Fic: Nothing Special, Broken (Adelle, Topher)

[xfirefly9x]

Title: Nothing Special, Broken
Fandom: Dollhouse
Characters: Adelle, Topher
Prompt: #024 Fingers
Word Count: 168
Rating: PG
Summary: He's different.
Notes: Written for deludedvision and 50ficlets. July 18. Tag to Epitaph One.

It pains her to see him so broken. His words fall over each other with logic only he seems to understand. Fingers curl upon each other, as sharp as anything in their movements. It concerns her that she cannot seem to get a read on his expression. Just when she thinks she has him figured out, he does something to dash those thoughts.

He’s different. He’s not the brilliant young man she met who had the ability to agitate the pants off Dominic, her security back then, without breaking a (metaphoric, of course) sweat. He’s nothing special now. He’s broken.

He spends his time crouched in one of the Dolls’ sleeping pods now, scribbling nonsensical things on the walls of it and sifting through pages of books too quickly to actually read anything. And every time she sees him now, she can’t help but think it’s her fault. It is her fault. She brought him into the Dollhouse. She hired him.

It is she who therefore broke him.

Comments

[ozmissage.livejournal.com]

This is such a sharp, sad look at Topher through Adelle's eyes. Heartbreaking, but so true. Amazing work.

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)