Strawberry 5 + FOTD
Author: Marina
Story: Shifts universe (post-Shifts)
Challenge: Strawberry 5 (bucket), FOTD (ferret)
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Sprinkles, Malt (pfah - bucket : Ellen: did I bring this on myself?)
Word Count: 449
Rating: PG
Summary: Ellen helps Grayson out after Nate’s adoption, in more ways than one.
Notes: Rereading Nate’s adoption made me want to write this.
“I still can’t believe you never told us,” Lynne said, for the umpteenth time since she first walked through the door. “What the hell, Grayson? I thought we were friends.”
“Oh, you know me,” said Grayson. “Always full of surprises.”
Ellen, who had been listening to the entire conversation in silence, glanced over the island counter that edged Grayson’s kitchen and eyed the party in the living room with distaste. Lynne, Drew, and Rand had arrived nearly thirty minutes before, armed with presents for Nate and offers to help with food or cleaning the house. Ellen had already taken care of both those things. She had a casserole in the oven, and once she finished mopping the kitchen floor, the apartment would be cleaner than it had been since before Grayson moved in.
That left the other three free to launch teasing barbs at Grayson from the couch in style and comfort. Lynne, in addition to her repeated iterations of incredulity, continually offered Grayson parenting advice that he had not asked for. Drew and Rand did not say nearly as much, but when they did speak up, their comments were somewhat cutting behind the good humor.
“You definitely surprised us with this,” Rand said then, with a lift of his eyebrow. “I never saw you as a parent. Didn’t think you wanted to be.”
Ellen’s eyes veered toward Grayson. He played off the statement with a lascivious wink and a laugh, making Rand shudder a bit. Good, she thought. Almost convinced that Grayson had the situation well in hand, she wrung out her mop over its bucket and moved to clean up. Her gaze flicked up again in time to catch just a hint of a troubled expression in her friend’s face-one the other three would not see because they never looked.
With a roll of her eyes, Ellen leaned over the island counter far enough that she could look her brother, Lynne, and Rand in the eye. “Of course Grayson didn’t tell any of you he was adopting,” she said, rather sharply. “All you’d have done was laugh, because you’ve never taken him seriously. So, instead of freaking out about it, why don’t you just be happy for him? Go coo over Nate or start trying to matchmake him and Adrian or something.” Without waiting for a reply, she turned away to dump out the mop water.
“She sure told us,” Lynne said, making the others laugh.
Grayson merely grinned, as he usually did, but when the others had dispersed to perform tasks that were actually useful, he poked his head into the kitchen. “Thank you,” he said, softly, with a relieved smile.
“You’re welcome,” Ellen said easily.
Story: Shifts universe (post-Shifts)
Challenge: Strawberry 5 (bucket), FOTD (ferret)
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Sprinkles, Malt (pfah - bucket : Ellen: did I bring this on myself?)
Word Count: 449
Rating: PG
Summary: Ellen helps Grayson out after Nate’s adoption, in more ways than one.
Notes: Rereading Nate’s adoption made me want to write this.
“I still can’t believe you never told us,” Lynne said, for the umpteenth time since she first walked through the door. “What the hell, Grayson? I thought we were friends.”
“Oh, you know me,” said Grayson. “Always full of surprises.”
Ellen, who had been listening to the entire conversation in silence, glanced over the island counter that edged Grayson’s kitchen and eyed the party in the living room with distaste. Lynne, Drew, and Rand had arrived nearly thirty minutes before, armed with presents for Nate and offers to help with food or cleaning the house. Ellen had already taken care of both those things. She had a casserole in the oven, and once she finished mopping the kitchen floor, the apartment would be cleaner than it had been since before Grayson moved in.
That left the other three free to launch teasing barbs at Grayson from the couch in style and comfort. Lynne, in addition to her repeated iterations of incredulity, continually offered Grayson parenting advice that he had not asked for. Drew and Rand did not say nearly as much, but when they did speak up, their comments were somewhat cutting behind the good humor.
“You definitely surprised us with this,” Rand said then, with a lift of his eyebrow. “I never saw you as a parent. Didn’t think you wanted to be.”
Ellen’s eyes veered toward Grayson. He played off the statement with a lascivious wink and a laugh, making Rand shudder a bit. Good, she thought. Almost convinced that Grayson had the situation well in hand, she wrung out her mop over its bucket and moved to clean up. Her gaze flicked up again in time to catch just a hint of a troubled expression in her friend’s face-one the other three would not see because they never looked.
With a roll of her eyes, Ellen leaned over the island counter far enough that she could look her brother, Lynne, and Rand in the eye. “Of course Grayson didn’t tell any of you he was adopting,” she said, rather sharply. “All you’d have done was laugh, because you’ve never taken him seriously. So, instead of freaking out about it, why don’t you just be happy for him? Go coo over Nate or start trying to matchmake him and Adrian or something.” Without waiting for a reply, she turned away to dump out the mop water.
“She sure told us,” Lynne said, making the others laugh.
Grayson merely grinned, as he usually did, but when the others had dispersed to perform tasks that were actually useful, he poked his head into the kitchen. “Thank you,” he said, softly, with a relieved smile.
“You’re welcome,” Ellen said easily.