Family

[thehorseman]

Twilight. Dusk slipped like silk over the granite-strewn field where a cloud-grey stallion waited. Within the stallion's form, Anraí tried to steady the potent brew of anticipation and nervousness ratcheting through him.

Telling his family that he'd gotten engaged when he'd only let slip that he was involved with someone maybe a month previous ... well, the response on all fronts had been an instant and unanimous Dear God you never said can't believe it keeping secrets thought you were up to something WHEN DO WE MEET HER?! A little overwhelming, but heartfelt.

So the púca waited at the chosen place and time, his coat nearly blending in with the stone and the twilight. He'd meet them here, father, brothers and sister, and take them to meet his wife to be.

Rory arrived first, his sleek, steel-grey horse form nearly dancing with excitement. A brief mock-fight between the two stallions ended with them both in man form, Anraí having gotten his younger (and much taller) brother in a headlock. Rory was still insisting that he'd only lost because he didn't drop his duffel bag in time when Da and Caitlín arrived, silvery stallion and pure ebony mare. In short order he was collecting a warm embrace from his father, followed up by Cait jumping on his back, laughing and tossing her ink-black curls.

"Laine's not here?" she asked, looking around after collecting her own hug.

"She's at the house. I'll take you all up as soon as Tadhg arrives." He had no sooner finished speaking then he felt a firm shove in the middle of his back. Turning around, he saw a smug-looking charcoal-colored horse shimmer and melt into an equally smug-looking, dark-haired man. "You were saying?"

And so, after reclaiming the bags (Anraí insisted on taking one of Cait's pair), the slightly-other-than-ordinary family went to meet the woman who would become its newest member.


This is both a JustPrompts response and RP post for rein_it_in, sonofgranite, fey_fire, gifted_hands and a_chaitlin.


Muse: Anraí MacEibhir
Fandom: The Grey Horse by R.A. MacAvoy
Prompt: 2008/07/03-13, Family
Word count: 326

Comments

[rein-it-in.livejournal.com]

She was up at the house, just as Anraí had said. Staring down a bottle of wine, cork in one hand and a glass in the other, she let out a nervous huff of breath. "Screw it."

Laine set the glass down and took a deep pull right from the bottle. Then she poured herself a glass of the dark burgundy liquid. She was wiping the rim of the bottle clean from the chapstick residue she'd left on the glass when she heard footfalls on the porch, the front door opening.

Her stomach knotted. They're here. All of them. Dear God.

Putting a smile on her face that was far more genuine than forced, Laine left her drink on the counter and went to greet the people she's heard so much about. People that were going to be part of her family.

Of course she tripped over the dog, Harvard, on her way there. "God damn it all to hell, you rotten throw rug. You want me to break my neck? I swear I'm sendin' you back to Jackson, a piece at a time. Get on outta here...out!"

First impressions...

[thehorseman.livejournal.com]

Anraí smiled at the sound of Laine's voice. He himself had no qualms about the impression she'd make on his family, no matter what language she was using. Da, Rory, Tadhg and Cait were all smiling as well, and Cait bounced on her toes slightly in what he knew was fervent curiosity.

As Laine stepped to his side, he slid a reassuring arm around her shoulders. "Laine, mo leannan, I'd like you to meet my father, Ruairí MacEibhir, my brothers Rory and Tadhg, and my sister Caitlín."

Giving her a warm squeeze, he took one of her hands in his free one. "Everyone, this is Laine Anderson ... my fiancée." He savored the word rather like a wine connosieur might a sip of a particularly fine Bordeaux.

[rein-it-in.livejournal.com]

Laine returned their smiles with a sheepish one of her own and a mumbled apology for the yelling (and swearing) as she tipped her head towards Anraí's. His introductions short and to the point, she nodded at them in acknowledgment though she could have easily guessed who was whom by looking at them. It wasn't until he introduced her, said that one word,

fiancée

, that Laine's cheeks took on a hint of color.

She knew how much he'd wanted to say that, to these particular people, and the tone of his voice stirred all the affection she held for him. "Hi, nice to finally meet y'all..."

She looked at them each in turn, so many things she wanted to say, to ask, but didn't. Swallowing her nerves again, Laine tried to remember her manners and be the friendly hostess she often has been to her own friends and family. "Come on in, put those bags down and take a load off..." She shook her hand free from Anraí's and moved the short distance to where Ruairí was standing, and held her arms out for a hug.

[sonofgranite.livejournal.com]

Ruairí tilted his head slightly as Anraí introduced his intended. Dark haired, athletic, with bright, lively blue eyes ... he rather thought he could see someone very interesting living behind those eyes, and looked forward to learning more about his future daughter-in-law.

When Laine offered a hug, his smile broadened to a grin as he folded her in. "Fáilte, Laine ... welcome to our family." Gently returning her squeeze, he looked over her shoulder into the face of his eldest and saw the pride glowing there. Thinking of all Anraí had been through to get to this moment made Ruairí's throat tighten just a little.

As he straightened, he gave Laine another warm smile. "And thank you for letting us invade your home for a while."

[rein-it-in.livejournal.com]

"

Our

home." She corrected him with a smile and a glance of her own at Anraí. "Of course you're welcome here. And you..." She caught sight of Harvard slinking around the corner and into the room with them, "Can get your treacherous hide out of my sight."

The blond canine ignored her and made a beeline for Tadhg, sitting in front of the tall man and wagging his tail expectantly. Laine rolled her eyes and gave Anraí's youngest brother an apologetic look. "Fine. Meet Harvard. He don't bite but he might try to lick you to death."

On impulse she then grabbed both Cait and Rory in an impromptu group hug of sorts and with a laugh, "You two are goin' to spill all the dirt on your big brother or I'm goin' to be mighty disappointed."

[gifted-hands.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you'll have all three of us telling tales on Anraí, have no worries there." Tadhg's baritone chuckle rippled through the room as he knelt to give Harvard a scratch behind his ears, causing the dog to close his eyes in canine ecstasy.

After enthusiastically returning the hug, Cait gave Laine one of her patented mischievous grins. "Da's a little harder to get going. He seems to feel it his duty to play referee." Rory laughed and nodded agreement as he, Anraí and Tadhg started shifting bags out of the entryway.

[rein-it-in.livejournal.com]

She rolled her eyes and cast a glance at the eldest puca. "Stick in the mud, that ain't no fun." She was joking, mostly, but she did recall her parents' joint glee in telling Anraí all sorts of things and showing him pictures to boot.

Laine gestured behind her and down the hall towards the kitchen, wanting to move everyone to some place more comfortable. "We tend to spend more time in the kitchen or out on the deck. I'll make Anraí give you the two cent tour later."

Harvard got another glare from Laine and then a snort as the dog chuffed happily at Tadhg's attention. "His partner in crime's around here somewhere."

[a-chaitlin.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I think she just found me." Cait couldn't suppress a small squeal of glee as she scooped up the small chocolate puppy. "Aren't you just the sweetest little cuddle puddle?"

As she rubbed little Brigit's head, she turned to Laine. "Are the dogs allowed in the kitchen, or should I put her down out here?"

[rein-it-in.livejournal.com]

Laine laughed at the idea of keeping Harvard out of the kitchen and shook her head. "Considerin' the big one don't know he's a dog...no, they pretty much have the run of the house."

She turned to walk back into the kitchen, still talking to Cait. "Brigit there is your brother's. Brought her home with him the other day."

Picking up her glass of wine, she gestured at the cushioned window seats, the breakfast nook, barstools at the counter. "Make yourselves comfortable and what can I get y'all to drink? Eat?"

As she said the word eat, Harvard barked and wagged his tail hopefully. "Not you. You had dinner already and whatever in God's name you destroyed out in the yard."

[fey-fire.livejournal.com]

Rory laughed out loud as Harvard produced a near-human sigh of disappointment and moped his way back to Tadhg's side, where he placed his chin on a convenient knee. Dropping into a seat next to his sister, Rory joined Cait in tickling the pup's tummy.

"Anything cold is fine for me. Iced tea, lemonade ... whatever's handy." His smile was warm and affable as he stretched out his long legs.

Though he didn't look it, Rory was carefully taking in all the details he could about Laine. About Laine and Anraí together. He very much wanted to write a song for their wedding, and hoped to gather ideas while here.

[rein-it-in.livejournal.com]

Laine smirked the dog's antics and began filling glasses with ice, pulled a pitcher of tea from the fridge. "Darlin'?" She arched a questioning eyebrow at Anraí, asking if he wanted anything himself.

She also grabbed a lemon from a bowl of fruit on the counter and a paring knife from a wooden block, slicing the citrus globe into wedges in quick, deft motions. Pressing the fruit onto the rims of the tumblers she smiled, "What about the rest of you?"

She enjoyed playing hostess, having something to do while she snuck glances at Anraí's family, trying to find the familial resemblance as well as satisfy her own curiosity about them.

[thehorseman.livejournal.com]

The vote was for iced tea all around, and Anraí quickly checked the level in the sugar bowl, knowing that Rory and Cait took theirs almost tooth-achingly sweet. Fortunately it was full up. He and Da stayed at one spoonful each. Tadhg, after a test-sip, pronounced it fine without.

After a long pull at her glass, Cait turned to his wife-to-be with a demure smile on her face and the sparkle of Cait-merriment in her eyes. "So, Laine, what sort of dirt would you like dished on Biggest Brother? Don't hesitate to ask; as the youngest I still feel it my duty to embarrass my brothers as needed."

Chuckling, Ruairí reached over to rumple his daughter's hair, setting off a filly-ish snort and head toss. "And you're always welcome to ask any other questions you might have," he said. "You already know what we are, and we've few enough secrets beyond that. As few as possible, where family's concerned."

[rein-it-in.livejournal.com]

Laine tried to not make a face at the, to her, disgusting amount of sugar Rory and Cait plied their glasses with, instead opting to refill her wine glass before resting a hip against the counter. Winking at Cait, "I'm sure they all deserve it."

She shrugged a shoulder, acknowledging the inquiry but not sure what to make of Ruairí's candid offer. She had her own secrets after all, and she wasn't sure what, if anything Anraí had told his family about the near fiasco that had occurred here not that long ago. Sometimes truth was as messy as a lie. "About that...I don't know if Anraí told you how that even happened."

Laine chuckled to herself as she glanced at him, remembering quite clearly the look on his face when he'd been caught out. "I don't think I've ever been more pissed off at somebody..."