nursinggeek

I've finally posted an AdventDrabble to AO3. It probably would be a good idea to post it here, too.

Title: Home for Christmas
Fandom: The Lady Astronaut Series: The Relentless Moon
Ship: Nicole Wargin/Kenneth Wargin
Rating: G
Prompt:Woman hugging ~~dog~~ pet
Warnings: Spoilers through the end of The Relentless Moon
Summary: This isn't what Nicole had imagined her first Christmas back on Earth would be like. As with anything, though, she'll make it work.
Word Count: 341
Author Note: Huge thanks to my anonymous beta for finding a canon timeline issue I needed to address. I did not put it through for a re-check, though, so any inconsistency is entirely my fault.

Click through to AO3 or read here.

Everyone meant well. They had all kinds of suggestions about how she should surround herself with friends and family so that she wouldn’t be alone, the first Christmas after … after. When more than half of your friends were either on the moon or en route to Mars, however, this was not helpful advice. The idea of setting up the grand governor’s Christmas tree she and Kenneth had used for years and inviting people over just to fill the house sounded like nothing short of torture.

At least no one had expectations of public displays of festivity from a recently-widowed president-elect. None that she knew of, at least. If there’d been any who had, well, Chu was rather thoroughly enjoying his promotion. They’d likely been told with exquisite politeness to go to hell.

Instead, Nicole set up a very small tree, and reverently placed the ornaments that had meant the most to her and to Kenneth. A silver filigree snowflake they’d found on their honeymoon. A blown glass bauble from Kenneth’s mother. Nothing fancy. Nothing religious, at least not in the usual sense of the word.

Marlowe gracefully sauntered over, his rusty black coat turning deep burgundy in the light of the fireplace as he passed it. He glared regally at her until Nicole scooped him up to hold him in her lap.

This was what she needed. This was her time with Kenneth. Not the obligatory time spent tending to his grave. He wasn’t there. But here? Now? She could almost imagine he was in the kitchen, whipping up a Caesar salad while their steaks broiled. It ached and she was furious with herself for entertaining the idea, and yet it was as comforting as Marlowe’s purr.

“Mrow?”

“Yes, I suppose it is time for your dinner,” she said, setting him back down, gently so as not to annoy his rickety joints. “And mine. Let’s see what Thelma’s got for us. Food is fuel after all.”

A tail swish of agreement was her answer. It felt like a smile from Kenneth.