Discovered Whilst A-Carolling, Day 20 - Tradition (double drabble)

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

My prompt for the Discovered Whilst A-Carolling Challenge was "I Saw Three Ships" but my stupid muse keeled over on me mid-story. So, instead of a big gift, all I have to offer is a little stocking stuffer which has nothing to do with my prompt. Hope you enjoy it anyway, and Merry Christmas everyone.



Every Christmas it's the same old story. My partner hangs a sprig of mistletoe, and patiently waits for a bird to happen by. Not that he has to wait long, word spreads fast in the typing pool. I swear he no more than takes up position, than they're lined up halfway down the stairs, giggling and slavering at the sight that greets them as they round the corner and see him standing there: shoulder propped against the doorjamb, hips canted forward, lips parted in anticipation, eyes gleaming with that irresistible come hither stare.

One by one, he wraps them in his arms and gives them kisses. Old ones, young ones, pretty, plain, skinny or fat, it doesn't matter. They get their Christmas kiss.

Tradition. Giving. That's what the season's all about.

Well, I've had enough of that codswallop.

This Christmas, things are going to be different. This Christmas, I'm going to be the first in line and I'm going to give that little tease the kiss to end all kisses.

And if he doesn't knock my teeth out, or kick me down the stairs, then maybe we'll start ourselves a new tradition. And have no further need for bloody mistletoe.


Title: Tradition
Author: Melanie Athene
Gen/Slash: slash
Disclaimer: They're not my lads, but if Santa wants to leave them under my Christmas tree this year, that's more than okay with me. :)
Archive at ProsLib/Circuit: Yes, please
Author's notes: A big thank you to my beta and Brit Picker, cali_se.

Comments

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Ohhh love this! Can just see Bodie thinking this
Well, I've had enough of that codswallop.

This Christmas, things are going to be different. This Christmas, I'm going to be the first in line and I'm going to give that little tease the kiss to end all kisses. then squaring his shoulders and kissing his partner. Shame it's not longer, though *g* I'll have to let my imagination go wild!

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Would that my imagination had run wild. I really wanted to offer a longer story -- and I was just shy of 1200 words when suddenly phzzzttt, it died on me. :( Maybe I can resurrect it, with a little time and patience. *crosses fingers*

I'm glad you liked the drouble. And I'm sure we all know what happens next -- after all, it is set under the mistletoe, and tradition demands that a Christmas story has a happy ending. :)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh just... bless... *g* Shall hope it works out for our Bodie, eh? Bet it does... *vbg* Thank you!

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

I bet they both live very happily ever after. :)

Thanks for reading!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

LOL - that's Bodie, cutting through all the crap and getting down to business. *g* Thank you!

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

He certainly is a man of action. As is Ray. :)

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Oh, would I love to see that kiss! This is so sweet and funny.

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Ah, to be a fly on the wall...

Thank you, Mews. *hugs*

[julchen11.livejournal.com]

I can sooo hear Bodie, sweetie! "Well, I've had enough of that codswallop." :-))
I'm sure Doyle will love the new tradition!

Love it, sweetie.
And YOU.

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

LOL! Well, traditions have to start someplace, right?

*hugs you tight*

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

LOL! Now why can I believe that Bodie would do just that? Get in line first and get his reward.

Thanks! Really cute.

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

*grins* And who could blame him with that provocation?

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it.

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

This is snappy and brilliant. I love the last line ... but I think I'm losing my mind ... heh. Everyone seems to be reading the pov as Bodie and the little tease as Doyle, but I totally read it the other way round! And I've only had one drink ... *g*

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

LOL! I've been waiting for someone to call me on that. I deliberately left out names. :)

[come-in45.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this lovely image of a 'a new tradition'. Jojosimco is so right. As soon as I read 'shoulder propped' (actually my mind read 'leaning') I thought 'Doyle' - how stereotyped and shallow is that? The idea that it could be the PoV of either makes it even better.

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

I think it's a tradition both men will appreciate. :)

*nods* Leaning against something is a very Doyle-like thing to do, but he certainly doesn't have a monopoly on the pose. LOL! I love making people wonder about the PoV. :)

[przed.livejournal.com]

An utterly perfect stocking stuffer. (And I bet Doyle was doing it on purpose to get Bodie going. *g*)

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I'm surprised it took so long to set a new tradition in motion.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

*g* You really manage to pack a lot in to only two hundred words. The description of Doyle leaning in that doorway is beautifully drawn and I just have to love Bodie's decision to move things along.

Thank you! :D

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I love writing drabbles and double drabbles, and I'm very glad you enjoyed reading this one. :)

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Hee - terrific sentiment here, and I love that you left the names out. "bloody mistletoe" is right.*g*

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Thanks. LOL! I'm pretty sure they'll both agree they have no further use for mistletoe.

[miwahni.livejournal.com]

That was a lot of fun! And I definitely read it as Bodie POV; the leaning being such a Doyle thing, and the reference to "little tease"; I can't imagine Doyle describing Bodie as "little".
I CAN, however, imagine a take-charge Bodie. Way to go, boy!

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it. :)

Yeah, I definitely slipped up on the 'little'. I should change it to 'teasing sod', or something along those lines.

[andreathelion.livejournal.com]

LOL, thank you for that!
I first read it as Doyle's POV until shoulder propped against the doorjamb, hips canted forward, lips parted in anticipation, eyes gleaming with that irresistible come hither stare, which, for me, sounds exactly like Doyle ...
Anyway, I love the picture you draw and I would like to be the fly on the wall *g*

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome. :)

I think we'd all like to be that fly on the wall. :)

[angel-ci5.livejournal.com]

Hee! Oh brilliant, I love that you've left their names out - I read this as Doyle's POV - and I adore the last couple of lines, thank you!

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it. :)

[erushi.livejournal.com]

Hee, this was adorable! And wonderfully wicked too. *g* And I love the ambiguity of it too, judging by the comments above. ;) For me, I thought it was Bodie who was doing the narrating, and Doyle doing the mistletoe hanging. It was the "hips canted" bit which did it - yes, I'm shallow like that! But it all certainly sounds like a ploy either of the lads might have to subtly get the other to kiss him! *eg*

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I hope the ploy works, whoever does the kissing. :)

[schnuffi.livejournal.com]

*Snort* I wonder if Doyle is doing the whole thing just to get Bodie where he wants him. Though I guess Bodie's have a hard time getting up front of the queue. Let's hope he survives in suitable shape to get his Christmas kiss. Thank you for writing this!

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

LOL! Yes, I imagine there would be more than a few irate women blocking the way. The nerve! Trying to poach their Christmas treat!

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Well if they this turned up in my stocking on Christmas morning I'd be a happy camper! Love it - and I like that you've left out the names. I read it as Bodie being the tease, despite the leaning, but it works equally well for both. Traditions like this, we can do with more of *g*

Thanks!

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it. :)

Who knows what other traditions those two might think up. :)

[smirra.livejournal.com]

Starting a new tradition is always good! I like that you llft the names out- canted hips is so Doyle the 'generous' idea with the mistletoe sounds moore like Bodie! Thank you!

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

Traditions have to start somewhere. *grins*

I agree. And I think that's why the ambiguity works, it's a good mix of both lads.

Thanks for reading!

very late but catching up eventually

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this. This decription:

shoulder propped against the doorjamb, hips canted forward, lips parted in anticipation, eyes gleaming with that irresistible come hither stare.

was very vivid and I also thought you captured Bodie's thought processes very well too. Thank you.

Re: very late but catching up eventually

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

There's no such thing as a late comment. Anytime is on time. :)

Thank you. I'm really glad you enjoyed my drabble.