This is something between a drabble and a one shot… hopefully I'll write longer Jo/Laurie stories in the future!
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Laurie but lucky L. M. Alcott has the rights on him and everyone else.
Afternoon
Laurie entered the March's living room and bowed his head to Amy, who was there alone, drawing. She laughed. "Laurie! Hi!"
"Hello, Amy! I have something for you…" He handed her a beautiful rose, knowing full well Jo would never accept it from him and it would please Amy instead.
"Oh, it's beautiful! You always bring the best gifts, thank you!"
"You're welcome. Are you all alone?" Laurie lazily sat beside the little girl and eyed her sketch. He didn't ask anything for he was afraid of hurting her feelings, since he couldn't tell what the subject was.
"Marmee, Meg and Beth went to pay a visit to Aunt March. Jo is home, but she's in her room, she doesn't want me to stay there because she says she's writing a very important story and I would bother her." Amy scoffed.
"I'll try to convince her to come here."
Amy looked like she'd rather have Laurie all to herself but nodded.
Laurie quietly tiptoed upstairs. He wanted to surprise Jo, but when he entered the room and saw her furiously running a hand through her hair, her hat askew, he realized maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.
He whispered her name, softly, but she jumped like she'd just been shot. "Laurie! What are you doing here? I told Amy I didn't want to be bothered!"
"I'm not a bother, I'm your dearest friend." He smiled playfully and reached her. "Stop writing and come downstairs, you look like you need some distractions!"
"I can't! I've finally finished this story but it doesn't satisfy me and I'm re-reading it to find its faults."
Laurie knew she wouldn't change her mind soon so he offered her an alternative. "Well, what if you allow me to read it and I let you know my opinion?"
"Would you do that now? But I'm so rash, I shouldn't let you read the worst story ever written in the history of writing." She sighed and took off her hat as she said so.
"I'd be glad to read it and express my most sincere judgment." And Laurie was grinning so comically that Jo couldn't refuse. She handed the pages to him and in the thirty minutes that followed she stared anxiously at him, as his eyes examined the pages, and wondered if her friend was appalled by her stupid story. She waited anxiously to hear his opinion, at first quietly sitting in front of him, nervously biting her lip, then pacing around the room, too tense to know her friend's opinion to sit still.
Then Laurie put down the pages. He looked at Jo and smiled. "Jo, it's one of the best things you've ever written!"
"Don't flatter me, I want to hear the truth!"
"It is the truth! It's well-written, it's original and the characters are well developed. In fact…" he seemed to ponder something for a while.
"Yes?"
"I just don't like that European boy… Thomas."
"Why?"
"Oh, he just seems so perfect… so unreal."
Jo smiled knowingly. It was funny he would say that, considering she had modeled Thomas Murphy after him. "Thanks, Teddy."And as she offered to make him some tea, she realized Theodore Laurence had just inspired the first of many new characters that were to come.