āIām afraid the storm is just getting worse, mālord. Itās best not to travel to the country right now and stay in London.ā
Of course Zach knew his solicitor was right. The snow had begun in London that morning and instead of letting up, it snowed harder, the wind picked up to be a biting cold, and visibility was next to nothing. It would be far too dangerous to travel Englandās country roads by carriage.
Heād briefly thought of taking his stallion and making his way to his country estate, but even he knew that was foolhardy. It just wasnāt going to be the Christmas he had planned for. Perhaps, weather permitting, heād get the chance to be reunited with Chris on Twelfth Night.
āYes, you are correct, of course. And speaking of, itās time for you to go home to be with your family, Jenkins. Iāll see you after the new year.ā
After that, Zach spent the rest of the day sending the rest of his servants on their way so that heād have his London residence to himself, at least until the next afternoon.
āIāve set out your dinner in the dining room, sir,ā his housekeeper, Mrs. Anderson, advised. āAnd Iāll be back in the morning to prepare your breakfast.ā
āNo, no, donāt bother. I wonāt be up for hours. I plan on sleeping in. No need to come tomorrow until about two. And if the storm is worse, donāt bother coming until the day after.ā
āBut mālordāā
āNow, Mrs. Anderson, be on your way.ā He pressed some extra coins in her hand. āAnd Merry Christmas.ā
āThank you, sir.ā
And she was the last of those he dismissed. He was now quite alone in his London home and on the Eve of Christmas.
Zach ate his dinner of roasted goose, vegetables and a Christmas pudding.
Later he sat in his parlor, sipping some sherry and staring glumly into the roaring fireplace. He was feeling a bit sorry for himself to be sure. And it certainly it wasn’t the only Christmas he’d ever spent alone. And once the storm passed, he could travel to the country and eventually see his lover.
At some point he must have fallen asleep because he woke to the unmistakeable sound of a key in his front door.
Straigtening, he got up from his settee, left his parlor, and made it to the front entryway in time to find the door opening and Chris stepping into his home.
“Christopher!”
Snow covering his hair, Chris laughed, and closed and locked the door. “Happy Christmas.”
And as he went into Zach’s arms, he murmured, “It is now.”
*Kind of has a Cyndi Lauper’s I Drove All Night feel to it I think*
Comments
13 responses to “Flash Fic, December 09, 2022”
:). I love that he powered through the storm to be there. I got all swoony about it. Itās such a romantic thing! And even better at Christmas when you should be with your loved ones.
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Yes I wanted to make this one romanticy, not a word I know lol
thanks!
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I was worried there. Glad Chris got through. They have so little time together. It would be even harder on their hearts to be apart at Christmas as planned.
These Regency men and Vanik are my fave characters of yours.
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thank you! I know you love Regency Pinto š I can’t deny they seem extra romantic, probably the historical period
And of course Vanik (I’ll have to see if I can get Vanik in there somewhere in one of the remaining flashes)
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Hope you don’t mind i put these here because they’re just so yummy AND perfect for December/Christmas AND they add to this and any upcoming Vaniks and Regency’s for new readers or old like me that just want to revisit again and again and again, etc.
The Regency Pinto original Consuming story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18713989/chapters/44385007
Jingle Bells – the original introduction to Vanik: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21757924
The then begged for full Vanik story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424063/chapters/58924957
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oh! thank you so much for thinking of doing this! It took me a moment to approve as it was in jail but it’s here’s now! thank you š
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I love ” I Drove All Night “, & I love this—-
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thank you I appreciate it š
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Very romantic to press through the storm. Impossible for them to communicate with one another. What would have happened if each of them traveled through the storm! š¤¦š»āāļøš¤·š»āāļøš¬
But now they will have a lovely Christmas together. Chris needs to get warmed up first!
Iām home I tested positive for Covid yesterday evening. Feels like a mild head cold so far. š¤š¤ Iām fully vacinated and boostered. Got the most recent booster several weeks ago.
Loads of people – staff and nursing home residents tested positive in the last two weeks! Yikes! So far, none are dreadfully sick. š¤
I guess after 2 3/4 years of a pandemic I was due.
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Here’s hoping yours remains mild as mine was. Feel better and rest
And thank you š
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I’m so sorry! On the other hand (and this is the only tiniest silver lining I could think of) that means you’re stuck at home, and hopefully mostly in bed, and can read more IvanW like you always wish you could. You could just read through the entire holiday collections and just maybe that would help keep your spirits up. I am grateful if you have to have it in December, it’s now and now closer to Christmas. Another tiny tiny miniscule tiny silver lining? Hopefully you’ll be up and feeling so much better and maybe even RESTED! by Christmas. I wish for you to be surrounded by love and loved ones who will pamper you even better than Kirk/Spock would pamper each other. Much ššā¤ļøšā¤ļøšš¤š“š“š
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Regency! I love these two so much. I so enjoy when you bring them back for flashes
Super happy Christopher came to him in the snowy weather so they could have their holiday together ā¤
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i thought I replied to this before, but it’s not showing up, thank you š
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