Likeness, for lotrpschallenge #31

[cloudlessclimes.livejournal.com]

Title: Likeness
Author: cloudlessclimes
Rated: G
Pairing: um...none..just Orlando. kinda
Disclaimer: This is purely a product of my diseased mind and has no bearing on reality what so ever, I own no one, I know no one
Summary: looking at a photo
Feedback: Is a rare and wonderful thing and makes life worth living.
Notes: Written for lotrpschallenge for Challenge 31 Photographs





It’s not how he looks. It’s how he sees. Appraising. Assessing. Waiting. He was never very good at waiting.

The world is his. It’s not his fault. Not through vanity or presumption. It just simply is. Life loves him. And he loves it. And if the cost of that love is to sit and pretend, then that’s just what he’ll do.

When did it happen? When did Before become After? How did he learn to hide what is always there? In the creases of his mouth, the tilt of his head, the set of his shoulders. The wide open life is good has been replaced by placid indifference. Frantic fast-forward is frozen mid-motion. Colour and light are muted to green-brown shadow. And still, he shines.

He can do this. Be this. Become. He can surrender Orlando for Orli. A two dimensional glossy someone, who kind of, sort of, if you don’t know him, is easy to mistake for the real thing.

Yet, bits of him remain. In the set of his jaw, the slant of his eyes. And the memories around his neck. Secrets only those who know how to look will see.

He has become not him. In pants not his. In a shirt not his. Leaning against a car not his. On a street not his. In a country not his.

He belongs.

Comments

[light-the-sky76.livejournal.com]

*flails* That was so good!

I was going to quote my favourite part but would have ended up quoting the whole thing.

[cloudlessclimes.livejournal.com]

goodness!! thanks so much for saying such nice things. I'm glad you liked it. Very glad.

*flails along with you*

Your icon is too precious. I adore Kermit's little flailng green self.

[nurseowens.livejournal.com]

With words you captured Orlando the way the photographer captured his image on film.
*in awe*

[cloudlessclimes.livejournal.com]

It's always nice to get feedback from someone I don't know! Thanks for taking the time to comment. It's especially nice to know that said someone I don't know actually got where I was coming from and what I was going for.

I kind of thought I got the challenge right. But then I read the other submissions and was kind of wondering whether I was off in left field.

Nothing like confirmation!

I'm so very glad you liked this.

[amy-abroad.livejournal.com]

i love you. and this picture-snapshot. nnnnnnnng.

have my babies?

[cloudlessclimes.livejournal.com]

For you, baby? Anything! *smooches* OMGuh I miss you like whoa!!!!

[cupidsbow.livejournal.com]

I love this. It's so perfectly observed.

[cloudlessclimes.livejournal.com]

Oh my! Thanks so much for commenting. And for mentioning my perfect observation! I'm pretty much obvlivious so I may have to frame this and take it out when people like to tell me I never notice anything!

[grean.livejournal.com]

This was very good. I don't know how much of the old Orli is left in Orlando. So insigtful of you to point out that there is still an absurdly horrid ruffly shirt under Orlando's carefully crafted new look. I search for it each time I see him.
Thanks

[cloudlessclimes.livejournal.com]

Merci. I look for it too. I kind of miss it too. But I like to think that for every one of these:


There's one of these: