#I love this outfit with the reindeer antlers and red nose

[angrybatgaming]

So, thanks to @syares , I got to see what last year's Days of Feast stuff looks like through spells...

And I'm HYPED. Still waiting for the Withered Antlers, but these look SUPER NICE and I now kinda don't care if we don't get old Mischief stuff right away. I really love the hat, and I want the red scarf if Granny is offering it again this year!

Three not-so tiny reindeer. The cape I was wearing in this pic actually kinda works with the antlers and maybe the hat.

But this is probably going to be my Christmas Sky Kid outfit. Either the Journey cape or the red and white Christmas one. I'll have to wait to see what they bring back.

Who needs a shiny red nose when you've got pretty glowing antlers? :3

Featuring @syares and a Sky friend who doesn't have a Tumblr blog that I know of. (If they do, I'll edit a tag in later.)

[drades-lair]

12 Days of Kinkmas: Day 11 - Reindeer Role Play

Fandom: HelluvaBoss

Rating: M

Pairing(s): Fizzarozzie

Asmodeus released an exasperated sigh as he combed through stack after stack of paperwork that sat atop his giant oak desk. Hellmas eve was a time for partying in Lust except that is for the king himself emphasizing the term ‘no rest for the wicked’ much to his dismay. Turning momentarily to search for something in the filing cabinet next to his desk Asmodeus missed the door to the office being opened that is until he heard the sing song tone of his Fizzy.

“Oh Ozzie~” The imp sang walking slightly into the office to lean against the doorframe.

“That you Fizzy frog? What can I do for…?” Asmodeus trailed off as he turned to see Fizzarolli leaning against the doorframe clad in a sexy reindeer outfit. The outfit had a brown skirt with white fluff along the hem, a halter style top in the same shade of brown with a peek-a-boo window sapped like a heart, long brown gloves that had little hoof tips on the fingers as well as white fluff around the rims, a pair of brown individual stockings that connected to garters with more white fluff around their tops, a fake set of antlers that sat in front of his horn stumps, a fake red nose that glowed and a bell on a collar.

“Do you like it?” Fizz asked with a wide smirk on his face.

“Like it? I love it! You look incredible babe,” Asmodeus complimented standing from his desk to walk towards Fizz.

“Then what do you say we go celebrate Hellmas?” Fizz suggested, pushing off the doorframe to wiggle his ass at Asmodeus.

“You know what…fuck the paperwork, I’d rather celebrate with you any day,” Asmodeus stated, scooping Fizzarolli into his arms.

The duo headed for the master bedroom where Asmodeus placed Fizz on the bed, caressing his hands along Fizz’s body as they shared a deep kiss. Fizz purred slightly as Ozzie started kissing along his jawline, hands playing absently with the garters holding up his stockings. Pulling back to admire Fizz’s outfit a little more Asmodeus started pushing the skirt up revealing Fizz was completely commando underneath making him chuckle.

“Come on big daddy, I want you to breed me like the big, strong stag that you are,” Fizz teased, spreading his legs a little.

“Ha-ha, very well my little Fizzy fawn,” Asmodeus chuckled, pushing Fizz’s skirt up further.

Asmodeus leaned down to run his tongue along Fizz’s folds all the way up the underside of his cock, swirling it around the head making Fizz moan. Holding Fizz’s hips Asmodeus took the imp’s cock into his mouth, wrapping his tongue down the shaft as he started sucking liberally with a series of head bobs. Fizz gave a loud gasp as Asmodeus slid two fingers into his wet cunt, thrusting in a counter rhythm to his mouth on Fizz’s cock although he could tell the imp was tighter then normal causing him to pull off, glancing down as something caught his eye. Gingerly Ozzie flipped Fizz onto all fours, pushing his skirt up over his ass revealing a deer tail butt plug firmly situated in the imp’s ass.

“Hmm, you went all out I see,” Ozzie cooed, toying with the tail.

“Mm, Yeah, I wanted the whole…package…ugh…” Fizz explained with a deep moan as Asmodeus tugged lightly on the plug.

“Then I’ve got just the thing to complete this ‘package’,” Asmodeus stated, heading to the far side of the bedroom where he dug through their chest of gags before returning.

Fizzarolli opened his mouth immediately to allow Ozzie to place the gag in his mouth, wrapping it around his head it was just like the harness you’d see reindeer or hell steeds’ wear. Satisfied Asmodeus returned to his position behind Fizzarolli, sliding his fingers over the tail plug down to Fizz’s folds where he pressed them into him once more. Asmodeus rubbed against Fizz’s G-spot with every thrust of his fingers making the imp whimper past the gag in his mouth, juices drooling from both his cunt as well as his cock while his hands fisted in the sheets. Pulling his fingers free Asmodeus licked the delectable juices from them then bent down to replace them with his tongue, wriggling it all along Fizz’s insides as he thrust along his G-spot again until Fizz shrieked, body going ridged as he squirted straight into Ozzie’s mouth. Asmodeus promptly engulfed Fizz’s vagina with his mouth, sucking with his tongue still firmly wiggling around inside the imp causing him to squirm, caught between wanting to escape and wanting more. Fizz was just on the edge of a second orgasm when Asmodeus pulled away, snapping his fingers to discard his clothing allowing him to moments later press the head of his cock to Fizz’s folds. The imp chanted a mantra of yes’s from behind the gag as Asmodeus pressed into him luckily Fizz didn’t have a womb thus a condom wasn’t necessary, and the imp could live out his breeding kink fantasies all he wanted.

Asmodeus set up a quick, deep rhythm making sure to pull almost all the way out before slamming back into Fizz with each thrust causing the imp to pant and grunt. Grabbing the reins that connected to the gag Asmodeus pulled on them forcing Fizz’s head to crane backwards slightly, his pace getting faster as the sin neared his completion. Fizz’s hands clenched in the sheets with a whimpering cry as Asmodeus orgasmed, filling Fizz to bursting with his cum before pulling out.

“You wanted to be bred Fizzy, make sure you keep that cum inside you,” Asmodeus whispered into Fizz’s ear making him moan as he clenched his cunt.

Ozzie pulled on the reins to get Fizz up on his knees then reached around to start stroking the imp’s cock, holding nothing back as he brought fizz to his second orgasm this time cum spewed from his cock and his eyes rolled back in his head. Fizz was a cum covered mess, cum ran down the shaft of his cock while it seeped from his cunt at the same time. Asmodeus maneuvered Fizz onto his back again, removing the gag then he reached down to pull out the plug in Fizz’s ass, rubbing his still hard cock along Fizz’s hole.

“I should fill this hole too just in case,” Asmodeus crooned, slicking Fizz’s hole with the cum currently spilling from his vagina before pressing into him.

“Ah! Fuck! Yes, yes, breed me! Breed your little cum slut,” Fizz demanded.

Asmodeus chuckled as he pressed to the hilt then pulled back out about halfway, slamming back into Fizzarolli who groaned in ecstasy. Ozzie set a brutal pace this time bringing them both to the edge quicker then either expected causing Fizz to shriek in surprise as he came for the third time, cum spilling from his cock as well as squirting juices from his pussy. Asmodeus buried himself deep in the imp as he too spilled cum all along Fizz’s insides promptly filling him to an overflowing capacity as cum now leaked from Fizz’s ass as well as his pussy and cock. Both the sin and the imp sat for a few moments catching their breath, indulging in some warm cuddling and soft kissing until Asmodeus scooped the imp up to carry him into the bathroom. After a relaxing bath the two returned to a spotlessly clean room where they snuggled under the covers with Fizz atop Ozzie’s chest, purring happily.     

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Agi Says It's Starlight. Right Now.

And here's a little fic under the cut ;)

Estinien Varlineau knew something was off when she received a package at the Mist house, let out a scream of joy, and ran upstairs.

Perhaps “off” is the wrong word. “Deeply concerned” is more accurate. “Unsettling” works too.

“Mummy’s planning something, Es.” He muttered, watching their daughter crawl in circles around him. “She’s got that…look. You know the one.”

Esme continued to babble happily.

“Aye, she’s up no good I agree.” Crossing his scarred arms over his chest, he smiled at their daughter.

“OH MY FUCKING GODS! LOVE, YOU MUST SEE THIS!” Agnes yelled as she bounded down the stairs. Esme stopped crawling and squealed, pointing at her mother.

Estinien froze.

She sauntered to him wearing her very short Starlight dress that shows off her Starlight ham thighs but instead of the usual tights and boots, she had on reindeer hooves, mittens, and antlers. With a bloody red nose, for Fury’s sake. “It’s that time of year again, my grumpy dragon.” She practically sang and did a twirl for him. “Doesn’t Mummy look so pretty, Esme? And don’t worry, my little love, I have a dress and accessories for you too!” She picked up the baby (is she still a baby if she’s over a summer old?) and cooed at her. “You’re going to look so fucking cute in your Starlight outfit. Even more than last year!” Turning to her husband, she giggled. “Oh dear, I think your father needs a moment.”

Varlineau, this isn’t all bad. On the positive side you’ve got Agi in a hot dress showing off her legs and thighs. Her tits look amazing in everything she wears. She is, as always, undeniably adorable and pretty.

On the other hand, Starlight is her favorite holiday, and she lets literally everyone, man and creature alike, know it. She bakes a billion things, but few of them are ours. And fuck…she’s going to make me dress up.

“I can see the wheels creaking along in your head, love.” Agnes teased and gave Esme’s tummy a tickle.

His face was in his hands as she laughed. “Agi, you know I love you so much…but it’s not even the month of Starlight!! We barely just got over All Saints’ Wake!”

Agnes smiled ruefully. “Well, I did promise myself that this year would be more relaxed than last year. Starlight Eve and the day itself it’ll just be the three of us.” She frowned and kissed Esme’s head. “I know so much of last year was overwhelming for you. I-I…you should enjoy it in your own way, and I shouldn’t accept every invitation I receive.”

I truly am the luckiest man on the star. Estinien lifted his head and for a second, admired his wife. There are none more blessed than I. Because of her. All because of her.

“Love?”

He blinked, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Sorry. Was just thinking,” he smirked as he walked and circled her. With his lips against an ear, he whispered, “Thinking about how beautiful you are, my angel.” And give her a nice ass tap. As a treat!

Giggling, she rolled her eyes. “Gods, you are something else, Estinien. So grateful to be free during Starlight and so turned on by your wife in a Starlight reindeer ensemble. What a combination!” Agnes gave him a quick peck before handing him Esme. “Though I should say technically it won’t be the three of us.” Her eyes are twinkling. What’s she planned? “It’ll be the five of us.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Five? Your mother and…?”

Aymeric?

Y’shtola?

Waters? No, he wouldn’t come without Urianger.

G’raha?

Not Little Lord Alphinaud and Alisaie.

TATARU??!?!

Her hands rested on her soft belly. “Five. We’re having twins, love. Y’shtola saw two little balls of aether this time.” She smiled at him just like she did when I proposed. Fury, how radiant she was then and continues to be. “Our little family isn’t going to be not so little anymore.”

Glancing at Esme, who was staring back up at him with the cutest fucking smile in the world, he grinned. “You hear that, Es? You’re going to be a big sister twice! How about that, eh?” I MADE TWINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wrinkling her nose, she removed the reindeer headband and put her glasses back on. “I think she’s very excited…but what about you?”

He grunted. “Woman, as if you have to ask. I’m very happy, my sweet.” I. MADE. TWINS. They shared a brief kiss and then Estinien laughed heartily as Esme giggled. “Es, Mummy’s having twins! Could she tell what they are?”

She shook her head. “Not yet, love. In another moon or so I think. Why, do you have any preferences?”

“Nay, only that they’re healthy. We could have a dozen sons or daughters, it matters not. The only thing that matters is you. You’re the one having them after all.” He looked at Esme. “Mummy has them, so Mummy decides when she’s done having them. Got it, little one?”

His wife chuckled. “Oh good gods, it’s never too early to teach that I suppose. Hey,” she offered him a warm smile. “I love you.”

“As I ever love you.” Always and forever, Agi.

[poledancingdinos]

His Little Reindeer - Drabble

Pairing: Captain Syverson X Female Reader

Word Count: 383

Warnings: None, this is just fluff

Taglist : @amberangel112 @utterlyhopeful-fics @marantha​ @kebabgirl67​ @littleone65​

Masterlist

You peacefully sat on the couch, a mug of hot tea in hand, watching a movie when your boyfriend returned home from his evening out and immediately erupted into the most uncontrollable fit of laughter you had ever seen.

“Bug,” he wheezed, “what in the ever loving fuck are you wearing?”

You hadn’t needed his question to know what was the cause of his amusement.

“I was cold,” you answered, curling your legs under you.

“So put on some clothes,” he argued, pointing to your bare legs.

You knew your outfit was absolutely confusing to the outside eye. You had stolen Sy’s favorite shirt and paired it with the tiniest pyjama shorts imaginable. On your feet were burgundy slippers that Sy’s grandmother had knitted for you and over it all you wore a blanket cape.

The cape in question had buttons on the front to close together and allow for you to move around hands free but it also had a hood. The hood was adorned with reindeer ears, antlers and a big red nose. You had gotten it in a work gift exchange where everyone who wanted to participate bought a holiday themed gift. You had then each randomly chosen a box at the holiday party and since that night you were the proud owner of a reindeer cape.

Sy was finally getting himself back under control, taking deep, controlled inhales. “When did you even get that thing?” he asked, coming closer to inspect you. He stood before you, bent over with both hands on either side of your shoulders on the back of the couch.

“I’ve had it for years, you just never saw it before because you moved in here in the dead of summer.”

Sy hummed, eyes leaving the big red nose above your forehead to look around the floor of the living room. “So my little reindeer,” he placed a chaste kiss on your lips, “where’s my other favorite girl?”

“She um…” you sighed, closing your eyes with a defeated smile. “She’s in the bedroom. She freaked out when she saw me with the hood on and she’s been hiding ever since.”

Sy fell backwards onto the ground barking out another deep laugh. This time, you couldn’t help but join in, admitting to the ridiculousness of the situation.

[suganovakawa]

day four — tetsurou kuroo.

a/n — i completely forgot about doing this after being so caught up with rhi LMAOOO

day three < day four > day five

haikyuu!! for the holidays masterlist.

⠀"he'll be here soon, y/n. don't worry." kenma had taken notice of your worrisome expression, placing a hand on your shoulder as you jumped a little bit at the sudden contact. "kuroo is not the type to miss out at a party, believe me."

you knew that part, definitely. tetsurou had been wrapping things up at work before calling it a day, promising you that he'd meet up with you at kenma's house for the annual holiday party. the atmosphere was as comforting as ever, with nothing but smiling faces hanging around the place as nekoma alumni, as well as some other special guests. were able to chat amongst one another and just enjoy themselves in general.

"nah, i'm not worried when he's going to get here. i know he wouldn't miss your parties for anything in this world. i'm just wondering what kind of holiday stunt he's going to do this year." the glass of eggnog in your hands was just about done, you took the last sip before venturing off to get another one, waving to the party host before parting ways.

"y/n! glad to see you're doing well." you turned to see yaku holding a glass of his own, his sweater rolled up by the sleeves as he smiled warmly at you. "where's kuroo at? he's not missing out on kenma's party this year, right?"

"oh god no. tetsu would never even dream about missing the holiday party." you refilled your own glass before turning your attention to the libero. "last time i checked, he was just wrapping things up at work, no biggie. he's definitely going to be barrelling in soon enough, i can sense it."

"HO, HO, HO!"

a chill ran up your spine as that all too familiar tone of voice rang through the air, the entire party turned their attention to the source. you sighed and shook your head, placing one hand to your forehead as you looked at kuroo.

there stood the dashing businessman, wearing... a less than dashing outfit. you could've sworn he had left that morning with a suit on, just as normal. you were almost afraid to wonder where he got that... santa suit from.

save from the white beard, kuroo just about had everything. the red suit, the boots, the gloves, the hat. he seemed quite content with his outfit - snug, dare you think - and sported that oh-so-devious smile he was infamously known for. behind him was bokuto, playing kuroo's holiday game and dressed up as a reindeer - simply a brown turtleneck and a headband of antlers. koutarou seemed to enjoy the getup, but not as much as tetsurou.

"sometimes, i have no idea what goes on in that head of his." you jumped at morisuke's voice, almost forgetting that he was still right next to you. "i'm going to go greet some other guests," he spoke, chuckling as he took another swig of his holiday beverage. "lovely to see you again, y/n. talk soon."

just as yaku had disappeared into a different room, your lips curled into a tired but happy smile as you locked eyes with kuroo, waving to him quickly but remaining in place as he trudged his way past the crowd to you.

"you've always been quite the icon in red, tetsu." you laughed and reached out to play with the dangling portion of his hat, which hid the majority of his typical bedhead hair. "where on earth did you get this suit?"

"oh, this old thing?" he smiled innocently. "that's my little secret."

you shook your head and turned away from your boyfriend, your eyes now eyeing the treats that were just lying on the table, waiting to be eaten. the cookies that hinata had brought seemed delicious. "hey, tetsu, what do you want from - "

you were cut off abruptly as a gloved hand snaked around your waist, urgently pulling you closer to kuroo as he had a pout spread across his face. the pull was so quick your eggnog had spilled onto the front of his jacket, leaving a golden stain not too hard to see.

"excuse me," he mused, poking your nose with his free hand, "where is my christmas kiss?"

"your - hey!" he snatched the glass from your hand and quickly drank the rest of it, a small nog mustache painting his upper lip as he placed your glass down on the nearby table. "c'mon tetsu, i just refilled that glass!"

"just one kiss?" he puffed his lips out cutely, this time snuggly wrapping both arms around you, his grip tight enough to warrant no escape. "then i'll give you all the eggnog in the world. if i can't do that, i fail as santa claus."

"you're such a dork, tetsurou."

he giggled as he pulled you in closer. "i know."

taglist ( open ) — @tinynarutobookmark @elianetsantana

[refinedbuffoonery]

Mr. & Mrs. Claus

You should know that I wrote this whole thing just for the bad pick-up line Mac uses. And then I got hit with major baby fever while writing the end and....you’ll see.  Merry Christmas, y’all! ❤ 

Established MacRiley AU

*****

Riley’s only warning to Mac’s arrival was the slam of the front door before he yelled, “I’ve got the rings!” His boots clunked on the hardwood floor as he walked down the hall to their bedroom. “Let me get dressed and then we can go—” 

Riley met Mac’s eyes in the bathroom mirror. He stood in the doorway, slack-jawed, taking in the full effect of her costume. Smiling to herself, Riley finished applying her mascara, arching her back and sticking her ass out for his benefit. 

Mac cleared his throat. “Wow. You look incredible.” 

She twirled to give him the full effect. The stretchy, ribbed material of her off-white sweater dress clung to her body, stopping just below her knees and leaving nothing to the imagination. Her favorite black, high-heeled boots gave the outfit just a bit of edge. But the real showstopper was her coat—crimson velvet trimmed with fake fur, swirling gold and silver embroidery, elegant bell sleeves. It even had pockets. 

“This is my favorite part.” Clasping her hands behind her back, Riley swayed back and forth, watching the bottom of the knee-length coat swish like a bell. 

“It’s stunning,” Mac said, still a little stunned himself. He finally closed the gap between them. “You’re the hottest Mrs. Claus in LA.” 

“Literally,” Riley joked. “This outfit is toasty, and in case you didn’t realize, it’s definitely not cold outside.” According to her phone, the high was supposed to be 74 degrees. 

Mac rubbed her arms. “In all seriousness though, you look beautiful.” 

Even after all this time, Riley still blushed. “Thank you,” she murmured against his lips as she pulled him down for a quick kiss. 

She sat on the bed, unashamedly checking her boyfriend out while he changed into his own Santa costume to match hers. He fished around in the pocket of his discarded jeans and pulled out a pair of rings. “Matty said we, and I quote, have to return these to the Phoenix tomorrow, so no using them to build a homing beacon or something.” 

“Got it,” Riley said dryly. “No homing beacon.” She reached for her ring, but Mac seemed to have other ideas. He handed her his ring instead—a white gold band with a thin, but ornate border. 

Mac spoke in a deep, announcer-like voice. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Mrs. Claus, you may go first.” 

Riley held his left hand in hers, playing along. “Do you, Santa Claus, take me to be your wife?” She tried to be serious, but her lips curled into a smile without her consent. 

“I do.” Riley slid the ring on. Mac continued, “Do you, Mrs. Claus, take me to be your husband?” 

Riley made a show of thinking it over first. “I do.” He slid the ring—an engagement ring and wedding band fused together—onto her finger. She’d worn it before. Like Mac’s, it was white gold, but the tiny diamonds set into the bands made it glitter in the light. The engagement ring part had a princess cut diamond surrounded by more tiny diamonds, making the whole thing walk the fine line between opulent and gaudy. 

She looked up, and Mac’s soft smile made her want to melt in a puddle. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he announced, lacing their fingers together. 

“Okay.” Riley wrapped her arms around his neck. “You do that.” 

*****

They drove Riley’s Jeep to the hospital, since someone forgot to go to the gas station on his way home, and they were already late. They’d gotten a little distracted after their fake wedding. 

Mac rested his hand on Riley’s thigh while she drove. She leaned away from him, resting her left elbow on the door and holding the top of the steering wheel with her right. When Mac didn’t take the hint and started caressing her thigh instead, Riley batted his hand away. 

“Oh no,” she scolded. “We are not doing this right now.” Mac pouted in the passenger seat. 

They arrived at the hospital, hauling two massive bags of presents with them. The hospital administrator met them in the lobby to escort Riley and Mac to the children’s wing, thanking them and the think tank profusely for the entire duration of the walk.  She and Mac exchanged the same sly look they always did when someone referred to the Phoenix as a think tank.

Meeting the kids went by in a blur. Altogether too many young, bright faces swarmed the waiting room, clamoring to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. With each kid she met, Riley was in awe of how they were all so positive and happy and full of laughter, even though many of them were so sick and would be spending Christmas in the hospital. 

The kids gravitated to Mac like moths to a flame. He sat and talked to each one, asking how they were doing and what they wanted for Christmas. They asked him ridiculous questions, like what snacks the elves like best and who his favorite reindeer was. In a classic Mac moment, he explained to a wide-eyed group of ten-year-olds that male reindeer lose their antlers every winter, so his reindeer are actually all females. 

Every time Mac walked past—which Riley suspected was far more times than necessary—he squeezed her arm or grazed a hand down her back, and Riley couldn’t help the smile curling her lips each time he did it. 

After a while, Riley gathered the kids and read a picture book version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Pausing to show her young, captivated audience the pictures, she flicked her gaze to Mac. He stood in the back of the room with his arms crossed in a very un-Santa-like manner, chatting softly with one of the pediatricians. The rainbow lights of the Christmas tree behind him cast him in a warm, pink glow. 

The kid closest to her tugged on her coat, and Riley turned her attention to the girl. She was probably ten or so, with intense, dark eyes that probably never missed a thing. Including Riley’s wandering attention, apparently. “Are you checking out Santa?” she questioned. 

Caught. Riley cleared her throat. “Um—” Giggles erupted throughout her audience. “So what if I am? He’s very handsome.” 

The girl scrunched up her face. “Gross!” Riley joined in on the second wave of giggles before returning to the story. 

Later, after the chaos of opening presents, the adults rounded up all the kids and settled in to watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The hospital administrator set it up so the movie projected on an empty wall. Mac pulled up a pair of chairs behind the projector and motioned for Riley to sit. Lacing their fingers together, Mac leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for doing this with me.” His expression was raw and unguarded. 

Riley squeezed his hand twice in response. “Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” 

They’d barely made it ten minutes into the movie when the shyest kid—a six-year-old boy wearing Spider-Man pajama pants who looked like a tiny version of Bozer—crawled into Riley’s lap. The boy didn’t say a word; he simply nuzzled his face into Riley’s shoulder and wrapped his tiny arms around her waist. Riley let go of Mac’s hand to pull the boy into her chest, where he fell asleep for the remainder of the movie. 

Afterward, Riley carried the boy back to his room while Mac started to say goodbye to the other kids. They’d been there more than half the day, and for many of the kids, it was time for blood tests or scans or chemo. Or maybe just a nap. 

Riley hugged the last kid goodbye with a bittersweet smile on her face. The little boy in her arms was so young, four or five at the most. Behind him, his mom mouthed, Thank you.

When the boy finally let go, Riley looked him square in the eye. "You be good, okay?" He giggled, nodding furiously before returning to his mom.

The boy and his mom walked away, leaving Riley and Mac alone in the waiting room. Riley stared after them. That had to be so hard, watching your kid have seizure after seizure and then spending days in the hospital, waiting for answers the doctors didn't have.

"Riles." Mac's low voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "You okay?"

She blinked. "Yeah, I was just thinking about that kid."

"I know," Mac sighed, rubbing his face. "He asked me if I could stop his seizures for Christmas."

Riley's heart clenched. "What did you say?"

"I told him I'd try my best."

Riley swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat. Without thinking, she drifted into Mac's embrace, hands finding purchase on his chest and resting her cheek on his shoulder. His arms circled her, pulling her tightly against him.

She couldn't string the right words together to describe how she was feeling. Sorrow, for the kid whose childhood was now destined to be filled with doctors and hospital trips. Empathy, for the single mom trying her best to remain positive for her kid's sake. Admiration, for the way Mac smiled reassuringly at the little boy despite the tears welling in his eyes. Riley settled for, "I love you." She kissed Mac's cheek.

Pressing his lips to the crown of her head, he said, "I love you too."

They stayed like that for a long time, only parting when Riley said, "Let's clean up and go home."

Remnants of wrapping paper and plastic packaging littered the floor—all that was left from the bag of presents they'd brought. Well, that and the glitter. The ungodly amount of glitter that was, to Riley's horror, everywhere.

She picked up a wad of half-crumpled wrapping paper, sending a flurry of gold glitter airborne. Most of it landed on her clothes. Great. She'd be finding those damn gold flecks for months.

Mac chuckled behind her. She whirled on him. "It's not funny!" she said with mock offence, sticking her tongue out at him.

But he wasn't looking at her face. His eyes tracked her every movement, lingering on the places where her off-white sweater dress hugged her curves beneath her long, red coat.

Riley made a show of brushing the glitter off her dress, starting from her knees and working upward, drawing Mac’s attention with her movement. When Mac's gaze finally reached her eyes, she winked before resuming not-so-innocently picking up wrapping paper. Riley kept her back to him, waiting for Mac to make the next move. 

Hands locked on her waist. Mac tugged her closer, his lips grazing her ear as he spoke. "I'd put myself on the naughty list for you."

Smirking, she replied, "Oh really." Riley glanced over her shoulder and had barely even realized Mac's face was still right there when his lips landed on hers, and he spun her to face him fully. The pile of wrapping paper she was holding fell to the ground at their feet, covering their boots in more glitter.

The kiss wasn't very good. Riley couldn't stop smiling, no matter how hard she tried to pull herself together enough to kiss him back instead of bursting out laughing. I'd put myself on the naughty list for you. He said that as if he were on the nice list in the first place. They broke way too many laws on a weekly basis for that to be true. Not to mention, Mac's non-consensual cell phone breaking alone was enough to put him on the naughty list for life.

"Are you just going to keep grinning like an idiot, or are you actually going to kiss me back?" he teased.

It took all of her concentration to pull off even the most chaste kiss. A little too eagerly for being in a hospital waiting room, Mac sucked on her lower lip and slid his tongue into her mouth, his hands sliding under her coat and caressing her sides.

Riley had just gotten it together enough to slip her own tongue in without getting a mouthful of teeth or fake beard when she heard a faint giggle. Her eyes snapped open, and she saw the cutest little girl peeking around a Christmas tree. 

“Santa, we have an audience,” she warned. 

Mac pulled away, blushing faintly, but his hands lingered on Riley’s stomach for an extra second. He gestured for the little girl to come closer. Sheepishly, she rolled out from behind the tree. Tinsel covered every available inch of her wheelchair, and the wheels lit up when she rolled in a way that reminded Riley of the light-up sneakers that were popular when she was a teenager. Not that she'd actually owned a pair, of course.

Mac squatted in front of the girl, whose wild blonde curls were equally unruly as Riley's own hair. "Were you spying on us?"

"Maybe," she said with a shrug.

Mac twisted to look at Riley. I like her. "What do you think, Mrs. Claus?" he asked. "Do spies get put on the naughty list?"

Yes. She winked. "I think this one can stay on the nice list. She managed to sneak up on Santa, after all. Very impressive."

The kid beamed. She had no idea.

"Yes," Mac said slowly, "very impressive." He turned back to the girl. "So, what do you want for Christmas?"

The girl listed a whole bunch of presents, claiming she wanted to give Santa options. Mac listened intently, nodding at all the right points.

Something warm bloomed in Riley's chest as she watched the scene unfolding in front of her. To say Mac was good with kids would be an understatement. When a kid spoke to him, he always gave them his full, undivided attention and took every word very seriously. When a kid was being serious, Mac was serious, and when a kid was acting silly, Mac would be twice as silly. And as a result, he could crack even the shyest and grumpiest of kids, and, more importantly, they would trust him. 

A thought popped into Riley's head. I want to have his babies. As if her body was reiterating what it already knew and her brain had just figured out, her hands unconsciously drifted to her abdomen. 

The same spot Mac's hands hands had lingered a minute ago, she realized with a start. Did...did he want kids with her too?

Riley wanted kids—she wanted kids with Mac—but she also knew that neither of them were ready to give up their job. They couldn’t keep doing what they did with a kid in the world. After growing up with absentee parents, they’d never risk leaving their kid to grow up without one or both parents. 

But when the time finally comes, when she and Mac are ready to trade in getting shot at and making stuff explode for stability and mundane normalcy, she won’t be able to wait any longer to start a family with him. 

She waited until they were in the Jeep before broaching the subject of kids. Tentatively, she began, "What were you thinking about back there when you put your hands on my stomach?" The look on his face then said he was definitely thinking about something, but Riley didn't want to assume what. 

Mac dodged her question. "Sorry, I didn't realize I did it." 

Riley knew that was a white lie, but she didn't call him on it. He'd answer honestly in his own time. Since it was too big a subject to outright ask him, Riley took a more subtle route instead. “Do you see yourself having kids?” 

His eyes widened in response. “You know I want kids.” 

That wasn’t what she meant. Wanting them and actively reshaping your life in order to have them were completely different things. “Yeah, but do you see yourself settling down, getting a safe, normal job, and raising kids?” They’d vaguely talked about this before, long ago, but Riley suddenly needed to ask him again. 

Mac was silent for a long time, staring out the front window. “Yeah, I do,” he finally said. “With the right person.” He glanced over at her, eyes softening. 

Me too, Riley wanted to say, but she choked on the words. It took her a couple tries, and the words came out strangled, but she was pretty sure Mac understood. Neither of them needed to say it directly in order for the other to understand: I want to have kids with you. 

Riley spent the rest of the drive fantasizing about the kid-filled Christmases in her future. She glanced down at the ring on her finger. First step, she thought. Get a real ring. 

[renaerys]

PPG One-Shot: Mall Santa (Boomer/Mike and Brick/Blossom)

Summary: To earn a little extra cash over the holidays, Brick, Mike, and Boomer agree to help out their buddy Todd at a Mall Santa gig. Shenanigans ensue.

This one is for @snailbutters, @genovah, and @hanaokm. Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Enjoy some Boomike, Blossick, and Capri Sus on me. 

[Cross-posted to AO3]

xxx

There were a lot of things Todd needed: a haircut, for one. His black hair was getting too long for gel and it was really pushing the boundary between greaser sexy and sad trash hobo. Money, for another. But like any other 21-year-old townie with a high school education and two restaurant jobs, he always needed money.

A new best friend, for yet another.

“I’m not your best friend,” Brick snapped as he tied a black tie around his neck. He needed to leave in ten minutes if he was going to be early for his dinner meeting with Oliver Morbucks.

Todd put a hand over his heart like it might fall out of the wound Brick’s words had stabbed there. “Dude, of course you are. I’m totally sorry if I ever gave you the wrong idea.”

Brick grimaced so hard he was sure he’d end up constipated. “No, you idiot. I know you think I’m your best friend. You’ve never shut up about it, even after we graduated high school. I’m pretty sure the whole fucking Peninsula knows it the way you go around shouting it when you’re blasted.”

Todd looked like he’d just received news that his favorite nana wasn’t dying of cancer after all. “Oh, cool. For a second there I thought I really hurt your feelings. You know you’re kinda sensitive, right?”

Oh god.

“What do you want, Todd? I have a really important meeting and I’m not missing it for your bullshit.”

Brick checked his reflection in the bathroom mirror in his one-bedroom apartment in downtown Townsville. It was a shitty hole-in-the-wall kind of place, but Brick was used to squalor. His break was coming, he could feel it. If tonight’s meeting went over well, he’d have a more steady revenue stream and, more importantly, the connections and clout the Morbucks name brought to open doors. All the long days at Red’s Auto Shop saving and scraping by would finally pay off, and just in time for Blossom to graduate from college. It was perfectly planned, meticulously manipulated, all down to this last pivotal dinner.

“Cool, no big deal! I just need to know if you’re free this weekend.”

“Free to do what?” Brick indulged him, because Todd was one of the few people on this planet who wasn’t 100% intimidated by his very presence.

“To help me with this Mall Santa gig I got. Harry Pitt was supposed to be my number two elf, but he ate some bad prawns and they had to, like, airlift him to Citiesville General.”

Brick stopped everything he was doing and glared at his second-to-best friend, which was a key fact because second was not the same as first. “What the fuck did you just say to me?”

“I know, right?” Todd knew his way around Brick’s embarrassingly small bathroom, opened up the hair wax, and fixed Brick’s styling job. “Dude always had a weak stomach, you remember. But you don’t fuck with bad prawns. I mean, obviously.”

Brick swatted Todd’s hands away and checked his reflection. It was definitely an improvement. “Not that; the Mall Santa thing, obviously!”

“Oh, yeah. So you’ll help me out?”

“Fuck no.”

“Aw, Briiiiiiick,” Todd whined.

Brick grabbed his dinner jacket from the closet barely big enough to fit a small, starving child. Todd, who had latched onto Brick in the seventh grade like a goddamned barnacle and never let go no matter how hard Brick tried to push him away, followed. “Not if you paid me.”

“You’ll get paid! It’s $20 an hour!”

Brick hesitated over the threshold. “That’s higher than minimum wage.” It was higher than his hourly rate at the garage too.

“Seasonal gigs, man. That’s how you win.”

“It’s seriously fucking not.”

Todd, one of three people in the universe who actually cared about Brick on a personal level even though he wasn’t obligated by blood, made his blue eyes big and wide in a way that reminded Brick of Puss-n-Boots from Shrek, Todd’s favorite movie. “C’mon, bruh. Do your bestie a solid? Just this once? I really need the money and they won’t let me keep the gig without two elves to fill in. So please? Pleeeeeeease?”

And Brick, former scourge of Townsville, a Super with the power to literally raze the planet if it so much as tickled his fancy, and the dictionary definition of the boy every father dreads his perfect, pretty little girl falling for against her better judgment, cracked like an egg.

“For fuck’s sake,” he groused. “Just text me the time and place and get out of my face already.”

Todd punched the air with both fists. “Yes!! Oh, hell yes! I love you so much, dude.”

“Blow me.” Brick checked his watch. Shit, now he was merely on time.

“I’d consider it an honor,” Todd said, probably literally serious.

xxx

Boomer rolled glitter on his cheeks and around the edges of his dark blue eyes with the help of a compact as he huddled behind the North Pole set on the first floor of the Townsville Mall. When he was satisfied that he sparkled like the tinsel-festooned Christmas trees in Santa’s twelve-by-fifteen-foot “forest” themselves, he discreetly re-emerged just as the latest child slid off Santa’s lap.

“Merry Christmas, Dan!” bellowed a red and white-clad Todd behind an enormous, curly beard. “Remember to brush your teeth!”

The little boy ran back to his parents, who were having a word with the photographer about purchasing a picture of their son on Santa’s lap. Before Boomer could follow them, Brick was quick to cut him off.

“Where the hell were you?” he demanded. Sour as an un-sugared plum in his festive, candy-striped elf costume, Brick may have absolutely intimidated the seven-year-olds waiting in line with their parents for a turn on Santa’s lap, but Boomer only allowed him a bemused smile.

“Why, I was making toys for the good little boys and girls who came to visit us here at the North Pole,” Boomer said in a raised voice. He looped his arm through his brother’s and let his power surge with enough force to turn Brick around and face the crowd that was definitely within hearing range. “Isn’t that right, Elf Mursten?”

Brick pushed back with inhuman force, but Boomer held his ground with a smile as bright as the glitter on his cheeks as a little girl in overalls trotted forward.

She giggled. “I like your hat.”

“Thank you!” Boomer gushed, and he tipped his pom-pom-topped cap. “And what’s your name?”

The little girl giggled again. “My name’s Alynn.”

“Well, Alynn, why don’t you step right up and take a seat on Santa’s lap? I’m sure he has a great present for a cool girl like you. Right, Elf Mursten?”

Brick glared medieval torture at him, and he managed a smile that showed too many teeth to be anything other than life-threatening. “Of course, Elf Buller.”

Boomer’s smile tightened.

“Ho ho ho! Come on over, Santa doesn’t bite,” Todd said.

“What a psychotic reassurance,” Brick said soft enough for only the Super brothers to hear.

“Hey, Brick?” Boomer said, just as softly. “Cheer the fuck up.” He gave his brother a bone-crushing squeeze around the arm and broke from him. Brick could be a sourpuss when he wanted to be (all the time), but he wouldn’t mess up Todd’s Mall Santa gig when he’d bothered to show up and actually put in the effort at all. Complain as he might about Todd’s exuberance, Brick had always come through for his best friend since the seventh grade.

Boomer, on the other hand, had been very happy to accept Todd’s offer to work the two weeks leading up to Christmas. The hours were reasonable, the pay was good, and Boomer loved children. It was easy money in between local shows he and his garage band had booked over the holidays.

Plus, the photographer had a nice rack.

“Okay, Santa, Alynn. Look over here and say ‘jingle bells’!” A flash went off, and Mike Believe stood to his full height behind the tripod he’d set up for the day’s pictures. Even in reindeer antlers and a bright, red-painted nose, Mike filled out every fold of his brown Rudolph outfit almost to the point of popping a button. His broad chest puffed out when he put his strong hands on his hips and grinned brightly like he wouldn’t pick anywhere else to be right now.

Their eyes met, and Boomer flushed and smiled like a fool.

When Mike winked back at him coyly, his heart leaped into his throat. Mike had gotten home from college just two days ago, but the three weeks he had off for Winter Break would surely fly by like they did every year, and Boomer was determined to spend every moment together.

A tug on Boomer’s green tunic drew his attention. “Can I take a picture with you? Please?” the little girl asked.

Boomer beamed and scooped her up onto his hip. “Of course you can. Hey, Mike? Can you take one of us, please?”

“You bet! Get in close, now.” Mike readied his camera.

“Oh, wait a sec. Why don’t you take this too?” Boomer removed his festive hat and put it on Alynn’s head. It was big on her, but she laughed happily.

They posed for the picture, and Boomer hugged her cheek to cheek.

“Thanks!” The little girl tried to give him his hat back, but he pressed it to her chest.

“You keep it. Merry Christmas. Remember to be good, okay?”

Alynn’s father was waiting with a hand for her to take when she ran back to him, yammering about how she’d met Santa and his super cool elf friend, and Boomer watched them go.

“You know you’ll have to pay for that hat,” Brick said.

Boomer sighed and ran a hand through his cornflower hair. “You know I look better without it.”

Brick frowned deeply. “Uh-huh.”

“If you keep frowning, your face will stick like that.”

“Moron.”

He always had to have the last word. Brick went to stack the empty boxes wrapped in bright, shiny paper, which was probably more productive than blowing up the entire display. Boomer left him to it. It was time for their mid-morning break, anyway.

Todd got up to stretch. “Man, who knew sitting could be so tiring, huh? Whack.” His phone buzzed, and he grinned when he saw the caller ID.

Boomer, however, had eyes only for Mike as the latter turned off his camera and put a sheet over the tripod to protect it. “Working hard, I see.”

When Mike smiled, his dark eyes crinkled in the corners. He had a face made for smiling. “Oh, you know. Just helping out some friends.”

Like Brick, Todd had asked Mike to help out behind the camera for this gig. Mike didn’t exactly need the extra cash given his lacrosse scholarship that covered his college expenses, but the three of them had been as thick as thieves all through high school no matter what Brick said when he was annoyed. No way was Mike going to bail on the chance to help out a bro.

“This is cute,” Mike said, running a thumb over Boomer’s sparkly cheek.

“If only I could convince Brick to wear some,” Boomer said, lacing his fingers in Mike’s as they shuffled to the side of the exhibit behind a blinking Christmas tree for a bit of privacy.

Mike chuckled. “That’ll take a Christmas miracle. But anyway, I don’t want to talk about Brick right now.”

Their kiss was soft and mostly chaste, considering the venue, but Boomer didn’t mind at all. He rose up on his toes to lean into his boyfriend’s superior height and smiled into their kiss. Even in the middle of the Townsville Mall with shoppers mere yards away, for a few seconds Boomer got lost in the fantasy of the forest and the snow drifts, bright lights and magic that came around only once a year and had always touched his heart in a way nothing else quite could.

“Babe! You got here quick!” Todd’s excitement and a small commotion around Santa’s throne drew the lovers’ attention, and Boomer reluctantly broke the kiss. His Super hearing quickly picked up on what was going on.

“What is it?” Mike asked.

Boomer smiled wryly. “That Christmas miracle you wished for. Come on.” He took Mike’s larger hand in his and pulled him back toward the front of the display, where Todd had scooped up a very small, very fashionable Asian woman in his arms.

“Oh my god, don’t do shits in front of the innocent children, Toddy.” Hana patted her high bun and smoothed out her oversized black jacket once Todd released her.

“Hey, I just missed you is all,” Todd said with a genuine smile like he had really, truly missed his girlfriend since this morning when they had last seen each other.

“You guys are too cute,” said Bubbles with a giggle. As usual, she was adorable in blonde twin tails and a holiday-appropriate sweater dress. Shopping bags hung from both her arms, also as usual.

“Right?” Hana said, her deadpan façade melting completely as she beamed at her closest friend.

“No contest.” Bubbles set down her small nation of shopping bags. “Oh! Hi, Boomer!” She dashed to hug him in a flash of blue, and he caught her easily. “Oh my gosh, I love your glitter. You look like a supermodel!”

Boomer laughed and hugged her back. “Thanks for letting me borrow it. I really owe you.”

“Don’t worry about it. Oh, but you definitely need some touching up. Here, let me just…”

Mike had wandered over to Todd and Hana. “Hey, Hana. Are you staying for the holiday?”

Hana shrugged. “Yeah, my art show isn’t until after New Year’s. You know, I’m always looking for more models.” She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Mike laughed. “I’m honored, but I’m really nothing special, honestly. You might try Butch.”

Todd guffawed. “Oh man, Butch is, like, one of her top models! She painted him for what, six weeks last summer, babe?”

“Seven,” Hana said, dead serious.

Mike smiled nervously. “That’s a lot of inspiration.”

“He is very inspiring,” Hana said, deader and more serious.

“That dude is goals,” Todd said, totally unironically.

“I guess I can’t argue with that,” Mike said.

“Aaaaand done.” Bubbles stepped back to admire her handiwork. “Honestly? You’re the most beautiful elf the North Pole ever employed.”

Boomer snickered. “Don’t tell Brick that.”

“Don’t tell me what, now?” Brick emerged from his useless empty box stacking task, glitter-less and severely lacking in Christmas cheer.

Bubbles gasped, right on cue. “Brick! Where is your glitter? Get over here.”

Brick made a weird face. “What are you talk—hey!”

Bubbles all but accosted him with the glitter pen. Hana cheered and applauded, and Todd joined in because he liked to cheer and applaud in general.

“What are you—get off!” Brick shoved Bubbles hard, but a flash of pink caught her before she could crash into anything.

Blossom peered around her totally unfazed sister, a tray of lattes in one hand and her perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised. “Brick,” she said.

Brick swallowed. “Blossom.”

She looked nice in leggings and a sweater dress that matched Bubbles’ style, except where Bubbles’ was white, Blossom’s was a scarlet that rivaled the shade of Brick’s eyes.

“I brought you guys coffee,” Blossom said, her eyes trained on Brick even as she held out the tray.

Mike took the tray before it could become collateral damage in whatever was going on between the two of them.

“Here you go.” Mike offered one to Boomer, who gratefully accepted it.

“Thanks!”

“I thought you weren’t getting home until tomorrow,” Brick said, as if he and Blossom were the only two people there.

“Change of plans,” Blossom said. “Problem?”

Brick seemed to remember what he was wearing and snatched his elf hat from his head. He bunched it up between his hands like that would hide his imagined shame. “It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine, clearly. But it wasn’t Boomer’s place to intrude. He would have been extremely happy for it to end there, but sadly Blossom, like his brother, had a flair for the dramatic and an affinity for the center of attention.

She sauntered up to him and smeared the bit of glitter Bubbles had managed to draw on his cheek before he’d shoved her off. “Good,” she said, half an invitation and half a challenge.

Brick didn’t bend easily. Boomer knew his brother as well as he knew himself, and he knew Brick didn’t relent, never gave in unless he was well and truly beaten, which was rare. But he slackened now, lips parting and eyes falling. Even though his arms stayed stubbornly at his sides and he didn’t do something as scandalous as hold his girlfriend’s hand in public, he melted under her touch and attention.

“All right! Bloss, you’re back early! This is massive, like, supernova massive,” Todd said. “Hey, I know! Let’s throw a party at mine tonight! Brick said you weren’t coming back for another couple of days, so this is like a cool early Christmas present to all of us.”

Bubbles gasped. “Oh my gosh, yes! Let’s all go to Todd’s tonight, just like we used to. I’m calling Robin right now.”

“We can make it a real Christmas party,” Blossom said. Somehow, she’d gotten ahold of Bubbles’ glitter pen and now smeared a generous amount on Brick’s cheeks until he gleamed without suffering a nuclear meltdown. A Christmas miracle, indeed.

“You’ll wear the Santa suit,” Hana said. Demanded.

“Ho ho ho! You got it, babe.”

“That thing’s a rental,” Brick said. “And it’s, like, 75 degrees outside.”

“If he gets too hot, I’ll hose him down,” Hana said.

Brick smartly decided not to press her on that one.

“I like your elf costume, Brick,” Blossom teased. Maybe.

“I’m burning it as soon as I get paid,” Brick said.

“I thought it was a rental like Todd’s?”

He hesitated, trapped by his own logic, and she laughed softly and kissed the side of his mouth. Brick froze and played it off like it didn’t affect him, but his eyes were drawn to Blossom’s lips for the next six whole minutes. Boomer really didn’t get why he had to make everything so damn complicated.

“Hey, hombres, our break is up and I see a super cute kid waiting to sit on the softest lap in Townsville,” Todd said, sinking back onto his candy cane throne and patting his lap.

Brick visibly cringed.

“It could be worse,” Mike whispered to Brick. “At least this time we get to keep our shirts on.”

Boomer smiled at the memory of Todd’s last seasonal gig he’d roped Brick and Mike into over the summer. The shirtless carwash had admittedly been one of his more rewarding part-time jobs, and Boomer had the photo evidence to cherish the memory extremely fondly.

Blossom and Hana retreated behind Mike while Bubbles finished up her phone call with Robin and Brick admitted the next child on set.

“Welcome to the North Pole,” he said with all the cheer of an old tire. Nonetheless, his cheeks dazzled. “What’s your name, kid?”

She looked up at him but didn’t say anything. Boomer noticed her shyness and decided he better intervene.

“Hey there,” he said, taking a knee so he could be on her eye-level. “Merry Christmas.”

That alarmed her even more, and she hugged Brick’s leg.

“What the—” Brick put his hands up like he didn’t know what to do with them. “Great.”

The girl’s parents were busy talking to Mike about the picture packages and didn’t seem to notice what was going on.

“Uh,” Boomer said, ready to flag them down before the little girl got scared or started to cry. They’d been lucky this morning with only one child throwing a temper tantrum out of the tens they’d seen.

“All right, kid. I hope you have a good grip.” Brick floated off the ground with the little girl clinging to his leg and flew over to Todd’s throne.

Boomer was so flabbergasted by his brother’s gross disregard for this child’s safety in front of her parents that he was momentarily stunned where he kneeled. It was over in about two and a half seconds, with her parents none the wiser and the little girl still in one piece, miraculously. Brick peeled her off him and dropped her on Todd’s lap.

“Name,” Brick demanded. And then, reluctantly: “…To check you off the Nice List.”

The little girl looked up at him with wide-eyed wonderment, or maybe fear. “Morana.”

“Morana. Super. Tell Todd—I mean, Santa—what you want. And smile for the camera.”

Todd didn’t miss a beat and wrapped his arms loosely around her to hold her safely in place. “Morana, that’s a pretty name. Wanna tell me what you want for Christmas?”

Morana pointed at Brick. “That one.”

Brick turned as red as his messy man bun. Todd wheezed.

“Oh, yeah? Well, that one’s taken, but I bet I can get you a picture together. How ‘bout it?” Todd asked.

Boomer was up and moving in a blue flash. “That can be arranged.” He shoved his brother with a healthy burst of Super strength, and Brick all but fell on his knee next to Todd’s throne. Boomer waved back at Mike for the picture.

“Big smile now!” Mike said cheerfully, and snapped the picture.

“What the hell is up with these kids?” Brick asked when Morana skipped back to her parents and started chattering at them in a language Boomer didn’t recognize but assumed must be all good things from the way she grinned from ear to ear. “They get bolder every year.”

“Or you’re just getting softer,” Boomer teased.

“Yeah, right.”

Blossom laughed at something Hana said on a nearby bench, drawing both their eyes.

“Whatever you say, man,” Boomer said.

xxx

Todd’s party was a nostalgic and long-overdue affair later that evening. Unlike Boomer, who had to make do in a small studio apartment on the outskirts of Citiesville where the rent was more manageable and his commute didn’t matter when flying anywhere took only minutes, Todd lived in a big house he took care of for his often absent, globe-trotting parents. Blossom, Bubbles, and Robin had taken the initiative and strung up Christmas lights, while Boomer created and managed the playlist for the night. They had a good crowd with old friends from high school and new ones from work and college gathered for no excuse other than to have a good time.

Butch, Buttercup, Mike, and Todd had set up beer pong in the basement, where most of the festivities were taking place. As usual, the shit talking and macho bravado had soared to ludicrous heights.

“Come on, BC,” Todd goaded. “Money shot, right here.” He fluffed his Santa beard, the ends of which were damp with beer. Buttercup had one cup left to hit.

“I’m about to straight-up tea bag you with this ping pong ball, Todd, I swear to god.” Buttercup tried to focus on her aim after too many beers and the distraction of Todd’s stupid Santa beard.

“Do it, fucking do it,” Butch said, bobbing on the balls of his feet and slightly manic with the competition and holiday cheer, probably.

“I’m gonna fucking do it!”

“I don’t think you can fucking do it,” Mike said.

“Ohhhhh!” Butch hollered when Buttercup lost her temper and threw the ball too hard. It bounced off Todd’s beard and fell on the floor, leaving the last cup untouched.

“Mike, you cheater!” Buttercup shouted.

Mike burst out laughing.

“All riiiiight, the Toddster’s final shot. You filming, babe?” Todd asked.

Hana, across the table from Boomer, had her phone out and poised. “Kick their asses, Toddy.”

“Yeah, bring it on, Toddy,” Butch jeered.

“Oh, it’s about to be brought.”

“Oh god, please, you peaked in high school,” Buttercup said.

“Hey, he plateaued,” Mike said. “There’s a difference.”

“Just take the damn shot!”

Todd shot, hit the rim of the solo cup, and missed. Buttercup and Butch threw up their hands and whooped. They were still in the game, and the stakes were even higher now.

Boomer squeezed Mike’s arm in a silent excuse and went to change the music…only to find Brick and Blossom making out in the hallway like it was their last night on Earth.

The music was fine, he decided. No need to interrupt Brick and Blossom trying to fuse with the wall and face his brother’s cock blocked wrath. Discreetly, Boomer snapped a picture on his phone and texted it to Bubbles.

[Boomer: Shooketh]

Bubbles’ reply was lightning fast.

[Bubbles: More like shattered!!]

[Bubbles: Better get out of there before they catch you lol 💀]

After another hour (and Brick and Blossom’s reemergence from the wall in one piece with not a hair out of place because god forbid), Boomer and Mike decided to head out early. They went back to Boomer’s apartment, where a very excited Pomeranian welcomed them home.

“Hi, Pumpkin!” Mike brightened like the sun and scooped up his favorite girl, left in Boomer’s care while he was away at college. “Who’s ready for a walk?”

They walked Pumpkin and let her tire herself out running around the suburban neighborhood where it was too late at night for any cars to be out. A half hour later, they were curled up on the loveseat with Pumpkin snoozing in her fuzzy bed at their feet and an old black-and-white Christmas movie playing on low volume on the television.

“Hey,” Boomer said, lifting his head from Mike’s chest to look at him properly.

Mike set aside the hot chocolate he’d been drinking and pulled Boomer up by his waist. “Hey, you. What is it?”

Boomer smiled. It was silly, really. “It’s nothing.”

“Oh?” Mike returned his smile and leaned closer. He smelled like soap, a hint of chocolate, and something else that made Boomer want to bury his face in his neck.

“Just happy,” Boomer said.

“Really? I can’t tell.”

Boomer sat up a little higher. The neck of Mike’s old lacrosse jersey he wore dipped down his shoulder, too big on him and softer than a cloud. He pressed a chaste kiss to the underside of Mike’s jaw. “How about now?”

“Hm, nope, I don’t think I quite got that.”

Boomer threaded his fingers though Mike’s short, dark hair at the nape of his neck. Feeling coquettish, he gave his ear a nip. “How about now?”

Mike shifted on the couch and pulled Boomer’s bent legs onto his lap. His voice was as warm as the hot chocolate he’d been drinking. “I think I’m starting to get a vague understanding.”

Boomer laughed and painted a trail of kisses along Mike’s jaw, up his chin. He pressed a strong hand to his chest and put a little power behind it. Centimeters apart, he could taste the lingering heat of the hot chocolate on Mike’s breath. “And now?”

Mike’s eyes drooped and darkened. His hands slipped around Boomer’s waist, under the jersey, a silent entreaty. “I think you can do a little better than that, Angel.”

The secret nickname broke Boomer’s resolve, and he kissed his boyfriend full on the mouth with all the confidence and shamelessness he couldn’t give him that morning at the mall surrounded by children and their parents. Mike’s shirt soon found its way to the floor along with Boomer’s borrowed jersey. The loveseat was too short to accommodate Mike’s height comfortably, and after a few moments Boomer held him close and flew them to the bed in a flash.

“I’ll never get over how hot that is,” Mike said, breathless.

Boomer blushed, unable to help it. He was careful with his strength around Mike, but sometimes the X bonded to his bones pushed him to the raw, carnal boundaries of humanity. Mike’s hand on his cheek drew him out of those spiraling thoughts.

“I mean it,” Mike said. “I love that part of you. And I trust you completely.”

Words did not come easily, nor did they seem appropriate in that moment. Boomer bent to kiss Mike again and pull him as close as he could get. Wrapped up in the warm sheets and each other, Boomer’s silly little thought that he had never been happier grew and swelled to heights he never could have imagined before Mike. They lay there together, lazy and sleepy, as the credits of their forgotten holiday movie played on the television.

“One more semester,” Mike said, “and then I graduate.”

“I can’t believe you’re almost a college graduate,” Boomer said. “It feels like you left ages ago.”

“Four years is a long time, but it’s not forever. And you should get ready.”

Boomer looked up at him. “Ready for what?”

“To move, of course.”

“Move?”

“Hey, I love how cozy your apartment is, but I’m pretty sure Pumpkin would appreciate her own room once we’re living together full time.”

Boomer sat up properly. “You… You want to move in together? With me?”

“Of course! The only question is, where do you want to go?”

Boomer covered his mouth. Of course he had thought about getting a place with Mike, but that always seemed like the distant future. What if they didn’t stay together? What if the long distance was too hard? What if Mike met someone else at college? Brick didn’t talk about it much, but after a few too many drinks one night the year Blossom and Mike both left for college, he’d confessed how afraid he was that he would lose her forever. How can the old be exciting and fun compared to the amazing, new adventures she would be having?

But from the way Boomer had caught them all but absorbing each other at Todd’s tonight, Blossom seemed perfectly happy to keep him. And Mike…

“You’re serious,” Boomer said.

“I’ve never been more serious.” Mike took his hand and kissed his knuckles carefully. “I can’t wait to start our lives together.”

Boomer could have cried. He almost did. Life was hard, even for a Super like him. With endless bills to pay and the occasional monster to dispose of, sometimes he felt like he was being pulled in too many directions without anyone there to help pick up the slack. But this… This was his.

“Me too,” Boomer said. “And I don’t care where we go, as long as it’s together.”

“Well, cool. In that case, if you’re not opposed to it, was thinking farther north, like Metroville. There are some great photography jobs there that I want to apply for, and the music scene is bigger than it is here—”

“Yes! A hundred percent yes, let’s do it. When do we leave?”

Mike laughed. “June 1st, as soon as they hand me my diploma.”

Six months. It had a date now. Unthinking, Boomer threw his arms around Mike’s broad shoulders and hugged him tight. “I’ll mark my calendar.”

“It’s a date.”

Incidentally, they did not get much sleep the rest of that night.

xxx

I told myself I wasn’t going to do a ton of fluff, but damnit all, Boomike is SUPER CUTE and I couldn’t help myself. Let them have the happy ending they deserve. Thanks for reading!

[youidiotprince]

A Very Merry Ca$hqu€€ns Christmas

“No, Nora! Stay out!” Ava yelled from floor, scrambling to shield her nearly wrapped gift from Nora’s curious gaze. Nora had announced her presence with a quiet knock as she pushed open the door, hoping to catch Ava off guard and glimpse her gift.

“Why can’t I see, hm? If the present isn’t for me. . .” Nora teased, crossing her arms over her chest, feet still planted in the open doorway.

“Because I…” Ava floundered for an explanation that wouldn’t incriminate her, but she couldn’t string together the words. “Just because! It’ll ruin it either way, so you just have to get out.”

“If you say so.” Nora turned to leave, but as she closed the door behind her, she added, “I’m taking this as confirmation that you’re my Secret Santa, though.”

“Nora,” Ava groaned, grabbing the nearest item and throwing it at the now-closed door. When it fluttered to the ground only a foot or so in front of where she sat, she realized it was the glittery green bow she still had to stick atop her present. She’d opted for a more classic look, with red and white striped wrapping paper, thick and shiny, a purchase she’d splurged on for her gifts this year because she’d always liked the crisp lines and folds the more expensive papers made when wrapping. Nora’s gift, which she’d already put under the tree earlier that day, was wrapped in snowman-covered paper, something she’d had leftover from the year before, and maybe the year before that.

Ava peeled the backing from the sticky part of the bow and placed it, perfectly centered where the lines of ribbon intersected on top of her rectangular package. She could faintly hear the tinkling bells of the festive music Nora had just started playing, and she knew that was her cue to hurry it up.

With the package cradled under her arm, she left her room and called out to Nora, “Hey girl, what do you need me to do?”

Nora rounded the corner from the kitchen and eyed Ava’s now perfectly wrapped gift. “Ooh, that looks gorgeous,” Nora said with a mischievous look. “I can’t wait to open it.”

“Yeah, you wish,” Ava taunted with a smile. She placed her gift under the tree and brushed her hands clean of it. “Have you heard from the others yet?”

“Mm, they’re both on their way, they should be here any minute.”

The girls busied themselves plating the snacks they’d prepared and the cookies they’d baked until they heard a knock at the door, the thuds sounding in time with the cheesy Christmas carol playing over the speaker.

“Merry Friendsmas!” Mailin and Fatou shouted together, smiles spread almost as wide as their arms. Mailin modeled a headband with reindeer antlers stuck on top and red makeup on the tip of her nose, and Fatou wore a red and green patterned sweater trimmed with glittery tinsel around the neck, the wrists, and the bottom hem. They both held up their presents, Fatou’s in a wintery blue and silver giftbag and Mailin’s wrapped in what looked like newspaper or scrap paper of some sort. They’d dressed on theme, matching Nora’s all red look paired with a Santa hat and Ava’s cozy plaid Christmas pajamas. After a quiet beat during which they took in all their different looks, the girls erupted in excited chatter all at once, talking over each other in order to compliment and dissect their different outfits.

“That must be so itchy,” Nora told Fatou as Fatou told Ava how much she envied her cozy attire.

“Your nose!” Ava exclaimed to Mailin as she reached out almost close enough to touch it before Mailin flinched away.

“No, don’t ruin it yet. I forgot the lipstick at home,” Mailin admitted sheepishly. “Although it looks like I could just borrow Nora’s.” Nora puckered her red lips in response. She backed out of the way so they all could come in and make themselves comfy. They left their coats and boots in the entryway.

“Mulled wine, anyone?” Nora asked from the kitchen as Mailin and Fatou added their gifts to the pile in the main room and sat on the couch next to Ava. “I’ll be having hot chocolate, so that’s an option too.”

Ava and Fatou shared a look before Fatou answered for both of them, “Two mulled wines, please.”

“Oh wait, I’ll come help,” Mailin said as she leapt up from the couch and joined Nora in the kitchen. “Also, I’ll have a hot chocolate.”

Once they brought the drinks out to the others, they all settled into their easy rhythm, talking about the little details of their lives that had happened since they’d last seen each other, recounting some of their best and worst holiday memories before they met each other. Nora opened up about the year that her mother hadn’t gotten anyone any gifts and Kiki, trying to fix everything, went out and bought Nora a box of colored pencils and a coloring book and Zoe a bracelet-making kit with the small amount of money she had. It hadn’t been much but it had meant the world to both of them. Zoe made each of the sisters a bracelet, and she wondered if Kiki or Zoe still had theirs. Fatou shared that one of the best presents she ever received was a book about marine biology with lots of pictures of marine life. She told them that her brother made fun of her endlessly about it, but he was always looking over her shoulder as she’d read through it.

When they felt like they’d run out of stories, they sang carols and karaoke in pairs until Zoe hollered from her room for them to quiet down, and while the singing might have stopped, they didn’t actually adjust their volume much. Eventually, feeling like a little kid who’d been trying their best to wait patiently for the chance to open presents but who just couldn’t hold it in any longer, Ava admitted, “Girls, I can’t take it anymore. We need to do the gift exchange already.”

“Oh, you’re right!” Mailin gasped, as if she’d completely forgotten about the main event of the evening.

Nora clapped and then wiggled her fingers together excitedly, looking slowly at each of her friends. “Who wants to go first?”

“I will,” Fatou said, straining to reach the gift she’d left with the others. She finally snagged the handle with the tip of her finger, so she pulled it over and sat back upright. “Okay, drumroll please.” The girls started pounding their fists on their legs or on the floor, whichever was closer. “This is for… Ava!” Fatou held the gift out to her with a flourish, beaming.

“Chibi,” Ava said warmly, taking the decently sized bag from Fatou’s hand. It was stuffed with white tissue paper which Ava crumpled into a ball and handed to Nora, who was collecting the trash. Beneath all of that was the edge of a sleek black frame, which Ava pulled out carefully. The frame enclosed a photo of the stars in the night sky with a date underneath: October 2, 2020. Ava brushed her fingertips over the glass, hovering just above so as not leave a smudge.

“It’s a print of the constellations on the first day we all hung out together, when we stole that money,” Fatou blurted. “I know you’ve been looking for things to decorate the place with, and that day is so important to me, to us. This seemed like a good gift because we both love the universe and space and astrology so much.”

“Fatou, this is incredible.” Ava’s voice was full of genuine awe. “Seriously, this is perfect, I love it so much. We should all have one of these, honestly.” Nora and Mailin were craning their necks to get a better look, so Ava passed the print to them. As they admired it, Ava turned to Fatou. There was no way Fatou could know just how much this meant to her. How lame and lonely and insecure she felt before as she tried to rebuild her life here without a solid friend group, how difficult it was to watch other people find these friend groups that seemed like they’d last for life while Ava had paper thin friendships that were haunted by the words of her bullies, the doubts and fears they’d implanted in her. Ava felt as though this group of girls, this group of best friends, had finally allowed her to embrace herself with the confidence she had only ever faked before. Fatou couldn’t know how much that day meant to her in particular, but still, it felt like maybe she did, at least a little bit. “Thank you, Fatou. Really.”

“You’re welcome, Ava,” she said as she rested her head on Ava’s shoulder and snuggled closer, patting Ava’s knee tenderly.

After a few moments, Ava offered, “Okay, I’ll go next, and we can just go whoever receives the gift can give the next one? If that works out.” Everybody nodded so Ava grabbed her gift and settled back down on the couch. “Okay, this lovely, award-winning wrapping is for none other than… Mailin.”

“I get the best wrapped one,” Mailin said as she excitedly took the present from Ava and shook it next to her ear. When she brought it back down in front of her, she hesitated. “I almost don’t want to open it! But alas,” she said, and with that she ripped open the paper to reveal a jewelry box with a brand label printed on it that she’d never heard of. When she lifted the lid, she saw two sets of earrings, one set of green and blue tie-dye rectangular pendants with “climate” engraved in one and “justice” engraved in the other and one set of large globe earrings.

“They’re made from completely recycled materials, and the proceeds went to a campaign for climate justice here in Germany. And they just seemed so you,” Ava explained, motioning between the new earrings and the earrings Mailin was currently wearing, which were big candy canes dangling from her ears.

“No, these are awesome, I’ve been trying to develop my collection of fun earrings. These are fun and make a statement. Thank you. Okay, my turn.” Mailin jumped up to grab her newspaper package. “Special eco-friendly wrapping,” she boasted. “Hope you enjoy.” With that, she handed the gift off to Nora without much ceremony, which added its own bit of surprise.

“For me? Ah, okay, I’m excited,” Nora said as she tore into the newspaper. Underneath it all was a thick stack of shipping labels, some used and some unused. The used ones were obviously an attempt at recycling, which Nora appreciated. The sticker at the top of the stack already had a note on it, which must have been written by Mailin, as it said, “Coupon for free shipping label retrieval and delivery for a year. Ask and you will receive.”

“Those are what you used to do your drawings on when you left them around the city, right? I know you’ve probably worn yourself out with all the drawings you’ve done for our shirts, but as a token of appreciation for all of that, I will provide you with shipping label sticker things whenever you need them.” Mailin finished her explanation with a proud smile.

“This is really thoughtful, Mailin. I’ll definitely take you up on this coupon offer,” Nora said with a wink. She then turned to Fatou. “So it’s just you and me,” Nora joked, handing her gift off to Fatou.

“This box is light, I wonder what it could be,” Fatou said as she ripped off the paper. She was only teasing Nora about the weight of the box, but when she opened it all the way and looked inside, it really was empty. Just completely empty. Fatou looked up, confused, and made eye contact with Ava. Ava’s stomach lurched. It couldn’t be. Had Nora forgotten a gift? She wouldn’t do that to Fatou, would she? And if she had forgotten, why would she just wrap an empty box? She hated herself for thinking it, but after everything she’d been through, she couldn’t keep the thought away that maybe this was a prank, that maybe Nora’s friendship with all of them was some kind of prank. It was just a nagging thought in the back of her mind, it couldn’t possibly be true, but she still couldn’t ignore it, not completely.

At the same time, Fatou and Ava turned to look at Nora, trying to work out what exactly was going on, but she was engrossed in something on her phone, her lips turning up into a smile. How could she be so callous?

“Nora,” Fatou started, voice quiet and hesitant. Before she could say more, three phones buzzed with a new message, and Nora looked up, smile growing. Fatou had planned to ignore the text, but now she was suspicious. She grabbed her phone from her pocket and opened the message, her phone redirecting her to WhatsApp. There, in the ca$hqu€€ns groupchat, was a collection of stickers, some actual photos and some drawings, of axolotls. The drawings had the axolotls pulling funny facial expressions, emoting in different ways. A smile here, a frown there, a wink and a stuck-out tongue. Fatou felt Ava exhale beside her.

“I’m sorry for the empty box, I wanted to give you something to unwrap even though the gift was virtual, but my timing ended up being kind of off with that one,” Nora said, sheepish. “And they’re not exactly emojis, but they’re close, right?”

“My axolotl emoji,” Fatou said almost dreamily.

“Nora, these are awesome,” Mailin chimed in from beside her.

“Thanks. If you want any other facial expressions, just let me know.”

A content silence stretched between the girls, everyone feeling comfortable and warm, processing the gifts they’d just given and received.

“Guys, this was so great, I… you don’t understand how happy I am right now. You guys are the best.” Ava’s heart swelled with something that felt like pride, maybe, that these were the people she chose, that these were the people who chose her. Of course Nora wouldn’t let any of them down like that, not on purpose. None of them would. They all loved and respected each other too much. “The ca$hqu€€ns were written in the stars, you guys. We were fated.”

At Ava’s moment of vulnerability, all of the girls rushed to wrap her in the tightest group hug, falling all over each other and ending up in a messy pile of cuddles. Limbs tangled and faces smushed, and when they finally started to pull away a bit, Mailin took one look at Ava’s cheek and sighed.

“Oh no, I smeared my nose on your cheek.”

[marica-ya]

I don't know if it's the lack of depression or the better controlled OCD but lately I've been thinking about doing evil things just because it would be funny. I remember doing this when I was little before I was presented with the concept of sin. I LOVED doing things just to cause chaos and revolt. Except now I'm an adult with power. I've been wanting to get those reindeer antlers and nose for my car (for like three years but my sisters judge me for it) and I never have cash on hand when I see street vendors selling them. I saw a car parking on my way home the other night that had the lil reindeer outfit and I was like "it would be hilarious to steal that".

I didn't have the impulse to steal because I don't have money or can't buy them on my own or to fuck with the driver, but because I thought it would be really funny. Who the fuck would steal your car's antlers and red nose? Like of all the things to worry about on this damn city, someone stealing your car's christmas outfit is not on the list. I didn't do it because I didn't think the car's owner would think it's funny but if I would have thought everyone was gonna have a good laugh out of it by God I would have stolen them...

[jaskierswolf]

The Christmas Elf (Pt.5/5)

The last part! Geralt arrives in the North Pole. :D Also on AO3!

_______________

Geralt was not happy.

This was mostly due to the fact that Jaskier had forced him into the red scaly doublet and trousers that he’d been wearing the day before. To both their astonishment, the clothes fit Geralt almost perfectly. It was a little tight across the shoulders but that was fine. Geralt would just pull a Jaskier and not do the garment up properly. Jaskier was back in his vibrant green and red ensemble from his home land. He’d tried to convince Geralt to wear a matching outfit, as apparently all the Christmas elves did, but Geralt had refused. They compromised on the duller red doublet from the dragon hunt.

Still Geralt really didn’t enjoy wearing the more flamboyant outfits of his husband. He much preferred it when Jaskier decided to wear his shirts instead. They hung slightly looser on the elf’s form and the tease of dark chest hair peeking out from under the collar never failed to send a rush of warm arousal through Geralt’s body.

“And one last touch!” Jaskier’s laugh chimed like the bells he wore. The elf flicked his wrist and a flurry of snow whipped up in his palm, as it settled a small golden bell appeared on Jaskier’s palm.

“No.” Geralt grunted.

“But dearest! It matches your eyes!” Jaskier pouted.

Geralt glared back at him for less than two seconds before sighing. “Fine.”

Jaskier grinned. “Oh ho ho! I knew you wouldn’t say no, now come here.” Geralt stepped forward, dragging his feet slightly just to make a point. “Oh stop all your grumbling. You look incredibly handsome in my clothes, dearest of hearts.”

Geralt rolled his eyes as Jaskier gently ties the bell around one of his wrists and then brought Geralt’s hand up to his lips. Geralt almost smiled as Jaskier placed a kiss on the palm of his hand.

Almost.

He was still pissed off.

He missed his armour.

“There.” Jaskier beamed up at him and he felt his sour expression soften under his lover’s gaze. “Beautiful.”

“Jask.” He groaned as he felt the heat of embarrassment on his cheeks.

Jaskier bopped him on the nose. “Beautiful, lovely and gorgeous.” Jaskier insisted and cupped his cheek, pulling him into a tender kiss. “Are you ready?”

Geralt frowned as he glanced over a Pegasus. “Are you sure he can carry both of us?”

Jaskier scoffed with a wave of his hand. “He’s a magic reindeer, Geralt. Have a little faith.”

Geralt hummed, not convinced. Pegasus was at least fully grown these days. When Jaskier had first arrived on the reindeer back when they’d first met, he’d been barely old enough for Jaskier to ride. Even with Jaskier’s Spirit they would have to break frequently or go slowly as Jaskier walked instead of rode.

These days Pegasus was a fine mount, for a reindeer. He was no Roach and the antlers occasionally got in the way of Jaskier seeing properly but Geralt had grown rather fond of the beast.

“You’re up front?” Geralt asked as they both approached the reindeer.

Jaskier shrugged. “There’s not much steering involved. He knows where he’s going better than I do. Plus I rather like the view from the back.” He winked and pinched Geralt’s arse.

Geralt closed his eyes and sighed. “You’re up front.” He repeated.

“Oi! What? No!” Jaskier pouted. “Geralt!”

Geralt smirked. “I rather like the view from the back.”

Jaskier flushed brighter than his hat, despite the fact they’d been together for over two decades. It was for this exact reason that Geralt didn’t flirt back very often. He enjoyed seeing Jaskier get flustered for a change and he didn’t want the effect to get old.

Jaskier let out a string of noises and fumbled to get up on his reindeer. Geralt chuckled but pulled himself up behind the bard, placing a kiss on the back of his neck as they both settled. Jaskier leaned back against him with a contented sigh.

“Hold on tight, my love.” He sang and then pulled the small snow globe from his pocket. There was a sudden chill in the air as Jaskier pulled the Spirit from the glow and then showered glitter over Pegasus’s antlers. “Come on, Pegasus.” He cooed at the reindeer.

And then they were flying.

Geralt wrapped his arms around Jaskier’s waist and buried his face against the elf’s back. “Fuck. This is worse than portals.” He groaned.

“Pfft.” Jaskier snorted. “You are such a bore sometimes, love.” Geralt jabbed Jaskier between the ribs and then ran his hand gently over the same spot. “Oi!” Jaskier squeaked.

Geralt just grunted, feeling a little too nauseous to answer.

Jaskier sighed and began to sing one of his favourite Christmas carols to fill the silence as the stars began to fly in the sky above them. The temperature dropped dramatically as they flew and Geralt’s medallion was practically yanking off its chain by the time Pegasus’s hooves hit the floor.

Geralt wrapped his arms around his chest as he jumped to the floor. Snow crunched underfoot and there seemed to be a constant gentle flurry of snowflakes falling from the sky.

“Shit. It’s fucking freezing!” He grumbled. “Should have brought my cloak.”

Jaskier tilted his head and glanced around them before dismounting. He scratched Pegasus behind the ears absentmindedly. “It’s not that bad.”

“Yes. It is.” Geralt glowered at him. “Fucking elves.”

Jaskier punched him in the arm and muttered something. “Melitele’s tits, you are grumpy today. This is my home, Geralt!”

Geralt grunted. “Sorry.”

“I know.” Jaskier kissed his cheek and ran a finger through his hair, twirling one of the loose strands. “Now let’s see what I can do about the cold. Bear with me though, making clothes was never my talent.”

Geralt frowned as Jaskier closed his eyes and stuck his tongue between his lips. Jaskier hummed as he wove magic around Geralt. Geralt smiled fondly at the bard. He had a soft spot in his heart for Jaskier’s concentrating face. It was adorable the way his tongue peeked between Jaskier’s soft pink lips, not that Geralt would ever admit to finding it adorable… cute maybe at a push after a few pints of ale. Geralt shivered slightly as glitter rained over his head and he suddenly found a long heavy cloak round his shoulders…in buttercup yellow.

He tied the cloak swiftly and pulled up the hood before turning to fix his husband with an exasperated look. Jaskier smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I got distracted by your eyes.”

Geralt huffed but pulled the elf into a slow kiss. When they pulled apart Jaskier snuggled up against his chest and wrapped his arms around Geralt’s waist, inside the cloak. “You ok?”

Jaskier nodded. “I just want them to like you.”

Geralt smiled though he knew it didn’t reach his eyes. They wouldn’t like him. Not many people did. Jaskier was one of the few exceptions that actually stuck around. “Hmm.”

“Well.” Jaskier huffed and put one hand on his hip as he pulled away. “It doesn’t matter. I love you. That’s what counts.”

Geralt nodded and kissed Jaskier’s forehead. “Hmm.” He agreed.

“Jask!” A perky voice called and there was a rush of footsteps across the snow.

“Daisy!” Jaskier grinned and ran to hug the other elf. “Daisy, Geralt, my husband, Geralt, meet Daisy!”

Daisy was a handsome elf with mint green eyes that glowed just like Jaskier’s. They had long ginger hair with curls to rival Lambert’s. Like the elves of the Continent they had a lean willowy figure and angular elven bone structure. The points of their ears were decorated in elegant gold spirals.

“Good to meet you.” Geralt nodded at the newcomer with narrow eyes. Jaskier had never mentioned having any friends amongst his own kind before. “You didn’t come to our wedding.”

The elf blushed and stared down at their feet. “Poinsettia wouldn’t let any of us leave.”

Jaskier’s jaw tensed and he looked away. “Elves don’t fall in love, no need to have a wedding.” He muttered.

“I tried to get away but Poinsettia locked up the globe. We can’t travel between realms without it.” For a moment, Daisy looked like they were about to cry but they plastered a happy smile on their face. “But it was our most productive Christmas ever, at the time. We’ve outdone ourselves every year since. We have Jaskier to thank for that. You must be so proud of him!”

The elf bounded over to him and flung their arms around Geralt’s neck. Geralt felt his eyes  go wide and he met Jaskier’s gaze with an alarmed expression. Jaskier tilted his head a smiled, but there was still a sadness in his eyes.

Geralt was going to fucking murder this Poinsettia elf.

“I am proud,” He answered, not breaking eye contact with his husband. “immensely proud.”

Jaskier’s face softened. “Geralt.” He breathed, his eyes twinkling like the sunlight hitting the snow around them.

“He deserved to have his family there.” Geralt sighed and extracted himself from Daisy’s arms.

They pouted in a very Jaskier fashion. “I know. Sweet baby Jesus we all knew, but Poinsettia has lost her way. She’s so focused on making every Christmas better than the last, to keep building up Spirit from Earth, instead of the Continent, that I think she’s forgotten what it means to be happy.”

Jaskier put both hands on his hips. “Jealousy is not a good look on a Christmas elf.” He muttered.

“There’s been rumours!” Daisy hissed with a scandalised giggle. “That the boss asked her to resign! She said no of course but it’s only a matter of time.”

Jaskier snorted. “She does need a holiday.” He mused. Geralt looked between the two elves suddenly feeling very much like the outsider that he was. Jaskier glanced up at him and glided over to link his arm with Geralt’s. “So tell me, darling Daisy. What have I missed this time?”

____________________________

Jaskier flitted about around all the igloos and gingerbread houses greeting his oldest friends. He pretended not to notice the way his fellow elves shrunk away from Geralt, and if he was honest, him. It had always been like this at the North Pole. The other elves thought it was a bit odd, and he was really. He had always been more in tune with his own feelings and wasn’t afraid to act on them.

Most elves were told they were happy and so… they were happy, fake smiles hid tired faces. Elves like Poinsettia were the ones where the cracks were beginning to show. He supposed being in charge for a few centuries wore one down rather quickly. He never wanted to be in charge. There was far too much red tape involved. He much preferred travelling the Continent with his husband, the grumpy bastard who he loved so very much. Jaskier had his own special job in collecting Christmas Spirit and that was how he liked it, thank you very much!

Also he did miss the banter of the workshops, back when he used to make instruments for days on end. There was always a lot of laughter in his team. The musical types were the most lighthearted of the bunch. After he’d been promoted to head composer he’d missed out on a lot of what had previously made the North Pole so special.

He chuckled to himself, that was what had led him to steal Santa’s snow globe in the first place, many moons ago.

The decision that had ultimately made him an outcast from his own kind but set him on the path to meeting the love of his life.

“And this!” He threw a sparkly rainbow as he gestured widely to the ginger bread house in front of them. Geralt rolled his eyes at Jaskier’s dramatics but he was smiling beneath it all. “This, my dear heart, is Santa’s Grotto!”

“The famous Santa.” Geralt hummed thoughtfully. “Is everything made out of food?”

Jaskier laughed and took Geralt’s hand to pull him down the path lined with candy canes. “Stop complaining!”

“Just seems like a waste.” Geralt muttered but he was smiling and he allowed himself to be dragged. “Does this mean you’ll finally ask Santa about Rinde?”

Jaskier scowled up at Geralt. “No.”

“Jask…”

“No!” Jaskier poked Geralt in the chest with his free hand as they stopped abruptly on the path. “I don’t want to know.”

“Why not?”

“Because only Santa has that ability.” Jaskier sighed.

“Which means?” Geralt asked with a tilt of his head.

“There’s rumours.” Jaskier muttered. “A prophecy of sorts. That one day Santa will step down. That someone else will take his place.”

“And that’s you?” Geralt furrowed his brow and squeezed Jaskier’s hand.

Jaskier gave his husband a fond smile and squeezed back. He tossed his fringe from his eyes. He shrugged. “No?”

“Hmm.” Geralt frowned.

“I hope not. I don’t want it.”

“Jaskier, I hope you’re not planning on staying out there forever.”

Jaskier jumped with a jingle of bells and spun round to see Santa watching them with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Ahh. Santa.” Jaskier gave a little bow with a wide wave of his arms. “Good to see you!”

“And you must be Geralt.” Santa laughed his jolly laugh and rubbed his belly.

Geralt grunted and nodded. “You’re smaller than I expected.”

Jaskier gasped and hid behind his hands. “Geralt!”

But Santa just laughed. “It’s alright, little one.” Jaskier glared at Geralt, his cheeks were on fire. “Come in, Jaskier. We have much to discuss. I know you have been avoiding me.”

“I have done no such…” Jaskier trailed off at the look Santa gave him.

“You’re worried that you can slow time.” Santa chuckled. “The Great Prophecy.”

Jaskier’s eyes went wide and he watched Santa go back inside the Grotto. Geralt’s arms wrapped around his waist. “I won’t let him take you.” His witcher murmured in his ear and placed a kiss to his temple. “Come on.”

“Hmm.” Jaskier hummed and chewed on his bottom lip. “Stay with me.” He mumbled as he leaned into Geralt’s side.

“Always.” Geralt reassured him.

“Jaskier, stop your dawdling.” Santa called and Geralt gave him a quick push.

He stumbled forwards. “Oi!” He grumbled and dusted off his clothes. Glitter fell from the tips of his fingers as his nerves got the better of him and he lost control of his Spirit.

“You are wondering why you are different?” Santa asked with a broad smile, offering him a plateful of chocolate chip cookies.

Jaskier snatched one and began to nibble it.

The Grotto was as warm as he remembered with the spicy scent of citrus and cinnamon wafting through the air. The cookies were probably made by Mrs Claus, only her baking was as delicious as the cookies he currently had the pleasure of eating. The chocolate chips were melted and gooey and the biscuit was buttery and sweet, with just a tinge of salty goodness. Gods it was a piece of heaven!

”Obviously.” He grumbled. “I thought I was just… odd, but…”

“You were designed differently from the others.” Santa admitted as he pulled off his hat.

Jaskier’s heart was racing in his chest and he gripped tightly onto Geralt’s arm. Around him snow began to crystallise in the air and he felt the tips of his hair go cold as they were covered in frost.

“Easy, Jask.” Geralt murmured. “I’ve got you, love.”

Jaskier looked up at his husband, startled by the pet name. “Dear heart.” He breathed in awe. Geralt’s lips twitched in that adorable half smile that never failed to make Jaskier’s heart turn to goo. Santa cleared his throat and they both turned to face him. Jaskier’s face was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. “Sorry.” He mumbled.

“You are not my replacement, young elf.” Santa reassured him. “I just knew that one day it would take someone special to keep the belief in magic alive. You, Jaskier, were created from my own magic rather than Spirit that created the others.”

Jaskier gaped. “I’m sorry, what now?”

Geralt hummed. “So, you’re his father?”

Jaskier jabbed his husband in the rips. “Geralt!”

Santa chortled. “You could say that. It would be the closest thing any elf has to a father.”

“Santa!” Jaskier whined. “Oh gods, what is happening?” He moaned and pressed his head against Geralt’s chest.

Geralt laughed and ran his hand through Jaskier’s hair, knocking his hat to the floor.

“Do we have to stay here?” Geralt asked, ever the business man whilst Jaskier was in the middle of a fucking identity crisis.

“Of course not.” Santa laughed. “But I would appreciate a visit at least once a decade.”

“But my snow globe.” Jaskier protested.

“Your work is done, Jaskier.” Santa said softly. “Earth’s Spirit is glowing brighter than ever thanks to the magic you were able to harness from the Continent. Go. Be with your witcher.”

Jaskier stared up at Geralt in wonder. “I can stay with Geralt?”

“You don’t think old Santa Claus would stand in the way of love, do you?” Santa raised an eyebrow at him. “It is a shame. You would have been a brilliant head elf.”

Jaskier groaned. “Oh sweet Melitele no.” Then the idea hit him. “What about Daisy? They would be excellent, poor Poinsettia could use a break.”

“Poinsettia is stepping down to go back to her old job and looking after the Reindeer. She loves those daft bastards more than anything. She’s been apart from them for far too long.” Santa agreed. “I’ll keep Daisy in mind, son.” Jaskier squeak at the word and gripped onto Geralt’s arm tighter. “Now off with you.”

Jaskier looked up at Geralt. “Husband, would you mind terribly if there was a change of plans this winter?” He grinned.

“Do I get to change out of this ridiculously outfit?” Geralt smirked.

Jaskier swatted his arm. “Well you most certainly don’t now! Rude!”

Geralt chuckled. “Kaer Morhen?”

Jaskier nodded and leaned in to brush his nose against Geralt’s. “Kaer Morhen.” He agreed and kissed Geralt with all the love in his heart. “For now and forever.”

[antisocial-af]

Day 9: Jangus

Title: Festive Liquor

25 Days of Pairings: Day 9 Jangus

Promo:

If you are interested in Rare Pairs, think about joining Shadowhunters Rare Pair Gift Exchange. I’ve already sent in my form! Sign-ups End on December 19th so don’t miss your chance and don’t be afraid to be as specific as you want on the forms!

Rating: T

Wordcount: 3217

No Major Archive Warnings

SFW, Holiday Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Human AU, Alcohol involved.

Summary:

Magnus needs help in recording a video.

Click Here to Read on Ao3

Story:

Magnus looked around his office and at the Holiday decorations he had put out around the table he used to record his videos. He checked the camera and tripod to ensure it was ready to press play once he was done setting up. Magnus made sure to have both the Holiday Liquor Sample Boxes out and on display for his video. He moved towards the small line of Christmas lights he had wrapped around the table edges to adjust them a bit before taking a step back to inspect them again. That only left one last thing, or should he say a person to add to make his video perfect now if he could only convince his boyfriend. 

“Jace,” Magnus called out to the rest of the loft, sweetly and invitingly. “Could you come here for a moment, please?” 

With the holidays fast approaching, Jace had found himself being at home rather than at work. Jace owned his own gym called Herondale Fitness, and during the holiday season, while they did run a New Year Sign-up, they were usually closed because of the whole city being snowed in. Today was just another one of those days. 

“Well, aren’t you looking more handsome than the last time I saw you?” Magnus complimented Jace as he entered the room. Magnus moved forward and easily wrapped his arms around his boyfriends’ neck pulling him down for a kiss. 

Jace gave a soft smirk upon receiving the compliment as he wrapped his arms around his smaller man’s waist. While he was frustrated at the fact he was stuck home and couldn’t run his business, these moments with Magnus made it all seem for the better. Jace would never complain about getting to spend time with his boyfriend. 

“Oh, Magnus Bane using flattery? Do I detect someone in need of some assistance?” Jace teased while he stole another kiss from his boyfriend. 

“Me? Magnus Bane, need something? I never realized it had become a crime to complement one’s lover?” Magnus feigned as he started to push Jace away from him softly. “See if I say something nice to you again, Herondale!” 

“A severe crime,” Jace confirmed in between soft kisses to Magnus’ cheek. “Lucky for you, I am willing to let you off with a warning.” 

“I’m fortunate to have such an understanding boyfriend then,” Magnus responded as he resisted the need to roll his eyes, returning Jace’s kisses. “Maybe so understanding..” Magnus trailed off,  “that he might want to help me with a tiny project?” 

Jace laughed and smiled at Magnus, knowing his boyfriend wanted something. He just hoped it wasn’t another one of those Ask Me Anything videos. Jace never wanted to know how creative Magnus’ subscribers could be. If it were, he would still do it regardless since he wanted to support Magnus’ growing YouTube channel. 

“Depends? What exactly is it this time?” 

“Oh, nothing,” Magnus smirked and waved his hand to the table set up behind him. “I found something alcoholic for us to try for my channel.” 

“Oh, that isn't so bad,” Jace answered. He didn’t think that drinking with his boyfriend could be that hard, camera or not. 

“I even bought us some Christmas outfits since they are holiday drinks,” Magnus continued, pulling away to walk over to the table and pull two costume bags from behind one of the chairs. “I got a Santa one and reindeer one. I will be the reindeer, and you can be Santa.” 

“Shouldn’t you be wearing the Santa costume?” Jace asked as a smirk played on to his face. He stepped forward and looked at both costumes, not taking the Santa one yet. 

“Why?” 

“Well, Santa does ride the reindeer to deliver presents, doesn’t he?” 

Magnus’ brain stopped for a second to understand what Jace was saying before he blushed, remembering their morning activities. 

“Technically, Santa rides a sleight,” Magnus corrected him, trying to regain some of his composure. 

“Details,” Jace dropped a wink. “Do you want me to wear a costume or not?” 

“So I’m wearing the Santa costume, and you’re putting on the reindeer antlers and red nose?” Magnus conceded as he held up the reindeer costume for Jace instead. 

“Gladly, baby.” 

After a bit of a struggle on putting on the Santa costume’s belt since it had neither a clip nor velcro on it, Jace had to go find some safety pins so Magnus could pin it in place for the video. Once that mishap was settled, Magnus started to guide Jace behind the table and had him sit down so he could check the camera and make sure the shot was lined up. Jace was taller than him, and since Magnus didn’t always ask Jace to be in the videos, he had to adjust the camera to make sure Jace was still appropriately centered. 

“So what are these anyway?” Jace asked as he grabbed the festive box that read ‘Holiday Taste Testers or Stocking Stuffers for Adults.’“None of these are like pumpkin spice, right? I tried it once on a dare with Izzy, and trust me. I like pumpkin spice but, somethings should just be left as is.” 

“No, I think the weirdest one I read on there was a Gingerbread Spiced one,” Magnus answered as he pressed record on the video. He could edit out the beginning later. Once he was happy with the camera’s set up, he made his way back to the table to join his boyfriend. 

“That doesn’t sound any better,” Jace grimaced. “Aren’t they still the same spices as Pumpkin Spice?”

“Jace, please don’t make me cut out more than I have to. If I left this part in, I would get so much hate for dating someone who would voice that,” Magnus reprimanded with an eye roll. He opened the app on his phone that controlled some of the basic settings of his editing software he was using to record the video; Magnus had paid a pretty penny for the editing program and was determined to make the most of it. “Could you remove your shirt for like ten seconds? Flex a bit too.” 

“What? Why?” Jace questioned, putting the box of liquor to the side. Jace usually wouldn’t challenge Magnus asking him to take off his shirt; since it usually ended in something mutually beneficial. Now though, it was different, and Jace didn’t know if he was keen on making an appearance on porn sites. “While I’m more than happy to be shirtless for you at any time, why do you exactly need me to be now?” 

“I need a thumbnail for the video, and last time, I used one of you showing off your arms,” Magnus answered as he messed with some more of the settings through his phone. He finished and set the phone on silent and faced down under his chair before turning to Jace with the biggest pouty lip he could muster. “I got so many positive comments from it. I might’ve promised my fans I would try and get you shirtless for the next one.” 

“I don’t know how to feel about that,” Jace responded while trying to avoid the pleading look Magnus was giving him. He had fallen for that face too many times before. His mistake was looking to his boyfriend on instinct because Magnus jumped up when the alcohol taster box near him fell over. Magnus wasn’t looking at him anymore, but the startled look with the still pouty lip had taken any reservations Jace had away. “It feels a bit dishonest to the video and click-baity. Maybe I should put on the brown suspenders you have in the closet and be shirtless. So it goes with the reindeer outfit?” 

“You would do that for me?” Magnus asked, surprised at the offer. He looked up at his boyfriend with wide eyes. 

“Of course, baby.” Jace leaned down and kissed Magnus softly before discarding his shirt in one motion. “Go get me the suspenders?” 

“I do love my man tied up,” Mangus said as he quickly left to go get the items before Jace changed his mind. He promptly retrieved a set of brown suspenders and ran back to the recording room. Once Jace had finished clipping them into place, they resumed their spots behind the camera. Magnus chastised himself for not having turned off or paused the recording while they had the costume debate. 

“Ready?” Magnus asked, leaning over to fix one of the suspenders. 

“All set,” 

Magnus turned to the camera and smiled as he started. 

“Hello, my Darlings! I hope that all of you are having a wonderful holiday season no matter the tradition you celebrate, and if you don’t celebrate anything during this season, then I hope your winter has been well.” Magnus greeted and placed a hand on Jace’s shoulder before continuing, “As you can see, I am joined today once again by my boyfriend. Introduce yourself again just in case, babe.” 

“Hello, I am Jace, the better half of this relationship, and if you haven’t seen me here before, make sure to click somewhere near me. I am sure Magnus will put up a link to the Q&A I did with him,” Jace greeted. He had seen and heard his boyfriend do this often enough. Jace knew some of the things he should say. Jace grabbed his box of holiday liquors and looked at it as if he was confused. “So what exactly are we doing today, babe?” 

“We are going to be trying some Holiday themed alcohol,” Magnus responded and grabbed his own box to show off the front to the camera. “I found these while browsing at the mall for some gifts.” 

“So there are five in total,” Jace commented as he had now flipped the box to the back where he could read more information about the liquors. 

“Yes,” Magnus confirmed while he started to open his box up and pull the five small one-shot bottles out of the case. “I’m glad I bought two boxes now. I thought the bottles would be a bit bigger given the size of the box.” 

“So we are just going to take shots of them and review them?” Jace questioned as he mimicked Magnus and took his five liquors out as well. He was not looking forward to trying Captain Morgan Gingerbread Spiced or the Cinnamon Schnapps. They both seemed like they would be the closest to the taste of pumpkin spice, something he wasn’t retrying in alcoholic form. 

“In a way, do you know what the real test of any holiday-themed liquor is?” Magnus prompted. 

“How many shots does it take to make you forget your family’s cooking?”

“While that is an important statistic, I was going for something a bit different, babe,” Magnus replied with a chuckle. He reached by the table’s leg and brought up a large thermos and ten small cups. “The test every holiday-themed liquor needs to pass is; Drum roll please, Jace.” 

Jace rolled his eyes but indulged his boyfriend accordingly and drummed his fingers against the table. 

“Does it taste good with hot cocoa?”

“So I’m guessing that’s why we don’t have any milk,” Jace commented with a smirk. He had tried to get a bowl of cereal as a snack earlier only to finish pouring a bowl of cereal and find no milk in the fridge. 

“Business expense,” Magnus replied and started to pour the hot cocoa. “We will use, however, much of the liquor we want, mix it, and then take a sip.” 

“Sounds easy enough. How do we decide which one we try first?” Jace asked as he reached and grabbed his five cups of hot cocoa. 

“We can just go ABC order,” Magnus resolved as he grabbed the small bottle of Captain Morgan Gingerbread Spiced. He handed Jace a small spoon and then proceeded to pour some of his bottle into the cup of cocoa. “So that means Captain Morgan Gingerbread Spiced is the first one.” 

Jace tried to hide his grimace as he heard what Magnus was saying. He thought of how he could at least get the two he is most likely to hate out of the way first. Jace followed Magnus’ lead again and poured his desired amount in.

“Should we prep the rest ahead of time and put the bottles in front of them?” Jace asked when he noticed how long it took them to prepare one of the drinks. He knew it was less than a minute, but if they just did it now, it would mean fewer scenes Magnus would have to cut later during editing because they had ad idle chat while preparing the drinks. 

“That would be easier,” Magnus confirmed as he started to open the rest of his liquor bottles. 

They both set up their five respective cups of hot chocolate, each assigned a bottle proudly displayed in front of the cups. Jace made the mistake of smelling the cinnamon alcohol and immediately began to regret it. 

“Ready,” Jace announced as he looked over to Magnus, who had just finished lining up the small bottles. “All set?” 

“Yes, but let’s start as if we just finished the ‘what makes a good holiday-themed liquor’ scene,” Magnus adjusted himself and checked the recording’s status from his phone quickly. He saw that everything was still good, so he placed his phone back on the floor. “Follow my lead.” 

“Always do baby,” Jace leaned over and placed a small kiss on the side of Magnus’ head.

“Alright, we took a moment to set up our drinks, but as you can see, we have hot chocolate in order to put these liquors to the test,” Magnus talked towards the camera. “We are going to be starting with the Gingerbread Spiced one. I honestly believe it won’t be that bad. I’ve enjoyed a gingerbread cookie with a cup of hot chocolate before, so it can’t be that bad.”

Magnus raised his cup towards Jace in a ‘cheers’ motion. “Ready?” 

“As I’ll ever be.”

They both took a drink and had two different reactions; as expected, Jace had hated the taste as soon as it filled his mouth. Magnus, on the other hand, had been delighted by the taste, and it showed on his face. 

“I think I found a new liquor to use to spike my hot cocoa and would honestly recommend this one,” Magnus praised as he took another sip. 

“It’s a complete pass for me on this one,” Jace countered as he placed the offending cup away from him. “I can’t even taste the hot chocolate anymore.” 

“Alright, let’s move on then, Mr.Grumpy,” Magnus smiled and reached for the next cup and bottle. He giggled when Jace replied to him by sticking his tongue out at him. Magnus would have to remember to edit that into the video later. “This one is Cinnamon Schnapps. I’ve had the peach flavor before but never any of the others.”

“I don’t think it will taste that much different from the previous one.” 

They both took their cups and drank from them. This time though, they both seemed to go back for a second sip. 

“This one is surprisingly good,” Jace stated, surprised. “I thought it would be more overwhelming, but honestly just adds a warmness to the drink.” 

“Agreed,” Magnus nodded along. “I would suggest only a small amount, though. I feel like if people put too much, it could tip it there.” 

They both finished that cup of hot cocoa and pulled the third to them. 

“Does your cup look darker?” 

“I think it’s because this is the Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur,” Magnus replied as he read the bottle’s label. 

“This one sounds promising,” Jace picked up the cup eagerly and drank with no reserve. He was rewarded by the bittersweetness of the dark chocolate being warmed by the alcohol in it. 

“Wow, that is tasty!” Magnus exclaimed next to him and waited for Jace’s verdict. 

“We should get more of this for the house,” Jace concluded as he drained the rest of the cup’s contents. “Definitely the best so far.” 

“The next one will be interesting. I don’t know if apple cider mixes with cocoa well,” Magnus contemplated. 

“Here, I’ll be the brave test subject for you, baby,” Jace volunteered and started to drink for the next cup. It was a confusing taste of apples and chocolate trying to fight for dominance. “It isn’t bad, but I think you’re right because I still can’t tell what I am tasting.” 

Magnus took the bottle of Jack Daniel’s (Winter Jack) Apple Cider and drank from it instead of the cup of cocoa. 

“Try just the liquor. While it didn’t pass the hot chocolate test, it is still delicious, and it does remind me of the holidays,” Magnus concluded. He was glad that the box only had five liquors because he was starting to feel a bit buzzed.  Magnus watched Jace drink from the small bottle as well and nodded along. 

“I wouldn’t buy it but wouldn’t be mad if someone gave me this,” Jace offered. “There is only one left, right? What is it?” 

“Smirnoff Peppermint,” Magnus read off the label and scrunched up his nose. He wasn’t exactly a fan when companies tried to copy mint flavors in liquors. “It has a pretty label. It can’t be that bad.” 

“Candy canes are peppermint, right?” Jace asked as he took a sip and immediately regretted it. He didn’t even put a lot of liquor in the cocoa, but apparently, it had been enough to simulate a weak mouthwash. He shook his head to play up the disgust for the camera and made a groan. “That was so bad. It feels like I just mixed toothpaste into that. This is nothing like candy canes.” 

Magnus laughed at Jace’s reaction to the liquor. His boyfriend was more of a traditional alcohol man with no need for extra flavors. So Magnus knew that involving him in the video would give him some funny scenes for his video. 

“Going to do the wrap up now,” Magnus warned Jace. He quickly rearranged the mostly empty cups and bottles on both sides so that they would look nice on camera. “Ready?” 

Jace reached over and drank the rest of the dark chocolate alcohol in an attempt to rinse the rest of the offending peppermint from his mouth. 

“Now, I am.” 

“Thank you once again for joining us today, my darlings!” Magnus started as he looked at the camera. “I hope you all have a safe winter season. If you liked the video and want to see Jace in more of my videos, make sure you comment, like, and subscribe!”

“It was nice being here again. Make sure you leave my boyfriend a lot of love. He works hard on these videos,” Jace pulled Magnus closed and kissed his cheek softly before quickly adding, “and may nobody ever add mouthwash to your hot chocolate.”

Magnus laughed and waved at the camera as he let Jace pull him closer into more kisses. He knew he would have to cut some of these parts, but it was worth it. They would just go into his personal files, that he keeps of videos and photos of Jace and himself. 

[bittersweetmelxdy]

Day 5: Christmas Ball- Kiro

“If I can make it home, back where I belong/ Christmas time coming home to you my love.”- Christmas in the City, Bob Bradley, Alistair Griffin, Abi Alton

Words: 881

Kiro was adjusting the sleeves of his Christmas jumper as he waited for you to finish from the bathroom as you curled your hair. Once he saw you pull out the curling wand, he had left the bathroom, despite your protests that he wouldn’t distract you, as he couldn’t stand the thought of his presence putting you in any danger. So now he was waiting patiently for you to reemerge so the two of you could leave, hearing the sound of a zip and you opening and closing drawers, his head perked up like an excited puppy in anticipation of your appearance. Despite the party being held at the fancy Fairview Hotel, the dress code was pretty casual, allowing people to dress up for the season. The two of you decided to go as Santa and one of his reindeer, Kiro was donned in a red jumper that mimicked Santa’s iconic suit, paired with some black dress trousers, black dress shoes and of course a red Santa hat. Kiro’s eyes sparkled as you emerged from the bathroom, you were wearing a brown knee length full-flare dress with a brown faux fur collar, paired with some black tights and black ankle boots. Your hair was softly curled, and a felt antler headband rested on your head. You twirled beaming at Kiro, before striking a pose in order for him to give his opinion on your outfit.  

Kiro sighed dramatically, clutching his heart for dramatic effect, “Miss Chips, my heart can’t take it.” he threw you a wink and you giggled, covering your mouth and they bubbled past your lips.  

Walking closer to you Kiro grabbed your hand and lead you into another slow twirl, humming a soft Christmas ballad as the two of you slow danced around the entryway, Kiro finished with a dip, the two of you locking eyes as he righted you. Nuzzling your nose with his, the two of you were brought out of your bubble by the notification chime of Kiro’s phone. Kiro without distangling himself from you, pulled his phone out of his pocket and rolled his eyes playfully at you after checking the message.

“Savin’s downstairs waiting for us.” Kiro said as he handed you your bag and the two of you left the apartment, checked you locked the doors and then made your way downstairs to the waiting car.

The drive to Fairview Hotel was filled with Savin running through all the people Kiro needed to talk to throughout the party and why. Kiro nodded along, scrolling through his phone, but you knew he was taking in everything Savin told him. The two of you had taken a picture outside your front door, so you checked the likes and comments posted on the picture. You smiled seeing the regular categories of comments, from jealous barbs to coos over how cute the two of you were, you saw the breadth of Kiro’s fanbase, and you passed your phone to Kiro to show him a few of your favourite comments.  

Stepping out of the car you were met with the regular number of reporters, all vying for an interview your superstar or an inclusive picture of the two of you, seeing as this was the first Christmas party you were attending as a married couple. The two of you smiled and waved, posing for a few pictures, and you often found yourself throwing admiring glances at Kiro, he really was in his element, but even still, he always made sure you were glued to his side and protected you in his own way.

Once inside the hotel Kiro called you out on your behaviour, “Miss Chips, were you dazzled by me out there?” Kiro smirked watching you flush prettily and giving you a kiss to the cheek as a reward for your reaction.

Throughout the party the two of you talked your way through the plethora of guests, ranging from other artists, to directors and even brand ambassadors, what surprised you most was that some of the guests also wanted to talk to you as well as Kiro. Kiro sang your praises to various actresses and investors, and you made some important business contacts and you carefully placed various business cards in your purse to contact them later during office hours. The night waxed on, and you started to grow tired, you tried to stifle your yawns from Kiro, but being the attentive boyfriend he was, he noticed right away, he drew you tightly against him pressing a kiss on your forehead and then pulling his phone out of his pocket he shot a text to Savin, letting him know that the two of you were leaving. As the two of you walked through the hall, saying your goodbyes under the glittering lights and twinkling chandelier crystals, the two of you stopped just outside the full moon in full view, hearing the bell chime for midnight. The two of you looked at each other smiling, before slowly inching towards each other, where you shared a slow kiss, before pulling away beaming at each other, your faces bathed in moonlight.  

“Merry Christmas, Miss Chips.” Kiro said, resting his forehead against yours, and you couldn’t help but think that this was the best way to welcome in Christmas Day.

Tag list:@bubblyblossomx​, @xumos-hoe​. @quzbea​, @minvirsa​, @kaemoonx​, @tanzaniiite​

If you want to be added to the tag list (can be for all or just a specific character, just message me :)

[fedoraphe]

FamILY

Summary: Patton didn't expect the Holiday to hit off with a chime. However, there he was.

Pairing(s): Romantic Logicality, Romantic Prinxiety. And the rest is purely platonic LAMP/CALM! ♡

Trigger Warning(s): Mentions of Food. That's probably it?

Word Count: 3338 words

Note: Aaaaaannd, tada, @paradoxicalpatton!! I'm your Secret Santa- Biggest surprises? Anyway, I tried my hardest to fluff this as much as possible! Hence, why it took me so long- My deepest apologies for that. Buuut! Onward to the fic, dearests! Shall we?

----

Excitement had begun to wildly blossom in Morality's chest.

Patton heard the soft carols of the children on Thomas' door - And, though their volume was unfortunately loud, he'd toned it down - the strong scent of eggnog tickling his nose at the occurring party at his host's house, giggles escaping his parted lips at the warm gut feeling that sat heavily in his chest. The drumming sensation of the music's beat gently tapped against Patton's flushed skin, as his adorable smile quipped it's way into the moral side's lips, an upbeat squeal hiccuping it's way into the air.

His eyes sparkled with glee, dark blue gift-wrapping paper sprawled out on his desk, while a small box sat in the middle of it; The object was Logan's gift. The last present he has to wrap up for the day - He already got the rest of the presents down, as the time he had cracked awake was fairly early. Though it didn't matter that much. Patton promised to himself he would finish wrapping the presents right then and there, and Logan's gift was all that was left to wrap up, then he was good to go.

Patton's hands got to work before he knew it, his movements precisely done under the lampshade that emitted off the light for the entire room. A pattern no longer foreign to him played by the tips of his fingers, meticulously done as he felt the light above him, and though it provided him warmth, the cold, eerie stare it gave off. The chill advanced as the temperature begun to sink low, and Patton's first instinct was to snap his head up, soft, crimson eyes soon landing on his window sill, a gasp trailing soon after at the pleasant sight that graced his line of vision.

Patton adjusted his glasses a few times to get a good grip on his eyesight; Snowflakes began to flutter from outside, the sky a beautiful hue of orange, fading into a light shade of blue. The grass was replaced with snow, the patches soft just from sight. Patton imagined him and the others making snow angels, laughs and giant grins being passed around as they patted the snow for their snowmen, talking about what they got for the last window from their Advent Calendars.

Wait, Patton's Advent Calendar.

A gasp parted from his lips, letting the paper fall from his hands as he stumbled towards a tiny house in the corner of the room. He fell down onto his knees, head lightly leaning in front of the house; It held a single gift. The final window he has to receive.

Patton's hand reached for the gift, gently squeezing it through the space it was in, before it nearly popped out. A goofish smile danced from the crinkles of his cheeks, placing it against his chest, his nimble fingers setting from under the gift, his thumbs gently pressing against the tiny present; The material felt hard within his grasp. He raised his brow in suspicion, tossing it into his dominant palm. His fingers softly untied the ribbon, the red paper falling to the floor as the thread broke free. Patton's eyes flew wide, marvelling at the handiwork that now sat heavily in his palm.

A small reindeer figurine was what he got. The weight was strangely heavy. Special, but odd. Their back hung several strings of golden threads, leaving him with the assumption of necklaces - Though there were two different, and very familiar ones. Two streaks of blue framed across their neck, the one from atop holding a golden plate with the words 'Pawton.' an awe-stricken gasp rolling off his lips. The one from below read "SD." A straight-out copy from Scooby Doo. The goofish grin he had from before plastered back into his lips, eyes trailing down as he absorbed all of the information for his newly received friend. The hooves faded into a light blue, a touch of brown settling as the base color for the reindeer. The nose had a little boop of red, a tiny blush coating it's cheeks. Their antlers were beautifully twisted, and seen as it took a heck ton of effort, he mentally thanked the person who had taken the time to wrap the gift. Patton's gaze glistened with profound joy, grin widening, if that was even possible, sparks in his chest beginning to strike as a giggle managed it's way into the winter air. He had to thank Roman later, as he had assumed the boy was the one who made it for him.

Patton skipped over to his vanity, gently placing the figurine on the side of the desk, along with other figurines he had collected, the reindeer seemed to fit in perfectly with the weird bunch. His eyes flickered towards his mirror, a flash of light blue immediately gracing his vision. His grin intensified, giving off a chuckle, as the mirror repeated the action. He currently wore the Morality sweater from Thomas' merch, and as much as he loved the design, it didn't quite fit his aesthetic. Though, it didn't stop him from wearing the outfit; The center of the sweater held Patton's logo, a dark shade of blue covering for the most part, while purple sat from his shoulders to his neck. Snowflakes and Christmas trees danced directly below Patton's logo, connecting from the front to his back. The smile that Patton gave off to the mirror held warmth, as his legs ventured away.

He swung open the door, smile widening at the early time he had woken up on. A yawn escaped his lips, arms reaching up to stretch behind his back, a pleased sigh following soon after when the familiar pop! welcomed his sense of hearing. This day was going to turn out great, Patton would make sure of it. The thought of snowball fights and ice-skating plastered into his mind, light banter being openly passed around while all of them ate their Holiday dinner. No drama; The goal for today.

Although, it was an impossible wish. He had to try.

Patton bounced off onto the stairs, his feet lightly patting the floor as his smile radiated off the hallway. His feet cushioned into the bottom floor, his nose immediately hit with the smell of cocoa. He sighed in content, his crimson gaze landing on the back of dark-ish blue. Patton simply didn't think his grin couldn't get any bigger.

"Logan!"

The intellectual side nearly sprung up at the sudden mention of his name, a tiny blush slightly coating his cheeks from how timid the action was. Patton beamed at the choice of clothing he currently wore with stride - The logic sweater that Thomas decided to sell from his merchandise. A cool blue, tie covered with Logan's logo on the center, grey and blue zigzags hovering right above specs of the mid-dark shade of blue from below. His sleeves adorned with reindeers and snowflakes, trailing along his arms to his neutral-blue cuffs. His palm currently occupied a cup of hot chocolate, tiny marshmallows, also in the shape of cups of hot chocolate, delicately floating above the Christmas delicacy. Nonetheless, the nerd looked ridiculously amazing. And, although the style didn't quite fit Logan's aesthetic, Patton found it endearing on the change of clothing for the current celebration of the Holiday.

"Ah. Hello, Patton." Logan greeted with a nod, to which, Patton responded with an excited squeal.

"Woke up early, Lo?" Patton felt his feet lurch forward, his hand flexing towards the cupboard, but he didn't find his cup. An eyebrow quirked up, head spinning to Logan's direction to ask him - Only for him to find Logan's hand outstretched, the scent of cocoa filling his senses, as his cup was sitting calmly in his grasp. All safe, and filled to the brim with hot chocolate.

"I suppose I had."

Patton's lip reached up into a slight smile, softly grabbing the cup from him as a quiet 'thank you' rolled off his mouth, placing the cup against his lips, taking a gentle sip - Gosh, was the beverage so delicious from just a quick swig. He pleasantly hummed, locking eyes with Logan when he lowered the cup just a bit, failing to notice the pinkish shade that delicately dusted the nerd's cheeks.

"Woah, when did you learn to make hot chocolate, Lo?" He glanced back into the mix of a delicate white and brown twisting together, "It tastes amazing!"

Logan paused for a moment, blinking profusely. A light cough played from his mouth, his blush intensifying as he wracked up a response. "I believe a cooking book may have been involved." He sputtered out, stretching out his hand before reaching behind to rub the nape of his neck.

It was Patton's turn to blink profusely, a giggle sprouting from his lips. Logan nearly started disfunctioning when a pat came into his shoulder.

"Don't be nervous, Lo. It's okay." Patton removed his hand, Logan's eyes flying wide as Patton's grin widened, "But do explain how you did it. My love for cooking cannot be espresso!"

Logan discarded his fascination and sighed.

----

A bundle of purple popped out from atop the living room couch, a pair of eyes soon sprouting out after, frantically searching across the room before landing on a pair. "There!" They whisper-yelled, popping out from the couch to reveal a fairly tanned man. A groan erupted from beneath him, popping out from beside the boy before they muttered.

"Is this necessary, Virgil? This is the second beauty nap you decided to disturb!"

Virgil glazed down at the man before him, rolling his eyes before leaning down to kiss him on the tip of his nose. "You'll get your sleep later, Sleeping Beauty. But right now, we've got mom and dad in a bit of a romantic tangle." He gestured towards Patton and Logan, who were both busy being a blushing mess.

"Them?"

Virgil nodded.

Roman gave in with a sigh, "Fine." He blowed off the hair that currently framed his face, "What do you think we should do?"

"Dunno. You're the one who's the embodiment of creativity here." He crossed his arms. "You think you can think of something?"

The tip of Roman's lip teased with a light smirk.

"Definitely."

Roman hopped up from the chair they were in, giving Virgil a soft peck on his lip, before skipping towards the couple, hiding behind the wall, a proudful huff smoking into the air.

----

"And that's why I love dogs a latte!"

Logan sighed from exasperation, fingers itching forward to grab his cup. Patton's giggle emitted off joy, Roman popping up from above his hiding spot, a mischievous smile plastered across his perfectly tanned face. His fingers twisted, a tiny little speck of light appearing, before it travelled through his pointer, over to the pair. He lunged his finger back into place, slipping back into his position, biting back a chuckle as his ears openly listened throughout the rest of the conversation.

Logan's grasp tightened around his cup - Huh, weird. It felt more lighter than before? - before it reached against his lip, expecting to feel the beverage slither across his tongue, as he sighed once more in content, the retorts he would normally generate melting from the welcoming warmth of the hot chocolate.

Except, nothing happened.

Patton's gasp was the first thing he heard, his right eye opening as he gazed down on the moral side. Patton simply gestured to his cup, his blush becoming more visible -

- Oh. It wasn't his cup.

"A mistletoe?"

The realization left Logan breathless. The heat from before crawled up from his toes to his cheeks, a deep shade of scarlet brushing all over his face. It appeared to him that Patton felt the same - The mistletoe dangled from Logan's hold, Patton directly in front of him, his eyes twinkling with wonder and mild confusion. Logan swallowed a lump in his throat; Out of all the things that this scenario could be executed, it had to be now? Early in the morning, while nothing even happened yet?

"I- It's okay if- If you don't want to kiss m- Wait, I mean-" Patton frantically tried to collect his words, apologies rolling of his mouth. The words stunned Logan, shaking his head in dismissal, placing the mistletoe back down the counter to place a finger beneath Patton's chin.

"No, I- I don't mind this at all, Patton."

Patton's blush grew deeper, appearing to be in a constant battle between smiling, or running off. Logan answered his question by simply tilting his head forward, giving him the choice to slip away if he wanted. However, Patton didn't. He hesitantly cupped Logan's cheek, his crimson filled gaze trailing down onto his lips. He puffed his cheeks out in determination, plucking his lips while he contemplated on whether or not he should actually do this.

Logan's growing discomfort was what pushed Patton to lurch forward, his lips delicately shoved against Logan's, the nerd nearly losing himself right then and there. Logan's legs wobbled, his arms instinctively wrapping around Patton's waist, a joyful sigh emitting from the man below him, Logan feeling the foreign, but comfortable weight of Patton's arms wrapping around his neck. Patton's hand carded through Logan's hair, his arms pulling Patton closer to deepen the kiss.

The kiss wasn't anything like they had imagined - Logan's lips felt luscious against Patton's, the scent of shivelled pencils and shredded paper filling Patton's senses to the brim; The favorful, earthy smell of nostalgia. Patton's scent of fresh olives and smooth lavender soothed Logan to the core of his spine, his soft, tasteful lips of sharp roses made Logan physically relax; Patton's scent was the warm, harmonious smell of a refreshing orchard on a hot summer day.

A whistle caused them to yank away from each other, both of their cheeks dusted a deep shade of red. Their gazes landed on Virgil, whose smirk so bright the sun could dim in shame, Logan's cup in between his crossed arms. Roman slapped a hand over his mouth long ago to stifle his laughter, his other hand currently averted upward, a phone in the place of his palm - Ah, so the Prince decided to record the whole ordeal. How original.

Logan's eyes rolled off to the side, his legs pushing off to Virgil, yanking off the empty cup from him. "Thank you. I'll gladly retrieve that." He commented, although it didn't necessarily hold any venom, a tiny smile played from the corners of his lips. Virgil's chuckle wasn't hard to catch, sending a mischievous wink towards Logan, his smirk never leaving.

"Glad you finally did it with dad, L."

"How many times do I have to tell you? I am not your mother."

"Didn't say you were."

Logan rolled his eyes once more, his head slightly leaning from behind to catch a glimpse of the other two. Roman's laughter failed to cease, Patton's face fully red as he huffed out an annoyed breath.

"Roman! Please delete that!"

"Sorry, Padre. But I won't let neither of you live this down."

"Hnnngh!" Patton stuck his bottom lip out, pouting as he crossed his arms, kicking the carpet. If the brunet wasn't red, he would surely be right now. Roman would've screamed at how adorable he was, but laughing currently got him distracted. Logan's light blush came back from before, nearly gushing at his puckered cheeks Patton gave.

"I don't blame you, Lo. Patton's cute." Virgil's voice called out from behind him.

Logan craned his neck, facing the other, as he cocked a brow, "Are you indicating something here?"

"No. But let's face it, anyone would date him."

Logan's brow raised, his blush fading, "Even you?"

"Even me." Virgil added, fluttering his eyelashes shut, insestifying his smirk. He risked opening an eye when he got no reply, only to see Logan giving him a cold look of warning. Virgil sprung to his feet, all bravado washing off of him as he quickly covered up an excuse, "Oh, no don't be jealous- It'll be entirely platonic, I'm just sayin'. I'm not going to take Patton. I promise."

Logan gave in with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, "You are... vexatious, Virgil."

"Thanks, Lo. I try," Virgil's smile was fond, leaning back against the wall as relief passed over him like a warm blanket. Logan responded with another roll of his eyes, nodding as he took his leave, his legs walking off to the other two, adjusting his tie before he cleared his throat.

"Alright." The two were completely unaware of him, both of them freezing, before sharing a gaze and glancing at him, both of their lips breaking into an awkward smile, "I think it is about time we start our festivities for today's holiday."

"Wow, teach. You're treating this like this is some professional event." Roman commented, fanning away his invite like a fly, "Though, you are correct. It's Merry Bitchmas, guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Why not start this day with gingerbread houses?" Roman boasted, Patton looking like he was about to scold his profanity, before he quickly bit back the scold.

"I was thinking we should hang the star for the Christmas tree-" Patton shot Logan a look, the words instantly burning on his tongue, a swallow finishing the suggestion. "Fine." He conceded, sagging his shoulders forward, before a sigh escaped from his parted lips. Well, there goes his perfectly stacked plan.

"Great! Onwards now, boys-"

"Wait, I'll contradict," Logan interrupted Roman, running a hand through his face, "Are everyone's presents ready? We're starting our gift exhange on noon- If that is alright?" He turned to glance at Virgil, a nod sent at his way, his smirk visibly plastered back on his face. Logan's gaze moved to land on Roman, who looked slightly perturbed at the sudden interruption, but nonetheless he nodded as well. He then turned to Patton, his gaze softening.

"What about you, Patton?"

Patton's beam lit up the place, his enthusiastic nod causing a smile to creep up Logan's lips. Roman chuckled a little, before he boasted once more.

"Magnificent! Looks like we're all set. Now can we-"

"Oh- Sorry Roman, but I forgot about the presents!" Roman was interrupted again, Patton's lunge of his feet fighting off the uncomfortable silence as his feet skidded across the floor, hastily running up the stairs. The room fell silent, thunder-like pats creeking from upstairs, before a loud bang defeaned the room.

No sound left any of the men's mouth. A few moments pass, before an offended noise sounded from Roman's lungs, followed by a snicker from Virgil, then laughter insinuated between the three - Even Logan joined in. The room lit up like a thousand fireflies, the laughter full of pure joy, Christmas cheer can be ceased in shame. Their smiles were wide, genuine, that even the sun cannot defeat. Patton came down to check what the ruckus was about, but only saw the three in a huddle on the floor, giggles and chuckles rolling off their mouths. A smile tipped into the corner of Patton's lips, his gaze softening as he slipped out a chuckle of his own as well.

Hmm... Yeah, maybe the Holiday would be great after all.

And Patton couldn't be more happier for his family, his sigh of pure mirth, rolling out into the thick, joyful Christmas air.

----

Oh my goodness, this took four days to finish-

*coUGH* Aaaaaaaahh!!!! Here it is!!! I hope you enjoyed it, darlings- Hnnnn, I'm so nervous on posting this- Buuuut, yeee!!!

@secretsanders ♡ [Oh! And also tagging the wonderful, @ask-patton-sanders-and-friends since they wanted to! I deeply appreciate them for the validation, and motivation they gave me! Love ya so much, dear. ♡♡♡ ]

[writing-mermaid]

Don’t wake me please from this winter dream

Prompt : James’ first Christmas

Words : 3 419

Author’s note : Let’s have some Christmas fluff ! 

Warnings : None

Song of the title : Winter Dreams - Kelly Clarkson

Masterlist - Series masterlist

“Here we are James, you’re ready to go to uncle Tony’s Christmas party”, I tell my eight-months old son, dressed into a lovely Christmas elf costume looking like mine, tickling his little round belly, his happy and soft giggles resonating in the room. It’s almost Christmas and his first one. I want it to be special, even if he doesn’t really realize it yet. I take a last look at him, he’s adorable in his little green and white costume.

“Mommy’s going to take a picture to send to grandma and give one to aunt Rebecca in her old people home”, I say to James, holding my phone in front of us to take a selfie. “Make a big smile baby.” I press the button and the result is wonderful. We should make it our Holiday card, Bucky just missed on the picture. My beloved and adorable husband is downstairs, with Bruce, Steve, Sam and Tony to prepare the party the last organized for kids in need. We’re giving a big party with a tree, presents for the guests, pictures with Santa, Christmas biscuits and sweets with hot chocolate. The whole tower is decorated with Santas, candy canes, little Christmas trees, mistletoe, reindeers and elves characters. This party promises to be a success. I place James on one of my hip, my mobile in a pocket in my costume and head to the elevator to meet the other Avengers. When we step in, James looks at his reflection in the mirror and claps his hands happily. “Are you ready to show to daddy how cute you are in those outfits ? And to your aunts and uncles. We’re going to eat Christmas biscuits, sweets, drink hot chocolate, and I’m sure your dad will make my favorite one, with cinnamon and whipped cream with nuts on top. And you are going to meet Santa, see kids from the city, you’ll be the youngest, but the cutest”, James’ piercing blue-grey eyes stare at me, while he’s listening to every word I tell him, smiling with the five teeth he has in his mouth. “And then, after that, tonight, it’s Christmas eve, we will have a great dinner and a lot of fun and tomorrow morning, when you’ll wake up, you will find a lot of presents, new toys and stuffed animals. And all of that with your family, our family”, I add, smiling to him. As soon as the elevator’s doors open, Christmas music fills the air and string lights are showing the way to the huge first floor meeting room that we use for the missions’ debriefing, that Tony planned to open on the adjacent living room. I prop up James again on my hip and start to walk in the hallway, Tony comes and meets us half-way. “Here are the mom and the most adorable kid in the universe !”, he exclaims, James holding his arms to him, for Tony to take him. “Come here to say hello to your old uncle Tony you little elf.” I give James to him and my son grabs the sunglasses Tony has on his nose. “James, baby, no, give it back to uncle Tony, that’s not a toy !”, I say, taking the glasses from my baby’s grip. “That’s okay Y/N, leave it to him”, Tony answers. “No, Tony, he has to learn that when things are not for him, he can’t take and have it”, I add, giving back to the man in front of me his belongings. “You two are really cute dressed like this. Wait to see the metal man, I think you’re gonna like it”, he chuckles before handing me back my baby boy and walking away. He’s the one who’s going to welcome the kids and their parents. Even if people don’t see it, Tony has a great heart behind his image of playboy, billionaire, he’s also a philanthropist, as he describes himself. James really likes him and Tony reciprocates it. I resume my path to the decorated rooms. At the second I pass the door, my eyes widen, there is Christmas lights and decorations everywhere, a Santa throne has been put against one of the walls, on a little stage with a red carpet showing the way to it. I don’t know which one of the boys is going to play Santa and what will be the role of the others. Tony is not going to disguise as he welcomes the families, coming straight away from the hospital, because this for that kind of kids he organized this party, those who are sick and stuck in the hospital for a long time, he thought that it could bring them joy to meet Santa and the Avengers. “Hey Y/N”, Sam pops up behind me followed by T'Challa who bows his head to say hello. They both are dressed in their gears. “Hello little Manchurian Candidate.” “Please, don’t call my son like that.” “That kid looks like his father more and more, and he’s only eight months. He has your nose though, and your cheekbones, but all the rest is Barnes’ spitting image.” “You know what, I don’t mind, I would love him no matter who he looks like, me or his father.” “Speaking of his father, I think you’re going to love his outfits”, he laughs. “You’re the second person to tell me this”, I tell him. “You’ll see”, he grins. T'Challa moves on my other side, James looking at him with fascination. The Wakandan king dark skin fascinates him when he’s used to being around all kind of people. When his gaze rises to the Black Panther’s eyes, James starts to babble. “I think he likes you”, I say smiling to my royal friend who stares at James into his deep blue eyes from his black ones.

Some steps are heard from the door of the meeting room and someone comes in dressed as Santa. “Hi guys”, Bruce awkwardly says. “Hey little James, how are you doing ?”, he leans towards my baby who manages to run his hands through the long white beard the doctor is wearing. “Hey doll”, I suddenly hear behind me. I turn around and Bucky is in my sight and I can’t help myself to burst out laughing, James almost slipping from my hold, caught by T'Challa before he lands on the floor. “Oh my God, I can’t breathe !”, I still laugh, bend in two, my arms holding my sides. “You look absolutely stunning my love”, I add, wiping a tear from my eye. In front of me, stands my husband, former Howling Commando and deadly assassin, James Buchanan Barnes, dressed as a… reindeer with a brown disguise, hears and antlers on a headband and a red nose. “Please, stop laughing”, Bucky begs me. “I look ridiculous.” “No you, don’t, I promise”, I answer him, while wiping my eyes once again. “You look lovely, Rudolph.” “Stop it, you just promised.” “I’m just teasing you, I’m joking babe”, I tell him, wrapping my arms around him. From T'Challa’s arms, James holds his arms towards us, making grabby hands to his father in order to be taken in his arms. Bucky takes him, and he immediately buries his little head in the crook of his neck, his cheek hugging the soft material of Bucky’s disguise. “He looks really cute in that outfit”, James lifts his little head when he hears his father talking about his elf costume, staring back at him with the same eyes and blinking a few times at Bucky’s accessories. “It looks great on you too by the way.” “Yeah, maybe, I don’t know what I have to be an elf and that some girl we don’t even know has the right to be Mrs Claus, I’d love to be Mrs Claus”, I pout. “Believe me, I’d rather have you as Mrs Claus than that sort of fury the hospital has imposed. Plus, I saw her in the outfit and I can definitely say that you would have looked better in it.” “Hey, wait I saw that outfit too, and I don’t agree with that !”, Bucky suddenly snaps. “There’s no way I let my wife play someone else’s wife, or you have to give me the Santa outfit.” “Nope, I’ve been chosen to be Santa”, Bruce answers to this. “Why don’t you want me to borrow your wife just for an afternoon ?” “Buck, please, don’t be a bear.” “I’m not being a bear, I protect what’s mine and the people I love”, he adds, pulling me closer to him, whilst James starts to play with his ears and antlers headband and his red nose, twittering at it. “What’s happening baby”, Bucky tells James, “you like daddy’s nose and headband. Wanna try ?”, he says, putting it on our son’s head and nose. James giggles and claps his hands again as he did when he saw his face in the elevator’s mirror, happy to have everyone’s attention. I lean my head on Bucky’s shoulder, watching him interfere with our son. They always look at each other with some kind of fascination, and they are so alike, in addition to their physical resemblance. James’ expressions are the same as Bucky’s, his smile too. My little boy is going to be a heart-breaker. “What did you do to my godson ?”, Steve’s voice suddenly rises from the door. “Is he some kind of hybrid of an elf and a reindeer ?” Steve is dressed the same way as Bucky, except that his nose is black. He’s closely followed by Natasha, Wanda and Vision. I notice that Nat’s hand brushes Steve’s, they share a quick glance and I figure out that there is something between them. If it’s what I’m thinking about, I’m happy for the both of them, they deserve to be happy. “I see everyone is here ! Good !”, a woman in her mid-thirty, dressed as Mrs Claus, exclaims with a twangy voice that makes James cringe in his father’s arms. “I see that some of you are dressed as I asked and some others are in their Avengers outfits. Oh ! And the baby is even dressed, that’s wonderful !”, she adds turning to us and trying to touch James’ cheek, who once again, hides his little face in Bucky’s neck, he must take after me for this. “Come to mommy darling”, I tell him, before slipping my hands under his arms. When he’s settle to my arms, Bucky takes back the headband and the nose : “Daddy is going to give it back to you later”, he says, pinching his little nose. “Be ready, the kids are going to be here in a few moments !”, she excitedly screams. And she’s right, less than ten minutes later, a group of around twenty kids and their parents pass the door, Tony following close. Janna the organizer set me up at the buffet, to give kids cakes, sweets and sodas, and also coffee for their parents, according to her, it was the best place to keep James with me. The kids come from time to time ask for a piece of cake or something to drink or to see James, between two pictures with Santa or games, while the parents come to talk to me from time to time asking me what life here with the Avengers looks like and also I notice them looking at James, wondering who his father could be. After two hours of babbling with his new ‘friends’, James yawns. “I know a little boy who’s tired and who needs to take his nap !”, I say, lifting him from his highchair, his thumb in his mouth, holding in his other arm his Winter Soldier bear. “You must be with us tonight, because it’s your first Christmas, and we want you to stay awake with us.” James leans his head on my shoulder, lifting his beautiful blue gaze to me as he understands that this night is really important, before closing them as I start to walk to the elevator. Before, exiting the door, I mouth to Bucky that I take our son somewhere quieter for him to sleep, he nods in return and discretely points a hidden corner of the room for me to find him when I come back. “Here you are”, I lay him in his bed. “Sleep my little angel, mommy loves you so much”, I say leaving the room with one last look to see my son already sleeping. I go back downstairs, where Bucky is waiting for me in the corner he pointed to me. I put down the baby-phone on the table I was previously stood behind and I join my husband on his spot. “How are you doing, doll ?”, he asks me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Fine, that’s amazing to see joy on all those little faces, bringing them some joy into sickness”, I answer him while I put my arms around his neck, and he leans his forehead against mine. “You’re so amazing with kids and when I see you with James, I can’t help myself to be sure that I made the best choice of my life keeping him and accepting to marry you.” “That’s also the best decision of my life. Have you seen under what we’re standing ?”, he says rising his head at the same time as I rise mine. “Mistletoe”, I almost whisper. “You know what it means”, he brings me closer and his lips brush mine. “I love you, you know that.” “I do, and I love you too.”

Hide behind a curtain we start to kiss each other softly but it quickly changes to a heavy make out session, Bucky holding me as close as he can to his body. “Why are you two kissing ?”, someone interrupts us. We stop, swollen lips, turning to the voice, still holding each other very close. “Because we’re married”, Bucky is the first one to regain his composure. “That’s impossible, you can’t be !”, the kid states. “Yes, we are, we also have a baby”, I tell him. “No, you can’t, that’s impossible”, he insists. “And why that young one ?”, Bucky asks. “Because, she’s an elf and you’re a reindeer !”, the child concludes, as if it was the obvious answer, causing me to burst out laugh for the second time in a day. “And if you have a baby, he must be some kind of hybrid.” “Oh, no, believe me, our baby is perfectly normal.” “Okay, I’m stopping it, I’m over of that shit, I’m gonna put my own clothes back, I’d rather meet kids as me.” He pecks my lips one last time before leaving. I turn to the kid who has his mouth hanging. “Come on kiddo, let’s find your parents”, I tell him grabbing his hand. When Bucky comes back a few minutes later, dressed in his Winter Soldier gear, a part of the kids run to him to have a hug or a picture. “Hey guys”, he says, “do you see the pretty girl over there, in the elf costume, that’s my wife, and remember the baby next to her earlier, that’s my baby and this year, it’s the first Christmas for the three of us.” “I didn’t know that you were a daddy”, a little girl says. “Yes, I’m a daddy, his name is James, and he changed my word in the best way possible”, he explains them, looking at me with a smile, holding his metal hand to me to pull me in a tight hug. “But, she can’t be married to you”, the kid from earlier speaks up. “She’s married to the reindeer.” People around us laugh just before Janna tells everyone that the party is over. Each of the kid goes back home or to the hospital with presents, pictures and dreams all over their heads. “Well people”, Tony claps his hands. “You have one hour to be ready for our Christmas eve.” Bucky and I head back to our floor hand in hand, impatient to see if our son is awake. James is sitting in his bed, playing with his Winter Soldier and his Captain America bears, babbling at them, too busy to notice us. “Come on little Barnes, time to dress up”, I take him from his crib and lead him to the bathroom where our clothes are waiting. “And here they are the last one, when they live here”, Tony playfully mocks when Bucky, James and me pass the common room door the lasts. “We have a baby, Tony, it takes a few times to get him prepared.” “Yeah, you’ve got a point. But now you are here, just come in.” As we step into the room, the three of us looks everywhere, enchanted by the beauty of it. There are lights everywhere and a huge tree decorated with baubles and tinsels. James looks everywhere around him, not knowing where to look first, the lights, the tree, I glance at my eight-months old son fascinated by what is surrounding him. “Hey Barnes family, I’ve got a surprise for you”, Tony tells us. “Hello kids !” “Mom”, I say, almost running to her with James in my arms. “What are you doing here ? I thought you were going at your brother’s.” “I was supposed to”, she answers, “but I rather being here with my daughter, my grandson and my son-in-law”, she smiles, taking James in her arms. “Hello, Bucky.” “Ma'am”, he responds, his arms finding their way around my waist and his chin my shoulder. “Hi, Mrs Y/L/N, nice to see you again”, Steve salutes her. “Me too Steven. It’s always a pleasure to see all of you guys”, my mom greets my friends. “So now that everyone is here”, Tony speaks up, “let’s have dinner !” We all take place around the table, James between Bucky and me in his highchair, my mom next to me, Natasha and Steve next to each other and so are Wanda and Vision, Bruce and Tony at each corner of the table, Sam, Rhodey and the whole Barton family, all of us ready to share a Christmas family dinner. The evening is spent in joy and at midnight, the kids get their presents. I sit James in front of one of his and show him that he has to rip pour the paper around the box. He starts to giggle and grabs a piece of paper and then pull it to him. The clear laugh of my son fills the whole room. I’m so happy that his first Christmas is a success, even if he doesn’t really realize what happens around him for now. When all the presents are open, I pick James up again in my arms, my little man looks so happy, his grey-blue eyes sparkling, a wide smile on his face, reveling the few teeth he has in his mouth. Bucky comes next to us and ruffles James’ chestnuts hair. I take the sight of my husband, dressed in a grey suit, his long hair pulled in a bun, he’s simply stunning and breathtaking. Once again, I lost myself in that blue gaze he gave to our baby, smiling at him, I never thought it was possible to love someone so much and loving two as I love both of my boys. “Look, it’s snowing !”, Lila suddenly screams. We all rush to the windows to see the white flakes falling from the sky. “Look baby, it’s snow”, I show to James. “Tomorrow we’ll take you outside for you to have a better view.” James claps his hands, happy to discover new things. “Hey, doll.” “Yes, baby.” “Look up.” I lift my head and for the second time of the day, we’re standing under the mistletoe. Bucky bends his head and put down a loving kiss on my lips. “I love you”, he whispers against my mouth. “I love you too”, I answer. And then, the same idea crosses our minds, our lips putting kisses on both of James’ cheeks. “And we love you”, we tell him at the same time, our baby still giggling of happiness. His first Christmas is really a success.

[eottoghe]

Little Boxes - Nine

A Jeonghceol Domestic AU where they live in suburbia with their six year old son Chan. Jeonghan is an active member of the PTA, a soccer dad and chauffeur, and a supportive parent all around. His loving husband cares deeply for his passions and will follow him to the end of the world if it keeps him and his family happy. Follow their journey as they get caught up in fun and zany adventures when they fall outside of the guide lines of your average neighbor. Don’t really know where I’m going with this, but I want to see how many different domestic prompts I can get out of this AU before I run out of steam.

First Chapter

Previous Chapter

"Can you please put the sweater back on?" Jeonghan is wrestling with the laces of his new Doc Martens (all the cool kids are wearing them nowadays) all while policing Chan from a distance. The kid is less than subtle about his distaste for the article of clothing by the way he carelessly tosses it aside. It'd been 30 minutes of back and forth banter between the two. It was the great debate over what Chan was most “comfortable” in. It was clear who held the power. And just in case it wasn’t… it’s Chan.

Jeonghan made a point to purchase outfits that had similar color schemes or designs in hopes that they would get the perfect picturesque family photos during their outings. Carefully, he would scan the stores for hours to find the clothes that closely resembled each other in his, Seungcheol’s and Chan’s sizes. It was no easy feat so he’d appreciate it if Chan appreciated his effort. The six-year-old doesn’t understand it now, but he’ll thank him later. Jeonghan is sure.

Jeonghan had been sorting through several sweaters to match their “sweater weather” theme for the night, but Chan had a complaint with every. single. one. This one's too tight. This one's too long. I hate the color green. 

Which he totally did not, Jeonghan might add.

He finally decided to put his foot down and was dead set on this candy-apple red, knitted sweater trio he’d found earlier this season. He told Chan there were no more butts on this one and left to get ready himself. But, each time Jeonghan would force the damned garment over his head, he'd turn around not five minutes later to see Chan in nothing but his dark washed jeans, undershirt and snowman socks.

"I don't wanna!" Chan whines before giving the discarded sweater a little kick. Jeonghan inhales a deep, murder-doesn't-look-good-on-a-resume breath and just barely bites back the annoyance in his voice.

"And why not?"

As if it's the most obvious thing in the world, a true fact only dummies wouldn't know, Chan fusses, "Because it's itchy!"

Seungcheol takes that as his cue and stands up from the couch where he'd been tapping his foot in boredom. His back grew stiff due to his hunched over shoulders. The amount of time it took the two to get ready on average was rivaled by no other. But today was exceptionally long. Of course, if he ever told his husband that, Jeonghan would have his head so instead, he quietly keeps to himself.

That is, until the 6th time Chan stripped. It was really getting old.

"You said that about the last three." Seungcheol interjected.

Chan, standing at the top of the stairs, arms crossed over his chest, pouts at his dad, but Seungcheol isn't deterred. "Well your dad and I are going to be matching. You don't want to feel left out do you?" Chan shakes his head "no" even if you can still see the defiance burning in his eyes. It's actually quite adorable when you don't consider the fact that they're 10 minutes behind on top of a 15-minute drive without traffic. 

"So will you please put back on the red sweater?" After a long staring match, Seungcheol tacked on, "If not for me, do it for your tummy! They'll have hot chocolate and I'll let you get as many marshmallows as you want."

That does the trick well enough as Chan grabs the sad lump of knitted cotton from the floor. His arm gets stuck in the neck hole while his neck gets stuck in the arm hole, but that's more progress than they've had all night. Jeonghan sighs in relief. Of course, Seungcheol could have helped earlier when he noticed Jeonghan couldn’t get ready because of the attention given to Chan, but he won’t ruin the mood with that detail.

When they're all finally dressed and Chan balances the reindeer antler headband on his head, they're off to the car, fighting their way through the chilly winter.

Wrapped in a plush, snowy white blanket, Chan is nestled in between his parents. The tour hasn't officially begun, yet Chan already seems like he's about to burst with excitement. The trolley they’re in has glossy wooden benches lined down the middle, while the sides serve as walkways. The old-fashioned style of the trolley has golden accents making Chan think it’s fancier than it really is. But the best part is that they’ve lined the bus with Christmas lights and have already began playing festive music. If he wasn’t in the mood for it before, he surely is now.

They’re still sitting at the port, waiting for people to file in. They picked this one in particular because of the complimentary heated blankets and snacks. Both Jeonghan and Seungcheol knew Chan would be standing up out of his seat and venturing around once they got going, but for now, it’s nice to just share the space.

It’s funny how Jeonghan had been the one to suggest the Christmas lights tour. Seungcheol knows from personal experience that Jeonghan and the cold don’t mix. Yet there he is, risking his comfort to ride around in an open window, old fashioned bus on this frigid winter night. He mentioned seeing it in the movies one night and apparently couldn’t shake the idea from his head. Snuggling up against the ones you love, drinking hot chocolate all while seeing the pretty Christmas lights twinkling around you. It imprinted itself on his mind, convincing him from the beginning that he wanted that experience. Even when a soft breeze sweeps by bringing shivers, the bubbly atmosphere makes it all seem much warmer.

There are heaters by their feet and above their heads so they aren’t consumed by the overwhelming cold, but when they’re in a vehicle with no windows, there’s only so much they can do.

Seungcheol wants to reach out and boop his husband's red nose. Maybe make a joke about how he looks like Rudolph. Maybe tease him for the slight tremble of his goose bumped skin. Instead, he brings his arm around his shoulders, pulling both Jeonghan and Chan closer. The move makes the youngest of their trio giggle with his body firmly trapped in between the two. Chan’s hyper feet kick as he complains, “Daddy is squishing me!”. A choir of angels singing truly can’t compare to his son’s laugh. It’s the most refreshing and healing sound and Seungcheol is so grateful to have it in his life. He always gets so soft around the two when they look so happy.

Soon after, the trolley began its journey, slowly weaving through rows of lights strung up in elaborate patterns.

It was dark, sure, but their family shined radiantly under the glow of reds and greens. Chan, as expected, got up from his seat and climbed dutifully into Seungcheol’s lap. The view seemed much better to him that way. And to top it off, “Santa Tell Me” played through the trolley’s speakers. It had somehow found its way into the little one’s heart. Jeonghan should be used to it, but it still caught him off guard every time Chan began singing full lyrics in English. Hell, the boy probably knew more of it than he did. And even when Frozen’s “Let it Go” came on, Seungcheol joined in to harmonize with the overjoyed kid in his lap. Jeonghan made sure to take a video of the two while they were distracted. His husband was bold and loud when he wanted to be, but if he knew Jeonghan was recording, he’d get all shy in an instant.

The staff came around with thick paper cups, steam gently rising from their warmth. Reluctantly, Jeonghan removed his arms from the comfort of his blanket cocoon to take one for Chan and one for himself. Before Jeonghan could give him the “behave” glare, Chan was already asking if he could have extra marshmallows. Seungcheol had basically promised him he could get however many he wanted and Chan was never one to forget. The kind woman handing them out decided to give him a separate cup of marshmallows to go along with his hot chocolate because “he’s just too precious!”. Chan was simply irresistible and even strangers were trapped under his charm. Jeonghan definitely thinks he gets it from Seungcheol.

By the end of the night, their hands were numb and their noses frosted. But Jeonghan still needed his family photo!

They gathered in front of the Christmas tree, back at the trolley’s main station. Jeonghan grabbed one of the passersby and asked if they could take a quick picture for them. They posed for the camera, arms slung around each other and chattering teeth smiling wide. In the end, they decided to keep their coats on so it truly didn’t matter that they took time matching anyway, but the idea of it was unifying enough.

Years from now when Jeonghan looks back at these pictures, he’ll be able to recall the happiness bubbling from his tummy as the hot chocolate, knitted sweaters, and love from his family keeps him warm.

~~

If baby Chan had a birthday party, what would the theme be?

I’m a day or so late. I’d been planning this for a month, but it still took me forever to get it out and it’s incredibly short. Don’t hate me please! Thank you for reading and enjoy some sweet Christmas fluff. Whether you celebrate or not, I hope the day was still great for you. 

Next Chapter

[kee-writestrashh]

Guns for Hire

Ramsay Bolton x Reader

Ao3

Summary:  You are the wife to the Heir of the Red Kings, Ramsay Bolton. living the undercover life of a mob wife has its perks, and you love your husband. But you find out something that seems to unfold a series of unwanted events...

Chapter 4: Friday Night Brawls

You adjusted your green and red elf skirt, placed your little hat on, and gave yourself one last look in the mirror. You frowned thinking of all the clothes and outfits you would probably never be able to wear again when summer rolled around.

You loved dressing up for holidays. Ramsay wasn't a fan, but money was money. This costume was a bit more modest as you wore tights under the skirt because it was cold as shit. Thankfully the snow had been put on hold.

You walked into the living room. Ramsay was sprawled out on the couch watching TV and biting at his nails.

"Alright, baby. I gotta go." You said stopping at the end of the couch.

"Take the Nova." Ramsay said, sitting up as you walked in. He held out the keys.

You narrowed your eyes, "why?"

"Because I said. Be a good girl. Don't argue."

You took the keys and leaned down to kiss your husband. He pulled you down into his lap and kissed you hungrily. You melted into him as he kissed across your jaw and worried what was surely a large and very prominent hickey on your neck. He often liked to mark you before you went to work. You were his and he wasn't about to let anyone forget that.

He finally let go of you. You smiled, giving him one last quick kiss. He slapped your ass when you turned around to leave.

"I'll see you later?" You asked, opening the front door and glancing back at your husband.

He simply nodded.

×××

You walked through the backdoor, hanging up your keys and then hanging up your purse in a locker, exchanging it for your waist apron.

"Oly! I'm here!" You called, glancing around. The bar didn't open officially for another thirty minutes tonight, so it was just you and Olyvar until the new girls showed up.

"Up front! Finishing the decorations!" Olyvar's voice called.

You walked into the cavernous, empty bar. Olyvar too was dressed as an elf, in his green tunic and red tights. He was standing on the counter hanging the last of the Christmas lights.

"Be a dear and plug them in?" Your coworker asked.

You followed the trail of lights to the outlet and plugged them in.

Olyvar jumped down from the counter, jingling as he did so from his bells on his slippers and hat, admiring his handiwork.

"Not too shabby." You said, looking around the festive place. "So, what company?"

"Lion Gate." Olyvar said, walking behind the counter, grabbing two glasses and pouring out two shots.

You felt a panic surge through you. Lion Gate was owned by Tywin Lannister, head of the Rampant Lions. The Rampant Lions and the Red Kings had been at war in the city and surrounding areas for a long time. While Ramsay was heir to the Red Kings, he had formed his own little gang, the Bastard's Boys that he kept busy with the most. If the Lannister's showed up, it was sure to be trouble. What were they playing at? They didn't hold any ground or footing on this side of town.

"What were you thinking? They can't come here. If Ramsay finds out..." You began as Olyvar downed his shot.

"We are one of the best places in the city of a Friday night. And, money is money."

Olyvar pushed the second glass to you, but you shook your head. "I can't."

Olyvar scrunched his brow before realization spread over his face and he practically squealed like a teenage girl.

"Oh. My. God! How exciting! When did you find out? What was Ramsay like? Tell me everything!" He said, smiling broadly.

Olyvar was one of your oldest friends. He had started working at the bar when you did, both putting yourselves through school. But when the bar owner died he had split the place between you both. Olyvar did work from time to time for Ramsay, selling things on the side. He was like a brother to you, and it didn't hurt that he was into men. You assumed this to be the only reason Ramsay never said anything about you talking to him, or being friendly with him.

You took a seat and smiled, "well, I found out yesterday afternoon after Ramsay left. I've been feeling like shit for like two months now. Cramps. Headaches. Constant upset stomach. And then remembered I hadn't had my period in months. So on the way here I picked up a test and it said yes. I was actually kind if afraid of how Rams would react. We had never talked about it before. So, anyway, I told him last night and he demanded we go get some tests. You know him. Well, I took four. They all said yes. I guess he's excited. But, hard to tell. He doesn't really express excitement. Then he made me an appointment this morning and the doctor said I was about eight or nine weeks. Heard the heartbeat and I wanted to cry. It was so amazing. I have an appointment on the third to get an ultrasound done." You gushed, glad to have someone to tell.

"Little baby Bolton. This city is not ready for that." Olyvar said with a laugh.

You laughed. He was not wrong. There was a knock on the front door. You glanced at the clock. 4:45. You got up from your stool and walked to the front door, letting Damon and Ben in. You gave them both smiles, which they didn't really return.

Ramsay probably religiously threatened them to not look at you. He was a very scary person when angry, or bored. Whichever.

"We're streaming the fight tonight. Sure we'll be fine with only four of us and the two in the kitchen?" Olyvar asked turning on the various TV screens.

"Yeah. I think. Sorry, I forgot all about the fight. But we've had bigger events with fewer. Maybe could have done with a couple extra hands in the kitchen though. See if you can get anyone else to come in to kitchen duty?" You said, as two girls walked in.

Roslin was a quiet college student, who was looking to make a bit of extra money. She wasn't overly pretty with her dull eyes and mousy Brown hair, but she wasn't ugly either. But you weren't sure bartending would be something she was cut out for. She was timid and you were afraid of men taking advantage of her innocence as far as the bar scene went. But you had hired her anyways. Remembering how you were when you had first come here. And now look at you. Wife to the heir of a multi million dollar organized crime family.

You had no worries with the other girl, Tyene. She was loud, wild, and more than capable of handling herself. She had been working here for a couple weeks now, and the men loved her. Her dark skin, hair, and eyes made her stand out. Made then men pay extra attention, and money. She was born to hustle and get what she wanted. If she proved her worth, loyalty, and cunning you may talk Ramsay into getting her in with the girls.

"Hey hey!" Tyene cried, putting her reindeer antler headband on.

"Glad to see we all dressed up." You said, grinning broadly, looking the two girls over as Tyene snapped on a big, red blinking nose.

Roslin flushed and gave a timid twirl in her Mrs. Claus dress.

"Alright, so it's us four tonight on the floor. Kitchen will be a bit understaffed, as it's only Mac and Dag, tonight unless we can get a couple more in. So only finger foods and appetizers tonight. Big party coming in, plus the fight. I'm assuming you advertised we were playing it?" You said, glancing at Olyvar, who gave a nod. You left him in charge of the Facebook page and other advertising outlets.

"Great. So, we will be crowded and busy. Anything you make you keep, other than prices of the drinks and food. Remember ladies, they can look, but they cannot touch you. We may not be a strip club, but we follow those same rules. Anyone gives you any problems just raise your fist in the air and Ben or Damon here will come to your aid." You motioned to the two burly men. "Don't let no man give you any shit. Feel free to drink, just remember to pay for it, and stay with it enough to do your jobs. By the time the night is over, you ladies will be very happy." You continued, clapping your hands and glancing at the clock. The two cooks walked into the bar and giving you thumbs up before disappearing into the kitchen to let you know they were there.

As assumed, the bar filled quickly and the volume steadily increased with the flow of liquor, smoke, and smells of greasy buffalo wings, fries, and mountains of nachos.

When the Lion Gate group arrived you didn't recognize anyone that could possibly cause trouble. They seemed to just be regular employees, not gang members. But, you could be wrong. You weren't as good as Ramsay when it came to picking rival gang members out of a crowd. They were a very loud and rowdy group. Both your girls were pocketing bills like crazy, and Olyvar spent his time behind the counter mixing drinks and flirting with a couple guys.

The smoke, smells, and sounds were starting to get to you. Your stomach turned over and you suddenly felt nauseous. A headache was starting to form. You caught Olyvar's attention and mimed taking a 'time out'. He gave you a thumbs up as you disappeared to the safety of the back room.

You sighed, taking a deep breath. You pulled your phone from your apron pocket. It was almost ten. Only another hour.

You sat at a small table, resting your head on it for awhile, trying to compose yourself and fighting the urge to throw up when the police scanner in the corner sounded.

"All available units to seventy fifth and Trident. Multiple gunshot wounds. Back up requested immediately."

'No mans land.' you thought to yourself with a frown. What was Ramsay up to? Nobody every held that stretch very long.

After awhile you got a hold of yourself, stood up, and pulled a water bottle from the employee fridge, and chugged half of it before getting back to work.

"(Y/n)!" Olyvar called. You glanced over at him, who nodded to the corner to Roslin.

She was being harassed by a couple of men. Tyene was across the room cutting up with a group, and Damon and Ben were busy keeping a fight from breaking out. You frowned, clenching your jaw and stomping over to the corner.

Roslin's eyes were wide in pleading when you appeared at her side. One of the men grabbed her ass.

"Excuse me, sir. But you are not allowed to touch my girls. Release her and keep your hands to yourself or you will be asked to leave." You said, pulling Roslin away, and shielding her.

The man laughed, grabbing your hip. "Oh come on baby, it's just a bit of fun. Get into the holiday spirit. I could make it worth your while." He slammed a stack of bills on the table with a drunken laugh.

You stepped back, but his grip tightened. You narrowed your eyes at the man, "get out of my bar."

He laughed, releasing his grip and slapping your ass. You brought your hand up to slap him, but he caught your wrist.

"Or what, doll? You'll call the police?"

A hand landed on the man's shoulder and you looked to see Ramsay flanked by five men. He gripped the man's shoulder until the man squirmed in pain, fury painted all over his face.

"Unfortunately for you, we don't call the police around here." Ramsay growled as two of the men pulled the man from his seat and drug him towards the back exit.

Ramsay looked you up and down, "how many times did he touch you, baby girl?"

"Three." You said, watching the fire burn in his eyes. He gave a nod, gave you a fleeting kiss, and stalked towards the exit.

"(Y/n), I'm so sorry." Roslin squeaked.

You gave a glance at the other man. He was oddly calm, for his buddy being dragged away as he simply sat there, scrolling through his phone, pocketing the stack of cash. This made your pulse quicken. You hurried to the bar counter and then ran towards the exit.

You stepped into the alley to find Ramsay bouncing the man's head off the brick wall next door.

You averted your eyes and pursed your lips, trying to ignore the sick, crunching sound. "Rams, we have a problem. He's a Rampant. As was his buddy."

Ramsay stopped in his action, dropping the man, who fell in a heap. Ramsay grabbed the man's arm and ripped his sleeve back. On the man's forearm was a tattoo of a rampant lion in red.

Ramsay pulled a knife from his pocket. One of Ramsay's men stuffed a rag into the Lion man's mouth as Ramsay hacked at the tattoo until the skin came away. You watched in horror as Ramsay clutched the piece of skin.

"Make it clean, boys." Ramsay said, looking at the group of men. They all left quickly, pulling guns.

"Don't you make a mess in my bar!" You hissed at your husband. "The cops are already being nosy!"

Ramsay gave you a long look. "Not a drop." He said, walking past you and holding the door open.

You glanced at the severely injured man laying on the pavement. "What about him? You can't just leave him."

"Baby girl, don't worry yourself about anything. It will all be taken care of. They started it, coming to my kingdom. Now, get back in there and get back to work. The lions won't be back." Your husband said, rather impatiently.

You just gave a nod and went back inside. You hurried back to the counter, pulling Olyvar to you so you could whisper in his ear. "Volume up, lights down. Now." You hissed.

Olyvar did as you instructed. Nobody seemed to notice. They were all too absorbed in the fight and drowning in beer. You glanced around and gasped as a hand grabbed you. Instinct brought your hand up, but Ramsay's chuckle stopped you. You relaxed.

"Come on." He said, pulling you along.

You furrowed your brows, but followed him to the table the other man still sat at. Ramsay took the empty seat across from him, pulling you into his lap, as his group of men formed a tight circle around the table. He leaned forward, his wicked smirk in place.

"I believe you owe my wife an apology." He said casually to the man.

The man scoffed, "I didn't touch her, speak to her, or even look at her."

Ramsay tutted and rolled his eyes, "I said that you owe my wife an apology. I will not tell you again."

"Listen punk, I don't know who you think..." the man started, puffing up, but his words were lost as Ramsay slammed the crudely flayed tattooed skin on the table.

"Our blades are sharp." Ramsay breathed with so much malice the temperature seemed to drop.

Your stomach churned at the piece of flesh on the table. You frowned, closing your eyes, and saying a small prayer.

What happened next was a blur. You saw Ramsay pull his knife, but everything that followed wouldn't come into focus as you were on your knees, vomiting in the toilet of the bar bathroom.

"(Y/n)? Are you okay?" Came Tyene's voice.

You leaned back, heaving a shaky sigh. "Yeah, dear. I'm just... I'm pregnant. Apparently the little one didn't like what I ate last."

Which was true. Nachos had been a very bad idea. However, you weren't sure if seeing a man murdered in front of you or the morning sickness had made you wretch.

"Okay, well, your husband, I think, is waiting on you. Says you should go home and rest. I was confused at first. But now it all makes sense. Congratulations! You know, even if it's not the ideal position to be told." She said with a small laugh at the end.

Well, now you were confused. Didn't complete chaos just unleash in the bar?

You pushed yourself up, sighed, flushed the toilet, and stepped out of the stall. Tyene peered at you curiously as you washed your hands, vigorously.

"What's it like out there?" You asked, drying your hands.

"Normal? A few men were escorted out, but other than that, everyone seems to be having a hell of a time."

You sighed again. This time relieved.

Tyene held the door open for you and you stepped back on to the floor. Sure enough, it was like nothing had ever happened. Ramsay pushed his empty shot glass back to Olyvar and rose from his stool when he saw you.

He looked you over, and held out his hand.

"You sure you'll be alright without me?" You asked Olyvar.

He nodded and gave you a smile, "of course. You just worry about you. We've got this."

You nodded and let Ramsay lead you to the back room. He said nothing as he untied your apron, grabbed your purse, and the keys hanging up.

"Come on baby girl. Let's get home."

You turned to Ramsay, who was as calm as could be, lighting a cigarette.

"What the fuck just happened?" You cried, throwing your hands up.

"Business. Seat belt, baby doll." He replied simply, exhaling smoke.

"Business? I just watched you kill a man in the middle of a crowded bar and no one freaked the fuck out. Explain." You said, demanding the last part.

Ramsay gave a harsh laugh, "If no one hears, no one sees."

"What the fuck were you thinking? The cops..."

"Will know nothing." He cut across you.

"How many men did you kill?"

"Just the cunt in the alley and at the table."

"What about the others?"

"We saw them out and sent them running along with messages to deliver."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry, baby girl. Everything will be okay. You just worry about my child inside you."

You frowned. This city was about to become very unsafe. For everyone. Including the unborn child inside of you.

Fear and dread welled inside you as you burst into tears.

Ramsay raised his brows in surprise and gave you a quick look.

"This is not right! Everything is such a mess!" You sobbed, snatching your hat off and clutching it in your hand to cry into.

"Whoa there, little momma. Calm down. Everything is fine. It will be fine. I have eyes everywhere." Ramsay said, softly.

It wasn't a very reassuring voice. That wasn't him. He wasn't one to comfort.

You simply gave a sniff and nodded.

Neither of you said anything for the remainder of the trip home.

Ramsay opened your door and helped you out. He placed a kiss to your temple as he led you inside and straight to the bedroom.

You simply stood there as he undressed you, kissing each bit of skin he exposed.

"What do you want?" He asked, kissing along your collar bone.

"Something to make me forget the things I saw tonight."

"Oh come on now baby girl. It wasn't that bad." Ramsay chortled, grabbing your hips.

You rested your cheek on his chest and sighed, "Rams, I watched you smash a man's head into a brick wall and then cut his skin off. I watched you stab a man point blank across a table while I sat in your lap. You could have hurt somebody innocent. What part of that wasn't so bad?"

Ramsay placed his finger under your chin and brought your face up to look at him.

"First things first, baby girl. Nobody at a bar is innocent. Second, both of those men disrespected you. Therefore disrespecting me. I will not have that. At all."

You looked away from him. Maybe he was right. Or at least had a point. You looked back up at him and opened your mouth to say something when your breath caught. The cramps were bad enough. But the increasing nausea was getting really fucking annoying.

Ramsay raked his eyes over your face and frowned, pulling you to the bed. He undressed and slid into the bed next to you, pulling you close and running his hand through your hair until you finally fell into a deep sleep.