Tis the Season (for Rat)

[silenttrainbaby]

The cheer and the color of the holiday had an unexpected effect on Grey. That most things didn't seem terribly expensive made it nearly irresistible. He'd just gone looking for two more knives and had left with a large bag of things from the store.

He's carrying this bag when he taps his fingertips on Rat's door. Unbeknownst to him, he's like Santa, bringing his gifts in a sack for Rat, who's been very, very good.

Of course, what's in the sack is a hodge-podge of things that caught his eye in the store. Something called an "Elf on a Shelf," two stockings with spangles on them, a string of lights, a package of tinsel, among with some other things.

Ho-ho-ho, indeed.

Comments

[plaguedrat]

Grey, Rat had expected. Grey's latest influx of Christmas cheer, however, is a surprise. "You're really enjoying this Christmas thing, aren't you?"

His only contribution, thus far, has been to pick up a beautiful facsimile copy of Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol. Even then, he seems to have stayed on the Grinchy side of Christmas.

[silenttrainbaby]

The lights and the sounds are all appealing. Grey all but swoops in, kissing Rat's cheek before crouching down to pull things out of the bag, spreading his bounty across the floor.

[plaguedrat]

Rat catches him in his arms for a second and turns for a proper kiss, hanging on to the brief moment of order. "Curtis wouldn't let you take over his apartment, huh?" Like it matters: Grey spends almost all of his time here.

[silenttrainbaby]

More and more, Grey lives here, leaving bits of himself, clothes, the catbox, all sorts of things. He is still licking the taste of the kiss from his mouth as he holds up the Elf. It has a book with it!

[plaguedrat]

"What is that?" Rat asks, torn between amusement and distaste at its cheerful expression.

[silenttrainbaby]

Grey traces the words on the box. An Elf on a Shelf. Santa's elves, it seems, as a means of helping Santa!

Which brings up the question: Who's Santa?

[plaguedrat]

"Santa and his elves?" Rat says. No way is that thing going on his bookshelf. Hell, there isn't even room. His promise of only a few books has gone completely out the window in an apartment cluttered with books.

[silenttrainbaby]

Grey had liked the Grinch book, how the green man had decided he liked the Whos. The Elf surely deserved a place, too, right?

He opens the box and takes out the elf and holds it out to Rat, the doll staring at Rat with its flat, painted eyes.

[plaguedrat]

"This is ridiculous," Rat protests. "Look at it. It's so...festive."

And it's going on the shelf, isn't it?

[silenttrainbaby]

It is.

Grey waggles the doll at Rat, the legs dancing, before he stands, looking around to find just the right shelf for the Elf.

There.

[plaguedrat]

"I'm going to make dinner," Rat says, retreating into the kitchen and pawing through the fridge. He may be letting this happen, but he doesn't have to aid and abet.

[silenttrainbaby]

When he crouches at the bag again, the booty spreads further. The two stockings are tossed together near the couch, the tinsel and lights are set aside two. There is one box of ornaments near the bottom the bag. Then come the candies he got, shaped like bellys and balls with faces on them. He's not sure what those are, but he unwraps one and eats it anyway as he looks at his haul. What to do with what, where?

[plaguedrat]

His house is going to turn into a veritable winter wonderland and his affection for Grey means he's powerless to stop it. It's worse than the time Shion decided to tidy up his library.

"I'm making stew and mulled wine. It's your last chance to object."

[silenttrainbaby]

Why would Grey object? His nose is in the air and things smell good.

He has the tinsel unwrapped and the lights, too. It takes him a moment to figure out that the lights need to be plugged in. So, he crawls over to do that and when they light up, he very nearly smiles. Ah. He likes that glow. When he figures out to undo the twist ties, he starts to unwind them, spreading the lights across the floor.

This draws the cat into the fray, starting to paw at the lights.

[plaguedrat]

"Careful the cat doesn't electrocute himself," Rat warns. "Or, I mean, let him." It's false and they both know it.

"...the lights are nice."

[silenttrainbaby]

The cat does indeed try to eat the lights and Grey has to scoop him up and away.

The lights are nice, yes. He just doesn't know what to do with them.

[plaguedrat]

Rat watches him, taking in and deducing Grey's conundrum. "Here," he says, tossing him a pack of stick-on hooks. "String them around the walls?"

[silenttrainbaby]

String them around the wall. Yes.

After he figures out how to use the hooks, he starts on the wall of the bookshelf, moving up and down along the wall, carefully.

[plaguedrat]

"There, and they're up where the cat can't reach," Rat says, pouring Grey a cup of warm, spiced wine.

[silenttrainbaby]

Standing back to take in the look, Grey let out a breath and reached for Rat's hand as he comes closer.

Next up, of course, is the tinsel.

[plaguedrat]

"This is going to be a pain to take down after the holidays," Rat says, because someone has to be the pessimist, even as he bends down and gives Grey a kiss.

[silenttrainbaby]

When the kiss lingers, Grey's face shows the peace of it. One of his most favorite things is to kiss Rat.

Rat who finds the tinsel around his neck.

Heh.

[plaguedrat]

"Hey!" Rat protests, picking it of and throwing it at Grey with a smile. "What do you think you're doing!"

[silenttrainbaby]

Grey has no idea what he's doing. But it's with Rat and that's okay. He catches the silver and makes to return it to Rat's hair.

[plaguedrat]

"Hey!" Rat lunges at Grey, pinning him with a wide smile. "Don't mess with me!"