Erin Ptah (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ptahrrific) wrote2009-05-20 08:56 am
ptahrrific) wrote2009-05-20 08:56 am
Fake News/Ranma ½: Truth Springs Eternal
Title: Truth Springs Eternal
Series: TDS/TCR; Ranma ½
Characters/Pairings: Jon, "Stephen", Tad
Rating: G
Disclaimer: See the index.
For![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
biichan, who wanted "Stephen gets back from his vacation...at Juusenkyo."
Truth Springs Eternal
It started with a harmless joke about needing a cold shower.
At least, Jon thought it was a harmless joke. Then Stephen shouted "Oh, sure, Jon! Rub it in my face, why don't you? You are a heartless man, you know that?" and stormed out of the office.
With a shrug, Jon grabbed a plastic container and packed up the unfinished BLT. Stephen stormed out like this at least twice a month; he had gotten used to needing to save leftovers.
Still, it seemed like Stephen had been even touchier than usual since getting back from China.
~~~
"Tad, I...I should tell you something."
The new electronic kettle in Stephen's office bubbled happily away. It must have been too hot to touch, but Stephen's hands kept hovering by its sides, like it was a comforting stuffed animal he wanted to hug.
"While I was in China, I visited these springs..."
The building manager listened to the whole story with only mild surprise. Plenty of weirder things had happened to Stephen, and in the presence of reliable witnesses, no less. This was hardly more bizarre than the battle with the living mutant coffee cup.
"So which creature did you get cursed with?" he asked at last.
"A...an eagle!" stammered Stephen. "I fell into Spring of Drowned Very Fierce And Dangerous Bald Eagle. So if you ever see one of those around, you know what to do."
~~~
"Whoozagoodboy? Who? You are!"
Tad leaned into the office. "Still no sign of Stephen, Mr. Stewart — whoa!"
Jon was curled up in one of Stephen's armchairs, skritching the fuzzy ears of the wriggling Yorkie puppy in his lap. "Thanks for looking, Tad. Say, whose dog is this? Because he's been walking around like he owns the place."
"Um," said Tad.
"And what's his name? I've just been calling him 'little guy' so far."
"S-Stephen?" stammered Tad.
The puppy growled warningly at him.
"Be nice, you," chided Jon, flicking it on its button nose. To Tad, he added, "Don't worry about Stephen. Ten to one he's suddenly decided that he desperately needs to have something, and couldn't wait any longer to go out and buy it. Probably doesn't even remember I was supposed to come over. So, about the dog...?"
"The dog! Yes!" exclaimed Tad. "He's sort of the studio dog. He, uh, doesn't have a name yet — Stephen said you should pick one, because you're good with dog names."
"Wow, really?" Jon ducked his head to look fondly down at the dog, the action not quite hiding his blush. "I'll have to thank him for that. As for names...how about 'Muffins'?"
The puppy let out an indignant yelp.
"Muffins," echoed Tad, really starting to get into this. "I like it. It fits. And right now, it happens to be time for Muffins to be fed. So I think I'd better take him now."
"Oh, okay. Can I help?"
"No, no, it's all right. I've got it."
When Jon attempted to hand the puppy over, it started writhing in earnest. It was small enough that Jon could have held it one-handed, but he needed both hands to keep it from getting away, and it snapped furiously when Tad reached out for it.
"Can you tell him to calm down?" pleaded Tad. "He seems to like you, and I'm sure he wouldn't want to be in hot water with you."
The little Yorkie stopped wriggling immediately, and let out a pleading whine.
"It's all right, Muffins," Jon soothed. "Tad will take good care of you. And I'll come and see you again, okay?"
He placed the puppy in Tad's hands and gave it one last scratch. It licked his hand appreciatively, and watched him with large black eyes as Tad carried it out.
~~~
"You don't turn into an eagle," observed Tad, after dumping the break room kettle over the puppy's head.
"I have the soul of an eagle," said Stephen grouchily, pulling on the spare clothes Tad had handed to him. "But if you must be all fact-y about it, the spring I actually fell into was Spring of Drowned Adorable Fuzzy Yorkshire Terrier Puppy."
"Are you going to tell Mr. Stewart the truth?"
"Hey!" yelped Stephen. "None of that. As far as Jon is concerned, the studio has a new puppy that likes to have him skritch its ears. And you are not going to so much as hint otherwise."
"Yes, sir," said Tad briskly. "Whatever you say, Mr. Muffins, sir."
Series: TDS/TCR; Ranma ½
Characters/Pairings: Jon, "Stephen", Tad
Rating: G
Disclaimer: See the index.
For
biichan, who wanted "Stephen gets back from his vacation...at Juusenkyo."Truth Springs Eternal
It started with a harmless joke about needing a cold shower.
At least, Jon thought it was a harmless joke. Then Stephen shouted "Oh, sure, Jon! Rub it in my face, why don't you? You are a heartless man, you know that?" and stormed out of the office.
With a shrug, Jon grabbed a plastic container and packed up the unfinished BLT. Stephen stormed out like this at least twice a month; he had gotten used to needing to save leftovers.
Still, it seemed like Stephen had been even touchier than usual since getting back from China.
"Tad, I...I should tell you something."
The new electronic kettle in Stephen's office bubbled happily away. It must have been too hot to touch, but Stephen's hands kept hovering by its sides, like it was a comforting stuffed animal he wanted to hug.
"While I was in China, I visited these springs..."
The building manager listened to the whole story with only mild surprise. Plenty of weirder things had happened to Stephen, and in the presence of reliable witnesses, no less. This was hardly more bizarre than the battle with the living mutant coffee cup.
"So which creature did you get cursed with?" he asked at last.
"A...an eagle!" stammered Stephen. "I fell into Spring of Drowned Very Fierce And Dangerous Bald Eagle. So if you ever see one of those around, you know what to do."
"Whoozagoodboy? Who? You are!"
Tad leaned into the office. "Still no sign of Stephen, Mr. Stewart — whoa!"
Jon was curled up in one of Stephen's armchairs, skritching the fuzzy ears of the wriggling Yorkie puppy in his lap. "Thanks for looking, Tad. Say, whose dog is this? Because he's been walking around like he owns the place."
"Um," said Tad.
"And what's his name? I've just been calling him 'little guy' so far."
"S-Stephen?" stammered Tad.
The puppy growled warningly at him.
"Be nice, you," chided Jon, flicking it on its button nose. To Tad, he added, "Don't worry about Stephen. Ten to one he's suddenly decided that he desperately needs to have something, and couldn't wait any longer to go out and buy it. Probably doesn't even remember I was supposed to come over. So, about the dog...?"
"The dog! Yes!" exclaimed Tad. "He's sort of the studio dog. He, uh, doesn't have a name yet — Stephen said you should pick one, because you're good with dog names."
"Wow, really?" Jon ducked his head to look fondly down at the dog, the action not quite hiding his blush. "I'll have to thank him for that. As for names...how about 'Muffins'?"
The puppy let out an indignant yelp.
"Muffins," echoed Tad, really starting to get into this. "I like it. It fits. And right now, it happens to be time for Muffins to be fed. So I think I'd better take him now."
"Oh, okay. Can I help?"
"No, no, it's all right. I've got it."
When Jon attempted to hand the puppy over, it started writhing in earnest. It was small enough that Jon could have held it one-handed, but he needed both hands to keep it from getting away, and it snapped furiously when Tad reached out for it.
"Can you tell him to calm down?" pleaded Tad. "He seems to like you, and I'm sure he wouldn't want to be in hot water with you."
The little Yorkie stopped wriggling immediately, and let out a pleading whine.
"It's all right, Muffins," Jon soothed. "Tad will take good care of you. And I'll come and see you again, okay?"
He placed the puppy in Tad's hands and gave it one last scratch. It licked his hand appreciatively, and watched him with large black eyes as Tad carried it out.
"You don't turn into an eagle," observed Tad, after dumping the break room kettle over the puppy's head.
"I have the soul of an eagle," said Stephen grouchily, pulling on the spare clothes Tad had handed to him. "But if you must be all fact-y about it, the spring I actually fell into was Spring of Drowned Adorable Fuzzy Yorkshire Terrier Puppy."
"Are you going to tell Mr. Stewart the truth?"
"Hey!" yelped Stephen. "None of that. As far as Jon is concerned, the studio has a new puppy that likes to have him skritch its ears. And you are not going to so much as hint otherwise."
"Yes, sir," said Tad briskly. "Whatever you say, Mr. Muffins, sir."