A Four-legged Christmas

by obi1mcgregor

Title: A Four-legged Christmas
Author: obi1mcgregor
Archive: MA only
Categories: Alternate Reality, Qui/Obi, Romance, Series
Rating: PG
Summary: The littlest members of the Alder Run household celebrate the neighborhood Christmas party.
Series: Academic Arcadia #206
A chronological list of the series with the URLs, kindly maintained by Emila, can be found under the header 'Academic Arcadia' at the Master Apprentice ML.
Feedback: Is treasured at obi1mcgregor@yahoo.com.
Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.

Christmas in Williamsburg
Winter Warmth
Epiphany
Christmas at Arbor Lodge
The Wayfarers Inn
Christmas in Williamsburg (Revised)
Blessings by obi1mcgregor
An Arcadian Christmas by obi1mcgregor

The holidays from Artoo and Sandy's point of view.

Artoo and Sandy could tell that Something Big was just around the corner. Strange spices in the air; their dads "barking" to different sounds; brightly wrapped boxes; a tree inside the house! They remembered something like this going on before . . .

The morning started out the way it usually did. It was the same routine every day. Sandy and Artoo waited patiently for their dads to emerge from their bedroom, off-limits to them when the door was closed, to let them outside and feed them breakfast. They knew that their dads were awake when they heard the familiar moans and groans, which were usually followed by the sound of running water.

"Why do humans take so many baths?" Sandy wondered and shuddered at the thought of having the grey-haired lady at the groomers give him a bath every day. He gave an involuntary shiver, as if shaking the water off him.

When their dads finally entered the kitchen, Artoo jumped around. "Hurry, Dad, I really have to go," he barked, and Sandy yelped in agreement. Ian let them out and they scurried into the backyard, did their business, and played with each other in the snow. Soon, they felt too cold to enjoy their games, even with their winter-long fur. Sandy scratched on the door with a paw when they were ready to come in, and he ran into Quinn's arms, woofing as the big man dried him with a towel. Meanwhile, Ian did the same for Artoo. Then they were ready to eat.

After a breakfast of dog chow and water, Sandy and Artoo prepared for a nap but knew something was up when their dads began to bustle around the kitchen. And there it was. The unmistakable smell of exotic food. With tails wagging, they hovered near the counter in hopes of catching a fallen crumb or two for an unexpected dessert.

Sandy went to investigate the living room when the bustling continued in there. Something was definitely different about today. Sandy and Artoo followed their dads hither and yon all around the house and garage as they made preparations for the Big Surprise.

After all the running around, Ian and Quinn collapsed on the couch, and Sandy just knew that they'd start to cuddle and kiss. And he was right, as usual. Artoo and Sandy decided to join them and get cuddles and kisses of their own from their dads. They jumped on warm, welcoming laps, getting skritched and scratched in the most marvelous way, then promptly went to sleep in the cozy warmth surrounding them. Following their dads around tired them out, but they loved adventuring with them.

The ringing of the doorbell woke the pups and they followed Quinn to the door, wagging their tails happily when Violet and their new friend Prudence arrived. Both pups received tender pats, and they eagerly gave out puppy kisses and licks in thanks. Each time the doorbell rang, they followed one of their dads to the door to see who was there. More licks and puppy kisses followed. "Our friends are here," Sandy mused contentedly.

Each visitor went to the mantel to smile at the photos of them taken with Santa Claus during the Alder Run Animal Shelter fund drive. Yesterday, they had stayed there all afternoon with Ian and Quinn, where they had been surrounded by a sea of happy puppies and people, a lot of whom paired off when it was time to go home. The pups did for their less fortunate four-footed friends what their dads did for their human counterparts.

When everyone had arrived, Sandy and Artoo nudged the gifts with their snouts, and Ian and Quinn passed them out. Then they lay under the tree and watched everyone open their presents. Quinn called the pups over so that they could get their gifts. Prudence had knitted them matching green and red striped sweaters. Artoo was looking forward to wearing his when he frolicked with Sandy in the backyard. Violet made tartan quilts for their baskets, and Mrs. Chang baked puppy treats shaped like bells. Sandy barked his approval of the treats.

Quinn got up to put the treats in their bowls, and the pups headed into the kitchen for a snack and a little bit of rough-housing. They needed to work off a little excess energy after sitting quietly for so long. Refreshed, they rejoined the party.

Artoo and Sandy waded into the pile of discarded wrapping paper and bows and started to play. Somehow, a sticky bow ended up between Artoo's ears during their horseplay. Sandy barked when Ian ran for his phone to take a picture before the bow got knocked off again.

After all the presents had been opened and the room tidied, everyone sat down at the makeshift dining tables for a holiday feast. Artoo and Sandy snuggled on the couch for the duration and waited impatiently for the meal to be over so they could eat any delicious morsels that happened to fall on the floor. Ian, Quinn, and their neighbors always made sure to let some treats 'spill' for them.

When at last all of the party-goers had gone home and the house was quiet again, Quinn and Ian opened their gifts to each other. More kisses and cuddles followed, then the sounds of moans and groans, more commonly heard from the bedroom. Sandy and Artoo quietly padded to the kitchen and lay in their baskets, enjoying the warmth of their new quilts, not to mention giving their dads some privacy. They sure made those sounds a lot, and Artoo and Sandy wouldn't have it any other way.

Puppy love had the gift of making Christmas-time wonderful for their little family every year.