Post by Quill on Dec 25, 2011 3:23:16 GMT -5
"Hey. Hey, wake up." He groaned and mumbled indistinctly as he was shaken awake, fumbling for the lamp beside the bed and checking the time.
"Nevermore, it's two in the morning," he slurred, looking at his companion blearily. "What in the world is so important?"
His companion only grinned at that. "There's something I want you to see. C'mon, get out of bed. We should catch it if we hurry."
"Catch what?" he questioned, utterly bewildered. "What are you on about?"
"I'll show you if you stop asking questions and just come on." With that, Rudolf was yanked forcefully out of bed and dragged out onto the apartment's small porch.
It was a crisp night, a faint powdering of snow coating the ground, icicles clinging to bare branches and glittering like diamond in the moonlight. A few stars winked at them through a scattering of clouds and the blanket of light pollution the city provided, and the moon was just beginning its lazy trek downwards, hitting its high point while the Mage was still comfortably in bed. Nevermore said nothing, but pointed to the sky just to the left of a stubborn, solitary star. "Just keep your eyes right there and wait. Also, do you...hear anything?"
Rudolf tiredly turned his gaze as directed, sighing heavily. "I still don't understand why we had to do this at such an ungodly hour..." He trailed off, the corners of his mouth turning toward thoughtfully. The faintest of sounds reached him, rhythmic and tinny, like something being shaken. As it grew louder, it became more familiar. "Bells...?" he murmured. "Sleigh bells...But..." He turned to the Raven his eyes going wide. "Surely you don't mean..." Nevermore just pointed, and he jerked his gaze back. A tiny speck had appeared in the sky, growing larger as the bells grew louder. Soon the speck became two separate specks, then four, then eight tiny specks and one large. There was no stereotypical shout of merriment- he was a man on a mission, after all, but the bells and the hoofs that thundered on air were obvious enough.
Rudolf just stared for several moments after it had gone by, his mouth slightly open. He turned his gaze to his companion, still struggling for the proper words. "Will wonders never cease with you?" he managed at last, his normal sarcasm breathless and lost in a childlike astonishment and wonder.
Pale lips pressed against his cheek, and a black wing curled around his shoulders as he was led back to bed. "Merry Christmas, Rudolf."
"Nevermore, it's two in the morning," he slurred, looking at his companion blearily. "What in the world is so important?"
His companion only grinned at that. "There's something I want you to see. C'mon, get out of bed. We should catch it if we hurry."
"Catch what?" he questioned, utterly bewildered. "What are you on about?"
"I'll show you if you stop asking questions and just come on." With that, Rudolf was yanked forcefully out of bed and dragged out onto the apartment's small porch.
It was a crisp night, a faint powdering of snow coating the ground, icicles clinging to bare branches and glittering like diamond in the moonlight. A few stars winked at them through a scattering of clouds and the blanket of light pollution the city provided, and the moon was just beginning its lazy trek downwards, hitting its high point while the Mage was still comfortably in bed. Nevermore said nothing, but pointed to the sky just to the left of a stubborn, solitary star. "Just keep your eyes right there and wait. Also, do you...hear anything?"
Rudolf tiredly turned his gaze as directed, sighing heavily. "I still don't understand why we had to do this at such an ungodly hour..." He trailed off, the corners of his mouth turning toward thoughtfully. The faintest of sounds reached him, rhythmic and tinny, like something being shaken. As it grew louder, it became more familiar. "Bells...?" he murmured. "Sleigh bells...But..." He turned to the Raven his eyes going wide. "Surely you don't mean..." Nevermore just pointed, and he jerked his gaze back. A tiny speck had appeared in the sky, growing larger as the bells grew louder. Soon the speck became two separate specks, then four, then eight tiny specks and one large. There was no stereotypical shout of merriment- he was a man on a mission, after all, but the bells and the hoofs that thundered on air were obvious enough.
Rudolf just stared for several moments after it had gone by, his mouth slightly open. He turned his gaze to his companion, still struggling for the proper words. "Will wonders never cease with you?" he managed at last, his normal sarcasm breathless and lost in a childlike astonishment and wonder.
Pale lips pressed against his cheek, and a black wing curled around his shoulders as he was led back to bed. "Merry Christmas, Rudolf."
