Before - Legends Happiness is a Friend (Xanatos Vig, One Post)

HAPPINESS IS A FRIEND

Summary: Xanatos enjoys a moment of peace at home.
Timeframe: JA ? just before Bandomeer
Characters: Xanatos deCrion
Rating: PG - Vignette
Disclaimer nonsense: If I owned Xan, oooooh the things I'd be doing with him ? I mean, to him ? I mean, I'm not making any money. Unfortunately, Xan is the creation of Dave Wolverton and was later mangled by she-who-shall-not-be-named.

Author's note: So instead of going to class today, I wrote this, working on four hours of sleep. I don't know, don't ask!


The rain lashes, and the wind howls like a wild she-wolf separated from her cub. Tree branches bend and snap under the intense battering of the weather, and shards of wood smack into the blastproof transparisteel windows. Outside, creatures are wet, miserable, and yet patient as they wait out the wrath of the heavens. For them, it is just another night.

Inside a mansion, two creatures keep each other company by a fire that sparks angrily. The larger of the pair stretches his lanky form down the length of a couch, his head pillowed on the armrest over which his black hair is spread. One hand holds a glass of wine while the other strokes the back of the second creature curled up on his chest. The smaller of the two opens her green eyes for a moment in response to the touch before squeezing them shut again.

The larger dares to think that he might, in this moment, in the here and now, be content. He turns his head to stare at the hypnotic flames of the fire, and the reflection of red, orange, and yellow flickers in his dark blue eyes, like the fiery breath of a dragon sweeping over a turbulent ocean. He shifts slightly to place his wine glass on the low table in front of him, startling the other creature. She glares at him for disturbing her sleep, but he merely smiles at her and continues to stroke her back, soothing her ruffled nerves. The smaller, however, is not so easily acquiesced.

She gracefully lifts herself up and stretches, purring with delight as a hand massages her head behind the ears. She has never given her affection easily, not even to her own blood, but this larger creature has earned it. He is deserving, for her keen gaze has seen that he is just like her. She tilts her dark head for a moment and flicks her tail several times. She is so light that he will barely feel that, but she does it nonetheless. It is her own way of showing contentment.

The larger creature smiles down at her as she tucks her head beneath his. Her purring escalates to something akin to a motor, and she languidly winds her way up around one side of his head and down the other. Her elongated body could be used as a pillow, but he will never treat her like such an insignificant object. Instead, he continues to scratch behind her flickering ears.

Xanatos deCrion will not admit it to anyone, but his feline companion knows that in this moment, in the here and now, he is happy.

Isra's whiskers tickle the side of his face as she purrs into his ear. The lithe creature that is now playfully pawing through his hair is a far cry from the drenched kitling that mewled at him three years before, as she cowered behind a heap of trash in a street alley. He had no idea how she could have gotten there, for Isra is an exotic animal and had no business being in an urban landscape. Still, blue met green, and understanding passed between the two creatures. Isra made the journey to her new home tucked in the crook of Xanatos' arm, sheltered from the icy rain by his warm cloak. She should be stalking through the planet's local forests, for despite her small size, she is still a wildcat. However, she is not considered a sentient being, and therefore she could not possibly be feeling anything like gratitude or kinship. So the scholars say, yet Isra has remained with this man and has no intention of leaving.

Forgotten for the moment are any thoughts of revenge, of malice, of ill will. Xanatos croons softly at the feline as she mischievously

 

Wow, Jade. I'm rather glad you didn't go to class today!

I loved this. The descriptions are wonderful, very vivid.

Forgotten for the moment are any thoughts of revenge, of malice, of ill will. Xanatos croons softly at the feline as she mischievously swats at his hair, locks that are as black as her fur. For the moment they are only two creatures, both misplaced in the galaxy, both living lives completely unlike what had originally been planned for them. Both abandoned when they should have been loved the most.

Awww. Xan finding a connection with a kitty. But so sad that he's gonna be leaving her.

Thanks for the dose of Xan!

EDIT: Have a question. Xanatos wasn't created by Watson? Does he show up in the first book then? (I haven't read that one yet )

 

Awww! Xan with a kitty! I would like to take her place. Wonderful job my dear I enjoyed seeing a softer side to him.

HHP , Xan is first mentioned in book one and so is OffWorld. He doesn't actually appear until book two but Wolverton set the series up for him to show up in the first one. I was bored Saturday and watching cartoons and stumbled across the Gargoyles. The bad guys last name is Xanatos . It seemed strange to hear them keep saying it.

 

That was sooo touching! Great job!! Loved it!

 

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW SOOOO CUTE!

EVERY PERSON SHOULD HAVE A PET I SAY.

 

Glad you decided to post this!

A deeper Xan than she-who-shall-not-be-named could have ever written.

Enjoyed it - want more...but don't skip class for it - I don't get too, you don't get too. Got it?

(Lovely work Mrs. DeCrion)

 

HHP - The descriptions are wonderful, very vivid. - Thanks! I had the worst time with those. The pretty mental images kept distracting me from describing them, if that makes any sense at all.

OE - I would like to take her place. - You mean you want your ears scratched?

Kynstar - That was sooo touching! - Hope it wasn't too mushy!

JTJG - EVERY PERSON SHOULD HAVE A PET I SAY. - Yes, they should.

Birdy - Enjoyed it - want more... - The Adventures of Xan and Kitty? That's an idea...I didn't mean to skip class, honestly, it just sort of happened. Not that I really regret it or anything...

Thank you all for reading!

 

Awww! Cats so rock. They bring out the best in everyone! This was great! Who needs class when you've got this!

 

Very vivid. I could just picture the two of them laying there by the fire. Too bad, Xan had to get up and go do mayhem to our favorite Jedi. He should have stayed home and kept petting the kitty!

Good job.

 

Great story! It portrays Xanatos beautifully, showing him as a human being, with feelings and a life that should not be the way it is.

Both abandoned when they should have been loved the most.

I loved this sentence. The comparison between two beings, so different but still so alike is very well written and this is exactly what first came to my mind when I read about Xanatos in the JA books.

 

Veerrry nice, Jade. Maybe I'm looney, but I thought it had a bit of a sexy feel to it. Must be because it's a Xanatos ficlet.

 

Ummm, wow. Nice Kitty. Just kidding Loved it. wonderfully descriptive.

 

WOW! Amazing viggie. I loved the feel of it, very sensual (felines are pretty sensual I think, anyway). You really captured this quiet moment. Your descriptions were amazing. Beautifully done! I loved this part, but ALL of it was superb!

"Good girl," he purrs in return, rubbing her ears with more love and tenderness than he has shown any other living creature. He knows he will have to leave her soon. He has foreseen a confrontation and is already making the necessary preparations. He wants to have her by his side, but Bandomeer is not a place the beautiful creature sleeping peacefully on top of him should ever have to endure.

Absolutely loved it!

 

Y'know, it really, really, really sucks to be jealous of an imaginary cat.

Lovely job, Jade. The descriptions were amazing - as many others said, you could feel the warmth from the fire, hear it crackling and hear the cat's purrs. But what happened to her after Xan goes to Bandomeer?

Wonderful, as always.

Shaindl

 

Wow! Where did all of you come from?

Renton - Cats so rock. They bring out the best in everyone! - Not all the time! By the way, I LOVE your name.

diane - Too bad, Xan had to get up and go do mayhem to our favorite Jedi. - But then we would not have that lovely Qui/Xan/Obi angst that we love so much!

Indra - It portrays Xanatos beautifully, showing him as a human being, with feelings and a life that should not be the way it is. - He never had feelings in the JA books other than anger and that typical bad guy "MUAHAHAHAHA!!" laugh - so annoying!

Opal - Maybe I'm looney, but I thought it had a bit of a sexy feel to it. - Not loony at all! I should mention that your story for the Obi-Wan sock challenge was also part of the inspiration for this. Something about "Xan" and "kitling" just clicked with me!

Seraphena - Just kidding Loved it. wonderfully descriptive. - Thank you!

VaderLVR - I loved the feel of it, very sensual (felines are pretty sensual I think, anyway). - I think they're incredibly sensual, which is why I don't really see Xan as a dog person. Plus, he reminds me of a cat, as defined by Robert de Niro in "Meet the Parents" - they don't trust easily and make you work for their affection.

Shaindl - Y'know, it really, really, really sucks to be jealous of an imaginary cat. You're in good company! After Bandomeer, Xan comes back, and they sit in front of the fire again, and Xan never takes a swan dive into an acid pool.

If you want to see the last bit of inspiration for this vig, read [link=http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20040322]this day's strip[/link] for a webcomic called PVP Online. Too funny!

 

I have to thank Shainld for recommending this this wonderful piece to me. Wow, Jade - you really put me right there in the moment with Xan and Isra - and the voyeur that I am just loved it

Awesome writing! I just had to check out some of your work, and now I can rest assured that my newest little bunny is in perfectly capable hands. I'm anxious to read more, and actually have the time for a change, so i'm off to see what else you've got Later.

--shan

 

Wowie, Jade. [face_shocked] Very beautiful and descriptive vignette. Not to mention quite an original perspective on Xanatos.

Fantastic job. Have a heaping helping of wobbly dessert as a reward.

 

This was amazing and beautifully written! Great job!

 

People are still reading this? Wow...

Shanobi - I promise I won't let you down!

LE - Original, eh? You mean I'm the only one who ever imagines Xan with a kitty? Er... (I would have ollej, but I'm too lazy to make it )

AnakinsHeir - Thank you so much.

 

That's what the ollej refrigerated cups are for! Duh!

 

I don't know how I didn't find this before- that was great

 

That was amazing, very sexy! Nice job!

 

So, I'm supposed to be working, so that's why I'm doing this right now.

LE - Doh! I completely forgot about the snackpacks! How silly of me. (I love this smiley so much)

PK - Glad you found it, and thanks!

VadersMistress - Sexy, eh? Why do people keep saying that? It wasn't meant to be like that, honestly! Oh well.


Thank you to those who nominated this for the SFFA. It really means a lot to me, especially since this was born out of spontaneity and extreme laziness (I skipped class that day, remember? So if I skip more classes, I blame it on you people). And yes, I even thank the person(s) who sent this in as Best Romance. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad, though...LOL

 

Congratulations on your win Jade!!

--shan

 

Way to go Jade! Loved Isra - and you got her qualities down perfectly.

Shaindl