Some Christmas Cheer for Fauxlore
Title: It's a Wrap
Genre: NCIS, Addams Family
Rating: G
Prompt: Ducky, Morticia, wrapping paper
fauxlore, I hope that you enjoy this bit of fun. I thank you and, of course, my beta, nursesparky for her help with this.
It used to be such a simple task when he was younger. When he was a boy, he would use whatever he could get his hands on. Later, he was more selective of the choices available.
Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard stared down the aisles of gift wrap. Just about everything anyone could think to put on Christmas wrapping paper was represented. There were penguins and polar bears, cats and dogs, even, he had to look twice, iguanas... Now… now the magic of the season seemed to evade him. Perhaps it was the number of years that had passed or the fact that it seemed the manufacturers pandered to everyone’s desires.
“I can’t believe it,” he said to no one in particular. “How do you choose?”
“It is a challenge these days, isn’t it?”
Ducky glanced over at the speaker and it was only his years of being a mortician that kept him from gasping. The woman was reed thin and pale as a field of newly fallen snow. Her long black hair clung to her head and neck as if desperately afraid of falling. Her features were chiseled as if from ice and the black dress she wore clung to her like a second skin.
“Yes, yes it is, rather,” Ducky answered, almost as if to make sure she was still alive.
She glided forward and sighed. “All these garish colors. You almost need sunglasses for them. What sort of message is that sending?”
‘Run?” Her laugh surprised him. It was a direct contrast to the person. He offered his hand. “I am Dr. Donald Mallard.”
“How lovely to see such courtly manners.” She took it and smiled, a wane waxy thing. “I am Morticia Addams.”
It took Ducky a moment, then he pinpointed the name. “You live in that great Victorian on the hill. I thought it was abandoned.”
“I am flattered. One tries one’s best.” She glided from one spot to another and again shook her head. “How to decide when there isn’t a clear choice. And the children are at such a difficult age.”
“Between toddler and teen?”
“Between being tried as a juvenile or an adult.” She glided forward and sighed. “And these colors, so unseasonal.”
Ducky laughed, although he wasn’t exactly sure she was joking. He’d heard stories about the Addams. They were considered the neighborhood eccentrics and yet also known to be generous with their time and money. Ducky had often wished he’d had a chance to poke around into that old building.
Still, Ducky had to agree that the neon pink-and-plum wrapping paper was a bit much. “I remember when we had a choice of two colors… possibly three, if you were very lucky. Now there seems they are trying too hard to please everyone.”
“I try to let the wrapping paper reflect the giver.” His eyes widened as he spotted something … something wonderful. It was…
“That’s very plaid,” Morticia said, her voice carefully neutral.
“Aye, lass, that it is.” Rarely did he let his Scottish brogue out. “It’s even close to my family’s tartan.”
“You’re Scottish, then?”
“Yes, yes I am.”
“They are such a lovely people. So dour, so superstitious, and so delightful. We vacationed there one summer and it rained the almost entire time.”
“I’m sorry. Scotland does have a habit of doing that.”
“We didn’t hold the few sunny days against it. We had a lovely time and Loch Ness with its charming mascot was so enjoyable. The children were so sorry we couldn’t take her back with us.”
“Best to leave the wee beastie where she’s happy.”
“That’s what we told them.” She held up a roll of the blue, black, and green paper. “I think that it’s perfect for you, Dr. Mallard.”
Ducky nodded and gathered up a few rolls of the plaid paper. “Now that just leaves you… I believe I have it.” He hurried to a small corner display. “What about this?”
Morticia beamed. “That’s perfect and it’s a very good likeness of Uncle Krampus. Oh, there are two designs.”
“And this one has skulls wearing Santa hats.” He was almost as excited as she was.
“Dr. Mallard, you are perfect!” She kissed his cheek and Ducky blushed just a little. “Come! I can’t wait to show Gomez. Perhaps, Doctor, you would be so kind as to join us for a Christmas tea. We will have a few friends in and I’m sure you would find them charming company. Just remember to keep your collar up around Cousin Spike.”
Suddenly the magic of the season seemed very real. It wasn’t a case of what you believed, as long as you believe in something that made you happy, be it tartans or skulls or even Barbie dolls. What was important was that you were happy.
Genre: NCIS, Addams Family
Rating: G
Prompt: Ducky, Morticia, wrapping paper
fauxlore, I hope that you enjoy this bit of fun. I thank you and, of course, my beta, nursesparky for her help with this.
It used to be such a simple task when he was younger. When he was a boy, he would use whatever he could get his hands on. Later, he was more selective of the choices available.
Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard stared down the aisles of gift wrap. Just about everything anyone could think to put on Christmas wrapping paper was represented. There were penguins and polar bears, cats and dogs, even, he had to look twice, iguanas... Now… now the magic of the season seemed to evade him. Perhaps it was the number of years that had passed or the fact that it seemed the manufacturers pandered to everyone’s desires.
“I can’t believe it,” he said to no one in particular. “How do you choose?”
“It is a challenge these days, isn’t it?”
Ducky glanced over at the speaker and it was only his years of being a mortician that kept him from gasping. The woman was reed thin and pale as a field of newly fallen snow. Her long black hair clung to her head and neck as if desperately afraid of falling. Her features were chiseled as if from ice and the black dress she wore clung to her like a second skin.
“Yes, yes it is, rather,” Ducky answered, almost as if to make sure she was still alive.
She glided forward and sighed. “All these garish colors. You almost need sunglasses for them. What sort of message is that sending?”
‘Run?” Her laugh surprised him. It was a direct contrast to the person. He offered his hand. “I am Dr. Donald Mallard.”
“How lovely to see such courtly manners.” She took it and smiled, a wane waxy thing. “I am Morticia Addams.”
It took Ducky a moment, then he pinpointed the name. “You live in that great Victorian on the hill. I thought it was abandoned.”
“I am flattered. One tries one’s best.” She glided from one spot to another and again shook her head. “How to decide when there isn’t a clear choice. And the children are at such a difficult age.”
“Between toddler and teen?”
“Between being tried as a juvenile or an adult.” She glided forward and sighed. “And these colors, so unseasonal.”
Ducky laughed, although he wasn’t exactly sure she was joking. He’d heard stories about the Addams. They were considered the neighborhood eccentrics and yet also known to be generous with their time and money. Ducky had often wished he’d had a chance to poke around into that old building.
Still, Ducky had to agree that the neon pink-and-plum wrapping paper was a bit much. “I remember when we had a choice of two colors… possibly three, if you were very lucky. Now there seems they are trying too hard to please everyone.”
“I try to let the wrapping paper reflect the giver.” His eyes widened as he spotted something … something wonderful. It was…
“That’s very plaid,” Morticia said, her voice carefully neutral.
“Aye, lass, that it is.” Rarely did he let his Scottish brogue out. “It’s even close to my family’s tartan.”
“You’re Scottish, then?”
“Yes, yes I am.”
“They are such a lovely people. So dour, so superstitious, and so delightful. We vacationed there one summer and it rained the almost entire time.”
“I’m sorry. Scotland does have a habit of doing that.”
“We didn’t hold the few sunny days against it. We had a lovely time and Loch Ness with its charming mascot was so enjoyable. The children were so sorry we couldn’t take her back with us.”
“Best to leave the wee beastie where she’s happy.”
“That’s what we told them.” She held up a roll of the blue, black, and green paper. “I think that it’s perfect for you, Dr. Mallard.”
Ducky nodded and gathered up a few rolls of the plaid paper. “Now that just leaves you… I believe I have it.” He hurried to a small corner display. “What about this?”
Morticia beamed. “That’s perfect and it’s a very good likeness of Uncle Krampus. Oh, there are two designs.”
“And this one has skulls wearing Santa hats.” He was almost as excited as she was.
“Dr. Mallard, you are perfect!” She kissed his cheek and Ducky blushed just a little. “Come! I can’t wait to show Gomez. Perhaps, Doctor, you would be so kind as to join us for a Christmas tea. We will have a few friends in and I’m sure you would find them charming company. Just remember to keep your collar up around Cousin Spike.”
Suddenly the magic of the season seemed very real. It wasn’t a case of what you believed, as long as you believe in something that made you happy, be it tartans or skulls or even Barbie dolls. What was important was that you were happy.