Prompt 139: FIC: First A Dog

[alafaye]

Author: alafaye
Title: First A Dog
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur
Character/s: Hunith, Merlin, Arthur, Spot (a dog), Mrs. Bones (OC, neighbor)
Summary: Hunith asks when the grandchildren will be around if they're practicing with a dog.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 444
Prompt: #139, introduction
Author's Notes: I wrote this at the last minute; apologies for any mistakes. This also covers the prompt of a dog wrapped up in Christmas lights for my fic tac toe card from merlin_writers. Master list is here.



When Hunith parked her car, she heard a crash from inside the house. She left the car running, thinking the worst--burglars, Merlin getting hurt--and she opened the front door to...

Chaos.

The kind of chaos she remembered from when Merlin was boy and didn't have full control of his powers. Where she had lost a few porcelain family heirlooms, the hole in the living room wall, the broken stove.

Only, this was...she smiled and let out a breath.

This, at least, Merlin could fix.

"Hello, boys," she said.

Merlin spun around, eyes wide. "Mum."

Arthur was frozen, shoulders tense and head hanging low. "Mrs., ah, Mum. Hi."

"Woof," said the dog tangled in Christmas lights, lying next to the fallen Christmas tree. Luckily, she'd only put the lights up. She always waited to put the ornaments up until Merlin helped her. He always loved doing it when he was a boy and she waited for him to come home when he was in college and it just became tradition.

"I can fix this," Merlin assured her.

She smirked and put her hand on her hip. "Yes, you will. And Arthur will bring in the groceries for me and turn off the car. I will then take this dog outside for a walk while you two put together for tea. First, though, who is he?"

Arthur finally turned. "This is Spot. We adopted him last month and...we couldn't leave him behind. Merlin said it was okay?"

She crossed the room and started untangling the dog. "I hope this is practice for any future grandchildren?"

Merlin, who had started sweeping up the dirt from the spilled poinsettia with his magic, froze. He shared a look with Arthur and she smirked. "Well, Spot. Let me introduce you to our neighborhood. I expect you'll be here often, for all the holidays that Merlin and Arthur are. There's a very nice park I think you'll like."

As she collected the leash from Arthur and walked outside, she heard them bickering.

"Did she say grandchildren? I thought you told her--"

"I did! She said she understood."

"Well, clearly she didn't."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"She's your mother! You know her best!"

"Oh, right. Like--"

She chuckled to herself. Spot sniffed at an interesting tree. Across the street, old Mrs. Bones waved, her own family going inside. They also had a dog and a new baby. Maybe Hunith should invite them over.

Or not. She looked at Spot. This was a good start. She'd say something next year. She wasn't going to live forever and she wanted to grandchildren to spoil first.

Comments

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Very cute. Grandchildren indeed!

[alafaye]

Thanks! Granddog, more like ;)

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

That was funny and who knows, she may get grandchildren yet.

Caught a typo: "Woof," said the bog

[alafaye]

One day! Thanks.

*face palm* Thanks. Sorry about that.

[aeris444.livejournal.com]

So cute! Though, when you see how they manage with the dog, they probably need to wait a little for the baby! ;-)