Merry Christmas! Have a drabble.
Merry Christmas! <3
In the spirit of the season I present to you a drabble, featuring Conall and Niven of Never Say Thank You fame. Since, y'know, they happen to be my only characters in a modern-day setting where Christmas is actually celebrated... ^^;
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Conall hummed absently along with the music, all his concentration focused on his task. It was a very important task, and one which required the utmost skill and care. Everything had to be perfectly placed to get the right effect, something which required a considerable amount of patience.
Patience had never been something Conall had lacked, and he had no idea how much time had passed before he finally stepped back to contemplate his work.
An amused chuckle could be heard over the Christmas carols coming from the stereo. "I will never understand these strange human customs."
Turning, Conall smiled to find Niven leaning against the wall and watching as Conall decorated the tree. "It makes us happy," he explained, although the sight of Niven brought him far more pleasure than any tree ever could.
"The fictitious birthdate of a mythical figure purported to grant the nebulous concept of 'salvation'?" Niven said archly.
Conall rolled his eyes fondly. "Fairies don't celebrate Christmas, I assume? Do you celebrate anything? Yule, maybe?"
Niven chuckled. "The solstice, but not to the extent that your commercialized religious holiday is celebrated."
Conall rolled his eyes again. "These days, it's more a celebration of family and togetherness than anything, really." Even if he didn't have a family anymore, and hadn't for a long time. From the shadow that passed through Niven's eyes, he could see that the Brownie was thinking the same thing.
Conall smiled softly. "If you want, we can call it a celebration of new family."
He could see the surprise in those dark eyes, then Niven was moving smoothly across the floor to grant a soft kiss. Conall decided he'd take that as a Yes, as he wrapped his arms around his Brownie and savored the feeling of not being alone. So many years on his own, the holidays being so very bittersweet, and finally, finally, he had someone to share them with again.
They remained where they were for several minutes, until the stereo's shifting from one song to another broke the spell. Niven stirred, tilting his head up to study Conall's face, then his lips quirked up in a faint smile. "So, what comes next?" he asked.
Conall laughed and released him to rummage around in the Big Box Of Decorations, coming up with a smaller box that he offered to his Brownie. "Ornaments."
Niven lifted the lid off the small box and peered inside, lifting out a crudely-shaped piece of brown clay that vaguely resembled a reindeer and arching a brow at Conall.
"I don't have very many," Conall explained, trying not to laugh at his lover's expression, "But the ones I do hold memories." He plucked the misshapen reindeer from Niven's hand and hung it deftly on the tree. "I made that one, when I was little. Mom and I made a huge mess all over the kitchen, making ornaments for people. Dad told us we were a menace, but he was smiling." Conall smiled as well, the memory for once not bringing with it a wash of sadness.
Arms wrapped around his waist and Conall leaned back into them, closing his eyes. He felt so much lighter; what a difference it made, to not be alone.
The arms slipped away and Conall re-opened his eyes to find all of his ornaments floating in the air. Niven seemed to be studying them, his gaze alternating between them and the tree, then they shifted around into a new configuration. Conall watched, puzzled, through two more configuration switches before he realized what Niven was doing.
"Niven!" he exclaimed around helpless laughter. "If you color-coordinate my tree..."
The Brownie glanced at him in puzzlement. "Is it supposed to be haphazard?" he asked curiously, which of course only made Conall laugh harder.
He couldn't wait until he got to try to explain the traditions associated with mistletoe.
In the spirit of the season I present to you a drabble, featuring Conall and Niven of Never Say Thank You fame. Since, y'know, they happen to be my only characters in a modern-day setting where Christmas is actually celebrated... ^^;
---
Conall hummed absently along with the music, all his concentration focused on his task. It was a very important task, and one which required the utmost skill and care. Everything had to be perfectly placed to get the right effect, something which required a considerable amount of patience.
Patience had never been something Conall had lacked, and he had no idea how much time had passed before he finally stepped back to contemplate his work.
An amused chuckle could be heard over the Christmas carols coming from the stereo. "I will never understand these strange human customs."
Turning, Conall smiled to find Niven leaning against the wall and watching as Conall decorated the tree. "It makes us happy," he explained, although the sight of Niven brought him far more pleasure than any tree ever could.
"The fictitious birthdate of a mythical figure purported to grant the nebulous concept of 'salvation'?" Niven said archly.
Conall rolled his eyes fondly. "Fairies don't celebrate Christmas, I assume? Do you celebrate anything? Yule, maybe?"
Niven chuckled. "The solstice, but not to the extent that your commercialized religious holiday is celebrated."
Conall rolled his eyes again. "These days, it's more a celebration of family and togetherness than anything, really." Even if he didn't have a family anymore, and hadn't for a long time. From the shadow that passed through Niven's eyes, he could see that the Brownie was thinking the same thing.
Conall smiled softly. "If you want, we can call it a celebration of new family."
He could see the surprise in those dark eyes, then Niven was moving smoothly across the floor to grant a soft kiss. Conall decided he'd take that as a Yes, as he wrapped his arms around his Brownie and savored the feeling of not being alone. So many years on his own, the holidays being so very bittersweet, and finally, finally, he had someone to share them with again.
They remained where they were for several minutes, until the stereo's shifting from one song to another broke the spell. Niven stirred, tilting his head up to study Conall's face, then his lips quirked up in a faint smile. "So, what comes next?" he asked.
Conall laughed and released him to rummage around in the Big Box Of Decorations, coming up with a smaller box that he offered to his Brownie. "Ornaments."
Niven lifted the lid off the small box and peered inside, lifting out a crudely-shaped piece of brown clay that vaguely resembled a reindeer and arching a brow at Conall.
"I don't have very many," Conall explained, trying not to laugh at his lover's expression, "But the ones I do hold memories." He plucked the misshapen reindeer from Niven's hand and hung it deftly on the tree. "I made that one, when I was little. Mom and I made a huge mess all over the kitchen, making ornaments for people. Dad told us we were a menace, but he was smiling." Conall smiled as well, the memory for once not bringing with it a wash of sadness.
Arms wrapped around his waist and Conall leaned back into them, closing his eyes. He felt so much lighter; what a difference it made, to not be alone.
The arms slipped away and Conall re-opened his eyes to find all of his ornaments floating in the air. Niven seemed to be studying them, his gaze alternating between them and the tree, then they shifted around into a new configuration. Conall watched, puzzled, through two more configuration switches before he realized what Niven was doing.
"Niven!" he exclaimed around helpless laughter. "If you color-coordinate my tree..."
The Brownie glanced at him in puzzlement. "Is it supposed to be haphazard?" he asked curiously, which of course only made Conall laugh harder.
He couldn't wait until he got to try to explain the traditions associated with mistletoe.