears his gaze away from Allison's, afraid to see the hurt and disappointment he often sees every time he has to hold back information from her. "Lost Town isn't so bad. Mom has her bake shop business and I'm doing okay with my job as a park supervisor."
Allison snorts, says, "Yeah, right," which sounds more like you're a bad liar and Archie can feel her eyes burning a hole on the side of his face. "You were one of the top Elite, Archie, if not the best in class. You had so much potential and everyone was rooting for you to succeed. It makes me wonder what you could've done to lose all that."
The words that left Allison's mouth stir up memories Archie's been trying to repress and his mind inevitably slips back to one particular stormy night four years past, back to the night he met Cook. But Archie can't tell Allison about Cook, about how Cook had escaped from the reformatory, and he can't certainly tell her how he hid Cook from the Authorities and let him escape the next morning without calling the Ministry of Peace. He doesn't regret it though, even if he's lost the right to live in the upper class society of Region 6. Cook has become his close friend ever since.
After lunch, they part on the bridge leading back to the main heart of the City. Allison tells Archie she's leaving in two days and Archie feels a weight settle in his chest. Why does it feel like this is the last time he'll ever see his friend?
*
Archie dreads to come to work, the unusual incident yesterday at the park still fresh in his mind.
"There's a young woman here earlier, says she's the wife of the man we found dead yesterday," is the first thing Jason says when Archie enters the monitoring room.
"Young woman?" Archie asks because the man they found looked like he's around eighty years old. Archie's jaw drops when Jason says that the dead man was only thirty-one and Archie doesn't realize he's voicing out his thoughts. "That's weird. I wonder if there's some plague in the City and the Authorities are hiding information from us."
Jason looks appalled and he rises from his chair, blurting out, "Don't. Don't you dare say anything against the City and its Authorities. Someone can hear you," while inching his way to the tea corner. With trembling hands, Jason grabs a cup, asks, "You want some tea?" but his fingers barely curls around the pot's handle when his whole body starts convulsing violently.
"Jason?"
Everything that happens next is a blur of Jason collapsing and aging rapidly, making him look like he's suddenly eighty in years. The next thing Archie knows, he's being taken by Public Security, accusing him of murder.
"Where are you taking me?" Archie asks when they push him inside the car, panic rushing through his bloodstream.
"The Correctional Facility," one of the men announces and Archie can see his whole life flashing before him. Just as Archie starts wondering if he'll ever see his mom again, the car stops. There's something in the middle of the road. Archie's not able to see what it is though because a shadow falls over them. A hooded figure pulls the men out of the car, kicking and throwing punches as if the men are made of paper.
When the hood comes off the stranger to reveal disheveled auburn hair, Archie feels his heart drop. "Cook?"
*
So Cook saves Archie from whatever hell the Public Security men were taking him, asks—or more like demands Archie to get rid of his identification bracelet ("But this has my registration number, Cook!" Archie yells only to have Cook tell him twice to trash it) then steals a pickup truck so they can escape from the endless shower of bullets.
"How did you know where I was or that I was in trouble?" Archie asks, feeling his heart race more because of Cook's proximity than the fact that he has barely gotten out of a sticky situation unscathed. It's a feeling he's been having for the past year, emotions that grip at him every time Cook visits and Archie has always, always been so afraid to explore it.
"Let's just say I've been keeping an eye on you," Cook says without taking his eyes off the road.
"Have you been stalking me?" Archie knows the very idea should daunt him, but instead it sends a thrill up his spine.
"Don't flatter yourself, Archuleta." Cook's eyes keep on springing up to the rear view mirror, prompting Archie to do the same.
"No one's following us," Archie says thoughtfully and he should be relieved but there's this strange thought gnawing at the back of his head.
"What did you do anyway? Why are they taking you to the Correctional Facility?"
Archie doesn't even try to hide the defensive lilt in his tone when he hollers, "Nothing!" because it's true. As far as he's concerned, he hasn't done or said anything wrong. Then the thought of Jason touches the forefront of his jumbled brain. "Or… or it might be something." He wonders if he should tell Cook. But he realizes Cook is probably the only one he can trust now.
"You don't have to tell me if you think you'll get into more trouble with the Authorities." Cook's voice is soft, barely audible and judging from the way his jaw seems to tighten and his knuckles going white from gripping on the steering wheel, Archie can tell Cook meant otherwise.
"I think it's a little too late for that." Archie believes he's already waist-deep in trouble anyway. He tells Cook about the dead man they found in the park the day before, about how Archie had expressed his suspicions that there may be a possible conspiracy and about what happened to Jason.
"So… there's a plague in the City and the Authorities are keeping it a secret." Cook chuckles, a low rumble that makes Archie's entrails twist in knots. "You should've known they have listening devices in your work place. They watch every citizen of Region Six like a hawk. Why do you think the Authorities make you wear bracelets?"
"We have to inform the Bureau of Health," Archie says and he bites his tongue when Cook laughs out loud this time.
"What makes you think the Bureau of Health isn't behind this?" Something cold and sinister flashes in Cook's eyes. "For all we know, they might be involved in some illegal experiments." As soon as the incriminatory phrase pour out of Cook's mouth, a Public Security car comes skidding out of nowhere and are soon close behind them.
"Hold tight." Cook steps on the pedal, bringing the truck toward the wall that surrounds the City. "Get down," he says in an uncharacteristically calm way when they're almost at the gates
Archie caught a glimpse of the massive steel doors sliding down at an alarming rate. Oh gosh. "We'll never make it!"
"I said get down!" Cook yells and reaches out to shove Archie's head down.
All Archie hears next is the sound of a crash and it feels like he's been thrown over the edge of a cliff, shards of glass raining on his back. In a heartbeat, it seems he's stuck somewhere between reality and dream.
The vehicle skids to a stop and Cook says, "Get out," sounding frighteningly unruffled as if they didn't just cross the dangerous line between survival and death. Cook hauls Archie out of the wreck before Archie can even feel his legs then drags Archie through the sewers. It seems like hours have passed when they finally climb out of a duct and he finds himself at the edge of the West District.
Archie stands on top of the hill, eyes surveying the slums and ruins that stretch beyond the dried, arid land. "Is this…?" The desiccated area is a complete opposite of Region 6, like it has been stripped away of its right to exist.
"Welcome to reality, Arch."
His head is as heavy as lead when Archie twists around to glance back at towering walls that hides the City he has called home for the past sixteen years.
"It's no use looking back." The warmth of Cook's palm against the small of Archie's back should be comforting enough to ease Archie's qualms but nothing can placate him right now.
Archie wonders what his life will be from this point on, wonders if he'll ever have the chance to return to Region 6 and most of all, he wonders if there's a way to let his mom know where he is.
"You're thinking about your mother," Cook says and his eyes are dim when Archie meets them. "I'll find a way to send her a message. We need to get moving." Cook begins his descent. "Follow me."
Archie puts one foot in front of the other with great effort. The thought of being an outcast draining all the energy he has left. He keeps his gaze on the ground and only looks up when Cook stops to hook a finger under his chin.
"Hey." The shadow of contempt that usually clouds Cook's face dissipates, an alluring gentleness settling in its place. "You'll be fine, I promise," Cook whispers then leans closer.
The kiss is chaste, just a brush of their lips, but it's enough to push all the uncertainties and misgivings out of Archie's chest.
Archie remains rooted on the ground for a while, his fingertips lingering on his lower lip. He snaps out of trance when Cook says, "Come. I'll show you your new home," and Archie thinks that maybe… maybe living in the West District won't be so bad. As long as Cook is with him.
~fin~
no subject
And the open ending is great, very fitting. I also love this line:
"Don't flatter yourself, Archuleta." Cook's eyes keep on springing up to the rear view mirror, prompting Archie to do the same.
Hahahah I ♥ your Cook. That is all.
no subject
glad you liked it :) thanks for reading.
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