Pineapple 22 (and final two Malts!)
Author: Casey
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, During and after NIEE
Challenges: Pineapple 22 (if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em)
Toppings & Extras: Sprinkles, Malt (Festive Grab Bag: Jay’s gift - a book about Guerilla warfare, not very neatly wrapped in blue gift paper with a white bow, Summer Challenge: Ice Cream 136), Pocky Chain
Word Count: 400
Rating: PG
Summary: Three times Jay received a gift and one time he passed it on.
Notes: Malts 9 & 10 of 10. Wee! Made my March goal despite a period of no writing earlier in the month! Also, whoever put the Grab Bag malt in - thank you!
Lydia raced out into the predawn light and thrust a messily wrapped blue package into his hands. “It’s…it’s stupid, I know, but maybe it’ll help somehow.”
Touched, he took it from his younger cousin and tore the wrappings. He held the book up and had to grin. “Fighting the Good Fight,” he read, “Being a Guerilla Warrior. Where in the world did you find this?”
She returned the grin. “Little creative looking. I know it’s kinda glib but…just something to remember me by. Be careful, okay, James?”
“I solemnly swear I will do my best to not die.”
“Not funny!”
**
“Happy birthday, Jamesy!”
“I really hate that you know that name.”
“Not my fault,” Jess said. “At least I don’t use it too often.”
“Uh huh. And why are you here?”
“Present time!” she said, holding out a neatly wrapped rectangular packed.
He eyed her and then cautiously took it and pulled it open. “Fighting the Good Fight,” he read and then smiled. “I already own this, you know,” he said, gesturing over his shoulder towards the small room he shared.
“Your copy was looking a little ragged, so I thought it was time for a new one.”
“Thank you.”
**
It was Stella who gave him copy number three. She apologized about it too. “I realize it isn’t very original, but your two copies are so ragged and, with the way you leave books around, I don’t want one of the kids to get them. So leave this one out, okay?”
Jay was not sure he had ever loved his wife as much as he did in that moment as he opened the wrapping to find the book. “Have I ever told you the stories about how I got those books?”
“Maybe once or twice.”
“I love you.”
“I know.”
**
“What’s this, Dad?” Sam asked curiously, taking the package.
His sister held her own identical present, both wrapped messily in blue paper.
“Just…passing on some wisdom.”
“You? Wise?”
“You’re so funny, daughter of mine,” Jay said. “Open it.”
Both teens tore open the wrapping and paused. “Fighting the Good Fight,” Andy read. “This is your book, but…”
“This is a hope,” Jay said, putting his hand over her hand and the book. “A hope that you will never, ever need the wisdom inside this book. If something ever happens, you fight. You fight for all you’re worth.”
“We will, promise.”
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, During and after NIEE
Challenges: Pineapple 22 (if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em)
Toppings & Extras: Sprinkles, Malt (Festive Grab Bag: Jay’s gift - a book about Guerilla warfare, not very neatly wrapped in blue gift paper with a white bow, Summer Challenge: Ice Cream 136), Pocky Chain
Word Count: 400
Rating: PG
Summary: Three times Jay received a gift and one time he passed it on.
Notes: Malts 9 & 10 of 10. Wee! Made my March goal despite a period of no writing earlier in the month! Also, whoever put the Grab Bag malt in - thank you!
Lydia raced out into the predawn light and thrust a messily wrapped blue package into his hands. “It’s…it’s stupid, I know, but maybe it’ll help somehow.”
Touched, he took it from his younger cousin and tore the wrappings. He held the book up and had to grin. “Fighting the Good Fight,” he read, “Being a Guerilla Warrior. Where in the world did you find this?”
She returned the grin. “Little creative looking. I know it’s kinda glib but…just something to remember me by. Be careful, okay, James?”
“I solemnly swear I will do my best to not die.”
“Not funny!”
**
“Happy birthday, Jamesy!”
“I really hate that you know that name.”
“Not my fault,” Jess said. “At least I don’t use it too often.”
“Uh huh. And why are you here?”
“Present time!” she said, holding out a neatly wrapped rectangular packed.
He eyed her and then cautiously took it and pulled it open. “Fighting the Good Fight,” he read and then smiled. “I already own this, you know,” he said, gesturing over his shoulder towards the small room he shared.
“Your copy was looking a little ragged, so I thought it was time for a new one.”
“Thank you.”
**
It was Stella who gave him copy number three. She apologized about it too. “I realize it isn’t very original, but your two copies are so ragged and, with the way you leave books around, I don’t want one of the kids to get them. So leave this one out, okay?”
Jay was not sure he had ever loved his wife as much as he did in that moment as he opened the wrapping to find the book. “Have I ever told you the stories about how I got those books?”
“Maybe once or twice.”
“I love you.”
“I know.”
**
“What’s this, Dad?” Sam asked curiously, taking the package.
His sister held her own identical present, both wrapped messily in blue paper.
“Just…passing on some wisdom.”
“You? Wise?”
“You’re so funny, daughter of mine,” Jay said. “Open it.”
Both teens tore open the wrapping and paused. “Fighting the Good Fight,” Andy read. “This is your book, but…”
“This is a hope,” Jay said, putting his hand over her hand and the book. “A hope that you will never, ever need the wisdom inside this book. If something ever happens, you fight. You fight for all you’re worth.”
“We will, promise.”