Ashley Ellenore Darcy (ashleysully) wrote in spinningcompass, @ 2018-10-02 02:12:00 |
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Ashley made sure to wake up very early so that she could sneak out of the hotel room before he woke up. She'd had this planned since the first day through the door when she and Georgiana had been out shopping. She'd even made arrangements with the pet shop owner, giving him a sizable ‘tip’ to open early so that she could get the puppy. She picked up a collar, a bed, and a few other necessary items as well before going back to the hotel with the puppy. Fortunately, even at only 8 weeks old, the English Springer Spaniel was a quiet puppy. She'd paid the hotel manager a nice fee to be allowed to bring the dog in. Georgiana helped her get everything into their room and Ashley very quietly made her way to the bed, placing the puppy on her pillow and then sneaking out again. -------- Darcy was rather enjoying their trip through the door so far; it was vastly different from the experience they’d had in Australia, but wonderful for all sorts of different reasons. He supposed that was the real wonder of the doors. They had the opportunity to see places and times that they never would have otherwise. It was amazing to think that it was just a way of life for his fiance, but she seemed to get a thrill out of seeing just how excited he and his sister could get over apparently simple pleasures. That morning, he was sleeping soundly unaware that Ashley was up to anything. Once she had placed the puppy on the pillow, it started moving about excitedly, sniffing at Darcy’s head and then eventually licking at his cheeks. Just for a second before waking properly, he could have sworn that he was back at Pemberley. But then he sat up slightly, blinking down at the little puppy that was apparently very excited to see him. “Oh! Hello, little one. Where did you come from?” he asked, as if the dog was going to reply. He picked it up into his lap, and laughed softly as he started to get his hands licked instead. Where on Earth had Ashley gone? ------ Ashley had been waiting by the bedroom door with it just open enough that she could see inside. She smiled as she watched his reaction. She had a tray with tea and toast ready, bringing it in shortly after Darcy sat up properly. “Good morning, darling.” ------ Darcy couldn’t stop smiling; the little puppy was just so cute and friendly, and he had missed his dogs so much since arriving on the station. Meeting Mouse had really made him realise just how much. “Good morning,” he smiled at her happily. “Was this you?” ----- Ashley set the tray down and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning in to give him a quick kiss. “I saw him in a shop around the corner and I just couldn't resist. He was practically calling your name.” She chuckled. ------- Darcy was an idiot. He didn’t know why it hadn’t actually clicked properly until she’d said it, but suddenly he was smiling even more, feeling as though he was about to bubble over with happiness. “What? You mean we can keep him?” he asked her. ---- Ashley nodded. “Yes, he can come home with us. Animals can come back through the door to the station.” She moved to settle onto the bed next to him, laughing when the puppy tried to climb into her lap. “He needs a name, though.” -------- “Ashley! Oh, you got me a puppy!” he exclaimed, and his excited tone was making the puppy’s little tail wag with excitement too. “You’re so wonderful, thank you so much, I love him,” he told her, leaning over to give her a quick kiss. “Yes, what are we going to call you, hmm?” he asked the little puppy, examining his face as if hoping inspiration would strike. ----- Ashley laughed. She hadn't ever seen him this excited. He was like a kid on Christmas morning and she wished she'd been recording his reaction. She kissed back and then rested her head on his shoulder, looking down at the puppy. “I'm kind of horrible at coming up with names.” She chuckled. ------- “I know some people can be very creative, but I always end up just giving animals people-names,” he admitted, petting at the happy little puppy’s head. “Must consider what you are willing to shout after it in the park, you know?” he smiled. He’d known a few people who regretted the choice of name when it had come to that moment of reality. “We can call you Bingley, after another loyal little puppy I know,” he joked. ———- Ashley nodded. He did have a point. “I wouldn't want to yell out something ridiculous.” She then laughed at the name he chose. More the reason than the name. “Bingley is absolutely perfect.” She reached down and scratched behind the puppy's ears. “I do wonder what he would think about that.” ----- Darcy laughed with her; he’d really only been joking, but then when she said it again, it struck him as really funny. And absolutely perfect, a fitting tribute really to his missing friend. “Oh, he’d be furious, but in the way a cute puppy gets furious,” he told her, feeling a sudden pang of homesickness. Then again, he’d thought that he would never see Georgiana again, and that had proved to be wrong. He wouldn’t think of it as ‘never’. And until he saw him again, the puppy version would be a friendly reminder. “Do you like Bingley?” he asked of the dog, who wagged his tail happily in response. -------- “I think he likes it.” Ashley smiled. “The shop owner said when we have a name we can come get an engraved tag.” She sat up a little and looked at him. Georgiana knocked lightly before poking her head in. “Do you like him?” She asked her brother. --------- “Oh, that would be lovely,” he told her, leaning over to press another little kiss to her cheek. “Thank you. This is… absolutely perfect,” he told her softly. He turned and smiled when Georgiana appeared. “How could I not? Isn’t he lovely? We have named him Bingley,” he told his sister with some amusement. ---- “We can go by later if you want.” Ashley smiled, blushing a little at the kiss to her cheek. Georgiana giggled a little as she stepped into the room. “It's a very fitting name. Though the puppy will take a bit of training before following your every command.” She smirked a little and Ashley laughed. ------ Darcy laughed a little with her. It was quite funny that she absolutely got the reference to his friend not only as a loving tribute but as a bit of a joke on his temperament and personality. “I think it might be harder to train a puppy than to train a gentleman,” he joked a little, turning his attention back to the dog for a moment. He was so lovely, and exactly what he needed. ------- Georgiana came over and stood by the bed. “He is very cute.” She smiled. It did make her miss the dogs back home, though. Ashley chuckled softly. She scratched behind the puppy's ears again. “Let's have some breakfast and then we can take him for a walk.” -------- “That sounds wonderful. I feel very spoiled, you’ve even brought breakfast,” he smiled. It really did feel like he’d been made a huge fuss of, and he wasn’t entirely certain what he had done to deserve it. He realised that they were both dressed and he wasn’t. It was a little bit funny, considering how horrified he would have been by that a couple of months prior. As it was, he was quite relaxed about it and decided just to get up and put on a dressing gown, and he could wait to dress properly before they went out. ————- “That is kind of the point, dear.” Ashley smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I'll take Bingley for his breakfast while you eat yours.” Georgiana said and held her hands out for the puppy. She wondered if he'd be willing to let go of him, even briefly. ------ |