A Week of Secundus Christmas, Day One: Tree
Being as this is Victor's first Christmas in Secundus, this is obviously him post-going Creative, so naturally I had to have him showing off his talents. I thought fireflies doubling for Christmas lights was a nice concept. And be easier on Alice, who is probably very anxious about anything that could cause a fire after the loss of her parents.
“Victor, what are you doing?”
“Trying to give you a nice surprise, Alice,” Victor said as he led his wife into the living room, hands over her eyes. “I really do think you’ll enjoy it.”
“Does this have anything to do with you practically locking yourself in your lab for two days?”
“Yes, actually.” He positioned her properly, then took his hands away. “Take a look.”
Alice looked. She was standing in front of their Christmas tree, which they’d been planning to decorate that evening. She realized Victor had apparently started early – there were tiny little lights speckled over the branches. She frowned slightly – they certainly weren’t candles, but she didn’t know of any electric lights being that small. . . .
Then one flew from one branch to another, making her start. She peered closer, to see the light sporting six legs and wings. “Lightning bugs?”
“Yes!” Victor said, smiling brightly. “I – I didn’t think you’d want candles on the tree, so I altered some fireflies to feed on pine sap and needles and to glow for an extended period of time and released them into the tree. They should last us until Christmas, but I have extra back in the lab, just in case.”
Alice looked back at him. “You did this – just so I wouldn’t worry about the tree catching--” She stopped, not really wanting to bring up the idea that had dogged her thoughts ever since they’d brought the tree into the house.
Victor’s smile faltered slightly. “Well, yes,” he said softly. “I – it’s C-Christmas, Alice. The last thing I want you w-worrying.”
Alice felt a warm glow fill her. She pulled Victor into a hug. “You – I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
Victor blushed brightly, but returned the hug. “Funny – I ask myself that same question almost every day.”
Alice grinned up at him, and pulled him into a kiss. “Just being yourself is enough for me.” She looked back at the tree, and the little fireflies flitting through it. “They are beautiful.”
Victor grinned rather Creatively. “Wait until I make ones that can glow different colors.”
“Trying to give you a nice surprise, Alice,” Victor said as he led his wife into the living room, hands over her eyes. “I really do think you’ll enjoy it.”
“Does this have anything to do with you practically locking yourself in your lab for two days?”
“Yes, actually.” He positioned her properly, then took his hands away. “Take a look.”
Alice looked. She was standing in front of their Christmas tree, which they’d been planning to decorate that evening. She realized Victor had apparently started early – there were tiny little lights speckled over the branches. She frowned slightly – they certainly weren’t candles, but she didn’t know of any electric lights being that small. . . .
Then one flew from one branch to another, making her start. She peered closer, to see the light sporting six legs and wings. “Lightning bugs?”
“Yes!” Victor said, smiling brightly. “I – I didn’t think you’d want candles on the tree, so I altered some fireflies to feed on pine sap and needles and to glow for an extended period of time and released them into the tree. They should last us until Christmas, but I have extra back in the lab, just in case.”
Alice looked back at him. “You did this – just so I wouldn’t worry about the tree catching--” She stopped, not really wanting to bring up the idea that had dogged her thoughts ever since they’d brought the tree into the house.
Victor’s smile faltered slightly. “Well, yes,” he said softly. “I – it’s C-Christmas, Alice. The last thing I want you w-worrying.”
Alice felt a warm glow fill her. She pulled Victor into a hug. “You – I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
Victor blushed brightly, but returned the hug. “Funny – I ask myself that same question almost every day.”
Alice grinned up at him, and pulled him into a kiss. “Just being yourself is enough for me.” She looked back at the tree, and the little fireflies flitting through it. “They are beautiful.”
Victor grinned rather Creatively. “Wait until I make ones that can glow different colors.”