The third of three Monarch of the Glen ficlets
Always within Reach. Monarch of the Glen. PG, Lexie McTavish/Archie MacDonald. Futurefic, several years after the series end. Triple drabble fill for the prompt ‘Any, any/any, cuddle’ at comment_fic.
Summary: Lexie goes to find Archie and bring him back to his senses.
Always within Reach: shallowness
Molly is only too happy to stay with the kids.
“That’s one of the main reasons for this visit, dear, to spend time with my grandchildren. Go find him.”
So, Lexie goes searching for her husband. She finds him out near the vines, of course, staring at them disconsolately, as if he can't even see them.
"Arch," she calls out, her voice reaching him, however far away he’s gone in his head, perhaps even back to Scotland. He turns to look at her. "What is it?"
Lexie can guess what’s bothering him, but she wants him to say it out loud. They aren't arranging very elaborate celebrations for tomorrow. Archie isn't the Laird of Glenbogle anymore, but she's been busy enough for him to slink off moping.
"I'll be forty tomorrow," he says with a small crook of his mouth that is more bitter than self-deprecating, "and what have I achieved?"
Lexie casts an eye at the vines. They aren't thriving, but they're back to where they were. The bank balance, something she's got less careless about over the years, is doing okay. But she won't mention those things.
"Us," she says, stepping forward. "Wee Jamie and Rose. We're all here because of you. I think you've done plenty to be proud of."
His expression changes. Softens.
"Need a cuddle?" she asks.
"Is it just a cuddle?" he responds, even as he opens his arms and lets her own arms encircle him.
"Archie MacDonald!" she fake scolds. "Out here, at this time of the afternoon!? Of course it's just going to be a cuddle."
"Shame," he murmurs into her hair, even as he squeezes her, lets her know that her words have comforted him.
"But later tonight, though, I think we could manage a little more than cuddles," she says.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/363943.html.
Summary: Lexie goes to find Archie and bring him back to his senses.
Always within Reach: shallowness
Molly is only too happy to stay with the kids.
“That’s one of the main reasons for this visit, dear, to spend time with my grandchildren. Go find him.”
So, Lexie goes searching for her husband. She finds him out near the vines, of course, staring at them disconsolately, as if he can't even see them.
"Arch," she calls out, her voice reaching him, however far away he’s gone in his head, perhaps even back to Scotland. He turns to look at her. "What is it?"
Lexie can guess what’s bothering him, but she wants him to say it out loud. They aren't arranging very elaborate celebrations for tomorrow. Archie isn't the Laird of Glenbogle anymore, but she's been busy enough for him to slink off moping.
"I'll be forty tomorrow," he says with a small crook of his mouth that is more bitter than self-deprecating, "and what have I achieved?"
Lexie casts an eye at the vines. They aren't thriving, but they're back to where they were. The bank balance, something she's got less careless about over the years, is doing okay. But she won't mention those things.
"Us," she says, stepping forward. "Wee Jamie and Rose. We're all here because of you. I think you've done plenty to be proud of."
His expression changes. Softens.
"Need a cuddle?" she asks.
"Is it just a cuddle?" he responds, even as he opens his arms and lets her own arms encircle him.
"Archie MacDonald!" she fake scolds. "Out here, at this time of the afternoon!? Of course it's just going to be a cuddle."
"Shame," he murmurs into her hair, even as he squeezes her, lets her know that her words have comforted him.
"But later tonight, though, I think we could manage a little more than cuddles," she says.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/363943.html.