Welcome one and all to this week's Final Word Drabble Challenge, whether you are here as players of the game new to my journal, or as readers of my journal new to the game. My friends may be familiar with the drabble trees that I host, except this is a little different, instead of giving you the first word, I give you the LAST, and everyone writes using the same word, instead of responding to another drabble.

The final twist is that whoever responds first gets to host The Final Word Drabble Challenge the next week, and pick the new prompt. This is my first turn as host, and as a caveat, anyone on my friends list who wants to play but not host, can opt to pass, and either I, or the next eligible person in line will do the honors.

Last Week's Challenge


dickgloucester started the Final Word Drabble Challenge. The rules are simple. I'll give you a one-word prompt. It has to be the final word of the drabble (100 word fic) you post in response in my comments section. As many people as feel the urge can respond. Any rating, any Potterverse pairing/situation ... anything that grabs your muse... (It's usually Hermione and/or Snape centered, but that is not at all required - ANY HP character or pairing is game.) Time limit of a week; the first person to post their drabble gets to choose the word for the next round and host the gathering at their LJ.


This week's prompt is the word "light".

I am opening another drabble tree. As always, anyone who reads this is welcome to contribute, and I will respond to every drabble posted with one of my own.

( As always, the rules: )

(Feel free to use the newly updated The Almost Totally Random Writing Exercise Generator, and just ignore the first parameter, or assume it to be "drabble (100 words)")

To get you started, here is the drabble using the generator, as chosen by vegawriters.

Title: Cookies and Milk
Fandom: Bones
Pairing: Temperence Brennan, (Seeley Booth, Parker)
Rating: PG (200 Words, a true double drabble 100+100)
Prompt: drabble (100 words) * female character * hot cookies and cold milk, varietypack100 : 059. Food

She didn't know what to say to him when he looked up at her with those wide, bright eyes, as if she could make everything all right. Temperance knew better than anyone that things didn't always turn out right in the end, and things sometimes happened to the people that you loved, no matter how hard you wished it wasn't so. Still, she realized that you couldn't explain things like that to a four year old, even when you couldn't bring yourself to tell an awkward lie. She didn't know for sure that Booth was going to be all right.



When Tempe was little, her mother had a simple answer for bad days, scraped knees, and bullies. Cookies, hot from the oven, and a glass of milk, always made things look better. She wasn't Parker's mother, and Booth's injury was a lot worse than a scraped knee, but she wanted to make him this little boy, who clung to her hand like a lifeline, feel better. She didn't bake, but there was a vending machine down the hall. Two dollars and a quarter later, she held Parker's hand and shared his cookies and milk. Maybe, it would be all right.


The first word of the next drabble would be right.

100quills : 051. Understand HP/DM, (HP/RW friendship)

For my third and final (hopefully) post of the day. I want to do something that I haven't done in a while - a drabble tree. I don't know if there will be much response, as my own absence when combined with the exodus of many of my friends to other journal sites has left me with a very quiet journal. No one responded to my last post offering to write requests, but as always, everyone who posts to any branch of the drabble tree is guaranteed a timely response of a drabble in kind. I may cross-post this to IJ and Greatest Journal just in case, though I don't have many of you friended yet on either of those.

( As always, the rules: )

(Feel free to use the The Almost Totally Random Writing Exercise Generator, and just ignore the first parameter, or assume it to be "drabble (100 words)")

To get you started, here is the drabble using the generator.

Title: The Play's the Thing
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Claire Bennet, Noah Bennet (HRG)
Rating: PG (200 Words)
Prompt: female character - under 18 * a love-hate relationship, varietypack100 : 086. Choices
( Spoilers: Vaguely Spoilery for current season, episodes to date )

The first word of the next drabble would be fear.

It's a new month, and some of you have a little extra time due to it being Independence Day in the states, so I am opening another drabble tree. As always, anyone who reads this is welcome to contribute, and I will respond to every drabble posted with one of my own.

Rules:
1. The drabble should be 100 words, but I'm not going to be very picky.
2. Each drabble should start with the last word from the drabble that came before it, but you can start with any drabble posted, not necessarily the last one on the list.
3. The only way the drabbles have to connect is through that single word. Any topic, fandom, pairing, rating is acceptable.
4. It's fine to have multiple responses for a certain drabble. It'll make the thread branch out and look tree-like. Just post yours in response to whatever drabble you are following.
5. If your drabble's rating is higher than PG-13, note it in the subject line, just to be courteous.

(Feel free to use the The Almost Totally Random Writing Exercise Generator, and just ignore the first parameter, or assume it to be "drabble (100 words)")

To get you started, here is the drabble using the generator.

Title: Lolita
Fandom: Original
Rating: PG (200 Words)
Prompt: original female character, an illusion of control

I recently had cause to meet up with someone from my past, a lover of my teen-age fancy. He was so much older then, a man, subject to my girlish affections. Our age difference, now, is very little in the scheme of things.

Of course, it was not insurmountable then, either. My wisdom outstripped my age, and sometimes even his. He much disliked the times when I let the artifice drop and turned that knowledge on him. It is a skill I have since perfected, and it still thrills me to turn it on the unwary.

I pinned him before me, with my gaze, a small, secret smile curving at my lips. I painted him the truth with my husky, child-like voice, and teased him with the description of his folly.

He turned the conversation back on me. "You think you know, but that was a long time ago. What makes you so sure you know me so well?"

"Little or nothing, I suppose, but what did Lolita care about a man's opinion, beyond that of her ability to manipulate it?" I raised one eyebrow in silent challenge and let the side of my mouth turn up in a teasing smile.


Smile would now be the first word of the drabble on any topic for whoever chooses to respond to this.

100quills : 019. Price Harry Potter/unknown male, G
100quills : 023. Signal Harry Potter/unknown male, G

Starting a new monthly tradition, since I enjoyed doing this in February and April, I am opening another drabble tree. Anyone who reads this is welcome to contribute, and as always I will respond to every drabble posted with one of my own.

Rules:
1. The drabble should be 100 words, but I'm not going to be very picky.
2. The only way the drabbles have to connect is through that single word. Any topic, fandom, pairing, rating is acceptable.
3. Each drabble should start with the last word from the drabble that came before it, but you can start with any drabble posted, not necessarily the last one on the list.
4. It's fine to have multiple responses for a certain drabble. It'll make the thread branch out and look tree-like. Just post yours in response to whatever drabble you are following.
5. If your drabble's rating is higher than PG-13, note it in the subject line, just to be courteous.

(Feel free to use the The Almost Totally Random Writing Exercise Generator, and just ignore the first parameter, or assume it to be "drabble (100 words)")

To get you started, here is the drabble that I owe stellaluna_ for her prompt: orchid.

Fandom: CSI: NY (Stella/Flack)
Rating: G (200 Words)
Prompt: Orchid, varietypack100 056. Breakfast


His grandmother had taught him that it was rude to show up at someone's house empty handed. So, when he accepted Stella's invitation to brunch, his first thought was to pick up some bagels from the local bakery - maybe, some fresh danishes. He certainly hadn't set out to buy her flowers.

Stella could be prickly about certain things. Food was always good - the more exotic the better. Wine was acceptable. Flowers entered territory that could quickly get dangerous, but as soon as he caught a glimpse of the orchid, he knew that he would get it for her. It was beautiful and exotic, and it reminded him of Stella, and the grace and strength she hid beneath the appearance of fragility. Stella would be the first to protest any comparisons to delicate flowers, but when the proprietor caught his interest and began gushing about their qualities, the sense of rightness settled in his chest. The guy said orchids represented love, beauty, wisdom, and thoughtfulness. That was Stella to a T.

He bought the flower and had it wrapped, but he made sure that he didn't forget the pastries. He might like to live dangerously, but he wasn't stupid.


Stupid would now be the first word of the drabble on any topic for whoever chooses to respond to this.

housefic50 : 45. Clinic House MD, House/Cuddy, PG-13

For those of you who are unaware, a drabble tree is a series of drabbles, written by various authors that follows the pattern of the first word of the next drabble is the first word of the previous one. Any author can respond to any drabble, so that there can be various branches to respond to, and it fans out like a tree. Feel free to jump in at any time, with any pairing or fandom, and as usual, I will do my best to respond to every person who posts a drabble, whether it follows my own, or someone elses.

Guidelines

1. Each drabble should start with the last word from the drabble that came before it.
2. The drabble should be 100 words, but I'm not going to be very picky.
3. The only way the drabbles have to connect is through that single word. Any topic, fandom, pairing, rating is acceptable.
4. It's fine to have multiple responses for a certain drabble. It'll make the thread branch out and look tree-like. Just post yours in response to whatever drabble you are following.
5. If your drabble's rating is higher than PG-13, note it in the subject line, just to be courteous.

(Feel free to use the The Almost Totally Random Writing Exercise Generator, and just ignore the first parameter, or assume it to be "drabble (100 words)")

To get you started, here is the drabble that I owe softly_sweetly for her request:
Harry Potter fandom, Severus/Draco, Prompt - 'New Sensations'

varietypack100: 080. Why?
Draco looked across the room, to where Severus seemed engrossed in the book in his lap. His only distractions were the crackle of the low fire, the occasional crinkle of old paper as Severus turned the pages, and the slow, steady sounds of their breaths. His overwhelming urge to fidget and demand Severus' attention suddenly fled as he realized that his only option was to submit. He would wait until Severus was ready to release him. Draco felt a sudden sense of peace, and relaxed further into his bonds. He finally understood that his only responsibility was his master's pleasure.

Pleasure would now be the first word of the drabble on any topic for whoever chooses to respond to this.

100quills : 024. Curtain, HP, Harry/Draco, Ron, NC-17, Voyuerism

I'm in a funk and trying to be creative while also hoping to be entertained. So, I am hosting a Drabble Tree :)

Guidelines

1. Each drabble should start with the last word from the drabble that came before it.
2. The drabble should be 100 words, but I'm not going to be very picky.
3. The only way the drabbles have to connect is through that single word. Any topic, fandom, pairing, rating is acceptable.
4. It's fine to have multiple responses for a certain drabble. It'll make the thread branch out and look tree-like. Just post yours in response to whatever drabble you are following.
5. If your drabble's rating is higher than PG-13, note it in the subject line, just to be courteous.

(Feel free to use the The Almost Totally Random Writing Exercise Generator, and just ignore the first parameter, or assume it to be "drabble (100 words)")

I'll get this started.


Fandom: House MD (Cameron)
Genre: Gen (100 Words)
Prompt: housefic50 030. Coffee Mug

Cameron dragged her spoon through her overly sweetened coffee, resisting the momentum of the centrifugal force generated. It wasn't what she wanted, but she didn't want to face the lounge in its Valentine's glory of pink balloons and candy hearts, to find something else.

Despite House's constant accusations to the contrary, she wasn't much of a romantic. She just thought actions spoke louder than words. Anybody could buy a spray of flowers that would die in less than a week, or a bag of festively wrapped candies. She wanted more than token gestures.

Sugary wasn't the same thing as sweet.

ETA: Links to Drabbles for Claims.
housefic50 : Prompt: 017. Truth
100quills : Prompt: 070. Harm
100quills : Prompt: 082. Worse
lover100 : 064. Needvarietypack100 : 098. Writer's Choice