Advent Drabblender, Door 18
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Day 16
Day 17
And here's day 18!
Tree-topper
Characters: Nephrite, Mercury
18/24
The bauble is so light, she can barely feel it in her hand. It’s exquisitely beautiful, with small snowmen painted on it in delicate little brush strokes. It looks as if she herself would have blown a magical bubble into the room, only to have it painted by an artist and turned solid so that it would not disappear into nothingness, as magic was wont to do. Kunzite - who had (as promised) sent her a message to the moon so that she could be here today - smiles and leaves: he has Endymion to guard, even more so now that the prince has decided to go for a ride on the wild young stallion his parents had given him as a yuletide present.
Mercury, bauble in hand, doesn’t notice his departure, she’s watching Jadeite and Nephrite decorate the large tree. The bottom half of it is shining and shimmering in the candlelight, hundreds of baubles dangling from the branches, catching and reflecting the light over and over again. The solemn but happy mood is broken by Nephrite, who crosses his arms over his chest and shots his comrade a filthy look that seems quite strange on the usually friendly face. “I told you that those were too close together and we wouldn’t be left with any for the top. It looks stupid now.” Jadeite shrugs, not intimidated at all. “We can always get more. There are plenty in the east wing.” “Well, go get them then,” Nephrite practically barks. Jadeite turns to Mercury to throw her a friendly smile. “Nevermind him, he takes Yuletide very seriously.” He grins and Nephrite swats at him, but Jadeite has sidestepped him and promptly disappears to get more baubles, cackling as he goes.
The servants follow him, and only Nephrite remains behind, clutching the last ornament in his hand. It’s a gold star, large and by the looks of it rather heavy. “Would you like to put this one up?” He’s friendly again now that he knows that the tree can be beautiful and they don’t have to do all the work again.
A shy smile crosses her face and she steps closer, her heels clicking on the ground. “Where does it go?”
Turning the star, he shows her the hole at the bottom. “It goes on the top of the tree, you just push it on.”
She eyes the tall tree and laughs. “Well, I may be able to do magic, but I am not yet able to fly.”
The tree is as tall as two men, and she feels tiny in comparison. He smiles down at her with an odd spark in his eyes. Mercury blinks, but doesn’t step away fast enough. Before she knows it, the star is pressed in her hands, Nephrite reaches for her, two large hands on her slim waist, and he lifts her up towards the top of the tree. “Nephrite! Let me down!” His roaring laugh is the answer, and he lifts her up even higher until she’s standing on his shoulders, his hands holding her steady at the ankles. For a split second, she’s happy that she’s come down in traditional Mercurian dress and not in her fuku. Mercury stretches herself, making herself taller and taller, digging the tips of her feet in his shoulders and finally, shoves the star on the tree with little grace but a lot of force. The tree wobbles, the baubles clink, but nothing falls. Beneath her, Nephrite groans. He’s a strong man, she’s a petite girl, but he’s holding a person over his head. Still, his hands don’t shake and with care, he lowers her to the ground again.
An hour later, Mercury, Nephrite and Jadeite stand in front of a perfect tree, top decorated with as much care as bottom, baubles everywhere and a gold star shining a light into the cold winter evening.
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Day 16
Day 17
And here's day 18!
Tree-topper
Characters: Nephrite, Mercury
18/24
The bauble is so light, she can barely feel it in her hand. It’s exquisitely beautiful, with small snowmen painted on it in delicate little brush strokes. It looks as if she herself would have blown a magical bubble into the room, only to have it painted by an artist and turned solid so that it would not disappear into nothingness, as magic was wont to do. Kunzite - who had (as promised) sent her a message to the moon so that she could be here today - smiles and leaves: he has Endymion to guard, even more so now that the prince has decided to go for a ride on the wild young stallion his parents had given him as a yuletide present.
Mercury, bauble in hand, doesn’t notice his departure, she’s watching Jadeite and Nephrite decorate the large tree. The bottom half of it is shining and shimmering in the candlelight, hundreds of baubles dangling from the branches, catching and reflecting the light over and over again. The solemn but happy mood is broken by Nephrite, who crosses his arms over his chest and shots his comrade a filthy look that seems quite strange on the usually friendly face. “I told you that those were too close together and we wouldn’t be left with any for the top. It looks stupid now.” Jadeite shrugs, not intimidated at all. “We can always get more. There are plenty in the east wing.” “Well, go get them then,” Nephrite practically barks. Jadeite turns to Mercury to throw her a friendly smile. “Nevermind him, he takes Yuletide very seriously.” He grins and Nephrite swats at him, but Jadeite has sidestepped him and promptly disappears to get more baubles, cackling as he goes.
The servants follow him, and only Nephrite remains behind, clutching the last ornament in his hand. It’s a gold star, large and by the looks of it rather heavy. “Would you like to put this one up?” He’s friendly again now that he knows that the tree can be beautiful and they don’t have to do all the work again.
A shy smile crosses her face and she steps closer, her heels clicking on the ground. “Where does it go?”
Turning the star, he shows her the hole at the bottom. “It goes on the top of the tree, you just push it on.”
She eyes the tall tree and laughs. “Well, I may be able to do magic, but I am not yet able to fly.”
The tree is as tall as two men, and she feels tiny in comparison. He smiles down at her with an odd spark in his eyes. Mercury blinks, but doesn’t step away fast enough. Before she knows it, the star is pressed in her hands, Nephrite reaches for her, two large hands on her slim waist, and he lifts her up towards the top of the tree. “Nephrite! Let me down!” His roaring laugh is the answer, and he lifts her up even higher until she’s standing on his shoulders, his hands holding her steady at the ankles. For a split second, she’s happy that she’s come down in traditional Mercurian dress and not in her fuku. Mercury stretches herself, making herself taller and taller, digging the tips of her feet in his shoulders and finally, shoves the star on the tree with little grace but a lot of force. The tree wobbles, the baubles clink, but nothing falls. Beneath her, Nephrite groans. He’s a strong man, she’s a petite girl, but he’s holding a person over his head. Still, his hands don’t shake and with care, he lowers her to the ground again.
An hour later, Mercury, Nephrite and Jadeite stand in front of a perfect tree, top decorated with as much care as bottom, baubles everywhere and a gold star shining a light into the cold winter evening.