Drabble #74: Gratitude

[jalenstrix]

...we had a quieter response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 73, with an entry by me (your intrepid drabble proposer jalenstrix). 3iggy and womanroaring represented the labyfic collective with commenting love — huzzah!

Oh, labyfic collective, what can we do to draw you back in? Different prompts perhaps? Do let me know.


For this prompt, we continue with our one-word drabble roots, with a word inspired by Thanksgiving:

Gratitude

Whose gratitude? Why are (or aren’t) they grateful and what about? Or who? So many possibilities, so little time...



Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the limit for this month of 500 words. Though remember that shorter pieces are most definitely welcome!

Your entry should take the following format, posted as a comment on this entry:

Word count: # of words
Drabble: $your_beautiful_drabble



I'll aim to get the next drabble challenge out on the first Friday of next month (Dec 7).

I'm also very happy to take suggestions if something in particular strikes your fancy -- comment on this post or PM me with your suggestions. You can see our current collected suggestions here.


Remember: Feedback is LOVE. So do reply to your fellow labyficcers' drabbles if so inclined. (Though be careful of concrit unless specifically okayed by the author beforehand.)

Comments

[jalenstrix]

Word count: 462

---

“Well, that’s gratitude for you. I’m surprised at you, Sarah.”

I crossed my arms and tried not to glare at a goblin king who was distinctly pleased with himself. “I specifically recall asking you not to help.”

“Do you?” Said goblin king crossed his own arms and leaned easily against the office wall, showing off a well-tailored line of lean torso. Zegna looked good on him and he knew it.

I pointedly ignored him and his Italian finery, whipped out my phone, and whirled through my texts. Aha. “In fact, my exact words were ‘Jareth, don’t help me’.”

“Were they?”

“Yes they were.” I held up my phone, showing the text to him from this morning. “Right here.”

His lips flicked up briefly in a devilish smirk. “Mmm. So they were.”

“Jareth!”

“Mmm?”

“Why did you do this?”

He arched an eyebrow. “You mean make sure that irritating son of a bitch, who for unfathomable reasons has power over your career, listened to what you had to say for once?”

I closed my eyes briefly and took a nice, slow breath. “I mean go against my express wishes about interfering with my work life.”

“Are you really angry at that? He wouldn’t have listened to you otherwise, and you know it.”

“And so I would have had to strategize about how to make him listen — without you popping him into a hell dimension.” I threw up my hands. “You can’t go solving all my problems by brute force!”

“Brute force, pah! That was a fine bit of illusionist finesse. A little force and a lot of skill.”

I rolled my eyes. “Not the point.”

“Tell me you didn’t enjoy seeing him so afraid after all the grief he’s given you.”

My own lips flicked up briefly. “Well, I can’t say that.”

“Tell me you didn’t like having his undivided attention and undying good will for ostensibly saving him.”

My smile flickered again in fond recollection. True, that had been briefly glorious.

“Mmhmm, that’s what I thought. Now tell me you don’t love your overbearing, protective husband, even when he helps you against your express wishes.”

I looked at him for a long moment, and then relented. “You know I’d never say that.”

“Mmhmm.” He moved close to me, his mouth suddenly a hard thought from mine. “And so here we are.”

His kiss seared through me, electric with promise.

I drew back just enough to form words, my lips brushing over his. “I love you, you overbearing, protective Faerie nut.”

“Good thing, too. No one else can put up with me for very long.”

“Tell me about it. Must be that you’re a demon in the sack.”

“Why don’t we verify that, just to make sure?”

“Mmhmm. Just to make sure.”

[redwolf]

I wonder if I could borrow Jareth, purely for his work place relations skills, of course 🦊🧡