Pooh Corner

by Jendra

I was really surprised at the number of responses I received for "Tigger and Pooh" (when I posted it on Senfic so long ago). Because of them, I was inspired to write this one, and there will probably be one more after this. I want to thank everyone that's written.

This is the second in "The Adventures of Tigger and Pooh" (as Kari called it, and I think it's definitely the best name for it)

Not mine, not beta'd and can be archived.

Silliness and smarm warning. (I tried to keep out the smarm, I did!)

I don't actually know much about Winnie-the-Pooh since it was my brother's favorite, sibling rivalry forbade me to like it at all. Any information came from "The World of Pooh" by A. A. Milne.

Comments and constructive criticism definitely welcomed.

Blair bounced into the loft later that afternoon.

Jim looked up in startlement. "Back so soon?" he asked, trying to appear nonchalant as he put the book he'd been reading between him and the arm of the couch.

"Did I startle you?" Blair asked in disbelief. "What were you reading?"

"Oh, nothing," Jim answered. "So where's that friend of yours?"

"You weren't listening?" Blair asked, his eyes getting wider. "We made our plans right downstairs, I thought you'd be trying to hear us from a mile away so that you'd know he wasn't trying to kidnap me or something."

"You mean you wanted me to?" Jim smiled slightly. "Aren't you the one that's always saying you don't get any privacy around here and I shouldn't listen in on private conversations?"

"Well, yeah," Blair agreed, "But you never listen!"

"So I was listening this time, or wasn't, whatever," Jim said, pushing the book unobtrusively down into the couch cushions as he got up. "Besides, thinking about it, I realized that it was very rarely the 'guys' you have as friends that were the problem, and since he wasn't a beautiful blonde, brunette or redhead, you should be pretty safe."

"Hey!" Blair shot back. "I have lots of dates where I don't get into any trouble! And..." he paused, "You're changing the subject! Now I've 'got' to know what you were reading."

"It's nothing, Sandburg," Jim said, sitting back down on the couch. "Are you meeting Ray for dinner?"

"Nope," Blair said, almost stalking towards Jim. "Come on, let me see it, please?"

"See what?" Jim said with his best poker face.

"The book you're hiding! Come on, let me see it! I'll do the dishes for a week!" Jim just sat like a statue. "I'll do the dishes for a week and all the cooking for the next two!" Jim didn't move. Blair paced back and forth. "I'll... I'll..." he paced behind the couch. "I know, I'll... grab it!" He reached down from in back to try to get the book. Jim shifted so the arm was pinned against the side of the couch. "OW!"

At Blair's yell, Jim bolted to his feet in dismay. "Did I hurt you?" One look at Blair's grinning face as he dived for the book put that fear to rest. "Oh no you don't," Jim growled, trying to grab the thieving hand. He was too late. Blair took his prize and ran across the room with Jim in hot pursuit. "Give that back!" Jim growled.

Blair threw a glance at the book in his hands and then collapsed in helpless laughter. "_The World of Pooh_?"

Jim shrugged embarresedly. "I wanted to see where you got the name," he muttered. Then he glared at Blair. "And I can't see it, I'm nothing like that bear! And if you say it's because he's a bear with little brains, or whatever that phrase was, I'll make sure that's what they say about you from now on."

Blair struggled to get his laughter under control as he shook his head furiously. "No, no, it's not that at all," he gurgled. "And it wasn't honestly my first thought, but I thought it would be best to pick a name for you from the same genre as mine, showing that we're connected. Honestly though, my first thought was Eeyore, but even though you're grumpy, cynical and pessimistic, you're not gloomy and you'd never sit around waiting for bad things to happen to you."

"Then I thought of Kanga, because after all, she is the one that Tigger lives with and she does like things clean, not to mention the fact that you can be such a mother hen at times, but I decided against her too, even changing the name to a masculine form, it didn't seem quite you, besides, she's too much a mother and doesn't do much else. Then I thought of Rabbit, not only does he have the ears, but he likes to be in charge." Jim's face twisted almost into a grin at that, but he managed to hide it.

"Finally, I thought of Pooh, and I wondered why I hadn't thought of him before. Not only do you usually think of those two together like we are, but you really do have a heart of fluff for others. You can be very generous, too. But most of all," he stopped and looked at Jim seriously for a moment, all mirth gone from his face. "Did you ever have a teddy bear when you were little? Did you hold it at night, and know it would keep you safe from all the monsters in the dark? That's how I feel knowing you're upstairs, or next to me in the hospital room, like I have my own personal teddy bear that can keep me safe."

Jim's face had become solemn as well and he opened his mouth to say something, but Blair beat him too it. "Besides," he said with a grin, breaking the mood. "Your heart isn't the only thing that's stuffed with fluff." He reached out and patted Jim's stomach. "Must come from too much honey," he grinned as he ducked away.

"I am 'not' fat, Tigger!" Jim yelled back. "That's pure muscle! You might get some if you worked out!"

"I didn't say you were fat... exactly, Pooh!" Blair grinned. "Like he says," he pointed to the book he still held. "You're not getting fatter, the doorway's getting thinner!"

"Tigger..." Jim growled, unable to help his slight grin at the name he was using.

"Pooh..." Blair growled back. Then he stopped and looked thoughtful. "You're right you know, Pooh might work for an online nickname, but it sounds kind of silly saying it to your face."

Jim grinned triumphantly.

"So, I guess I won't call you Pooh anymore," Blair mused. "I'll have to think up a new one... Pooh Bear."

"SANDBURG!"

Blair's door slammed shut as he locked himself inside and laughed himself silly.