Fic: How the Grinch Was Given Christmas
Dec. 25th, 2020 08:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soc_puppetFandom: How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr. Seuss
Summary: Cindy Lou Who learns why the Grinch doesn't like Christmas, and sets out to try and fix it.
AO3 link: Link
Wordcount: 716
Relationships: Grinch and Cindy Lou Who friendship
Notes: Foralexseanchai, based on their Autistic!Grinch headcanon
Fic:
How the Grinch Was Given Christmas
With the feasting all done
and the food packed away,
the Whos' Christmas parties
were all in full sway!
But something was off,
making Cindy Lou twitch.
She looked all around:
Just where was the Grinch?
She checked in the bathroom
and behind the tree,
she looked under the tables—
just where could he be?
At last she found him—
he was standing outside—
and Cindy Lou wondered
what had made the Grinch hide?
He'd brought everything back,
and apologized, too!
All of Whoville forgave him,
down to the last Who.
But before she could ask him
what brought him out there,
the Grinch seemed to notice
her small, anxious stare.
"I see that you found me,"
and he smiled a tad,
but his smile was weary,
far more tired than glad.
"I don't think I'll stay
that much longer at all.
But I'm sure you'll enjoy
this Christmastime ball!"
It was the way that he said it,
so downtrodden and sad,
that had Cindy Lou asking:
"Is it really so bad?"
The Grinch seemed surprised,
at least for a second,
then he got to his knee
and with one hand he beckoned.
"It's all of these lights,"
he said when she stood beside him.
"They're too bright for my eyes!
I prefer things to be dim.
"And then there's the noise—
I loved all the singing!
But everything since then
has left my ears ringing.
"Every Who seems to think
the loud toys are the fun ones.
And then in all the food
there's umble-te-tonions!
"I can't stand their texture,
it makes me feel ill!
But everyone else here
can all eat their fill."
Poor Cindy Lou Who
felt her heart crack.
Was this why he'd stuffed
Christmas up in a sack?
Mistaking her look,
the Grinch gave her a pat.
"Don't worry, my dear,
I've learned better than that.
"Though it seems that Christmas
just isn't for me,
you Whos all enjoy it,
that's as plain as can be.
"No, I won't ruin something
you all hold so dear.
But I hope you'll forgive me
for not lingering here."
And so the Grinch left,
taking Max with him too,
leaving something quite clear
to Cindy Lou Who:
More than fresh roast beast
or a favorite new toy,
the Grinch deserved a Christmas
that he could enjoy.
Through the rest of the party
she thought and she thought,
and by the time the last guest left
she'd come up with a plot.
She checked with her parents,
who agreed right away:
they'd start on her plan
first thing the next day.
-----
The Grinch slept in late
and lingered in bed;
the previous day's party
had left an ache in his head.
At last he arose
and gave Max his food,
and he settled in deep
in the dreariest of moods.
"I just wish that Christmas
was fun for me, too,"
the Grinch said to Max
as he heated up stew.
Still lost in thought
as he crossed over the floor,
he was interrupted
by a knock at the door.
Curious, the Grinch went
to see who was knocking,
and the sight that he found
was, to him, quite shocking!
Cindy Lou Who and
her family were there,
dressed up nice and warm
in the cold Christmas air.
Together with Whos
from the village below,
they opened their mouths
and let a song flow.
Their voices rang out
about holiday joys,
and the Grinch soon forgot
about yesterday's noise.
Cindy Lou stepped forward
when their song came to an end.
She said, "Christmas is better
when shared with a friend.
"We're sorry our parties
weren't fun for you, too!
So we came here today
to make things up to you.
"We won't be too noisy,
we're just here to sing,
and as for the rest, well,
we brought you some things!
"Here's lanterns with shades,
so the light's not too bright,
and we made some new food
that we hope tastes all right.
"There's no umble-te-tonions
in any of these!
We made them for you,
so will you try them, please?"
The Grinch smiled wide,
a tear in his eye,
and he ushered them in
before he could cry.
"Thank you," he said
to Cindy Lou Who.
"You found me a way
to love Christmas, too."
Summary: Cindy Lou Who learns why the Grinch doesn't like Christmas, and sets out to try and fix it.
AO3 link: Link
Wordcount: 716
Relationships: Grinch and Cindy Lou Who friendship
Notes: For
alexseanchai, based on their Autistic!Grinch headcanonFic:
How the Grinch Was Given Christmas
With the feasting all done
and the food packed away,
the Whos' Christmas parties
were all in full sway!
But something was off,
making Cindy Lou twitch.
She looked all around:
Just where was the Grinch?
She checked in the bathroom
and behind the tree,
she looked under the tables—
just where could he be?
At last she found him—
he was standing outside—
and Cindy Lou wondered
what had made the Grinch hide?
He'd brought everything back,
and apologized, too!
All of Whoville forgave him,
down to the last Who.
But before she could ask him
what brought him out there,
the Grinch seemed to notice
her small, anxious stare.
"I see that you found me,"
and he smiled a tad,
but his smile was weary,
far more tired than glad.
"I don't think I'll stay
that much longer at all.
But I'm sure you'll enjoy
this Christmastime ball!"
It was the way that he said it,
so downtrodden and sad,
that had Cindy Lou asking:
"Is it really so bad?"
The Grinch seemed surprised,
at least for a second,
then he got to his knee
and with one hand he beckoned.
"It's all of these lights,"
he said when she stood beside him.
"They're too bright for my eyes!
I prefer things to be dim.
"And then there's the noise—
I loved all the singing!
But everything since then
has left my ears ringing.
"Every Who seems to think
the loud toys are the fun ones.
And then in all the food
there's umble-te-tonions!
"I can't stand their texture,
it makes me feel ill!
But everyone else here
can all eat their fill."
Poor Cindy Lou Who
felt her heart crack.
Was this why he'd stuffed
Christmas up in a sack?
Mistaking her look,
the Grinch gave her a pat.
"Don't worry, my dear,
I've learned better than that.
"Though it seems that Christmas
just isn't for me,
you Whos all enjoy it,
that's as plain as can be.
"No, I won't ruin something
you all hold so dear.
But I hope you'll forgive me
for not lingering here."
And so the Grinch left,
taking Max with him too,
leaving something quite clear
to Cindy Lou Who:
More than fresh roast beast
or a favorite new toy,
the Grinch deserved a Christmas
that he could enjoy.
Through the rest of the party
she thought and she thought,
and by the time the last guest left
she'd come up with a plot.
She checked with her parents,
who agreed right away:
they'd start on her plan
first thing the next day.
-----
The Grinch slept in late
and lingered in bed;
the previous day's party
had left an ache in his head.
At last he arose
and gave Max his food,
and he settled in deep
in the dreariest of moods.
"I just wish that Christmas
was fun for me, too,"
the Grinch said to Max
as he heated up stew.
Still lost in thought
as he crossed over the floor,
he was interrupted
by a knock at the door.
Curious, the Grinch went
to see who was knocking,
and the sight that he found
was, to him, quite shocking!
Cindy Lou Who and
her family were there,
dressed up nice and warm
in the cold Christmas air.
Together with Whos
from the village below,
they opened their mouths
and let a song flow.
Their voices rang out
about holiday joys,
and the Grinch soon forgot
about yesterday's noise.
Cindy Lou stepped forward
when their song came to an end.
She said, "Christmas is better
when shared with a friend.
"We're sorry our parties
weren't fun for you, too!
So we came here today
to make things up to you.
"We won't be too noisy,
we're just here to sing,
and as for the rest, well,
we brought you some things!
"Here's lanterns with shades,
so the light's not too bright,
and we made some new food
that we hope tastes all right.
"There's no umble-te-tonions
in any of these!
We made them for you,
so will you try them, please?"
The Grinch smiled wide,
a tear in his eye,
and he ushered them in
before he could cry.
"Thank you," he said
to Cindy Lou Who.
"You found me a way
to love Christmas, too."
no subject
Date: 2020-12-25 05:12 pm (UTC)Did not expect to tear up here but definitely did.
(Tangent: last year I watched Scrooge In Love, which is a "sequel" to A Christmas Carol in which Scrooge's true happiness is tied to a romantic relationship — eyeroll — and I realized just how much some of young Scrooge's bad memories as portrayed there read to me, not as him being a shy guy who needed to be drawn out, but as him being an autistic guy who everyone tried to bully into doing Fun their way. Fixing the oddball by forcing them to Just Try It is a whole genre. So I guess the alternate narrative hits home for me?)
no subject
Date: 2020-12-25 06:54 pm (UTC)(Oof, yeah, that movie sounds... yikes. And yeah, I just re-watched the Muppet Christmas Carol with my parents; kid Scrooge, glad to have more quiet time to read during the holidays? Young adult Scrooge, hiding from the party to do more figures? (I'll bet he's been praised for doing math and saving money and isn't quite sure how to get validation other ways.) I can definitely read him as Autistic and/or otherwise neurodivergent. But yeah, I get that! I feel like "Respecting neurodivergent and/or otherwise disabled folks and making accommodations for them to enjoy themselves instead of making them do things the Abled way" is a genre that could stand more exploration.)