a merry ghoul (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
merryghoul) wrote2012-07-20 08:02 pm
merryghoul) wrote2012-07-20 08:02 pm
Orpheus sings: "Parker" and the painting
Title: Orpheus sings: "Parker" and the painting | AO3
Fandom: Leverage
Prompt: Leverage, Parker/Sophie, Pygmalion or Galatea
Medium: fic
Wordcount: 554
Rating: PG-13
Contains: no standard notes apply
Summary: Pygmalion, told Leverage-style. Crack.
I used this translation of Ovid for the tale.
There once was a woman who was known as Silva of Cyprus. No one knew her whether that was her first name, her last name or a name she had given herself. She was also called Silva the Thief or Silva the Painter. Some believed she was actually a child of Mercury and that, upon her death, she might be taken to ether Elysium or, if her true father was looking out for her, Olympus. Her name is translated today to "Parker" for reasons unknown.
Parker had seen them, the Propoetides, some women who had failed to recognize the divinity of Venus and, as punishment, were turned into prostitutes and then rocks. It wasn't like she could do anything to make them not prostitutes or rocks. She had decided not to take a lover for herself, but it wasn't because of the Propoetides. She had been bounced around from foster family to foster family until she had had enough, and she decided to run away and support herself with a life of crime. She didn't know who to trust, so the safest thing for her to do was to turn everyone away.
Whenever she wasn't stealing from temples and the upper class, Parker was a talented painter. Sometimes she painted wood panels for money, but she liked painting on walls the best (although it paid little money). She was very fond of a 40-something woman she started painting in the nude on one of her walls. The painting of the woman was realistic, as if she could climb out of the painting and exist in the real world.
Eventually, Parker named the painting Sophia. She started talking to the painting the only way she could—by telling it about violent things she could think up. It was the only way Parker could relate to people. She didn't have the social skills to talk to people without scaring them off.
Parker gave Sophia gifts to the point where the painting of Sophia became a makeshift altar. Pebbles, feathers, flowers, beads, some things that were the tears of the Heliades—all of them surrounded the painting of nude Sophia. Parker would sleep by her makeshift altar and kiss Sophia good night.
By the time the festival of Venus came to Cyprus, Parker was desperate. She wanted Sophia to be real. She went to the temple of Venus, brought an offering and quietly said "I want a Sophia." Venus was in attendance for her festival as well as in her temple at the time and heard Parker's wish. She might've gotten some advice from Mercury, but no one knows for sure whether he did or not. The flames in the temple grew brighter. Little did Parker know it, but her wish was granted.
Parker went back to her home and discovered the painting of Sophia had faded away. She was on the verge of panicking when she saw Sophia on her couch.
Parker noticed that Sophia was breathing. She touched Sophia's face and then kissed her. To her surprise, Sophia returned the kiss. After they had kissed, Sophia stood up, noticed her nakedness and asked "Do you have any clothes? Preferably some nice ones."
Parker and Sophia eventually were married. Venus attended their wedding. The two adopted a son, Paphos, and lived happily until their dying days.
Fandom: Leverage
Prompt: Leverage, Parker/Sophie, Pygmalion or Galatea
Medium: fic
Wordcount: 554
Rating: PG-13
Contains: no standard notes apply
Summary: Pygmalion, told Leverage-style. Crack.
I used this translation of Ovid for the tale.
There once was a woman who was known as Silva of Cyprus. No one knew her whether that was her first name, her last name or a name she had given herself. She was also called Silva the Thief or Silva the Painter. Some believed she was actually a child of Mercury and that, upon her death, she might be taken to ether Elysium or, if her true father was looking out for her, Olympus. Her name is translated today to "Parker" for reasons unknown.
Parker had seen them, the Propoetides, some women who had failed to recognize the divinity of Venus and, as punishment, were turned into prostitutes and then rocks. It wasn't like she could do anything to make them not prostitutes or rocks. She had decided not to take a lover for herself, but it wasn't because of the Propoetides. She had been bounced around from foster family to foster family until she had had enough, and she decided to run away and support herself with a life of crime. She didn't know who to trust, so the safest thing for her to do was to turn everyone away.
Whenever she wasn't stealing from temples and the upper class, Parker was a talented painter. Sometimes she painted wood panels for money, but she liked painting on walls the best (although it paid little money). She was very fond of a 40-something woman she started painting in the nude on one of her walls. The painting of the woman was realistic, as if she could climb out of the painting and exist in the real world.
Eventually, Parker named the painting Sophia. She started talking to the painting the only way she could—by telling it about violent things she could think up. It was the only way Parker could relate to people. She didn't have the social skills to talk to people without scaring them off.
Parker gave Sophia gifts to the point where the painting of Sophia became a makeshift altar. Pebbles, feathers, flowers, beads, some things that were the tears of the Heliades—all of them surrounded the painting of nude Sophia. Parker would sleep by her makeshift altar and kiss Sophia good night.
By the time the festival of Venus came to Cyprus, Parker was desperate. She wanted Sophia to be real. She went to the temple of Venus, brought an offering and quietly said "I want a Sophia." Venus was in attendance for her festival as well as in her temple at the time and heard Parker's wish. She might've gotten some advice from Mercury, but no one knows for sure whether he did or not. The flames in the temple grew brighter. Little did Parker know it, but her wish was granted.
Parker went back to her home and discovered the painting of Sophia had faded away. She was on the verge of panicking when she saw Sophia on her couch.
Parker noticed that Sophia was breathing. She touched Sophia's face and then kissed her. To her surprise, Sophia returned the kiss. After they had kissed, Sophia stood up, noticed her nakedness and asked "Do you have any clothes? Preferably some nice ones."
Parker and Sophia eventually were married. Venus attended their wedding. The two adopted a son, Paphos, and lived happily until their dying days.