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storypaint ([personal profile] storypaint) wrote2009-12-24 01:20 am

An Unwrapped Gift (Spinel gen)

Title: An Unwrapped Gift
Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura
Length: 578 words
Prompt: Christmas card fic for [livejournal.com profile] suppis_tenshi
Pairing: Spinel and Eriol-tachi gen
Other: n/a

Excerpt: Normally on Christmas Eve, Spinel went to bed early. He was resigned to Ruby waking him at dawn, and being a cat-based creature, he enjoyed his sleep.

Normally on Christmas Eve, Spinel went to bed early. He was resigned to Ruby waking him at dawn, and being a cat-based creature, he enjoyed his sleep. So when he settled down in Eriol's lap after dinner and missed the traditional family reading of "The Night Before Christmas," no one had the heart to wake him. In fact, when Eriol gently lifted his guardian and left him there in the chair to sleep, Spinel hardly registered the fact.

It was an utter shock to him, then, the next day, when he woke and stretched and sighed. He looked in surprise at the grandfather clock near the fireplace and saw that it was 10:30. And morning sun was creeping under the curtains. 10:30 in the morning and he hadn't been already awakened... was Ruby sick?

He fluttered out of the chair, noticing the undisturbed Christmas tree, the pristinely-wrapped presents. Had he miscalculated the day? He rubbed his eyes with his paws, and since the silence was honestly rather eerie, he slipped into his true form before padding into the hallway.

There, he felt slightly better; he could just hear Eriol in the kitchen, singing carols half under his breath, accompanied here and there by Kaho's murmur. The house smelled like gingerbread, a scent Spinel appreciated even though he didn't eat. He followed his nose.

His master was in shirt-sleeves and an apron, up to his elbows in dough and flour. Kaho was icing cookies that had already cooled, and Ruby was sitting straight-backed on a stool in the middle of the kitchen, observing the proceedings with satisfaction.

"Spinel," Eriol said fondly, looking up from his work. He pushed his glasses up his nose, leaving a brush of flour on his cheek. Kaho looked up, eyes refocusing from detailed to far-away work, and she smiled. Ruby propelled herself off the stool with a characteristic squeal and wrapped her arms around his neck. This he took with better grace than usual; after all, he was still surprised he'd been allowed to sleep in.

"Suppi!" she exclaimed. "I know you're like a cat and cats sleep a lot but I was beginning to think you would sleep forever and we wouldn't have Christmas!"

"You usually wake me," he pointed out as she rubbed her face in his fur. It was short and sleek, like the fur of a real big cat, and he was also quite used to her doing this, even if it was annoying at times.

She pulled back and pressed her forehead against his before pirouetting back to her stool. The humans just watched, amused.

"Well," she said, looking down and adjusting the snowman pin on her sweater, "I thought it would be nice to let you sleep this year. Like a Christmas present, except I couldn't wrap it. I thought about wrapping you instead but I figured it would make you mad."

Spinel stood stock-still for a moment; she looked at him as though she were seeking approval. Then he rubbed his head against her legs, managing a short, rusty purr. Eriol finished shaping his last cookies and placed the pan in the oven. Washing his hands, he said, "Shall we?"

"Yay!" Ruby shouted, leaning down to pet Spinel's head before darting back to the family room. The rest of them smiled and followed after more sedately.

And that year, Spinel thought Christmas was pretty special.

[identity profile] lady-kikyou.livejournal.com 2009-12-24 02:27 pm (UTC)(link)
I thought about wrapping you instead but I figured it would make you mad.

Fffff I lol'ed. XD Gotta love Nakuru. ♥

[identity profile] storypaint.livejournal.com 2009-12-24 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
At least she thought about it first! |D Nakuru is funny.