This is a whim. A pure whim. I'll try to make it short and sweet, but no promises. My muse is unpredictable and as fickle as a porcupine.
All That Jazz
"I used to have a dog." The words spilled from Faye's mouth of their own volition. After a long crying jag, she had looked up to find Ein cocking his head at her curiously. He was staring at her with an odd sort of understanding in the unfathomable depths of his eyes. She didn't know where the flash of memory had come from, but she tried not to force it and let the tidbit's come naturally.
She got a faraway look in her emerald eyes and smiled softly. "Of course he wasn't nearly so ugly as you. He was a collie. His name was Astro. He saw me to the bus every day and was waiting for me when I got home.
"He was a stray. Papa said I couldn't have him at first. But he eventually gave in. He always did to me. Astro looked at me the way you sometimes do. Like he didn't care who or what I was as long as I kept being nice to him." Tears streamed down her cheeks, unchecked and unnoticed. "I'm sorry I'm so rotten to you. It's because you remind me so much of Astro. I-I'm afraid that he wouldn't look at me the same way anymore if he knew what I had become. I'm afraid he would be ashamed of me if he knew everything that I've done." she spoke quietly, directly to the Welsh Corgi, oblivious to the other surroundings.
Ein nuzzled her hand and she stroked him absently. "You're a good dog, aren't you. The only being on this whole ship sane enough to listen to my ravings."
Faye stood up and walked away, depression trying to pull her down, but not quite succeeding.
Spike felt absolutely ridiculous. Never had he given in to one sappy urge. Until now. He glared at the brightly wrapped gift box under his arm and cursed at his own sentamentalism under his breath. He'd always known that women were trouble. Especially the strong ones.
Faye was lounging on the yellow sofa, flipping through a magazine and absently stroking Ein's head every now and then. He plopped the box down on her torso, and she looked at him in bewildered confusion then at the garishly wrapped present.
"Happy birthday," he muttered crossly, intensely disgusted with the whole damned idea of what he was doing.
"Uh, Spike, it's not my birthday,"
"How do you know?," he countered as he locked himself in his quarters, muttering obcenities at the world in general.
Deciding it really could be her birthday, she tore open the package with giddy anticipation. Knowing the giver it was probably something ludicrous and stupid, but she didn't care. Under the wrapping paper, taped directly to the box was a note. Scrawled in Spike's familiar chicken scratch was this message:
If you don't like it I'll kill you. -Spike
PS, Dogs don't care what you do as long as it doesn't effect their diet.
Faye grinned and ripped the box open.
Inside sleeping like an angle was a collie puppy that couldn't have been but barely past the age of weening. It was curled on a soft green pillow and just as cute as a critter could possibly be.
Faye sucked in a breath, and carefully lifted the ball of soft fur out. It yipped once and nuzzled into her body, promptly falling back to sleep. Around its neck was a tiny collar. Inscribed in a small nametag was the name "Astro"
Faye felt tears prick her eyes and cuddled the puppy close. Whispering in a voice choked with the urge to weep, she said, "I don't know how you overheard, but... thanks Spike."
In his room, listening the the bug he had placed in the puppy's collar, Spike answered.
"You are soo not welcome. What the hell was I thinking? I hate dogs!" he groaned. But he couldn't keep a rare smile from gracing his features.
All That Jazz
"I used to have a dog." The words spilled from Faye's mouth of their own volition. After a long crying jag, she had looked up to find Ein cocking his head at her curiously. He was staring at her with an odd sort of understanding in the unfathomable depths of his eyes. She didn't know where the flash of memory had come from, but she tried not to force it and let the tidbit's come naturally.
She got a faraway look in her emerald eyes and smiled softly. "Of course he wasn't nearly so ugly as you. He was a collie. His name was Astro. He saw me to the bus every day and was waiting for me when I got home.
"He was a stray. Papa said I couldn't have him at first. But he eventually gave in. He always did to me. Astro looked at me the way you sometimes do. Like he didn't care who or what I was as long as I kept being nice to him." Tears streamed down her cheeks, unchecked and unnoticed. "I'm sorry I'm so rotten to you. It's because you remind me so much of Astro. I-I'm afraid that he wouldn't look at me the same way anymore if he knew what I had become. I'm afraid he would be ashamed of me if he knew everything that I've done." she spoke quietly, directly to the Welsh Corgi, oblivious to the other surroundings.
Ein nuzzled her hand and she stroked him absently. "You're a good dog, aren't you. The only being on this whole ship sane enough to listen to my ravings."
Faye stood up and walked away, depression trying to pull her down, but not quite succeeding.
Spike felt absolutely ridiculous. Never had he given in to one sappy urge. Until now. He glared at the brightly wrapped gift box under his arm and cursed at his own sentamentalism under his breath. He'd always known that women were trouble. Especially the strong ones.
Faye was lounging on the yellow sofa, flipping through a magazine and absently stroking Ein's head every now and then. He plopped the box down on her torso, and she looked at him in bewildered confusion then at the garishly wrapped present.
"Happy birthday," he muttered crossly, intensely disgusted with the whole damned idea of what he was doing.
"Uh, Spike, it's not my birthday,"
"How do you know?," he countered as he locked himself in his quarters, muttering obcenities at the world in general.
Deciding it really could be her birthday, she tore open the package with giddy anticipation. Knowing the giver it was probably something ludicrous and stupid, but she didn't care. Under the wrapping paper, taped directly to the box was a note. Scrawled in Spike's familiar chicken scratch was this message:
If you don't like it I'll kill you. -Spike
PS, Dogs don't care what you do as long as it doesn't effect their diet.
Faye grinned and ripped the box open.
Inside sleeping like an angle was a collie puppy that couldn't have been but barely past the age of weening. It was curled on a soft green pillow and just as cute as a critter could possibly be.
Faye sucked in a breath, and carefully lifted the ball of soft fur out. It yipped once and nuzzled into her body, promptly falling back to sleep. Around its neck was a tiny collar. Inscribed in a small nametag was the name "Astro"
Faye felt tears prick her eyes and cuddled the puppy close. Whispering in a voice choked with the urge to weep, she said, "I don't know how you overheard, but... thanks Spike."
In his room, listening the the bug he had placed in the puppy's collar, Spike answered.
"You are soo not welcome. What the hell was I thinking? I hate dogs!" he groaned. But he couldn't keep a rare smile from gracing his features.