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antivanrufflesTitle: Good Tidings.
Characters: Jupiter and Nephrite
Rating: PG-13 for mild swearing and innuendo.
Prompts: Used all three.....
Nigella sneaking fudge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPgphktS4wM&feature=related
And
"The nerve of those Whos. Inviting me down there - on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it. 4:00, wallow in self-pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00 solve world hunger, tell no one; 5:30, jazzercise; 6:30, dinner with me - I can't cancel that again; 7:00 wrestle with my self-loathing... I'm booked. Of course, if I bump up the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?"
- The Grinch
With a touch of my third prompt (because it had to be done!)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mzSJ1OrLqVc/SxPGb93DqaI/AAAAAAAAAow/O6Q6yyOoxNc/s1600/highlander.christmas.jpg
A/N: This really got away from me, I hope you don’t mind? O.o
It was a large, hideous block of…. brown.
Crown Princess Europa of Jupiter wrinkled her nose delicately at the blob before turning her attention to the sloppy note that had been attached.
It was from him, of course.
His writing was atrocious; all big, scrawling lines in a terrible attempt at her native language. At least he tried, she thought to herself--blowing out a breath air that ruffled her bangs. She squinted at the note, trying to decipher the words. As she scanned it, she discovered the blob before her was something called ‘fudge’ and she was supposed to….. eat it?
Oh, no.
Oh, definitely not. There was no way she was eating that. Not when it looked like…. what had Jadeite called the droppings left behind by Kunzite’s horse? Shite, yes, that was it. Not when it looked like shite.
Shuddering slightly to herself, she read the rest of the letter and found that the giant, idiotic, flirtatious Shittennou of the west had also invited her to Earth for Elysion’s annual winter celebration. His descriptions of the event sounded nice enough (okay they sounded wonderful! Sparkling candle light, giant evergreen trees, white snow, and food and wine and all sorts of “good cheer”), but there was no way she could attend. She was quite busy.
Quite busy indeed.
And that date wasn’t even one where she would be watching over Serenity, so if she went it would be obvious that she had come strictly for him.
That would never do.
So she couldn’t attend. Pure and simple.
Finally decided, and quite pleased with her conclusion, Europa turned back to the problem at hand: the blasted brown thing. She glanced at the note again and then back to the “fudge”.
She did wonder if it was a joke, but Lord Nephrite had a certain… affinity for food, and that she trusted. Setting down the parchment, she reached forward and took a small bit.
Bringing it up to her nose she gave it a little sniff, testing. It certainly didn’t smell like the droppings of Kunzite’s horse; it smelled quite lovely, actually. Holding it near her mouth, her tongue darted out and quickly tasted the glob.
Her bright eyes widened and she let out an audible gasp. It was amazing!
She popped the rest of it into her mouth, allowing the fudge to melt on her tongue as a sense of euphoria washed over her. It was sweet and rich and smooth and, oh my, she wanted more!
Europa took another--larger--bite and ate it, the same wonderful sensations coming over her again. Letting out a deep, contented sigh, she wrapped up the rest of the fudge and sat it aside. Saving it for later, she told her self.
Picking up the note again, Europa read it over once more, thinking that sending the fudge had been quite thoughtful and a show of good faith. It was most likely Serenity and Mercury would be journeying to the blue planet for the celebrations, and Mercury would probably need another set of eyes to watch over the princess….
The fact that Nephrite was handsome and obviously kind was of no concern.
She weighed her options carefully, ticking off a mental list with pros and cons; but in reality her mind was already made up.
Nodding finally, she bounced up from her seat and started to head toward her room. What did one wear to a Yule celebration anyway? She disappeared out the door, only to backtrack a moment later and snatch up the wrapped fudge.
Surely it would help in deciding the perfect outfit!
*****
Europa was happy when the next time she saw Serenity and the rest of the guardians, the princess brought up the topic of the Yule celebration. To her great surprise the idea was well received among the others, and so it was decided that they would sneak down and attend the party.
And that was how she found herself there now, in Zoisite’s icy northern realm. The tall fir trees (it had taken a lengthy explanation from Zoisite for her to understand that it was “fir” not “fur”, and no; the trees did not grow pelts) were drooping, the branches laden with snow and brushing the ground. The normal sounds of the forests seemingly muted by the blanket of white fluff. The hills were giant sweeping plains of white, dotted here and there with tufts of dark green.
It was beautiful, if not cold. Even bundled as she was in layers of warm animal pelts and leather, as was customary for the people of the northern lands, she was nearly frozen.
Coming out from the woods up ahead she saw Lord Kunzite and Lord Nephrite, carrying a felled tree between them. Zoisite had told them earlier that they would take the tree inside and decorate it with various trinkets--Serenity, in particular, had liked the idea.
As the men drew closer she noted that Kunzite was decked in many layers of clothing, but still looked cold. Of course the wintry land around them was a far cry from his more humid home. Behind him, Nephrite was swaddled in a multi colored strip of cloth: it crossed over his broad chest and around his shoulder, under it wore a thick white shirt and leather vest. The fabric circled down his back and around his lean waist, falling down from his hips to his knees in a skirt like fashion. His legs were covered in thick socks and that peeked out from study boots.
Looking closer she was quite appalled to find his knees were laid bare, the inch or so between the top of his socks and the hem of his… skirt?
Europa watched as the men laid down the tree, and Nephrite passed his large ax over to Jadeite. His grin was wide as he walked toward her.
“It’s nice to see you could make it for the celebration.” He said.
“Aren’t you cold!?” She blurted, eyes firmly glued on his knees. “What is that thing?”
“Huh? Oh, it’s a kilt. The Celts wear them, I enjoy that culture.” He grinned wider. “And no, I’m not cold. Back in my land when I’m outside of uniform, I wear even less than this. The natives in my land don’t abide by formal dress. I didn’t think you would find that scandalous?” He teased lightly.
And indeed, she didn’t. Her blatant shock now had nothing to do with clothes (or lack of) but more to do with the heated look in his eyes as he smirked at her.
“I don’t find anything scandalous, Lord Nephrite. I’m merely freezing looking at you in your state, and I believe Lord Kunzite feels the same.” She huffed and pulled her fur stole closer.
“I don’t care what Kunzite thinks.” He shrugged offhandedly.
“Well, you should! He’s your commander.”
“Doesn’t matter, I’m sure Venus will be more than happy to warm him up later.” Nephrite moved a fraction closer, his eyes dark and half lidded. “If I said I was cold, might you do the same for me?”
She wrinkled her nose at him, resolutely ignoring the flutter in her stomach. “You are so crude. I was going to thank you for the invitation and the treat, but now I’m not so sure.”
“You liked the fudge then?” He looked at her, eyes brighter now--hopeful.
“I did, it was delicious.” She smiled at him against her better judgment.
“I’m happy. I hoped you would like it. Serenity was telling me once about how much you enjoy spending time in the royal kitchens.“
Europa was oddly touched that he would remember such a trivial thing, and even more so that he would act on it. She was quite thankful that it was as cold as it was, that meant she could pass off the pinking of her cheeks to that, rather than her traitorous feelings and fluttering heart.
“That was very kind of you,” she said, trying to keep her voice even.
“Well, just you wait until you try warm cocoa!” He chuckled and grabbed her hand, dragging her inside the giant lodge that served as Zoisite’s home in the north.
*****
Once inside, Nephrite had kindly helped Europa peel out of her layers of clothing until finally revealing her dress beneath. It was simple, dark green fabric the same shade as her eyes and trimmed in fur. The cut was sleek, accentuating her curves, and she couldn’t help a smug little smile at the appreciate glance that Nephrite spared her.
The lodge was warm and smelled like the fresh pine boughs that hung from the ceiling and the heady smoke that drifted from the fireplace. Kunzite and Jadeite were trying to place the tree according to Zoisite’s bellowed orders while her friends watched. Endymion and Serenity were oddly absent.
Nephrite, however ignored all of this and yanked Europa into the kitchen. The room was warmer still and full of a hundred different scents that blended so deliciously she felt her mouth water.
She watched as Nephrite moved toward the hearth in the corner where a merry fire was burning. “Have a seat!” he called over his shoulder while gathering ingredients. Europa frowned slightly at his back, but pulled out a chair by the table and took sat down primly, waiting.
It was a short time later when Nephrite placed a steaming cup in front of her and grinned. “It’s made from the same cocoa beans that are in fudge. Have a sip.” He nodded encouragingly.
She took an experimental sip; the hot liquid was sweet and rich like the fudge had been and she let it slosh around her mouth before swallowing, her eyes drifting shut in pleasure.
“It’s perfect.” She opened her eyes and looked up to him.
“Not yet, you need one more thing! May I?” He gestured toward her cup with a small shaker.
“All right,” she nodded.
Nephrite upended the shaker and a sprinkle of dark red powder came out, the scent was spicy yet sweet, and utterly tantalizing. He quickly stirred the contents of her cup and handed it back. Europa took a deep breath of the chocolate mixture and then a sip.
“This,” she breathed and shook her head, unable to think of the right words for it. “It’s magic!” She finally said and took large gulp now that it was cooler.
He chuckled soft as she drained the cup. “I’m glad you enjoy it.”
“What did you put in there?”
“Cinnamon, it’s a spice from my realm. The others don’t care for it, they prefer the cocoa plain.”
“But why!? It’s heavenly!” She said, noting that his eyes were oddly sad; she was quite sure it had nothing to do with his friends. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I just. When I was young, my mother would make me cocoa like that when it was cold. She would sing to me while she prepared it, then I would always greedily drink it up. Afterward she would tuck me into bed and sing some more. Cocoa reminds me of her; she always smells like cinnamon.”
“That’s a wonderful memory to have. Why, why aren’t you with her now?”
“Well, I have certain duties to my prince, but I don’t mind. I’ll get to see her after the new year.”
Europa smiled and reached out, covering his hand with her own. “Thank you.” she whispered.
“For what?” He frowned at her.
“For sharing these things with me, your treats and your memories. They’re very special.”
“You’re special,“ he blurted, obviously shocking himself as much as her with the words. Europa studied him closely, he seemed so much softer now. No longer the cocky Shitennou warrior, but more like a simple man.
Something inside her chest seemed to shift then, something she couldn’t really describe, but whatever it was had her leaning forward. One hand reached up to cup the side of his face as she gently laid her lips against his.
The kiss never anything more than a touching of lips, and Europa pulled back after a moment. She looked into his eyes, which were dancing with an emotion she couldn’t quite pinpoint. Then he rocked forward, his lips crushing against hers in a fierce kiss that left her breathless.
When he pulled back he smiled again, but not his normal grin; instead it was a tender smile that had her heart fluttering.
“I’m glad you came,” he whispered.
“I’m glad, too."
Characters: Jupiter and Nephrite
Rating: PG-13 for mild swearing and innuendo.
Prompts: Used all three.....
Nigella sneaking fudge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPgphktS4wM&feature=related
And
"The nerve of those Whos. Inviting me down there - on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it. 4:00, wallow in self-pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00 solve world hunger, tell no one; 5:30, jazzercise; 6:30, dinner with me - I can't cancel that again; 7:00 wrestle with my self-loathing... I'm booked. Of course, if I bump up the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?"
- The Grinch
With a touch of my third prompt (because it had to be done!)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mzSJ1OrLqVc/SxPGb93DqaI/AAAAAAAAAow/O6Q6yyOoxNc/s1600/highlander.christmas.jpg
A/N: This really got away from me, I hope you don’t mind? O.o
It was a large, hideous block of…. brown.
Crown Princess Europa of Jupiter wrinkled her nose delicately at the blob before turning her attention to the sloppy note that had been attached.
It was from him, of course.
His writing was atrocious; all big, scrawling lines in a terrible attempt at her native language. At least he tried, she thought to herself--blowing out a breath air that ruffled her bangs. She squinted at the note, trying to decipher the words. As she scanned it, she discovered the blob before her was something called ‘fudge’ and she was supposed to….. eat it?
Oh, no.
Oh, definitely not. There was no way she was eating that. Not when it looked like…. what had Jadeite called the droppings left behind by Kunzite’s horse? Shite, yes, that was it. Not when it looked like shite.
Shuddering slightly to herself, she read the rest of the letter and found that the giant, idiotic, flirtatious Shittennou of the west had also invited her to Earth for Elysion’s annual winter celebration. His descriptions of the event sounded nice enough (okay they sounded wonderful! Sparkling candle light, giant evergreen trees, white snow, and food and wine and all sorts of “good cheer”), but there was no way she could attend. She was quite busy.
Quite busy indeed.
And that date wasn’t even one where she would be watching over Serenity, so if she went it would be obvious that she had come strictly for him.
That would never do.
So she couldn’t attend. Pure and simple.
Finally decided, and quite pleased with her conclusion, Europa turned back to the problem at hand: the blasted brown thing. She glanced at the note again and then back to the “fudge”.
She did wonder if it was a joke, but Lord Nephrite had a certain… affinity for food, and that she trusted. Setting down the parchment, she reached forward and took a small bit.
Bringing it up to her nose she gave it a little sniff, testing. It certainly didn’t smell like the droppings of Kunzite’s horse; it smelled quite lovely, actually. Holding it near her mouth, her tongue darted out and quickly tasted the glob.
Her bright eyes widened and she let out an audible gasp. It was amazing!
She popped the rest of it into her mouth, allowing the fudge to melt on her tongue as a sense of euphoria washed over her. It was sweet and rich and smooth and, oh my, she wanted more!
Europa took another--larger--bite and ate it, the same wonderful sensations coming over her again. Letting out a deep, contented sigh, she wrapped up the rest of the fudge and sat it aside. Saving it for later, she told her self.
Picking up the note again, Europa read it over once more, thinking that sending the fudge had been quite thoughtful and a show of good faith. It was most likely Serenity and Mercury would be journeying to the blue planet for the celebrations, and Mercury would probably need another set of eyes to watch over the princess….
The fact that Nephrite was handsome and obviously kind was of no concern.
She weighed her options carefully, ticking off a mental list with pros and cons; but in reality her mind was already made up.
Nodding finally, she bounced up from her seat and started to head toward her room. What did one wear to a Yule celebration anyway? She disappeared out the door, only to backtrack a moment later and snatch up the wrapped fudge.
Surely it would help in deciding the perfect outfit!
*****
Europa was happy when the next time she saw Serenity and the rest of the guardians, the princess brought up the topic of the Yule celebration. To her great surprise the idea was well received among the others, and so it was decided that they would sneak down and attend the party.
And that was how she found herself there now, in Zoisite’s icy northern realm. The tall fir trees (it had taken a lengthy explanation from Zoisite for her to understand that it was “fir” not “fur”, and no; the trees did not grow pelts) were drooping, the branches laden with snow and brushing the ground. The normal sounds of the forests seemingly muted by the blanket of white fluff. The hills were giant sweeping plains of white, dotted here and there with tufts of dark green.
It was beautiful, if not cold. Even bundled as she was in layers of warm animal pelts and leather, as was customary for the people of the northern lands, she was nearly frozen.
Coming out from the woods up ahead she saw Lord Kunzite and Lord Nephrite, carrying a felled tree between them. Zoisite had told them earlier that they would take the tree inside and decorate it with various trinkets--Serenity, in particular, had liked the idea.
As the men drew closer she noted that Kunzite was decked in many layers of clothing, but still looked cold. Of course the wintry land around them was a far cry from his more humid home. Behind him, Nephrite was swaddled in a multi colored strip of cloth: it crossed over his broad chest and around his shoulder, under it wore a thick white shirt and leather vest. The fabric circled down his back and around his lean waist, falling down from his hips to his knees in a skirt like fashion. His legs were covered in thick socks and that peeked out from study boots.
Looking closer she was quite appalled to find his knees were laid bare, the inch or so between the top of his socks and the hem of his… skirt?
Europa watched as the men laid down the tree, and Nephrite passed his large ax over to Jadeite. His grin was wide as he walked toward her.
“It’s nice to see you could make it for the celebration.” He said.
“Aren’t you cold!?” She blurted, eyes firmly glued on his knees. “What is that thing?”
“Huh? Oh, it’s a kilt. The Celts wear them, I enjoy that culture.” He grinned wider. “And no, I’m not cold. Back in my land when I’m outside of uniform, I wear even less than this. The natives in my land don’t abide by formal dress. I didn’t think you would find that scandalous?” He teased lightly.
And indeed, she didn’t. Her blatant shock now had nothing to do with clothes (or lack of) but more to do with the heated look in his eyes as he smirked at her.
“I don’t find anything scandalous, Lord Nephrite. I’m merely freezing looking at you in your state, and I believe Lord Kunzite feels the same.” She huffed and pulled her fur stole closer.
“I don’t care what Kunzite thinks.” He shrugged offhandedly.
“Well, you should! He’s your commander.”
“Doesn’t matter, I’m sure Venus will be more than happy to warm him up later.” Nephrite moved a fraction closer, his eyes dark and half lidded. “If I said I was cold, might you do the same for me?”
She wrinkled her nose at him, resolutely ignoring the flutter in her stomach. “You are so crude. I was going to thank you for the invitation and the treat, but now I’m not so sure.”
“You liked the fudge then?” He looked at her, eyes brighter now--hopeful.
“I did, it was delicious.” She smiled at him against her better judgment.
“I’m happy. I hoped you would like it. Serenity was telling me once about how much you enjoy spending time in the royal kitchens.“
Europa was oddly touched that he would remember such a trivial thing, and even more so that he would act on it. She was quite thankful that it was as cold as it was, that meant she could pass off the pinking of her cheeks to that, rather than her traitorous feelings and fluttering heart.
“That was very kind of you,” she said, trying to keep her voice even.
“Well, just you wait until you try warm cocoa!” He chuckled and grabbed her hand, dragging her inside the giant lodge that served as Zoisite’s home in the north.
*****
Once inside, Nephrite had kindly helped Europa peel out of her layers of clothing until finally revealing her dress beneath. It was simple, dark green fabric the same shade as her eyes and trimmed in fur. The cut was sleek, accentuating her curves, and she couldn’t help a smug little smile at the appreciate glance that Nephrite spared her.
The lodge was warm and smelled like the fresh pine boughs that hung from the ceiling and the heady smoke that drifted from the fireplace. Kunzite and Jadeite were trying to place the tree according to Zoisite’s bellowed orders while her friends watched. Endymion and Serenity were oddly absent.
Nephrite, however ignored all of this and yanked Europa into the kitchen. The room was warmer still and full of a hundred different scents that blended so deliciously she felt her mouth water.
She watched as Nephrite moved toward the hearth in the corner where a merry fire was burning. “Have a seat!” he called over his shoulder while gathering ingredients. Europa frowned slightly at his back, but pulled out a chair by the table and took sat down primly, waiting.
It was a short time later when Nephrite placed a steaming cup in front of her and grinned. “It’s made from the same cocoa beans that are in fudge. Have a sip.” He nodded encouragingly.
She took an experimental sip; the hot liquid was sweet and rich like the fudge had been and she let it slosh around her mouth before swallowing, her eyes drifting shut in pleasure.
“It’s perfect.” She opened her eyes and looked up to him.
“Not yet, you need one more thing! May I?” He gestured toward her cup with a small shaker.
“All right,” she nodded.
Nephrite upended the shaker and a sprinkle of dark red powder came out, the scent was spicy yet sweet, and utterly tantalizing. He quickly stirred the contents of her cup and handed it back. Europa took a deep breath of the chocolate mixture and then a sip.
“This,” she breathed and shook her head, unable to think of the right words for it. “It’s magic!” She finally said and took large gulp now that it was cooler.
He chuckled soft as she drained the cup. “I’m glad you enjoy it.”
“What did you put in there?”
“Cinnamon, it’s a spice from my realm. The others don’t care for it, they prefer the cocoa plain.”
“But why!? It’s heavenly!” She said, noting that his eyes were oddly sad; she was quite sure it had nothing to do with his friends. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I just. When I was young, my mother would make me cocoa like that when it was cold. She would sing to me while she prepared it, then I would always greedily drink it up. Afterward she would tuck me into bed and sing some more. Cocoa reminds me of her; she always smells like cinnamon.”
“That’s a wonderful memory to have. Why, why aren’t you with her now?”
“Well, I have certain duties to my prince, but I don’t mind. I’ll get to see her after the new year.”
Europa smiled and reached out, covering his hand with her own. “Thank you.” she whispered.
“For what?” He frowned at her.
“For sharing these things with me, your treats and your memories. They’re very special.”
“You’re special,“ he blurted, obviously shocking himself as much as her with the words. Europa studied him closely, he seemed so much softer now. No longer the cocky Shitennou warrior, but more like a simple man.
Something inside her chest seemed to shift then, something she couldn’t really describe, but whatever it was had her leaning forward. One hand reached up to cup the side of his face as she gently laid her lips against his.
The kiss never anything more than a touching of lips, and Europa pulled back after a moment. She looked into his eyes, which were dancing with an emotion she couldn’t quite pinpoint. Then he rocked forward, his lips crushing against hers in a fierce kiss that left her breathless.
When he pulled back he smiled again, but not his normal grin; instead it was a tender smile that had her heart fluttering.
“I’m glad you came,” he whispered.
“I’m glad, too."
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no subject
Date: 2011-12-29 04:03 am (UTC)"Endymion and Serenity were oddly absent." Does this mean what I think it means?? xD
no subject
Date: 2011-12-29 08:25 pm (UTC)Why, what could it possibly mean if they were absent? *innocent face*