Branches: The Bad Ending

[skylarkrogers]

Originally, this book was the prequel to a series of 7 books, the rough drafts of which I will happily bury and disallow from reaching the light of day, except in small pieces. And importantly, in that series, when Thairn shows up, he and Illa are not together in any way except the unwanted arranged marriage, and Illa is not at all comfortable with his presence.

Well, I started on this prequel, and they had such a good rapport, I could clearly see that the only way to get it to fit the series was to have a sad ending.

But then I went through so much anti-queer shit and saw too many stories about queer relationships come out with either entirely awful endings or "happy" endings that weren't at all happy. So I said fuck it, and let the characters do as they would.

Anyway, the original series is no longer the fate of this series. The new version of Thairn has changed the game. Mickey fucking Morley has changed the game. And I like the new series better.

But here, nonetheless, I'll give you what I originally had sketched out for the ending:

 

Mickey opened the hotel suite door dressed in the frilliest of his frilly aprons, pink and polka-dot. "Jack! Dani! I never thought you'd come. Where'd you put pouty-face?"

"He's investigating something." Dani said, following him in.

Jack came, too, "Glad to see you in town. How are--is that a girl?"

"I didn't even think you liked girls," Dani said.

"Of course I do. Among other things. Thairn is other things."

"So flattering," the not-a-girl wrapped up in a red silk robe at the kitchenette table said, holding a mug of tea and looking more amused than offended. She? He? They? had an androgynous voice and long blonde hair, and peeking out from underneath it was a pair of gold and white wings like a grasshopper. A fairy? "If you'd told me your friends were coming so early, I'd have dressed better."

"Sorry," Jack said, "We weren't sure when to come by..."

"Thairn likes my frilly aprons," Mickey informed Dani in a tone like an eight-year-old.

It didn't matter how old and mature and worldly she was; Dani stuck out her tongue and hid behind her brother before Mickey could do anything.

            "They look good on you," Thairn said, while flicking through a phone on the table, then turning it off and sighing.

            "Your fiancé still won't write you?"

            "Not a word."

            Dani looked between the two of them. "I wonder why."

            Mickey lifted a finger. "I am the least of their problems." He ducked into the kitchen.

            "Your family's one of our problems," Thairn called over.

            "He likes me!" came Mickey's voice. "He said so once."

            A snort, then she directed her attention to them. "Feel free to sit down. I'll change once I finish this tea. It is nice to meet you; Mickey says you're the most tolerable people he's ever met."

            "That's a compliment!" came Mickey's shout from the kitchen.

            "I think his plan is to bring you muffins, and I would heartily recommend you eat only as much as you think will be polite."

            From the kitchen, "Heard that."