fic, Lost: Let Time Stand Still (Jacob/Richard), PG13

[janie_tangerine]

Title: Let Time Stand Still
Rating: PG13
Pairing: Jacob/Richard
Words: 1138
Spoilers: heavy for the season five finale. Probably also in the summary.
Summary: After all, it's all about the island; it's about who gets to stay and who has to leave because it's too big for the two of them. For Richard, well, for Richard it's all about who stands in the end. In one case, things go on, in the other, not so much. After all, his destiny became Jacob's the day he woke on a beach after a shipwreck; there's no backing out now, and he doesn't even want to.
Disclaimer: nope, Lost isn't mine. NEWS!
A/N: for the most lovely Queen emiliglia at lostsquee who wanted S6 speculation. Er. I really wish I could have given you some nice reset scenario which I hadn't already written, but it didn't want to happen and, er, considering that what interested me most about Lost S5 were those two and it happened. I hope you like it! ♥ Using for 10_shakespeare, 'I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it.' Title stolen from a random Jeff Buckley song which doesn't have a thing to do with this otherwise.

Richard tries not to hurry; that wouldn't really do. Not now.

He takes a breath, hoping that people don't notice his absence long enough for him to reach his destination; that's why he wants to run, but it really wouldn't do, not now, not when if someone discovers him (John Locke especially, or what is pretending to be John Locke) there would really be some trouble. He shakes his head, then speeds up just a bit. When he casts glances behind him, the path he came from is empty. Good. He's far enough now; people probably already noticed that he sneaked away in the confusion, but no one will reach him before he arrives.

He gets to what the crash survivors referred to as the caves in another twenty minutes, more or less; they're abandoned, but there's still some trace of their passage. Some clothes, plastic bottles, a random bag, a diary. Any other day he'd have picked them up; not this one. He quickly gets into one specific cave, walks for maybe twenty second and reaches an inside waterfall; then goes forward, gets through the cascade and finds himself in another cave, separated from the rest.

There's a fire in a corner, and Jacob is sitting near there. There's a noticeable spot of blood on his shirt, but it's dried and he doesn't movie like he's wounded. Richard knows there should be a rip too, but as far as he sees the cloth is in perfect conditions, blood excluded. Richard wordlessly comes forward and sits in front of him, hoping that the fire helps drying him soon.

"Did it work?" Jacob asks, calmly, like it was just common business. Richard shrugs and raises his head.

"If you mean, does everyone think you're dead, then it did. Did you really need to go through... that, though? Didn't it hurt?"

"That was a projection. It might have, but nothing I can't bear. He should know better than thinking it'd be so easy, but let him believe what he wants for now. They need to believe I'm dead, for now."

"Well, I won't be the one questioning your decisions," Richard says, feeling slightly warmer and way less drenched. "It's not my place to."

"You know you're welcome to share doubts, if you have them. No one wants an advisor who doesn't speak his mind."

It isn't the first time Richard hears this and it probably won't be the last, and he keeps his face as neutral as possible.

"You know I never said I was one. And since I've known you, there never was a decision you took which wasn't the right one, in the short run or long one. I can't see why I should start questioning now. If you believe that this is the right course of action, then... then I will follow it."

As always, is unsaid. Jacob nods, but he still doesn't look satisfied and Richard doesn't drop his stare just on principle.

"There's something on your mind, though."

"No. I just... I'm glad I didn't have to see it. I might have blown the cover up."

It's a lie, and Richard knows that Jacob knows. He's thankful when Jacob lets it drop, though.

"Anyway. Before I left, Ben said you said something about them coming. You mean that..."

"The people you helped with the bomb thirty years ago, yes."

"They're... they survived?"

No answer. Just a tiny smile and a hand reaching closer to the flames. Richard is about to ask why didn't he ever tell when he realizes he should have known. After all, if he brought Juliet Burke to the island in 2001, she can't have died in 1977. And if everyone else was from the plane crash they couldn't have possibly died thirty years before.

"Right. And then?"

"And then it'll be time to end things once and for all."

Richard nods, knowing what it means. After all, it's all about the island; it's about who gets to stay and who has to leave because it's too big for the two of them. For Richard, well, for Richard it's all about who stands in the end. In one case, things go on, in the other, not so much. After all, his destiny became Jacob's the day he woke on a beach after a shipwreck; there's no backing out now, and he doesn't even want to. If it implies a cheat like this one was, so it shall be.

"Will you stay here?" Richard asks, his hands and clothes dried by this point. Jacob nods, his hand retreating. Richard unconsciously breathes out in relief. Too close to the fire, and he hasn't even witnessed it. But he can't help it; even if he hasn't been human (or at least not completely, in some ways he still is) for almost two centuries, he hasn't lost all of his humanity and, to be honest, he hopes he never does lose it. That's what makes Richard different from Jacob and him, but he wouldn't ever renounce it, inconvenient as it might be. He raises his head again, looking straight in front of him; Jacob's eyes are blue and clear and shine with something inhuman, but it's alright; it's the way it is. Richard wordlessly stands up and goes to sit next to Jacob on the opposite site of the fire; a hand which was still over Jacob's knee suddenly places itself over Richard's and Richard breathes out, his face not showing a reaction on the outside. It doesn't matter; he thinks that Jacob can actually feel how grateful he feels right now.

"I will until it becomes dangerous. In case, you will know where I am. Remember, not a word until it's time."

Richard nods and turns his attention from the fire. Jacob's lips are turned into the barest hint of a smile and Richard just waits.

"They'll be here soon."

"Alright."

"You will meet them before they can."

"And then it starts?"

"Then it starts. But don't go just now. There's still some time to spare."

Yes, Richard mouths, and then lips press against his and a hand grips the back of his neck; Richard shivers, reminders of a first time doing this floating through his head, a first time when the kiss had been a mean and maybe nothing more, or maybe not. There's something unique about this, about the taste and how it feels and about Jacob as a whole, but that's just the point. After all, Richard did lose himself to this too much time ago to count. There's time, he thinks as his hands' grip on the white cloth of Jacob's shirt gets a bit too tight, and he doesn't pay a thought to the blood staining it. There's time, and if it ends the right way, there always will be.

End.

Comments

[lostpuffin.livejournal.com]

Interesting. And brings back all the many questions in my own head about what Richard's role in all this really is, and how much does he know, and how much is he just following directions, and... and...
anyway, this was good. :)

After all, it's all about the island; it's about who gets to stay and who has to leave because it's too big for the two of them.
Hmmmmm. :D

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! Ha, I don't have the barest idea about how Richard is exactly involved in that whole mess. Too complicated for me to come up with, but I like to think that he and Jacob are in some sort of willing partnership ;) Thanks again, glad you liked it! ♥

[siluria]

Ooooooooooh *ponders* Well this definitely makes you think (and the thought of Jacob and Richard is also a little hot ;). Very nice!!

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Thaaank you! Well, those two are a visual, aren't they? ;) Glad you liked it!

[toestastegood.livejournal.com]

Ha, if only Richard/Jacob kisses were what was really in store for us with S6! ;) I find that whole branch of the mythology to be so interesting, Jacob and his human pet friend. The thought of Jacob's death being planned and a total fake-out is so Lost! And, aww, the two of them grabbing a kiss in what little spare time they have is unexpectedly sad and adorable. ♥

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Uh, wouldn't it be the best thing ever? I'd totally sign up for that, lol. And I think that those two are the only part of the mythology I'm seriously invested in, so much glad you liked this. ♥ And ha, I wouldn't be surprised if Jacob's death was a fake-out. I mean, seriously, am I supposed to believe it was THAT easy to kill him off? ;)

[ozmissage.livejournal.com]

This was wonderful! It has this wonderful sense of foreboding, like something is coming just around the corner, but you don't know what it is. It made me feel a little anxious.

Oh, and Richard is spot on. You balanced that mix of humanity and other-worldliness that makes him such an interesting character perfectly.

Awesome fic!

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much! *blushes* I was seriously squeeing when I read that you liked Richard because it was the first time I wrote him and he's way too elusive for my tastes, so that really made me a happy camper. And glad you liked the whole atmosphere too, thanks so much!

[wandaxmaximoff.livejournal.com]

Awesome story. I think this is the first Richard pairing I've found and liked/ made sense of (because, with anyone else, Richard's 'other-worldliness' makes it hard to imagine him with a mere mortal).

I LOVED the idea that Jacob projected himself to fake his death and give his side enough time before fakeLocke finds out, so that the Losties can arrive in the current timeline.

However, one line didn't ring true for me.

After all, if he brought Juliet Burke to the island in 2001, she can't have died in 1977. And if everyone else was from the plane crash they couldn't have possibly died thirty years before.

It was my understanding - after watching Some Like it Hoth and The Variable - that the Losties could indeed die in 1977, but still be able to come to the island in 2004, because the crash is their past and the events from season five/ 1977 is their present.

Aside from that though, I thought you did a wonderful job with this story. The characterization of both Richard and Jacob was perfect. Your use of language and description really set up the scene and the tension/ forboding of it. Plus, the Richard/ Jacob kiss at the end was SO hot!!

Great job!!

~ Wanda

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

OMG *is flattered* wow, thank you so much! It's awesome to hear you liked this. ;)

I kinda love the idea of this pairing. I'm not much into Richard paired romantically either but those two together have some kind of rightness, or at least I think they would have that.

Much glad to know the fake death worked! Sincerely I can't buy that Jacob would be that easy to kill. Either he wanted to be killed or it was a fake because I mean, that easy? I'd be surprised if he was really dead.

Uh, ha, you got me on the part that gave me most problems. Point is, I don't think I got everything about the time-travel thing, but that line was what I ended up headdesking while writing that conversation because I think my head just can't wrap around the idea of someone dying in the seventies and being alive thirty years later. I think it's like you said and I kinda had one similar idea, but it had become too messy to explain and I couldn't find the space in this for time traveling discussion. Argh, I'll probably spend a night thinking about it and then I'll edit, thanks for pointing that out. ;)

And aw, thank you for the lovely comment re the characterization because Richard is pretty elusive and I had never written him before. And ha, well, the source material makes things hot on default but much glad you liked the kiss too. ♥ Thanks so much again!! ♥

[wandaxmaximoff.livejournal.com]

OMG *is flattered* wow, thank you so much! It's awesome to hear you liked this. ;)

I kinda love the idea of this pairing. I'm not much into Richard paired romantically either but those two together have some kind of rightness, or at least I think they would have that.

You're most, most welcome. I mostly read and write romantic fan-fic, and have a real hard time with romantic Richard stories as I've only found two (yours and motorcyclesfly's) that have made it work for me.

I agree, Richard and Jacob certainly have some sort of rightness together; possibily because they're both immortal.

Much glad to know the fake death worked! Sincerely I can't buy that Jacob would be that easy to kill. Either he wanted to be killed or it was a fake because I mean, that easy? I'd be surprised if he was really dead.

Couldn't agree more. After all the build-up Jacob was given in the show, it seems like a total cop-out if he's killed off in the first episode he was properly seen in. I too think it was planned or fake, but at the very least, I expect we'll see him again in flash-backs.

Uh, ha, you got me on the part that gave me most problems. Point is, I don't think I got everything about the time-travel thing, but that line was what I ended up headdesking while writing that conversation because I think my head just can't wrap around the idea of someone dying in the seventies and being alive thirty years later. I think it's like you said and I kinda had one similar idea, but it had become too messy to explain and I couldn't find the space in this for time traveling discussion. Argh, I'll probably spend a night thinking about it and then I'll edit, thanks for pointing that out. ;)

Yes, time-travel confused me for the longest time too. I think it was going on forums like Lostpedia that helped me understand that time isn't really linear, and that's how someone can die in the seventies, but still be alive thirty years later. Hopefully it won't keep you up all night, and you'll find a way to make it work in the story. :D

And aw, thank you for the lovely comment re the characterization because Richard is pretty elusive and I had never written him before. And ha, well, the source material makes things hot on default but much glad you liked the kiss too. ♥ Thanks so much again!! ♥

Again, you're most, most welcome. I know it's bad of me, but I don't comment on fics very often, but yours really made me want to comment, as it was such a beautifully written piece. Concidering you've never written Richard before, you did an awesome job with him! :D

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

You're totally right about those two being right for each other because they're immortal. Also, Jacob making Richard immortal is totally romantic, isn't it? ;)

Ha, the build up. I totally can't believe that after... two seasons and a half of mentioning Jacob and such the episode he appears he gets killed off that effortlessly. Either he wanted it or didn't happen, I just can't buy him being offed so easily.

Ha, I'll probably have a trip or two to Lostpedia, or probably I'll just put me in the mindset of buying it without overthinking it too much. ;) Meh, they did it the complicated way, didn't they?

And uh, that makes me even more flattered. ♥

[wandaxmaximoff.livejournal.com]

Yes, it reminds me of the vampires in Anne Rice's books, and how they love their mortal companion so much they turn them into a vampire too, so that they don't have to see them grow old and die. I imagine it was a similar situation with Richard and Jacob. :D

Well, indeed. It would seem very pointless if that's all we see of Jacob. It's be like building up the four-toed statue, then never revealing it's face.

Lostpedia is fantastic. I spent WAY too much time on the forums there. Yes, they did go and make it all complicated ... but then, when hasn't time travel been complicated. ;)

Honestly, I'm not saying anything that isn't true. Even from the one piece of yours I've read, I can see you're a great writer. ♥

[tellshannon815.livejournal.com]

I think it was going on forums like Lostpedia that helped me understand that time isn't really linear, and that's how someone can die in the seventies, but still be alive thirty years later.

Doesn't Daniel make something like that point when he's talking to Jack in The Variable?

[wandaxmaximoff.livejournal.com]

Yup, and Miles makes a similar point to Hurley in Some Like it Hoth. ^_^

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Uh, yep he does, but a) I don't think I actually understood it and b) I watched that episode in between what's probably my favorite Supernatural episode of the previous season and I don't think I gave it enough attention. ;)

[slybrunette.livejournal.com]

This is very thought provoking, and, well, intriguing, since Jacob/Richard has certain been catching my attention more and more as of late. Wonderful work!

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! Jacob/Richard is a hell of a pairing, isn't it? Or at least it's so intriguing, I just love the idea of it. Much glad you liked it! ♥

[bittersweet325.livejournal.com]

I really liked this story :) I'm really starting to love the idea of Jacob/Richard.

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks so much! I'm completely in love with the idea methinks, so it's awesome to hear you liked it. ;)

[valhalla37.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, I love your interpretation of Richard here, and his role in what's going on. And your Jacob! *hearts* Mysterious and ambiguous and totally intriguing.

Oh! And the ending -- There's time, he thinks as his hands' grip on the white cloth of Jacob's shirt gets a bit too tight, and he doesn't pay a thought to the blood staining it. There's time, and if it ends the right way, there always will be. -- just incredible. Hits all the perfect notes.

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is so great to hear! Richard has to be the most elusive character ever or something and it was the first time I kinda attempted him, so yay to know that it worked! And mm, Jacob is fun to write, but much glad you liked the interpretation! ♥ Thank you so much, I'm so thrilled that you liked it!

[tellshannon815.livejournal.com]

I can totally see this - I'd always imagined Jacob as someone who couldn't easily be killed, before he appeared, thinking about Richard's involvement in the whole thing tends to make my head hurt at times, but this works!

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks so much! What you said about Jacob. And what you said about Richard, but I try. ;) I'm really glad you liked it!

[alliecat8.livejournal.com]

I'm really starting to get into the idea of Richard/Jacob. I have no idea what's going on between the two of them in canon, but this was a fascinating glimpse at the possibilities. I hope you write more of these two. Great job!

(Now I really need to get a Richard and a Jacob icon!)

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Oh, I so am too! I don't have it either actually but I want it to be man love, lol. ;) I probably will, I like them quite a lot tbh. And thanks so much, I'm so happy you liked it!

[zelda-zee.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I like! Interesting relationship you built between these two, very intense and intimate. It fits very well with canon, if only we would get these two kissing, then I would be sure to love S6!

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

WORD ABOUT S6. God, if it only really happened. *sigh* Thank you so much, I'm so glad you liked it! ♥

[elliotsmelliot.livejournal.com]

This is such a provocative start! I love the idea of there will always been some time to spare for them. It was incredibly sexy for such a plotty fic!

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks so much! I sincerely was scared of the pairing (mostly because Richard = ELUSIVE) so it's so good to hear that it worked! And ha, well, considering the subjects half of the sexy probably wasn't my doing, but yay for that too! ;)

[emiliglia.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, I liked this! Another take on the prompt I left that was completely different and something that I hadn't thought about. Everything that's happened so far seems to be intentional because of Jacob, so why wouldn't this? Loved it, hun!

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I wasn't really sure about what I was doing with this actually since writing Richard scares me to death, so it's awesome to know that you liked it! ♥ And well, yeah, I guess that all roads lead to Jacob. Or something. Not that I mind. ;)

[acrimonyastraea.livejournal.com]

I only just found this fic based on someone's recommendation. I think it's the first Lost fanfic I've read! I've been watching from the beginning, just never got into fanfic.

Anyway, I loved this so much. It makes perfect sense for the two of them and the end is hot.

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

*is flattered* wow, thanks so much! It's great to know that you liked this considering it was your first fic. I hope it didn't scare you off then. ;) And I'm so happy that you liked it overall (and that you found it hot because it's always good to hear.) Thanks again! <3