(whack_a_muse) All is calm, All is bright.
(OOC: From greypicketfence. Alec is about nine.)
All is bright.
The first night it had sort of been an accident. At least a little bit. Not the part where he had ended up under the Christmas tree, but the part where he had fallen asleep there.
It hasn't been his fault he was under the tree that first time. It was just that he couldn't find Ansel. Sabbath had been in his normal spot up on Ben's bed. The cat always started up near Ben's shoulder and then somehow ended up at the foot of the bed with his head hanging off the edge.
Alec was just the opposite of Sabbath. He started sleeping sprawled but curled up soon after. And Ansel always showed up in time for the warmth and cuddling. But Alec had curled up and there was a hollow spot next to his belly were his white and gray cat belonged. He slunk out of bed and went looking for his friend.
The heard the crying when he reached the bottom of the stair. The Christmas tree tinkled. Glass on glass. Alec could see in the dark but light was always easier. The tree glowed warm against his face when he flipped the switch for all the lights. There was a startled cry and more tinkling. Alec peered into the tree and near the bottom there was Ansel. His collar caught tight on an ornament hook.
His arms are to short to reach through the branches to free Ansel so Alec crawls under the tree and lays on his back. From here he can reach up and get his cat free. After a few minutes nimble little boy fingers got the ornament hooks free from the feline's collar and Alec had an arm full of grateful friend. Warm and purring right were he belongs against Alec's belly.
He meant to carry Ansel back up to his room. Really he did.
But under the tree was like it's own magic world with the house night dark around them. The lights were warm and soft, like they were everything good about living here with these people who loved him. The pine smell and the warm body of the cat reminded him about some of the good things about Manticore. About sleeping snuggled tight next to his sibs and the evergreen forest that surrounded them.
Alec curled up on his side tucked under the tree with the cat hugged close and dropped off to sleep. For once he slept straight through until breakfast.
Muse: Alec McDowell(Winchester)/X5-494
'Verse: greypicketfence
Fandom: Dark Angel
Word count: 413
All is bright.
The first night it had sort of been an accident. At least a little bit. Not the part where he had ended up under the Christmas tree, but the part where he had fallen asleep there.
It hasn't been his fault he was under the tree that first time. It was just that he couldn't find Ansel. Sabbath had been in his normal spot up on Ben's bed. The cat always started up near Ben's shoulder and then somehow ended up at the foot of the bed with his head hanging off the edge.
Alec was just the opposite of Sabbath. He started sleeping sprawled but curled up soon after. And Ansel always showed up in time for the warmth and cuddling. But Alec had curled up and there was a hollow spot next to his belly were his white and gray cat belonged. He slunk out of bed and went looking for his friend.
The heard the crying when he reached the bottom of the stair. The Christmas tree tinkled. Glass on glass. Alec could see in the dark but light was always easier. The tree glowed warm against his face when he flipped the switch for all the lights. There was a startled cry and more tinkling. Alec peered into the tree and near the bottom there was Ansel. His collar caught tight on an ornament hook.
His arms are to short to reach through the branches to free Ansel so Alec crawls under the tree and lays on his back. From here he can reach up and get his cat free. After a few minutes nimble little boy fingers got the ornament hooks free from the feline's collar and Alec had an arm full of grateful friend. Warm and purring right were he belongs against Alec's belly.
He meant to carry Ansel back up to his room. Really he did.
But under the tree was like it's own magic world with the house night dark around them. The lights were warm and soft, like they were everything good about living here with these people who loved him. The pine smell and the warm body of the cat reminded him about some of the good things about Manticore. About sleeping snuggled tight next to his sibs and the evergreen forest that surrounded them.
Alec curled up on his side tucked under the tree with the cat hugged close and dropped off to sleep. For once he slept straight through until breakfast.
Muse: Alec McDowell(Winchester)/X5-494
'Verse: greypicketfence
Fandom: Dark Angel
Word count: 413