Work Text:
Fred Meets Morsehog
Morse stays in his ball for quite some time, vaguely aware of being moved around. He’s fairly sure he’s in a car for a while before being carried again and eventually set down. Hearing Thursday’s voice nearly has him relaxing but ‘Billy’ still has him suspicious, especially when his cage is opened.
“Morse?”
Eventually hearing his name from Thursday with no more contributions from…Billy…eventually tempts Morse out of his ball.
‘Oh. I’m in a box. That’s not so bad. Could do with a window. I can chew a box. Can I chew a box? I can probably chew a box. Can I smell pipe smoke?’
“Why is it always you eh?”
‘Oh! There you are! Hello! Where were you? They manhandled me. That Billy and the other one. The other one poked me with a spoon. They could’ve just asked me to get into the box. Didn’t think of that did they?’
Aware that he can no longer speak English and Thursday probably doesn’t speak hedgehog, Morse settles for experimenting with his face. Being able to move his nose so much as well as having whiskers is quite the novelty.
Thursday's hand looks gigantic as it reaches into the box but is surprisingly gently as the fingers brush his spines.
‘Hmm. That’s quite nice. See I knew you wouldn’t grab me like they did.’
“There now. Don’t know why the lad was making such a fuss. Anyone would’ve thought you were a rat or a piranha.”
‘You’d bite someone if they touched you against your will or threw a towel on you and stuffed you in a box. What the!? Oh…oops.’
The sudden sound of the door opening sends Morse back into his security ball. The guilt that comes from Fred’s exclamation of pain and the potential embarrassment of being seen like this by Mr Bright keep him there for the duration of their conversation.
‘Wh…therapy!? I don’t need therapy and I’m certainly not traumatised!... Yeah, why am I a hedgehog? Don’t think I don’t know people call me prickly! I just don’t waste time on small talk, what’s wrong with that?.... A fish? Unlucky…I’m not a this, oh, you meant the situation…please don’t send me to Gwen! She’d probably stand on me and make it look like an accident… I’ll be as good as gold I promise! Huh…well played Mr Bright. Is he gone?’
Uncurling again, Morse can’t actually see if Mr Bright is gone or not, but it seems quiet. He feels guilty again at hearing Thursday heave a huge sigh before his face appears over the box.
‘Sorry, I really don’t mean to get into these messes. I get to come out of the box at some point, yes? Please?’
“Home then?”
‘And then out of the box? I guess that’s a fair trade.’
Figuring he may as well make himself comfy for the trip, Morse decides to utilise the towel he’d been unlawfully captured with, turning it into a small den.
‘Why do I like being under things now? Do hedgehogs live under things?’
“This should make for an interesting birthday tea.”
‘Birthday? Did I miss that part…oh! Miss Thursday…I knew that. Mrs Thursday makes lovely cakes. Can I eat cake? I hope I can.’