Bubblebook: Greg, keyword "deck the halls"
Name: Holiday Consequences
Community Event: Christmas 2010
Prompt: 04: Deck the Halls
Word Count: 649
Summary: Greg tries to spread some holiday cheer. It doesn’t work.
Notes: This is not KH-verse! It is, however, somewhat AU if only because Greg would not know what Christmas was otherwise. Ahaha.
Even before Korlithia summoned him to the parlor, Greg knew what it was all about. But he refused to let himself be deterred, and so when he entered the parlor it was with a grin plastered on his face. “You wanted to see me?”
Korlithia was sipping a cup of tea; Greg’s face fell noticeably when he saw that there wasn’t a cup for him at the table. She was pulling out all the stops, wasn’t she? “I did,” she answered simply. She was quiet as she sipped her tea-adding insult to injury!-but after several long moments she continued. “I was told you were responsible for the most recent… additions to the hallway décor.”
Greg waited. It was a trap to answer now. He waited, and sure enough, after another moment she set down her teacup, finally looking at him and raising an eyebrow. That was his cue to speak, any earlier and she would have had him for speaking out of turn, any later and she’d accuse him of disobedience. “I take it you don’t like them?”
He was probably the only person in the entire castle that could get away with such a reply. He grinned at her again, winningly, head cocked ever-so-slightly to convince her of his complete and total innocence.
Korlithia didn’t seem to be impressed by his cheer, though. “And where did you get the fool’s idea to bring in live flora to tack up along the walls?”
“Come on!” Greg exclaimed, gesturing wildly. “You’ve heard the songs, haven’t you? Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Fa-la-la-la-la! We needed some Christmas cheer in here-you can’t always sit around in this dreary castle sulking, ‘Litha!” He would have continued, but at the use of the nickname Korlithia’s eyebrows had shot up so far they’d almost disappeared into her hairline. A moment later, they settled again and Greg felt a tinge of pain around his bicep as the metal band began to contract.
He backed off, holding up both hands to placate her. “Oh, whoa-whoa-whoa, okay, okay, the nickname was too far. I get it. I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” He bowed his head slightly, leaving his hands up. Korlithia had a thin line dividing being amused and becoming annoyed, and he tended to cross that line too often for his own good. However, he noted as the band stopped tightening (though she didn’t release the pressure, either), he was getting much better at placating her before the band did too much damage to his arm. Minor victories-they kept the world turning!
But Korlithia was looking at him with that carefully calculating look in her eyes, and he did not like where it was going. Greg fought the urge to swallow hard, wondering what he’d gotten himself into.
She settled back into her chair, picking up her teacup again, and for a moment Greg thought that maybe he was off the hook.
“I wonder, Greggorion, if you remember how the rest of that delightful little song went?”
Then again, maybe not.
Korlithia poured herself another cup of tea, adding two sugar cubes and stirring the drink around with a spoon. “If I recall right,” she mused, “the third line orders those singing to ‘don we now our gay apparel.’ Does it not?”
Tink, tink, tink. The spoon to the saucer, and Korlithia raised her eyes to Greg once again.
This time, Greg did swallow. “Yeee… eessss?”
“Then it’s settled.” Korlithia lowered her gaze to her teacup once more, and there was a note of finality to her voice. “Since you are so determined to bring these ridiculous carols to life, you may embody the spirit of the one you have chosen.”
And that was how Greg got stuck wearing the ugliest, itchiest Christmas sweaters Searth and Thrien could find until it was finally-finally-the day after Christmas.
Sometimes Korlithia’s demented sense of humor boggled him.
♥ Apologies for the flist spam!
Community Event: Christmas 2010
Prompt: 04: Deck the Halls
Word Count: 649
Summary: Greg tries to spread some holiday cheer. It doesn’t work.
Notes: This is not KH-verse! It is, however, somewhat AU if only because Greg would not know what Christmas was otherwise. Ahaha.
Even before Korlithia summoned him to the parlor, Greg knew what it was all about. But he refused to let himself be deterred, and so when he entered the parlor it was with a grin plastered on his face. “You wanted to see me?”
Korlithia was sipping a cup of tea; Greg’s face fell noticeably when he saw that there wasn’t a cup for him at the table. She was pulling out all the stops, wasn’t she? “I did,” she answered simply. She was quiet as she sipped her tea-adding insult to injury!-but after several long moments she continued. “I was told you were responsible for the most recent… additions to the hallway décor.”
Greg waited. It was a trap to answer now. He waited, and sure enough, after another moment she set down her teacup, finally looking at him and raising an eyebrow. That was his cue to speak, any earlier and she would have had him for speaking out of turn, any later and she’d accuse him of disobedience. “I take it you don’t like them?”
He was probably the only person in the entire castle that could get away with such a reply. He grinned at her again, winningly, head cocked ever-so-slightly to convince her of his complete and total innocence.
Korlithia didn’t seem to be impressed by his cheer, though. “And where did you get the fool’s idea to bring in live flora to tack up along the walls?”
“Come on!” Greg exclaimed, gesturing wildly. “You’ve heard the songs, haven’t you? Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Fa-la-la-la-la! We needed some Christmas cheer in here-you can’t always sit around in this dreary castle sulking, ‘Litha!” He would have continued, but at the use of the nickname Korlithia’s eyebrows had shot up so far they’d almost disappeared into her hairline. A moment later, they settled again and Greg felt a tinge of pain around his bicep as the metal band began to contract.
He backed off, holding up both hands to placate her. “Oh, whoa-whoa-whoa, okay, okay, the nickname was too far. I get it. I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” He bowed his head slightly, leaving his hands up. Korlithia had a thin line dividing being amused and becoming annoyed, and he tended to cross that line too often for his own good. However, he noted as the band stopped tightening (though she didn’t release the pressure, either), he was getting much better at placating her before the band did too much damage to his arm. Minor victories-they kept the world turning!
But Korlithia was looking at him with that carefully calculating look in her eyes, and he did not like where it was going. Greg fought the urge to swallow hard, wondering what he’d gotten himself into.
She settled back into her chair, picking up her teacup again, and for a moment Greg thought that maybe he was off the hook.
“I wonder, Greggorion, if you remember how the rest of that delightful little song went?”
Then again, maybe not.
Korlithia poured herself another cup of tea, adding two sugar cubes and stirring the drink around with a spoon. “If I recall right,” she mused, “the third line orders those singing to ‘don we now our gay apparel.’ Does it not?”
Tink, tink, tink. The spoon to the saucer, and Korlithia raised her eyes to Greg once again.
This time, Greg did swallow. “Yeee… eessss?”
“Then it’s settled.” Korlithia lowered her gaze to her teacup once more, and there was a note of finality to her voice. “Since you are so determined to bring these ridiculous carols to life, you may embody the spirit of the one you have chosen.”
And that was how Greg got stuck wearing the ugliest, itchiest Christmas sweaters Searth and Thrien could find until it was finally-finally-the day after Christmas.
Sometimes Korlithia’s demented sense of humor boggled him.
♥ Apologies for the flist spam!