chocolate and sprinkles
Story: Timeless { backstory | index }
Title: Last Minute
Rating: G
Challenge: Chocolate #25: inspiration
Toppings/Extras: sprinkles
Wordcount: 531
Summary: It’s December 22nd. Bradley Dekeynel and Victor Blackledge panic.
Notes: The day before Teal!
Bradley burst into the lounge and paced around it agitatedly for a few moments, one hand scraping through his dark, curly hair as he thought hard. After a moment, he spun to face one of the sofas, where the only occupant of the room was sat.
“What’re you doing?” he asked.
Victor looked up slowly from his book.
“Um. Reading.”
“Oh.” Bradley sighed loudly and started fiddling with his sleeve. “I am in so much trouble.”
When Victor wasn’t sure how to respond to something he made stabs in the dark. His guesses usually didn’t go too badly-he simply made his replies as ambiguous as possible and tried to coast out the conversation.
“OK...?”
“We’re all leaving tomorrow-well, Wolfgang and I are-and I still haven’t got a present for Robyn.” He turned to face Victor. “She’s impossible to buy for. What does she do apart from work and work out? What can I get her? Yet another vest on top of the millions she already owns? She’s a real... basics kind of girl, you know? And I’m meant to be her oldest friend! Robyn and I were in the original black ops team, we’ve known each other years. And every bloody Christmas I have the same problem!”
Victor looked at him for a few moments, closing the book thoughtfully.
“A present,” he said slowly.
“Yeah. Something she likes. I can’t get her boot polish again.”
“She likes...” Victor began, and then hesitated for a moment. “She likes to eat the kernels of popcorn that are left over in the bowl.”
Bradley just looked at him.
“Vic,” he said in a careful tone of voice, “tell me if this is just too weird, even for you, but are you suggesting I buy her kernels of popcorn for Christmas?”
Their eyes met and to Bradley’s astonishment, Victor laughed a little.
“I guess I’m not that good with presents either,” he said sheepishly.
“Well, what have you got her?” Bradley asked.
“Me?” Victor looked a little shocked, staring up at Bradley from where he was sat. Bradley opened his arms out.
“Er, yes,” he said. “I’m pretty sure she’s got you something.”
“But I...” Victor’s brow furrowed for a moment and Bradley felt his heart stop beating a moment. Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Oh, shit, he’s going to say it... “I don’t think I’ve had a Christmas present before.”
He said it. You knew he would say it, or something like it. Why the hell do you get yourself into these conversations?
“You’d better get used to the new way,” Bradley said without missing a beat. Then he brightened. “You mean you haven’t bought anything yet too?”
“No!” Victor looked a little scared as he stood up. “Do you think they’re expecting presents?”
“Well, maybe not expecting,” Bradley said lightly, “but... well, it is Christmas. And we’re friends. Yeah?”
Victor just looked at him for a few moments.
“She likes tinned peaches,” he said cautiously.
“Victor,” Bradley said, heading towards the door and jerking his head for the Blackledge to follow him, “I think you’re going to need more help than I do. And that really is saying something.”