The Grinch's Monster [COMPLETE]

Viewing From Above

The next morning, after waking and slipping into a navy blue winter dress packed into my bag, the first thing I do is sit out in the blistering cold and gaze upon the hectic mess that is Whoville from afar. It feels so unbelievably relieving I want to cry, but my face remains impassive. Crying, like most overpowering acts of emotion, doesn't come knocking at my door much anymore.

I sense the Grinch before I see him, his presence is like a large furry animal gently pressing down on me from behind. He sort of stands there for a moment, before deciding I won't harm him and sitting several feet away from my right. Silence falls over us, I'm first to break the ice.

"Beautiful view." "If you're into that sort of thing." He glances at me out the corner of his eye. "Are you sure I won't get in any trouble for keeping you here? I really don't want to get in trouble with Mr. Mayor-goody-two-shoes." I smile lightly at the nickname before shaking my head.

"No I highly doubt anyone will miss me, they all have enough on their plates as it is." I meant for it to sound casual, but as soon as it sinks in I'm greatly suppressing the urge to cry. A few tears leak out anyway and I use my jacket to quickly wipe them away while biting my lower lip hard enough so that it turned dark red. Grinch glances at me every now and then, uncomfortable and unsure what to do.

"Last I heard, firecrackers don't have their own rivers." I force out a deflated laugh at the joke, it's so bad it's kinda funny. Lost in my sudden sadness wave, I scoot a little towards him but he moves further away.

"You know, it's been awhile since the last time I cried. Even if it is only a few tears, so...thanks, I suppose." He glances at me, and holds my gaze. His eyes really are fascinating, the kind you feel like you've looked into before but you're not sure where. The way they gaze at me now, as though he's fallen under a spell, it makes me feel...accepted.

He snaps out of whatever trance he was under and looks back out into the view of Whoville. I continue to look at him, waiting for what I'm not sure, until he speaks.

"You're welcome." A small smile manages to slip to my lips, the rest of it expertly bitten back, Max soon joins us out in the early morning air and lays his head in my lap while the three of us look out on the snowy mountains around us. But every now and again when he thought I wasn't looking, Grinch steals a glance in my direction and observes me quietly. And there's a gleam to his eyes, a calm calculating one that thought perhaps I'm worthy of his trust. But that's just my perspective.