storypaint (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
storypaint) wrote2009-01-05 01:44 pm
storypaint) wrote2009-01-05 01:44 pm
Settling In (Christopher gen)
Title: Settling In
Day/Theme: Oct 23 // the replacement
Series: The Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones
Character/Pairing: Christopher gen; Christopher/Millie
Rating: G
Excerpt: It didn't sink in to Christopher that Gabriel was really truly done, not right away. He'd stood in the office and listened as DeWitt had grumped on about a retirement in the country, a modest living, his years of service, but he hadn't really been listening. It was a long habit of his. He put his vague look on and hoped that it sufficed.
It didn't sink in to Christopher that Gabriel was really truly done, not right away. He'd stood in the office and listened as DeWitt had grumped on about a retirement in the country, a modest living, his years of service, but he hadn't really been listening. It was a long habit of his. He put his vague look on and hoped that it sufficed.
"Would have thought you'd been more enthusiastic," Gabriel had muttered as he left the office, putting a hand on Christopher's shoulder for only a second. He'd shut the door behind him and left Christopher in the large, dark room, staring across at the curtains.
After a moment, Christopher did something he'd never quite dared before-- he sat down behind Gabriel's desk in the creaky chair. His bottom barely touched the seat before he sprang up again. It was just too strange.
*
The days went on. Christopher managed the household just like he had been doing, since Gabriel had taught him how. He signed things with a sloppy Chrestomanci signature. He worked and the days went on.
He opened envelopes addressed to Chrestomanci and put them aside, not thinking, for when Gabriel would return, and then fished them out again and answered the invitations, struggling over the proper words.
But the whole thing didn't quite hit home until the day he was summoned.
*
He'd been half-asleep, his arms curled around Millie, when he felt the niggling at the back of his brain, like someone was trying to tell him something.
The feeling intensified, and without quite thinking about it, Christopher got out of bed and walked out of the bedroom.
Then he began to blink furiously, because it was much too bright in the hallway. He felt a hand at his elbow and jerked.
"Chrestomanci!" someone was saying. "We were hoping you would get the summons! Oh dear, have we got you out of bed? Time zone issues, my apologies..."
Christopher yawned and blinked again and tried to remember what he had worn to bed. Hopefully it was appropriate to the situation. Whatever the situation was.
The person at his elbow began to lead him towards a larger group and Christopher rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
"Fill me in," he said, putting on a vague expression as they reached the others, and for once he wasn't surprised when they all referred to him as the Chrestomanci.
Gabriel had retired, after all.
Day/Theme: Oct 23 // the replacement
Series: The Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones
Character/Pairing: Christopher gen; Christopher/Millie
Rating: G
Excerpt: It didn't sink in to Christopher that Gabriel was really truly done, not right away. He'd stood in the office and listened as DeWitt had grumped on about a retirement in the country, a modest living, his years of service, but he hadn't really been listening. It was a long habit of his. He put his vague look on and hoped that it sufficed.
It didn't sink in to Christopher that Gabriel was really truly done, not right away. He'd stood in the office and listened as DeWitt had grumped on about a retirement in the country, a modest living, his years of service, but he hadn't really been listening. It was a long habit of his. He put his vague look on and hoped that it sufficed.
"Would have thought you'd been more enthusiastic," Gabriel had muttered as he left the office, putting a hand on Christopher's shoulder for only a second. He'd shut the door behind him and left Christopher in the large, dark room, staring across at the curtains.
After a moment, Christopher did something he'd never quite dared before-- he sat down behind Gabriel's desk in the creaky chair. His bottom barely touched the seat before he sprang up again. It was just too strange.
*
The days went on. Christopher managed the household just like he had been doing, since Gabriel had taught him how. He signed things with a sloppy Chrestomanci signature. He worked and the days went on.
He opened envelopes addressed to Chrestomanci and put them aside, not thinking, for when Gabriel would return, and then fished them out again and answered the invitations, struggling over the proper words.
But the whole thing didn't quite hit home until the day he was summoned.
*
He'd been half-asleep, his arms curled around Millie, when he felt the niggling at the back of his brain, like someone was trying to tell him something.
The feeling intensified, and without quite thinking about it, Christopher got out of bed and walked out of the bedroom.
Then he began to blink furiously, because it was much too bright in the hallway. He felt a hand at his elbow and jerked.
"Chrestomanci!" someone was saying. "We were hoping you would get the summons! Oh dear, have we got you out of bed? Time zone issues, my apologies..."
Christopher yawned and blinked again and tried to remember what he had worn to bed. Hopefully it was appropriate to the situation. Whatever the situation was.
The person at his elbow began to lead him towards a larger group and Christopher rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
"Fill me in," he said, putting on a vague expression as they reached the others, and for once he wasn't surprised when they all referred to him as the Chrestomanci.
Gabriel had retired, after all.
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