smokingmirror | Fanfic: Hired Help (1/1)

Title: Hired Help
Author: Avarice
Rating: PG
Pairing: Aaron/Marlane
Spoilers: -
Summary: Aaron assists Marlane around the house in any way she might require.
Word Count: 757
Date First Posted: 2005?
Date Revised - 21-05-2011
Beta: -
Awards: -
Notes: I really love Awkward!Aaron! In another life, he made snake-babies with Marlane.
Feedback: always welcome, as is constructive criticism.

The September air carried summer heat with an undercurrent of a cool change. The Silver's back yard was relatively small, given how large it had the potential to be with the empty space that surrounded the house. It was small, with a high fence and higher tree cover. What little foliage was on those trees was beginning to turn red and gold and yellow, and fall to the earth.

The yard was narrow and rectangular, with a half-sized garden shed at one end, and a clothesline at the other. One of the advantages of such a small space was the fact that young Jack -- who had just started to take tottering steps -- could never go far enough to leave one's sight.

Marlane stood at the clothesline, front pocket of her white apron full of clothes pegs. Jack crawled four feet away, picking up dry and curling leaves and flinging them into the breeze. Aaron stood next to Marlane, dutifully holding a basket of newly-clean washing.

Marlane pulled a pale blue blouse out of the basket and pinned it to the line. "We need to go to the market later."

"Alright," Aaron drawled, "when do you want to go?"

"Sometime after lunch? Jack's due for his nap after this, and you can't go on your own; you always get the wrong bread."

Aaron ducked his head, cheeks going pink. He did get the wrong bread, but not because he didn't know the right one. Despite the inherent danger of taking Marlane out of the house, his apparent ineptitude at getting the right groceries allowed her to come to the market with him.

She got that special look when they got ready to go -- she put on a nice dress and did her face up and curled her hair so it fell in that wavy way. It was a tiny taste of freedom, of normality. He suspected she might know this, but if she did, it was never mentioned.

Aaron pretended to be offended at her slight. "Fine. But don't take so long gettin' ready this time, we have to be back by sundown."

She thwapped him quite unexpectedly in the chest. Aaron's eyes widened, so caught off-guard he nearly dropped the basket. "Are you saying it takes me a long time to make myself look beautiful?"

"Yes." Marlane's eyes narrowed, and she somehow buzzed the danger senses in Aaron's brain. He wanted nothing more than to smell the air, but knew she hated when he did that in front of her. "I mean, no," he back-pedaled inadequately, "I mean--" Aaron hated situations like this. Humans could be so difficult.

"Relax, Aaron," Marlane laughed. She shook her head and her hair brushed her shoulders alluringly. "I was joking." Aaron's shoulders slumped in relief. If he had scented the air, he would have known she was joking. "You really didn't have to look so spooked, you know."

"You don't need to spend any time painting your lips and eyes and nails," Aaron said, voice soft and earnest, "you look... you... you're Marli."

Aaron looked down at his shuffling feet, annoyed at his inability to articulate the way a human male would. When he finally looked up at her again, she was staring at him, an odd look on her face.

"You are very sweet," she told him, very gently touching the side of his face. "Wrong, but sweet."

There was a soft hiss and a slight rattle, and the moment was broken. They laughed in that special way when embarrassment is shared, and turned back to the line. There was only one item left in the basket; a red and white a-line polka dot dress, cut to the knee with a sharp vee neckline.

Aaron looked at it as she pulled it out of the basket, pegging it to the line. "Like it?" Marlane asked in that unassuming way she had perfected. Aaron wagered Scorch County had never seen the likes of that dress before, much less Marlane in it.

"It's real nice," he answered, eyes not quite able to look away as the young woman bent down to pick up her son.

"I'm glad," she said airily. "In that case, maybe you can help me get changed into it, since I take so long getting dressed all by myself."

The man-snake nodded thoughtfully. "Sheriff wants me to help you out with anything you need."

All he saw were the teeth of a very white grin. "That's what I hoped you'd say."

~finis