Well, it's almost late...almost
Dec. 4th, 2005 11:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dolevalanTitle: Star of Wonder
Fandom: The 10th Kingdom
“You would think a land full of fairy tales would celebrate Christmas,” Virginia grumbled to her infant son, who was watching her decorate with mixed attention. His bouncer rested in a small island free of decorations, as anything within arm’s reach, he would try to devour. At the moment, he was watching the lights flicker on and off as Virgina went through, trying to find the burned-out bulbs. “I mean, Santa Claus could have his own kingdom, for all I know. Wouldn’t be half surprised…”
Their first Christmas together, Peter hadn’t been born yet. After all that had happened, it had be quiet and just the two of them, and that was fine. But Wolf had gone crazy (well, crazier, really) after their son was born. He insisted Virgina explain all the Christmas traditions she could think of, and then started getting books to fill in what he felt were gaps. Virginia was thankful he had yet to discover the internet.
Peter gurgled and reached for a stray ornament, and Virgina scooped it away. Unfortunately, to do so, she had to loose her place in the string of lights, and she let out a groan of frustration. Peter giggled, and Frank Sinatra kept singing “Silver Bells” in the next room. Swallowing her temper, she started over, convinced that the tree would never be decorated.
Wolf chose this moment to arrive home with an armful of decorations, CDs, and presents. “Merry Christmas!” Wolf seemed to think that, for the month of December, it was necessary to say this phrase at least once every fifteen minutes. “And how’s my scrump-diddly-umptuos son today?” He dumped his load on the kitchen counter and crouched down to fawn over Peter.
“Your son is fine, but your wife is about to kill someone,” Virginia growled without looking up from what she was doing. “Christmas trees are far more work than they’re worth. Stupid tradition anyway…” By the end, she was muttering to herself.
“But Virginia!” He bounded over like an enthusiastic puppy. “Where’s your yuletide cheer? Peace on earth goodwill towards man? Ho ho ho?”
She pointed the plug on the lights towards him menacingly. “I’ll show you ‘ho, ho, ho’ if you don’t start helping with this.”
Wolf grinned and looked down at the mess of decorations (none of which had so far made it onto the tree). “I’ll be helpful. Just tell me what to do. Oh, I got us a goose!”
“What? Why? Christmas isn’t for another couple weeks!”
“I know, but I thought we could maybe have a pre-Christmas goose. You know, to get us in the right mood?” He dropped into a sitting position, and began detangling the tinsel.
Virginia just shook her head and continued with the lights. Peter whined a little as he reached for a red ball ornament just out of his reach. When Wolf noticed, he suddenly stood up. “OH!” And without further explanation, he bolted out of the room.
After a couple of years, this sort of behavior was less startling than it had been, but it still always made Virginia jumpy. However, just before he returned, she found the offending bulb, and the living room was suddenly full of hundreds of tiny colored lights. Peter laughed.
Wolf returned and admired the effect for a moment. Virginia shook her head, bad mood beginning to dissipate a little. “They’re just on the floor, goof. They’ll look better on the tree.” He just smiled wider as he came into the room.
“I can’t believe I forgot this long. It’s awful.” He came over to the tree and looked at it for a long critical moment, then moved to the kitchen.
“What are you talking about?” she shouted after him as he started rummaging around in the cupboards.
“It’s a Christmas surprise, my love!” Virginia rolled her eyes, but started stringing the lights along the tree. “Something I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”
“Now I’m worried.” She continued decorating the tree as Wolf hummed along with the Christmas carols in the kitchen. He gave Peter some Cheerios, which both amused the boy to no end, and made a horrible mess. Virginia couldn’t find it in her heart to complain – at least it gave her time to get the tree more or less done.
She was about to grab a chair to put the star on top when Wolf touched her arm. “I’ve got the star, Virginia.” She blinked at him and raised an eyebrow, but then stepped back and shrugged.
He smiled and pulled a small leather pouch out of his jeans. Slipping one hand into it, he reached up to grab the top of the tree with the other. Then, out of the bag, he pulled a glowing, miniature star. It flickered like a candle flame, letting off a soft and warm glow, but was self contained. Wordlessly, Viriginia turned off the lights. The star filled the room with a pale, lovely glow. Even Peter paused in his cereal-driven apocalypse in order to watch the lights.
Wolf turned around and smiled. “Just a little bit of left-over magic.” Virginia began to laugh until Wolf reached over and kissed her. Maybe fairy tales did know something about Christmas after all.
Fandom: The 10th Kingdom
“You would think a land full of fairy tales would celebrate Christmas,” Virginia grumbled to her infant son, who was watching her decorate with mixed attention. His bouncer rested in a small island free of decorations, as anything within arm’s reach, he would try to devour. At the moment, he was watching the lights flicker on and off as Virgina went through, trying to find the burned-out bulbs. “I mean, Santa Claus could have his own kingdom, for all I know. Wouldn’t be half surprised…”
Their first Christmas together, Peter hadn’t been born yet. After all that had happened, it had be quiet and just the two of them, and that was fine. But Wolf had gone crazy (well, crazier, really) after their son was born. He insisted Virgina explain all the Christmas traditions she could think of, and then started getting books to fill in what he felt were gaps. Virginia was thankful he had yet to discover the internet.
Peter gurgled and reached for a stray ornament, and Virgina scooped it away. Unfortunately, to do so, she had to loose her place in the string of lights, and she let out a groan of frustration. Peter giggled, and Frank Sinatra kept singing “Silver Bells” in the next room. Swallowing her temper, she started over, convinced that the tree would never be decorated.
Wolf chose this moment to arrive home with an armful of decorations, CDs, and presents. “Merry Christmas!” Wolf seemed to think that, for the month of December, it was necessary to say this phrase at least once every fifteen minutes. “And how’s my scrump-diddly-umptuos son today?” He dumped his load on the kitchen counter and crouched down to fawn over Peter.
“Your son is fine, but your wife is about to kill someone,” Virginia growled without looking up from what she was doing. “Christmas trees are far more work than they’re worth. Stupid tradition anyway…” By the end, she was muttering to herself.
“But Virginia!” He bounded over like an enthusiastic puppy. “Where’s your yuletide cheer? Peace on earth goodwill towards man? Ho ho ho?”
She pointed the plug on the lights towards him menacingly. “I’ll show you ‘ho, ho, ho’ if you don’t start helping with this.”
Wolf grinned and looked down at the mess of decorations (none of which had so far made it onto the tree). “I’ll be helpful. Just tell me what to do. Oh, I got us a goose!”
“What? Why? Christmas isn’t for another couple weeks!”
“I know, but I thought we could maybe have a pre-Christmas goose. You know, to get us in the right mood?” He dropped into a sitting position, and began detangling the tinsel.
Virginia just shook her head and continued with the lights. Peter whined a little as he reached for a red ball ornament just out of his reach. When Wolf noticed, he suddenly stood up. “OH!” And without further explanation, he bolted out of the room.
After a couple of years, this sort of behavior was less startling than it had been, but it still always made Virginia jumpy. However, just before he returned, she found the offending bulb, and the living room was suddenly full of hundreds of tiny colored lights. Peter laughed.
Wolf returned and admired the effect for a moment. Virginia shook her head, bad mood beginning to dissipate a little. “They’re just on the floor, goof. They’ll look better on the tree.” He just smiled wider as he came into the room.
“I can’t believe I forgot this long. It’s awful.” He came over to the tree and looked at it for a long critical moment, then moved to the kitchen.
“What are you talking about?” she shouted after him as he started rummaging around in the cupboards.
“It’s a Christmas surprise, my love!” Virginia rolled her eyes, but started stringing the lights along the tree. “Something I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”
“Now I’m worried.” She continued decorating the tree as Wolf hummed along with the Christmas carols in the kitchen. He gave Peter some Cheerios, which both amused the boy to no end, and made a horrible mess. Virginia couldn’t find it in her heart to complain – at least it gave her time to get the tree more or less done.
She was about to grab a chair to put the star on top when Wolf touched her arm. “I’ve got the star, Virginia.” She blinked at him and raised an eyebrow, but then stepped back and shrugged.
He smiled and pulled a small leather pouch out of his jeans. Slipping one hand into it, he reached up to grab the top of the tree with the other. Then, out of the bag, he pulled a glowing, miniature star. It flickered like a candle flame, letting off a soft and warm glow, but was self contained. Wordlessly, Viriginia turned off the lights. The star filled the room with a pale, lovely glow. Even Peter paused in his cereal-driven apocalypse in order to watch the lights.
Wolf turned around and smiled. “Just a little bit of left-over magic.” Virginia began to laugh until Wolf reached over and kissed her. Maybe fairy tales did know something about Christmas after all.
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no subject
Date: 2005-12-05 12:33 am (UTC)That made me laugh so much more than it should have.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-05 11:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-07 10:57 pm (UTC)