A Little Holiday Cheer
Happy Holidays!
@lilyoffandoms had no idea what they were creating when they wrote a tiny drabble about these three sets of loons. Since then, Lily, Dani (@storyofmychoices), and I have expanded on their hijinx, and it just gets more fun with time. I asked the lovely, talented, and all-around amazing @/artbyainna (IG) to create this commemoration not only of the friendship between Ethan, Merida, Bryce, Olivia, Casey & Tobias but, more importantly, the friendship between us! 😊 As always, she MORE than delivered! I hope this brings you a little smile.
Book: Open Heart
Pairings: Ethan Ramsey x Merida (@lilyoffandoms), Bryce Lahela x Olivia (@storyofmychoices), and Tobias Carrick x Casey (mine!)
Rating: Teen
Words: 825
Summary: It all started at Ethan & Merida's place, so it's only fitting that we go back there again!
There was something about this time of year... even the mundane seemed to morph into magic, and tonight's gathering of friends was no exception. While the robust aroma of lasagna competed with the sweet scent of sugar cookies baking in the second oven, neither managed to diffuse the fragrant pine from the Christmas tree. Music served only as a background to the laughter and lively chatter, but while Bryce and Olivia were too engaged in the conversation.. and each other... to notice the music shift from soulful renditions of holiday standards back to melodic strings and woodwinds, Merida didn’t miss a beat. Resplendent in her holiday attire, she halted slicing provolone for the charcuterie board long enough to shoot Ethan a menacing glare.
“Ethan Jonah Ramsey, so help me God! If you turn Stevie off to put The Nutcracker back on one more time, I will not be responsible for my actions!”
“I’d be careful,” Bryce advised. “She is holding an exceptionally large knife.”
Ethan started to open his mouth, then thought better of it. With a quick flick of the wrist, “That’s What Christmas Means to Me My Love” blared through the air once more.
“What did it?” Olivia teased. “Knowing you were outnumbered, or the large knife?”
Ethan leaned against the counter, popped a piece of chorizo in his mouth, and shrugged. “It’s the season of goodwill. Let's go with that.” His half-smile quickly retreated when Merida slapped his hand.
“There will be no goodwill in this house if you keep sneaking food! You have to wait until all of our guests arrive.”
A sigh tinged with frustration escaped him. “I fail to see why we all need to starve because Carrick is late... again.”
“Technically, he’s not late,” Olivia advised.
“She’s right,” Merida agreed. “It’s only seven-fifty, and dinner starts at eight. They have ten minutes before we can declare them late.”
Ethan turned to her with astonishment. “But I was there when you told him to be here at seven!”
“Yes,” Merida said matter-of-factly. “I told him that to ensure they’d be here by eight.”
“But since it's Tobias and Casey we're talking about,” Bryce interjected. “You probably should have told them six."
"True," Olivia nodded, biting into a fluffy cheese puff. “Knowing Casey, she’ll want to redo her hair and makeup.”
Ethan raised his eyebrows in disbelief as Merida smiled. “What?” she asked.
“Olivia is eating a cheese puff and not an ounce of chastisement from you... but I sneak a sliver of sausage, and you considered dismemberment!”
“Ethan...Olivia is a guest! Besides, she’s too cute to dismember.”
The doorbell rang, and the friends looked at their phones at 7:58 PM.
“Wow! They’re early!” Bryce exclaimed. “And they say Christmas miracles are a thing of the past!”
“Great,” Merida laughed as she wiped her hands with a dish towel. “That means they probably didn’t get it all out of their systems, and they’ll be horny on main all night.”
“And that would be different from every other time... how?” Bryce laughed.
Merida scurried down the hallway, high heels clicking, but her irritated boyfriend beat her to the door, swinging it open to find Tobias planting kisses on a giggling Casey’s neck.
“Do you two ever stop?”
“What?” Tobias protested with a sheepish grin. “We weren’t doing anything. We were just stuck in....”
“TRAFFIC!” The four friends shouted.
“That is what they call it these days,” Olivia winked, all too proud of herself. "Aren't they?"
“Hey! You can’t blame us,” Casey said, tossing her fuzzy coat over Ethan’s unextended arm. “Boston is just filled with traffic!”
“Mmmhmmm,” Merida greeted her friend with a warm embrace. “And you two are always without GPS.”
“That’s right,” Casey smiled. “We prefer to go by... feel.”
“Can we send them home now?” Ethan groaned.
But Merida and Casey were already halfway down the hall, linked arm-in-arm and giggling like schoolgirls. Ethan jumped when Tobias’s hand landed on his shoulder with a thud.
“You were saying, buddy?”
Running a hand down his face, Ethan surrendered. “Olivia is right. I’m outnumbered.”
Moments later, the couples were assembled around the kitchen table, with wine generously poured. Ethan happily partook in cured meats as he endured one too many jokes about salami from his best-freinemy.
“Tobias, I swear, you never escaped adolescence.”
“Was that something we were supposed to escape?”
Bryce raised his glass with a smile. “Only during working hours!”
“And these are not working hours,” Merida gleefully stated. “A toast... to friends, who have become family.”
“And by family, she means you’re inescapable!” Ethan grinned.
“Just like adolescence,” Casey beamed, clinking her glass with the others.
Merida set her eyes on Ethan’s, a radiant smile on her lips. “And would you have it any other way?”
Wrapping his arm around her waist he pulled her close. "No," he beamed. "Despite each of you, save Olivia, causing me more grey hairs by the moment... I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Several drinks in, you know they started teasing Tobias about his "Ho-Ho-Ho" sweater. Everyone except Olivia, who wasn't sure what they meant until Bryce whispered it in her ear. Merida and Casey quickly agreed to corrupt the poor dear much more before their New Year's Eve gathering!
Happy Holidays! :)
@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanart @openheartfanfics
@choicesholidays "I'm Thankful for You"
@choicesdecember2023 Christmas
Tagging others separately.
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Open Heart F/AtoW: Jul 7 - 13, 2024
✒️ = Fanfic | 📱 = Text Fics/Edits | 🎨 = Fanart Ⓜ️ = Mature Content 18+ | 🔥 = Explicit/NSFW 18+ 🏳️🌈 = LGBTQIA
BRYCE LAHELA
A Text of Reassurance 📱 | Bryce Lahela x F!OC, Tobias Carrick x F!MC - @storyofmychoices
ETHAN RAMSEY
Scratching The Itch ✒️Ⓜ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @cariantha
Part 2
The Journey ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC - @jerzwriter
KYRA SANTANA
Beautiful Day ✒️ | Kyra Santana & F!MC - @liaromancewriter
MULTIPLE PAIRINGS
Heart's Choice (Series) ✒️ | Ethan Ramsey x F!MC, Tobias Carrick x F!MC - @alj4890
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
RAFAEL AVEIRO
How Will I Live Without You ✒️ | Rafael Aveiro x F!MC (Previous) - @rafasgirls23415
Part 1
TOBIAS CARRICK
A Text of Reassurance 📱 | Bryce Lahela x F!OC, Tobias Carrick x F!MC - @storyofmychoices
Elmo's Special Visit ✒️ | Tobias Carrick & F!OC - @storyofmychoices
Summer Haze ✒️ | Tobias Carrick x F!OC - @jerzwriter
Main F/AtoW List: Jul 7 - 13, 2024
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