Mclennon Drabbles

Cellophane Flowers

(This is for Enchancer97, who gave me the prompt for this :-) hope it's not a disappointment because your idea was adorable)

One of my favorite things about the days when I lived with my auntie are the lazy days when I found myself curled up with a book by lamplight. She'd often come home to find me asleep with one in my lap and make me go upstairs to bed, but that was only when the story was really good, when I couldn't tear my eyes away from the pages. I had a bad habit of losing myself in fictional worlds and investing in the lives of people that only existed in the mind's of the authors, I would read and read and read until I had a headache from my eyes' straining.

Paul would get annoyed with me sometimes because of it, especially when I asked him to come over to help along my guitar practice and I ended up ignoring him for another intense reading session. I think he eventually got used to it though and some days he even lingered by Mimi's book shelf until finding something interesting and joining me on the sofa.

But there was one day in particular that I can really remember, because it was one of the most serene and intimate times we shared in a situation like that. I had been rereading my favorite story of all time; no one except Paul knew I was interested in such childlike fantasies like Alice in Wonderland, but he never once teased me about it or showed any judgement.

He was across the room from me on that specific evening and was attempting to ward off Mimi's offers of tea and biscuits with that bloody charm of his. She tended to dote on him every now on then, even when she sometimes disagreed with our friendship.

She may have been a hardheaded old lady but she was never rude to anyone, always trying to make Paul feel more at home although I'm sure he was perfectly fine otherwise.

"You're sure about the tea? I don't mind at all to bring you a cup, it's no problem." She stood in the worn doorway between the kitchen and parlor, and even when I was barely paying attention, nose nearly against the pages of the book, I could tell she was being horribly persistent.

I saw Paul raise his head from the corner of my eye, briefly picturing the polite smile that probably curled his lips.

"Thank you for the offer, Ms. Smith, but I don't much fancy anything right now." He said, and I think Mimi finally got the hint and eventually left us be.

I snorted quietly when we were alone, amused at the posh tone Paul took up whenever he was trying to make a good impression on someone. He was such a ponce at times.

"I don't quite fancy anything at the moment, but thank you oh so kindly for the offer, Lady Smith. If you would be so nice to give me and your nephew some space, I would very much like to snog his face off when you part." I said, trying my very best to mock his articulate speech.

I set Alice down momentarily to meet his eyes and saw that he had a playful scowl, brown eyes shimmering delightfully despite the dull lighting in the room.

"As if I would snog the likes of you." He muttered.

"Remember whe-" I started to remind him, when he jumped up from his seat quickly.

"No, nope, doesn't count. I was blind drunk and you didn't discourage me from doing it!" He shrieked (very manly shriek of course), obviously trying not to laugh.

I sighed and propped my feet up on the coffee table, looking up at where he stood a couple feet from me.

Every now and then I would get this sudden rush of admiration from merely being in his presence, it would hit me like a gust of wind and make my throat close up with no explanation, relentless each time. It's the kind of feeling that leaves a sort of space in your chest, leaves you wanting to be held.

I got that sensation usually when Paul did something dumb and adorable without realizing.

I shrugged silently, not looking away from him. He seemed to be having a bit of an internal thing going on, not knowing where to sit back down, so I patted the space next to me.

Minutes later I was reading again and his head had ended up on my shoulder, and I was starting to wonder if he had fallen asleep, so I moved my shoulder to nudge his cheek.

"What?" He whispered.

"What does impertinent mean?" I asked, pointing to the word after successfully finding it again.

"It's something that you are sometimes." He replied before straightening his posture, yawning cutely.

"Give me a bloody definition, you knob. There's a dictionary on the shelf."

"Don't need it. It means rude, disrespectful, that sort of thing." He said, and I blushed briefly, wondering if it was an easy word and I'd made myself look dumb.

I cleared my throat and tried to read again, but the words started to become less and less inviting, the detail no longer enough when I heard it in my own dull voice in my mind. The colorful singing flowers and beheading queen weren't exciting to me now, and I found myself longing to keep up a conversation, hear his voice against my ear.

"Rest your head on my shoulder again." I said, but it hung in the air as a question instead.

"No." Paul chuckled, making it clear he was only teasing.

His fingertips traveled up and down the expanse of my forearm though, raising chill bumps in their wake. Images flashed in my head of that one drunken kiss he'd mentioned earlier; a reoccurring, haunting thought that nagged at me when our skin happened to meet in any way. I shouldn't want him as badly as I do, but it's hard to ignore it when a single friendly touch makes you want to kiss the eyelids of your best friend.

"Fine. At least read to me for a while."

"Why should I?"

"If you finish the chapter I'll work extra hard afterwards to learn some chords."

At this he reluctantly nodded his head, taking the book from my light grasp. This solved my problems really, surely I could enjoy the story now that I had one of the loveliest voices reading it aloud to me.

Nuzzling against his firm shoulder I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. I was safe; enveloped in words and imagery and the warmth of my best friend's side.

" 'Don't be impertinent,' said the King, 'and don't look at me like that!' He got behind Alice as he spoke.

'A cat may look at a king,' said Alice. 'I've read that in some book, but I don't remember where.'

'Well, it must be removed,' said the King very decidedly, and he called the Queen, who was passing at the moment, 'My dear! I wish you would have this cat removed!'"

His voice trailed off gradually, lulling me into a dreamlike state. But even when I was slipping off into unconsciousness, my body wouldn't let me miss the opportunity of feeling Paul press a barely tangible kiss to my forehead, lips lingering a moment too long to be friendly.