hi, internet!
I did not leave my computer all day today. I did change hats three times, though! So that was like being social. You know. With different hats.
Also, I was writing somewhere else and I used the phrases "bless his heart" and "rather precious." I am glad I am an old lady now!
***
summer '06
"It was a good dinner," Danny said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that his parents hadn't waited until the very last minute to destroy his day. They were still looking steely and irate, but they remained silent, much to Danny's relief.
"It wasn't awful," Alan agreed. He seemed a little skittish, which was odd, as he had been perfectly fine during dinner. "Um," he started to add, but then closed his mouth.
"Hey." Danny took a step closer to him as they continued their long walk towards the car. "Is something wrong?"
"I have something for you," Alan said after a brief pause. "Another gift that I didn't want to give you in front of your parents because I didn't want you to think the wrong thing. Or for them to think the wrong thing. Because the thing is... um. This gift... it doesn't mean what you're going to think it means."
Danny blinked. "Excuse me?" he said after a moment. Oftentimes Alan was hard to follow when he got flustered, but this was too much for Danny's brain to handle at the moment.
"You need to promise not to make a big deal out of it," Alan insisted. "Because it's just me giving you something that's been in my family for awhile because... well, my father gave it to me last month and I thought it would be nice for you to have it. But it doesn't necessarily mean what you think it's going to mean. I swear. It's just me giving you this to welcome you back to our family."
"What are you--"
"It's just," Alan continued, more quickly, "that I'm passing on a family heirloom. Like a pocketwatch that I want you to have because of how important you are to me and my family. But because of what it is, you're going to think it's something that it's not and I don't want this to turn into a big thing because of what it is. Because it doesn't necessarily mean what you're going to think it means. Hold out your hand."
It took Danny a moment to catch up with Alan's train of thought, but after a brief pause, he held his hand out as instructed. Alan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet bag, which he placed on the top of Danny's hand. Danny closed his fist around it. His eyes widened when he realized what was inside and he wasted little time in pulling it out.
"...this is a wedding ring," he finally said.
"Yes."
"...this is a wedding ring."
"I know! But... but it doesn't mean what you think it means! It's just... it's my Grandfather's. And I want you to have it."
Danny threw a look over his shoulder. His parents were still ten feet behind him, talking stiffly to his aunt and uncle. He looked back at Alan, who was biting his lip nervously.
"Thank you," he said. He slipped the ring on and took Alan's hand. "Thank you so much."
***
Damn, I guess this means I have to go add this to my crazy, anal-retentive timeline now.
***
PS:
speccygeekgrrl is a tease, as she ended our AIM log right before the good part XP I will let it slide, though, because of the following conversation:
muffins and tea: PS: Here is something you might like to hear! In the car, Alex and I were talking about writing (which is like, all we ever do) and I started talking about how protective I am of my little universe and how I don't like other people meddling. Like, if, for some reason, someone wanted to fic it, that would be fine. But I don't like Catherine telling me how to write, etc. BUT, that I totally trusted YOU with everything associated with it.
muffins and tea: So! There's that!
FantasticGlasses: Aww! <3
FantasticGlasses: See, like 95% of everything I write is meddling with someone else's characters.
FantasticGlasses: So either you respect me a lot, or you know that I don't break other people's stuff. xD
muffins and tea: It's respect + I know that YOU respect my characters/universe/whatever and you've contributed SO MUCH to it already that I know that you also get it.
FantasticGlasses: :D I LOVE your characters/universe/whatever.
FantasticGlasses: It's like the difference between....hahaha, like the difference between Danny and Eric xD Alan respects Eric (presumably!) but loves Danny.
FantasticGlasses: And I LOVE your whole everything there.
FantasticGlasses: You have fangirls. xD
muffins and tea: ::laughs:: Okay, the fact that you could use that analogy pretty much proves my point. XD
FantasticGlasses: xD!
muffins and tea: The fangirls thing is a little odd, because the last time I had fangirls they were crazy and a cult. So having fangirls who are cool is nice XD
FantasticGlasses: Oh, but I totally am a cultist. I get the poisoned cookies, right?
muffins and tea: Indeed, indeed. And the poisoned tea XD
FantasticGlasses: Yum. :d