#ficmas 2023

[mydearlybeloathed]

𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐒

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: you decided to create a real life frosty the snowman for estelle blofis, a regular camp visitor. it goes... unexpectedly.

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: jason grace x fem!boreas!reader

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 6k (wow)

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: child of boreas reader, female reader, snowmen, ethically ambiguous magic, more plot than fluff im sorry, tooth rotting fluff towards the end, daddy issues i think maybe, serious angst ngl, i will never be normal about jason grace, canon who?

𝐚/𝐧: this had no reason to be so emotionally taxing but here we are

Being the boyfriend of a Boreas kid meant two things happened every night: one, sneaking you in from your lonely cabin to his lonely cabin, and two, sleeping with nearly a hundred different blankets. 

Normally, he fell asleep easy despite the chill, but there was a lot of work waiting for him back New Rome. Jason knew this holiday at Camp Halfblood was only making that work pile up, but he tired, so he didn't care just yet. He could let the anxiety catch him after Christmas. Plus, the longer he was away from work the longer he was with you.

Jason had been away doing Roman things for at least two months, and Iris Messages and the occasional phone call weren’t cutting in anymore; despite your cold shouldered father, you were as clingy as all get out. Not that Jason minded (he was clingy too).

The next fall of New Rome University couldn't seem to get there any slower. You were both going to be there, thank the gods.

Jason started to grin at just the thought, his eyes skimming all over your peaceful face as you breathed in and out slowly. The two of you were practically buried under all the blankets, and he would have been miserably hot if it weren’t for his amazing cooler system of a girlfriend.

“You’re staring,” you suddenly sang out softly, a mischievous smirk taking your face.

Jason’s heart sped up. “I thought you were asleep.”

“Creep,” you mumbled.

He reached over to caress your cheek, tucking some stray hairs behind your ear. You leaned into his touch and twisted in the blankets, wrapping your arms around his middle and nuzzling into his chest.

He pressed a light kiss to your hairline and rested his arm on your waist. “What’s up?”

“Just thinking.”

“About?”

You blinked blearily up at him. “Christmas. I’ve been working on something.”

“Care to share?” Jason had known you long enough to know you were serious about Christmas surprises. This time of year your powers were strongest, and you always took advantage of that.

You lightly patted his chest and snuggled deeper into bed. “Mhmm. When it’s ready. Can’t let anything get out or else Mr. D will so shut it down.”

Jason was officially intrigued. “What exactly… never mind. I'd rather sleep easy.”

You leaned up to kiss his jaw. “Good choice.”

He caught your lips before you could get back to sleep, cupping you cheek in his hand and drawing you close for an everlasting moment. The thundering mosaic on the ceiling was as annoying as ever, and he swore he could feel the statue of his dad staring holes into him. 

So Jason pulled the pile of covers up to hide the two of you away, thriving off your little giggle as he pulled you in once more.

જ⁀➴

A week till Christmas, and you finally felt ready to cast the enchantment. Giddiness ran through your whole body all morning, along with some nerves, of course.

It all began when you heard Chiron reading a story to some of the littler campers. They were year rounders and were feeling homesick, whining and crying so much their counselors couldn't get anything done. So, he read to them, taking some Christmas storybook from Athena Cabin and frantically narrating the tale of Frosty the Snowman.

You’d been coming by to drop off some paperwork from your well-enough paying job in the Big House, lamenting being unable to find a suitable gift for Percy's little sister Estelle. She'd be coming to camp for the Christmas Day bonfires with her mother and father, and you had yet to find something she would like.

As you dropped off your papers you heard the older of the littles cry out that she wished it would snow in camp. Another then exclaimed he wished they had their own magic snowman.

Mr. D was in the next room over, promptly laughing and popping the kids dream bubble. You weren’t having that, not one bit. And suddenly, you had your perfect gift.

The only reasonable solution was to learn how to create a magic snowman.

(Jason would later call you crazy, which is basically a declaration of love, you think.)

You sat alone in the dim lighting of your cabin, which you shared with no one but the dust bunnies. Boreas didn’t really hoe around much, which you supposed was nice, aside from the fact that it left you no roommates. Nights used to get lonely before you and Jason started saying fuck to the rules.

Little snowflakes danced around your palms before they went spiraling into the air and exploded into dozens of flurries. Slowly, bit by bit, the snow started to pile up all around you, creating a blanket of white across the floor. You had the snow down, now, you just had to trust you had your sorcery skills down.

A knock on the cabin’s skylight startled you. 

You smiled, calling up, “What’s the password?”

“Jason has the coolest girlfriend ever.”

“Not quite.”

There was a sigh. “Shiver me timbers.”

“Access granted,” you sang in reply, an all too satisfied smirk planted on your face.

The skylight creaked open, letting in the moonlight as well as your boyfriend. He shivered instantly. No matter how high you set the thermostat, the Boreas cabin was always freezing. Not that it ever bothered you, anyway.

A snow flurry landed on his nose, sending Jason into a sneezing fit. “Still working?”

“Mhmm.” He watched as you tried and failed to hide a yawn.

A little smile sprouted on his face as he rolled his eyes. “All right. Bed time.”

You shot him a glare. “Don’t baby me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, but I’m afraid I can’t sleep without you,” he said softly, holding out a hand with such a pretty look in his eyes. If he kept on looking at you like that, you might as well fall in love with him already.

“Fine,” you sighed, plopping your hand into his and letting him haul you to your feet. “Only because you can’t function without me.”

You wrung your arms around his neck and flushed yourself against him, his arms tight around you and a cute blush in his cheeks. 

A light breeze kissed your cheek as he rose off the floor, keeping one arm around your waist while the other pushed open the skylight. 

“Air Jason, taking off,” you said, doing your best to mimic a pilot’s microphone and failing miserably. Jason loved it though, an airy laugh bubbling from his lips as the night air met the pair of you with no regret.

“You’re such a dork,” he muttered into your ear, eliciting a poke to the ribs from you. Jason dropped a few feet in the air and nearly sent you into cardiac arrest, a scream leaving you as your legs clambered to wrap around his waist. 

Jason was laughing for gods’ sake, shushing you as he picked up speed to reach Cabin One before the harpies caught you. “Sorry, sorry.”

In through the open window and down to the floor, the wind carried you all the way, a soft caress on your skin as if the air meant to comfort the two of you. You were going to ask him if he felt it too when a wave of exhaustion found you, and you started to lean into Jason, not letting him go even when your feet touched the ground.

He rubbed gently circles into your back, his chin coming to rest on your head, eyes closing. You were cold to touch, as always, but Jason would gladly get frostbite just to hold you forever. 

Eyes soft, you caught corners of glittery lights in your peripheral, turning to find a Christmas tree that had definitely not been there a few hours ago. A smile split onto your face as you rushed up to it, admiring the rainbow lights and mismatched ornaments. 

Jason must’ve gone through the Big House attic to find all these. You picked off an ornament of Olympus, a selfie of a smiling Apollo and a less than pleased Dionysus staring out from the little city of the gods. 

“It’s perfect,” you said, spinning back around to find Jason there. 

He had that look in his eyes. You know, the one that takes all the air out of you and leaves you craving nothing more than his very presence. “One more thing.”

You followed his gaze to the ceiling, lip slipping between your teeth to contain your smile. “Mistletoe?”

His hand came to cup your cheek, eyes dipping low. “Hey, I don’t make the rules.”

How could you argue with that? Without warning you lurched forward and sent Jason stumbling back, lips meeting his in a feverish moment.

જ⁀➴

Dawn was encroaching on the camp. 

There was barely a noise all across the Long Island Sound, aside from the sea meeting land, the ruffling of the harpies’ feathers, and the contented snores coming from each cabin. In the stables the pegasi huffed and dealt with the faux antlers stuck to their heads. Mr. D sat snoring in a rocking chair on the Big House deck. 

The tall and proud Christmas tree at the center of camp stood looming over Hestia’s fire. Her warm face could be spied through the flickering flames, if one looked close enough. Beneath the tree’s branches were boxed gifts, some from attentive godly parents, but most placed there by Chiron (he never bothered correcting the campers when they assumed Santa Claus came in the night).

Garlands and wreaths hung from every doorway. Mistletoe was easy to find from the awnings of the Aphrodite Cabin. Poinsettias bloomed over the rooftop of Demeter’s Cabin. The smell of cookies and candy canes wafted out from the camp kitchens, the dryads tossing bits of flour and sugar at each other as they prepared something special.

It was a Camp Halfblood Christmas if you’d ever seen one.

The only thing missing was snow. 

You stood on the hilltop overlooking the center of camp, embracing the December chill. The magical borders prevented outside weather from affecting the camp, but they did nothing to stop weather coming from the inside. 

Flexing your palms and shaking them out, you let out a breath that crystallized in the frigid air. The water in the air bended to your will, the clouds gathered at you command. You didn’t pretend to understand weather and the science of it all, you just knew that when the water in the clouds got cold enough…

Your concentration was unrelenting even as the first few snowflakes drifted down from above, following the current of air down the valley of camp. You would need a lot more than that. Glancing at the sun peeking up over the horizon, you pushed past your growing fatigue.

There would be snow that Christmas Day if you had anything to do about it.

જ⁀➴

Jason noticed right away that the familiar warmth of your freezing body was missing from his side. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he rolled over and noticed that your shoes weren’t at the foot of the bed. 

The whole cabin was freezing, but without you, it was just getting on his nerves. He was ready to get up, throw on a coat, and maybe just start yelling your name to find you wherever you’d run off to.

That was when he looked out the window. Jason’s jaw slacked, his eyes pleasantly wide and bright as a laugh tore out of him. He jumped up and didn’t bother with shoes as he flung open the cabin’s door and ran into the snow.

Everywhere a white layer of snow sat heavy on benches, picnic tables, the cabins—nothing was safe from this Christmas Day miracle.

He laughed again and raked his hands through his hair. So this is what you’d been working so secretively on. Jason really should have guessed sooner. 

The sound of boots in the snow caught his attention and he glanced over to see Piper hurling a snowball at Leo’s head. Leo sputtered when the snow hit his face, a sly grin all over his face.

Piper laughed behind her hand and noticed Jason struggling to pull on sneakers in his doorway. She dodged a melty snowball from Leo’s warm hands and jogged toward him. Her voice was tangled with a smile. “Did you know she was planning this?”

“Nope,” he said, popping the p. All around camp kids were racing outside, slipping on the icy snow and tossing on any warm clothes they could find. You were still nowhere to be seen. “Have you seen her?”

Piper shook her head and made to say something when a handful of snow was dumped down the back of her shirt. She gasped and whirled around, shivering despite the hot anger in her eyes, and took off after a cackling Leo without another word. 

Snickering, Jason took another look around, sighing when he couldn’t see you in the midst of excited campers. 

He turned around to go grab a jacket when a soft noise caught his attention. Some kind of grunting, followed by a startled yelp. Jason started to smile. He’d know that sound anywhere. He followed the noise around the side of his cabin, tilting his head at the sight.

You were red in the face, using all your might to roll a giant ball of snow, struggling to say the least. Estelle was standing by with rapt attention, excitement written all over her face. 

Jason went to stand beside Estelle, kneeling to be at her height. He leaned in to stage-whisper, “Do you think she needs some help?”

You looked up, stopping in the process of pushing your back against the snow, huffing and puffing through your glare. Estelle giggled. “Probably.”

He saw it in your face; you wanted to flip him off, only refraining given the current company. Estelle’s eyes gleamed up at him along with a bucktooth smile. “We’re building a snowman!”

“We?” you huffed, tucking your hair out of your face and behind your ears. “I didn’t know we were pronouncing my name as we now.”

Estelle rolled her eyes. “I’m supervising.”

“Honestly, I think ‘Stelle’s doing the heavy lifting,” Jason teased.

You sighed and turned to face your work. “That’s one layer. Jason, you do the middle.”

Still grinning, he was going to protest before doing exactly as you said, when a voice echoed across the lawn. One of the Stolls (Jason knew they were a few years apart but he still could never remember which was which) was approaching, a snowball in hand.

“Yo, Y/N!” he called. “It’s getting a little soggy over here!”

You smiled like this wasn’t the first time someone had had this complaint, wasting no time in cracking your neck and splaying out your hands.  A cold rush of wind enveloped you, a firm crease in your brows, before the another wave of snow rained down from the clouds.

The Stoll brother shouted his thanks, and you meant to offer a smile when suddenly the world got tipsy, everything going black for a split second as you teetered off balance. Jason’s heart dropped and he rushed to your side, steadying you against him.

“Hey, hey, you with me?” 

You blinked blankly, though you nodded despite the greenish tint in your cheeks that was quickly fading. Still, Jason wanted nothing more than to sit you down and cast lighting upon anyone who tried to use you like a snow machine again. 

“I’m fine,” you assured him, gaining your color back. “Just a bit tired keeping all of this up.”

Estelle was attempting to finish the snowman on her own, promptly falling face first into the snow and sputtering to her feet. You giggled at her expense, not realizing you were still leaning mostly on Jason.

He wasn’t done questioning. “How long did it take to cover the whole camp?”

“Oh, uhm.” Your brows drew together, lips pursed. “A few hours. No big deal.”

You broke away from Jason and went to help Estelle roll along another giant snowball, casting Jason a reassuring smile. He let out a sigh and tried to let it go, going to help with the snowman construction.

The three of you finished the three layers of the snowman’s body, and Estelle ran off to collect the decorations and came back with a box, her brother, and her brother’s girlfriend.

Percy held Estelle on his shoulders, the box of supplies in Annabeth’s arms. You wiped your brow and smiled so brightly upon spying them, that Jason nearly forgot you’d been focusing on continuing the snowfall all along, slowly draining yourself. 

Before he could call you out you sprang to your feet and went to pick the carrot out of the box. Annabeth chuckled and said, “I had to fight Blackjack for that.”

“Aww,” you hummed through a giggle. “Poor guy.”

Percy scoffed. “Please, he gets enough carrots. He could spare us at least five.”

Before you even had the chance to reply Estelle had jumped up to swipe the carrot from your hand. A response was barely on you lips when she nearly toppled the whole snowman over trying to stick the nose on its blank face.

You sighed and went to help her, scooping your hands under her arms and lifting her so she could reach its face. 

The morning went by as Piper and Leo approached the finished snowman with hot cocoa in hand. Piper sported a grin as she looked at you and said, “Mr. D is furious.”

“I hoped so,” you said. 

As Piper knelt to talk to Estelle you once again chose to ignore the weightiness in your shoulders, swallowing thickly to deal with your drying throat, and walked to the near empty box. Inside was a top hat you’d been saving for last. This was what the practice was leading up to.

“Hey, Stelle,” you called. Jason came to your shoulder, brows drawn, and you shot him a smirk. “Have Percy help you put the hat on top.”

She needed no more asking, taking her brother’s hand and dragging him to the snowman. Percy lifted her just as you had, and as Estelle rested the silk top hat on the snowman’s head, you held out a hand, worked some Boreas kid magic, and sent up a prayer to your dear old dad. A flurry of snowflakes shot out from your palm and right to the heart of the snowman.

You waited on bated breath as Estelle’s boot crunched back to the snowy ground, your gaze locked on the unmoving creature of snow. One second, then two, then three, until a minute passed. Estelle ran back to Annabeth and started ranting about something, Percy right behind her as he slung an arm around Annabeth’s shoulders. Piper and Leo engaged in another snowball fight, hot cocoa discarded on the ground.

And the snowman stood still. Your lips pursed with confusion and frustration. Jason appeared beside you again, looking from you to the snowman. “What’re we glaring at Frosty for?”

“Nothing,” you dismissed with a forced grin. You let out a sigh and intertwined your fingers with his, pressing a swift kiss to the back of his hand. “Wanna head inside? You’re shivering.”

He shook his head and slipped an arm around your waist. He was warm and soft and despite how much you loved the cold, you’d never get tired of it. But you couldn’t focus on that right now; you were too disappointed. 

That was until he tried to lead Jason back to his cabin anyway, and your boyfriend had a full stop, his eyes slightly horrified while also mystified. Brows pinched, you were on the verge of asking what was wrong when his hand gripped your chin. You flushed deep red at the action, another rush of warmth hitting you, but then Jason was turning your head to follow his line of sight.

A bright laugh escaped you. There, made of snow, two button eyes, and a carrot nose, was Estelle’s snowman. But now, he was living and breathing, the little twig eyebrows on him drawn taut as he examined himself, looking at himself tree branch arms. 

The lot around you stood in shock, looking from you to your creation. You laughed again quite like a mad scientist, and dropped Jason’s hand to slowly approach the snowman.

“Hello,” you said, and he considered you with a blank button stare, the line of chocolate chips making his mouth curved down into a frown.

“What am I?” he asked you, dropping his arms to his sides. He looked very contemplative for a snowman.

“A snowman,” you answered brightly. 

The snowman hummed. His voice was soft, reminding you of the sound of crackling fire. Ironic. “I don’t think I’m meant to be alive. I feel… odd.”

Your smile started to fade, and you glanced back at your friends for help. Estelle stood awestruck, slowly stomping through the snow to stand at your side. She took your hand and looked up at the snowman with shining eyes. 

The snowman looked back at her, going quiet. “Hello.”

Estelle started to smile. “Hi. My name’s Estelle, and this is Y/N. Those are our friends.” She jabbed a thumb back at the others. “Oh, do you have a name?”

He seemed to turn thoughtful, nodding. “I believe it was Perseus.”

Estelle let out a tiny gasp. “That’s what I called you! In my head!” She turned to you in complete and utter amazement. “How did he know that?”

You could only shake you head with a smile, squeezing her hand. “I dunno. Magic?” You couldn’t help but laugh once more, casting a glance up at the sky. The wind brushed through your hair, feeling oddly like a father’s hand ruffling a daughter’s hair.

You’d never met your father, but you doubted he was a cold as the weather.

Percy, Annabeth, Leo, and Piper came to admire the snowman, introducing themselves as he assessed them one by one. Jason hooked an arm around your waist, pulling you side against his, and you practically melted onto him. Your legs felt a tad bit weak.

He pressed a lingering kiss to your temple, whispering in your ear. “You astonish me.”

A smile split onto your face as you turned to kiss his cheek. Percy started to laugh as he looked upon the snowman. “Perseus the Snowman, huh?”

Perseus was holding Estelle’s hand as she rattled on about camp and how cool her big brother was and all about the Greek gods. Perseus listened with unabashed attention, the crease in his twig brows alluding to his curiosity. 

Annabeth sidled up to you, unsure how to phrase her question. “Do you… Well, was this smart?”

You gave her an odd look. “What do you mean?”

The wise daughter of Athena settled you with her seriousness. “He’s snow… you can’t keep him that way forever.”

Her words rattled you to your core, and for once, you felt the chill of December.

Morning passed to evening, and you stayed stuck to Jason’s side more by exhaustion than by choice. Not that you minded, but the jelly feeling in your legs was less than pleasant. It took some work to ward off the curious campers from bombarding Perseus, who proved to be a rather anxious snowman. 

Christmas Day passed by answering the endless questions of a snowman, explaining everything he could ever want to know. 

Piper and Leo had gone off to lead ornament making with their respective cabins, being head counselors and all, and Percy and Annabeth went to make an obligatory holiday call to the latter’s father. Leaving only you, Jason, Estelle, and Perseus. 

The four of you were at a picnic table close to the woods, the demigods sat atop the table and the snowman rolled up to the side. 

Your energy was slowly but surely coming back to you. With the sun crossing the sky and starting to descend, the need for snow was waning. You hadn’t had a demand for a few hours, and to be honest, you were grateful. Your eyes felt droopy and your shoulders ached. You wanted to sleep, but you had one more thing to keep focused on: Perseus the Snowman. 

Jason drew gentle shapes on your hand, letting you lay your head on his lap as Estelle told the harrowing tale of how Percy defeated Clarisse La Rue in his very first game of capture the flag.

You were having trouble looking at your snowman. From what he said when Estelle let out a yawn, he knew exactly why.

“Look at that,” he said, drawing everyone’s attention. His button eyes swept across the lawn of camp, where the snow was melting into the grass under the heat of the setting sun. His eyes turned to you, then. “You’re letting it all melt.”

You sat up and crossed your legs, resting your hands in your lap. You blinked at him, a tug on your heart. “Yes.”

He could only stare back at you. “You’re keeping me, though.”

Perseus was very perceptive for a snowman. You smiled at him. “We’re not done talking to you.”

He smiled back. “That’s true. And when we’re done talking?”

Estelle was looking between all of you, a confused purse in her lips. Jason cleared his throat and asked her to get him earmuffs from his cabin. She nodded and ran off, nearly tripping over herself. You sent him a look. “You don’t own earmuffs.”

“Oops,” he murmured through a grin. Perseus was watching the pair of you almost fondly.

You turned back to him and searched for the words to say, but it was all lost on you. Jason continued to rub soothing circles into your skin. All the words you knew suddenly boiled over. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think what would happen when… You know.”

Perseus shifted around, a gentle chocolate chip smile on his face as he took in the scenery. “Don’t be sorry. I’m happy to have lived.”

“But… you’re going to die,” you couldn’t help but say, as if he needed reminding.

He didn’t. That much was clear by his smile. “Don’t be sorry,” he echoed. “I’ll be happy to die. Snowmen aren’t meant for longevity.” 

Your throat constricted. “It’s all my fault. I wasn’t thinking.” 

“You were thinking of Estelle,” he said. “I’ve made her happy. I’m perfectly fine with melting.”

You cupped a hand over your mouth and averted your eyes just as Estelle came sprinting back, chest heaving as she lamented being unable to find any earmuffs.

“It’s cool, Stelle,” Jason said, forcing a smile. 

She plopped back down and huffed, looking to Perseus, then the sunset. Perseus glittered in the light, and it took you far too long to realize it wasn’t glitter, but dew. 

Estelle, angel she is, noticed it too. “Perseus, are you melting?” Before he could even think to answer she was turning on you, a fire in her gaze. “Make him better.”

You would—gods, all of Olympus knew you would, if only you weren’t exhausted. You gaped like a fish, squeezing Jason’s hand. Perseus the Snowman shook his head. “No, there’s no need.”

He reached out a wooden arm and she gently wrapped her little fingers around the splintered edges of his crooked hand. “I don’t fear death.”

Estelle’s jaw hung slack for an everlasting moment. “Well, I do! Y/N, do it.”

Jason tensed and snapped, “Stelle, that’s not fair.”

She didn’t seem to care in the slightest. 

“Estelle,” Perseus drew her attention back to him. “You’ll make more snowmen.”

She shook her head hopelessly, eyes going glassy. “No, I won’t. I won’t ever make another snowman.”

“How sad,” said Perseus. “Never?”

Estelle wiped her nose on her sleeve and looked at the ground. “Maybe, not never.”

The snowman started to smile again. His button eyes roamed over them all, stopping on the sky, and he sighed. “What a wonderful day to be alive.”

You turned your face so no one would see you crying. Jason's hold on your hand was the only thing sobering you up enough to remain on the picnic table, watching the sunset with your snowman.

The god Astraeus painted the sky with vibrant yellows, pinks, and oranges in a sunset to rival all others. It was too beautiful. Perseus kept his blank gaze settled on it alone, his hand still in Estelle’s. You and Jason sat rigid behind them as time ticked away. 

The moon rose expectantly to take its place as the sun started to hide under the horizon. The yellows and pinks made way for the dark blue of night creeping in. Only then did Perseus shift his gaze back to Estelle. “I’m ready now.”

A crease grew in your brow when Estelle nodded, understanding what you did not, and she stood up on the table to reach over Perseus’ head. With shaky hands she reached for his hat, glancing down at him, worrying her lip between her teeth.

All Perseus did was smile. “Merry Christmas.”

The little girl took in a wavering breath. “Merry Christmas.” And she removed the hat, lifting it off his head, and in an instant all hints of emotion left the snowman. Nothing changed at all, but each of you could see it; those buttons held life behind them no longer. 

You bit down hard on your lip. “How did you know that would work?”

She shrugged, setting the hat down on the snow. “I didn’t.”

The sound of footfalls on the snow had you turning around. Chiron approached, a sorry look in his eyes, and he stopped a few feet off. “Everyone has gathered around the tree.”

You took Estelle’s hand in yours, steeling yourself and offered her a smile that she slowly returned. Jason moved to walk at your side as you followed Chiron to the center of camp. The tree lit up most of camp, stretching high and out.

Campers were singing off key here and there. A pair of girls was caught under the mistletoe, one laughing awkwardly before the moon eyed one swooped in for a gentle peck on her lips. Gifts were being exchanged. Snow balls were thrown. A snowman was being built by some younger Hermes kids too.

“Hey!” Percy called out, cheeks flushed as he sipped on his apple cider. One arm was slung around his girlfriend who was talking in low voices with Thalia. The lot of your friends were gathered around one of the many little fires scattered around the lawn.

He offered you and Jason each a blue gingerbread man, grinning ear to ear. “Mom made ‘em.”

You looked around for Mrs. Blofis and found her at a nearby table, handing out marshmallows for roasting with Mr. Blofis at her side. Mr. Blofis wasn’t doing much handing out, instead in what seemed to be a deep conversation with Mr. D. The god of wine was gesturing wildly as he regaled some kind of story.

All was well. All was calm. You found it in yourself to actually smile. 

Guilt wasn’t very far, wondering truly what you had been thinking bringing a snowman to life, when a particularly harsh bout of wind blew all your hair into your face. You sputtered through a giggle and swiped your hair to the side, your voice faltering when you caught sight of a man standing on the outskirts of the bonfires and chatter.

It couldn’t be. You stepped away from Jason and the rest, approaching the stranger. He stood tall, with a suit that glittered like snow. Two purple wings arched from his shoulder blades. What could your father want with you on Christmas?

“Hi,” you said, not sure where to start.

He stirred like he was uncomfortable. “Yes, hello, daughter.”

You had the heart to grin. “Merry Christmas.”

Boreas nearly scoffed before he corrected himself with a nod. “You as well.”

The silence to follow was tense. You motioned with your hand vaguely. “Is there a reason you’re here?”

You weren’t sure how to feel about meeting your father. You’d imagined this moment countless times, but it all led up to this anticlimactic reveal that was more amusing than aweing. 

“There is,” he huffed. “I thought I would let you know your little magic act didn’t harm anything.”

“What do you mean?” you asked, heart dropping.

“I mean that the snowman is not dead,” Boreas informed you. “The snowman itself was never alive, I suppose. I’m impressed, I should say. You managed to catch a snow spirit and wrangle it into that snowman. Normally, snow spirits don’t get lives… You did a good thing, I suppose, giving that spirit one. He remembers it all. Perseus, as you called him, is living free and wild, as a snow spirit should be.”

You hadn’t realized your eyes were watering, relief coursing through you. “Oh, thanks gods. I’m not murderer.”

Boreas chuckled softly. “You’re not.” He averted his eyes, raising a hand and pausing, unsure, before he settled it on your shoulder and met your eyes. “I’m… proud of you. I don’t have many children. You’re certainly one I don’t regret.”

You blinked up at him, reaching to awkwardly pat his forearm. “Thanks, Dad.”

He nodded stiffly, backed away, and with a last Merry Christmas, he vanished in a flurry of snowflakes. One landed on your nose and gave you an ever rare shiver.

Jason’s arm wrapped around you, his warmth enveloping you like a nice blanket. “You good?”

Nodding, you leaned your head on his shoulder. “Very.”

Curfew was extended that night, much to the herpes disappointment. Treats and drinks were devoured by greedy children and finally, at the end of the night, Chiron gave the word and a stampede of kids ran to tear open the gifts they’d been eyeing for weeks. 

After the younger kids had grabbed theirs and the crowd died down, your group moved in to find the gifts with your names on them. Your dad gifted you a snowglobe of camp. You shook it up with a smile, not noticing your sweating boyfriend approach you from behind.

“Y/N?” You turned, smile widening. Jason only got more nervous. “Uhm… I…”

You set the snowglobe back in its box on the ground and stepped closer to him, taking his hands in your freezing ones. “Yeah?”

“I love you,” he blurted. “So much.”

Your grin grew painful with how big it was. “And I love you.”

Jason blushed and took a deep breath. “You’ve been with me through… everything. When I wasn’t sure who I was, when Hera manipulated me and Piper, through the war.” He was out of breath, only one thought on his mind: no words would ever be enough. “I’m so in love with you. I can’t explain how much. Just when I think about it I can’t breathe.” 

Your face had fallen into admiration. Jason’s thumb rubbed anxious lines on your knuckles. “I never want to spend a day without you. You deserve everything, I want to give it to you.”

“Jason…” Your voice was shaky, tapering off.

“Don’t worry,” he nearly whispered, moving to cup your cheek. “I’m not asking you to marry me. Not yet.” You giggled and he swore it was better than ambrosia. “I will though. I promise I will.”

You were too busy reaching to take his face in your hands to notice when he pulled something out of his pocket. You leaned forward to kiss the very life out of him, and he would very much have let you, but he drew you back with his hold on your jaw, chuckling when you frowned.

He held up a little velvet box between your bodies. Suddenly you weren’t so interested in kissing him, swiping the box from him with greedy hands and gleaming eyes. You popped the box open, admiring the pretty silver chain laid within. “Oh, it’s beautiful.”

“Here.” Jason turned you around and offered to clip it around your neck. He didn’t waste the opportunity, peppering kisses from the skin behind your ear down to your shoulder, relishing in the little quiver you gave in response. “Merry Christmas.”

Whirling back around, you jumped him, arms flinging around his neck as you crushed your lips to his. You pulled back for barely a second to mumble, “Merry Christmas” before your tongue pushed past his lips, your teeth catching his bottom lip.

“Woah! Woah! No PDA in my camp!” You groaned and ripped away from Jason, rolling your eyes as you cast Mr. D a glare over your shoulder. 

Jason wasn’t so cocky anymore, red from neck to nose. “Sorry!”

“I don’t get paid enough…”

You and your boyfriend locked eyes, breaking down into a round of laughter as the grumpy god stomped away. 

“Hey!” Piper jumped out of nowhere, Leo hot on her tail. Both were totally buzzed, and all you could do was laugh and wonder how on earth they’d snuck in alcohol. “Come sing carols, lovebirds!”

The pair of you followed the pair of them back to the little bonfire your friends had claimed. Fiddling with your necklace, you eyes scanned across them all to land on Jason, and a rush of adoration hit you like a freight train. You pecked his cheek and watched him stumble over a chuckle, returning a kiss to your hairline. 

Then, as you leaned your head on his shoulder, a snowflake crossed your eye. 

One by one, the sky became littered with flurries. Annabeth held up a hand as if to catch some. “Y/N, you’ve got to be tired by now. Take a rest.”

You shook you head slowly, confused. “This isn’t me.”

The winter wind kissed your cheek, and you were left at a loss. But Estelle—sweet Estelle, who sat between her brother and Annabeth—she knew. A little grin appeared on her face. “Goodbye, Perseus.”

[perseephoneee]

New years party with kate bishop!

new years (kate bishop x f!reader) {ficmas 2023}

꒰ ࿁ ˙ ˖ ໑ happy day 8 of ficmas!

a/n: I genuinely like this one, and if ANYONE knows me, then they know that kate bishop has been my hero since I read the comics in 2015. i hope this is okay for my wifey @mayfieldss

↳ masterlist  ↳ ship exchange ↳ taglist ↳ ficmas 2023

Since your first year of high school, you have been attending New Year's parties with Kate Bishop. They were always hosted by your classmate, Agatha Maloney, a bubbly girl with a penchant for party planning. The parties involved games, champagne stolen from her parents, and enough fairy lights to brighten a small city. You and Katie would show up, eat all the hors d’oeuvres (you hated the spicy chips that Kate would always consume), and perform a Bon Jovi duet. And every year, you would wait outside watching the snow fall in clumps across the city while Kate was inside kissing someone else at midnight. You used to think you were just jealous that she could find someone when you couldn’t, but now, you recognize it for what it was. You’re in love with your best friend and can never tell her. 

It was the last New Year's before you split for university. You weren’t sure if you’d have another New Year again; if you did, it wouldn’t be the same. Your classmates would have new friends and new stories. New inside jokes that you wouldn’t understand. You and Kate were attending different colleges. It's the same city, but different. Kate had a lot more money to afford a fancy university, and you were scraping by with tuition (that you were thankful for, don’t get it twisted). But even next year, what would you do when you didn’t share the same wavelength?

It didn’t stop the two of you from laughing as you bound up the doorsteps to Agatha’s. Kate wore a simple, long-sleeve black dress that ended at her knees and matching ankle boots that still made her look beautiful but rugged. You opted for a strapless jumpsuit. You and Kate had a weird apparel rule: if one person wore a dress, the other wore a jumpsuit. So that you always compliment the other person. 

“OMG, you guys came!” Agatha squealed as you approached the front door. Her blond hair was curled like a ‘20s flapper girl, her lips the color of bubblegum. She hugged both of you, almost suffocating you with her grip. “I’m so excited you came here for our last official hurrah. It’s not a party unless the dynamic duo is here.”

“You always know how to make us feel welcome,” you mumble, trying to dislodge yourself from her arms. Agatha was a sweet girl but very intense. And pushy. 

“You can let go now,” Kate choked, sending you a look of distress as Agatha officially detached herself. Kate sent you a look as you both followed Agatha into the house. Most of your classmates were experiencing the wonders of intoxication, and you appeared not to have missed a single critical moment. “Is it just me, or does she get crazier yearly?”

“She’s certifiable,” you chuckle, nudging Kate as you make a bee-line to the snacks. You shove your mouth full of pretzels and tomato cheese covered in balsamic vinegar. There’s a name for the snack, but you can’t remember and don’t care as you let the tastes overwhelm your tongue. As usual, Kate eats the hot Cheetos until her fingers are dyed red. She smiles at you over red Cheeto dust, and you think that even though she is messy, she looks beautiful. Instead of saying so, you just make fun of her. 

“Do you think that a cheetah has seen a Cheeto and thought, that’s cannibalism?” Kate asks you, eating more Cheetos. 

“I think you’re crazy,” you laugh, grabbing a plastic flute for the champagne and pouring you and Katie a glass. “A cheetah is more likely to wonder how it became a mascot wearing sunglasses.”

“Because it’s the cool thing to do, obviously,” Kate took the glass you handed her, taking a sip before excitedly motioning to the set-up karaoke machine. “Showtime!”

Every year, you debated what to perform. And you still ended up doing “Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi every year. You needed to spice up your choices, but you two were old souls who got too impassioned with Bon Jovi. During the instrumental breaks, you guys would yell out how many measures were left and march across the stage. You even had experimental pop star names (“If Beyonce goes by Sasha Fierce on stage, why shouldn’t we?” said Kate). 

You finished your duet to a round of applause like always. And just as you finished, one of the attendees turned on the New York countdown so everyone could wait till the ball dropped and the new year was ushered in. You averted your eyes when you saw Stephanie from your chemistry class taking second glances at Kate. You ignored the feeling that gripped your heart when you saw Kate looking back. You thought this would be a good cue to step outside, like every year, and watch the snow fall as you ignored your heart breaking into pieces inside the house. 

The balcony was covered in a light layer of frost. Agatha’s home always had boughs of greenery wrapped around the terrace, with beautiful sparkling lights that reflected the city spread out before you. You wrapped your coat tighter around yourself, letting your breath fog in front of you. You huffed like a dragon and giggled to yourself. You liked seeing the tall buildings sprawled out in front of you, the little houses in front like a treeline to the secrets further back. The sounds of the ten-minute countdown could be heard from inside, but you let it become a dull sound in your ears. You were in blissful silence until you heard the balcony door close behind you. 

“Aren’t you freezing?” Katie asked, coming up right next to you. You look over, noticing she put on her coat and a beanie to fight the freeze. 

“It gets stuffy in there,” you turned back to the city, feeling the heat of Kate’s arm next to yours.

“I hear that; it’s like a sauna,” she chuckles. You sit in silence for a while. “Can I ask a question?” You gesture for Kate to continue. 

“Why do you come out here every year?”

You let the question hang in the air, unsure how to answer. How do you tell someone that you leave because you’re in love with them? Because watching them kiss someone else kills you? Because you want to grab and kiss them as firecrackers erupt in the air, just like they would in your heart? You opt to lie instead. 

“I don’t like watching people make out,” you awkwardly chuckle. “PDA is weird.” Kate gives you a look that tells you she doesn’t believe you. Your breath is shaky as you exhale. “Maybe there’s no one available worth kissing.”

You freeze up as Kate grabs your hand with her own, intertwining your fingers. Her hands are rough and calloused from all her physical activities, compared to your soft ones untouched by nature. 

“The person I would want to share my kiss with is never here,” Kate whispers. “She always goes outside and hides.”

Your heartbeat is heard in your ears to the point where you almost miss the countdown starting from inside. You make eye contact with Kate, her blue eyes wide as she looks at you. She seems as nervous as you are, making you feel better. The party attendees start to count down from ten. 

“Y/N,” Kate says, snow coating her hair in beautiful crystals. 

There are only five seconds left on the clock. When it hits one, you lean forward and kiss Kate, enjoying the gasp she lets out from surprise. Cheers are heard not just from inside but from the city, neighbors, and everywhere as people welcome the new year. Your hand cups her face, twisting in her black hair as she wraps her arms around your middle, pulling you close. You feel freezing and yet on fire as you kiss the love of your life on New Year’s Eve. A bad taste makes you pull away. 

“Did you eat hot Cheetos right before this?” you mumble, grimacing at the spiciness on your tongue. Kate laughs, a full-bodied laugh that is your favorite sound in the world. 

“I stress eat when I’m nervous.”

“It tastes disgusting.”

“Oh shut up,” Kate chuckles, kissing you again. And again. And again.

[rebelliousstories]

Childhood

25 Days of Ficmas

Relationship: Poly! Lost Boys x Reader

Fandom: Lost Boys

Request: No

Warnings: Fluff, Mentions of Vampirism, Brief Angst

Word Count: 2,404

Masterlist: Here

Summary: It’s Christmas time in the cave, and the Lost Boys mate is making sure that nothing ruins it for Laddie. Nothing and no one.

Christmas in California. There is truly nothing like it. White snowy landscapes were traded in favor of warm white sandy beaches. Evergreens switched out for palm trees, and shorts and a shirt were considered instead of a winter coat. The boardwalk was as lively as ever. People looking to do their shopping and celebrate the festivities. And the infamous band of Lost Boys were there on the prowl. The boys rode up with their passengers, and scanned their eyes around. Far more locals were around this time of year, but that still did not mean that there were not plenty of tourists to feed from. It just meant they had to be a bit more careful. Star unwrapped her arms from around David and dismounted his bike, while Laddie was assisted off of Dwayne’s.

“Stay together this time. I don’t need Laddie coming to find us because you ditched him.” David called out before the duo left. Star turned back and shot him a dirty look, but said nothing as she turned her attention back to Laddie, and walked them around the boardwalk. Marko rubbed his hand across the arms that were wrapped around his waist from behind, feeling the jacket of his lover. She squeezed her arms around his once, twice, and then began to get off the bike with some assistance from the cherub faced vampire.

Paul came over quickly and stole the young lady away from Marko. Dwayne laughed at the pair as they briefly stumbled before moving to go down the boardwalk. She teased the lion haired man about messing up her makeup when he went in for a kiss, but it did not stop him from repeating the motion several times until he felt satisfied that he had gotten all the attention he deserved.

“Paul, you saw me a few minutes ago before we left.” She giggled out, as said vampire was placing many kisses to her neck and chest.

“Yeah, but Marko got to have you for the whole ride over. I missed my babe!” He exclaimed loudly, showing not a care in the world for anything around them.

“Paul, give her back!” And thus, a tug-of-war game was started between the terror twins of the pack. They kept taking the female from the other and fighting to keep her with them. This lasted for several minutes until she was suddenly taken away from the two. Her arms were secured around the naked chest of her dark haired lover. Dwayne embraced the girl and swatted away the hands of Paul and Marko as they tried to reach out. But before long, she was once again passed around. This time, into David’s waiting arms.

“Boys, behave.” He drawled at the two vampires who were still fighting nearby. They paid him no mind, yet continued to hit and grab at each other.

“Boys!” David barked, causing the two to stop in their tracks. Paul had Marko’s ponytail in his hand while Marko was wrapping him in a headlock.

“Stop fighting like children and get on with our night.” He stated slowly and calmly. The blondes released each other with a quick apology from one another. The group walked along the boardwalk once again. As they walked, the female kept switching whose arms she was in as to not have anymore instances like before. She kept watching families taking their children shopping for Christmas decorations, and kids lighting up when they saw toys they wanted Santa to bring them. It made her think about Laddie, the little brother of the pack. Her feet came to a halt as she watched little kids on the merry go round eagerly talking about Christmas Day. Dwayne came to stand behind her and rested his hands on her wait, his chin on her shoulder, and his eyes on the children.

“What’s eating your mind, princess?” He wondered quietly as he pressed a kiss to her neck from where his head was.

“Has Laddie ever had a proper Christmas?” She inquired of her lover, who was arguably the closet to the boy.

“I don’t think so. At least not with us. We’ve never really thought about it.” Dwayne murmured into his lover’s neck. She turned in his arms and wrapped her own around his neck.

“Why don’t we do that for his this year, huh? Presents, a tree, making him go to bed early so Santa can visit? He’d love it.” She gushed as the children in front of the couple continued to excitedly talk to each other.

“I’m all for it. I’m sure the others will be on board. Except we do have to deal with David.” Dwayne trailed off thinking about the bleach blonde vampire. They did not know how he would react to having a Christmas celebration but it was for Laddie; hopefully he would get on board.

Neither one brought up the subject the rest of the night. They did not bring it up when they returned to the boys, nor when Star and Laddie had eventually rejoined them. Laddie kept animatedly explaining how he actually was with Star the whole time, and they even took some spare change and rode a couple rides on the boardwalk. There was not much talking availability during the race down the beach, with everyone whooping and hollering as wind, sand, and sea water whipped around. When they made it down into the cave, Laddie had expressed an interest in going to bed early. The two women in there made sure he ate a little bit before tucking him in to bed together. When they returned, David beckoned their lover over and grabbed her hand before dragging her into his lap.

“Kitten,” he drawled out lazily, “Dwayne tells me you have something to ask of us?” His baby blue eyes pierced hers, and forced her to maintain eye contact with him. She could not look away from him even if she wanted to.

“Yes. Um, Laddie hasn’t had a proper Christmas, yeah? Not with us, or probably his original family. I just figured we could give him a good Christmas this time around. Plus it’s our first Christmas together. What do you say?” She looked out hopeful amongst the group of vampires and the one half. Dwayne looked pleased, Paul was calm kind of excited, Marko was chewing his thumb, Star was happy, and David was deep in thought. It was several minutes before anyone spoke.

“Well, is that all?” David piped up with. Her attention was brought back to the man whose lap she was stationed in. He held a small smirk on his face as he took one hand from his lover’s side and moved it to her face.

“If the kitten wants a Christmas for Laddie and us, who are we to deny her?” His words were so soft that her eyes shut without a second thought, and her face leaned deeper into the gloved hand against her face.

“Is that really the best idea?” Marko questioned from behind his hand that he was still chewing on. A pen drop could be heard throughout the cave. Turning around to face her cherub faced lover, she spoke up.

“And why would it not be a good idea to do this?” Her tone turned deadly as she stared him down. Marko sputtered and tried to come up with some sort of an answer but was unable to. She left her comfy vampire chair and made her way over to the fountain where he had found a spot to sit. Marko was still stuttering out a reply when she made it to him.

“Let me make one thing clear,” she placed her face right in front of his, “this is Laddie’s first real Christmas. This is my first Christmas with you guys. I want to see Laddie’s eyes light up when he gets presents and see that Santa has visited him. If anyone ruins that joy for that little boy o help me!” She hissed at her lover. Marko looked thoroughly scared for the first time in several decades. David began to chuckle which drew the pair’s attention to him. His hands clapped themselves together before throwing them open in a wide gesture.

“She’s in charge here, Marko. I wouldn’t question her. Kitten has claws it would seem.” He laughed, and lit a cigarette as he watched Marko nod and concede to their lover.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I just haven’t celebrated in so long. I’m afraid I’ve forgotten how.” Marko dropped his eyes down to the floor as his thumb found its way into his teeth yet again. His lover’s delicate hand caressed his cheek, before dropping down to his chin and bringing it up to her eyes.

“It’s like riding a bike, Marko. You never truly forget.” He smiled as he took in her words. That one smile let her know; this was going to be the best Christmas ever.

~

“Will you tell me another story?” Laddie begged as he laid in his little nest in the cave.

“I’ve already told you three, little one. How many more can I tell you?” She questioned, dropping ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas down beside Laddie’s bed.

“Please! Just one more!” He pleaded, making his eyes wide.

“Oh no. Did Paul teach you puppy eyes?” She raised an eyebrow teasingly at the boy.

“Sure did!” The distant shout of said vampire made both of them chuckle. She reached down and picked up another Christmas book to read to Laddie.

“How about ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas?’” She asked, showing him the front. He nodded eagerly but quickly tried to hide a yawn that threatened to past his lips.

“Or, you can go to bed now, and Santa will visit you to give you presents?” Her request made Laddie yawn again, and snuggle himself further into the covers. She leaned over and placed a kiss on his head.

“They’ll come say goodnight. Don’t worry.” She left and quickly went into the main part of the cave where everyone was busy moving presents in under the tree. Dwayne and Star saw her leave the little nest, and quickly abandoned their presents in favor of going to say goodnight to the boy. Instead, she took over placing the last few presents from herself and the pack all around the tree.

The cave was decorated with tinsel and garland, and little stockings hung around the fountain. A big Christmas tree with pretty silver and gold decorations littered the area nearest the wall. Now, with the addition of the presents, everything looked like a proper family Christmas. Each of her boys came over to give her a kiss goodnight before returning to their perch. Dwayne was the last to come to her, and he lingered just a little bit longer than normal, but said nothing. Her boys retreated further into the cave to escape the rising sun, and she could not wait to see Laddie’s face in a couple hours.

~

Just before sunset, she was awoken. Not by anything in particular, but just the general excitement of the day ahead. She waited by the entrance of the cave for the day to end, and was pleasantly surprised when Marko was the first one to greet her as night fell.

“Good evening, Bella.” He whispered into her hair as he pulled her close in his embrace.

“Merry Christmas, Marko.” A look of realization came across his face.

“Merry Christmas. I had almost completely forgotten.” He admitted, before letting her go in favor of going into the main lobby to sit in front of the tree. Paul greeted her next, complete with his usual sloppy kisses when he did not see her or have her in his arms when they were apart for more than a minute.

“Merry Christmas babe!” Paul exclaimed loudly, and moved to go bother Marko in the lobby.

“Merry Christmas, princess.” Dwayne embraced her and pressed a soft kiss to her hair.

“Merry Christmas, Dwayne.” She leaned back and appeared her place in his arms. Just as her eyes slipped close, a hand came up to her face. Her bleach blonde vampire had finally awoken.

“Merry Christmas, David.” She wrapped one arm around her other lover while remaining in Dwayne’s arms. David slipped closer to the two in front of him.

“Laddie. Laddie, wake up little one. It’s Christmas.” The young halfling rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat up.

“What? what’s going on?” He was still confused this early in the evening. Everything to him was still groggy.

“Merry Christmas, Laddie.” That seemed to wake up the boy quickly because the next thing the woman knew, was his arms wrapped around her neck.

“Merry Christmas! Did Santa come?” Laddie wondered excitedly.

“Why don’t you go out there and see?” She teased, and watched the boy excitedly sprint out of the nest, to the lobby. He let out a small yell as he saw what was before him.

“Dwayne!” He ran over and hugged the man, much like he had done to his lover before.

The rest of the day was spent with presents being passed around and opened. Laddie kept getting more and more excited with every present he opened. At some point, she ended up on the couch with all four of her lovers around her as they watched Laddie play with his toys near their tree.

“I wish every Christmas could be like this.” She said wistfully, eyes somewhat glazed over as she watched Laddie. David turned to Marko who left her feet briefly and returned with his hands behind his back.

“Maybe it can.” David smiled at her as he took the object behind Marko’s back, who returned to her feet as he was previously. A bejeweled bottle sat in his grasp, and intrigued her as he took his own swig. The ornate bottle was passed around the group of vampires before it finally got back to her. She stared for a long while at it, before turning to David who never strayed his gaze from her own.

“Drink, love. Be one of us.” He whispered. The request so soft, yet so filled with hope. She knew that every Christmas would be a chance for them to revisit their childhood’s as it was also a way for Laddie to stay with his. Every Christmas from now on, was going to be that much richer.

[upon-a-starry-night]

Christmas Tree Troubles (Nat)

Natasha Romanoff x Gender neutral Reader

Ficmas Masterlist Natasha Masterlist

Wordcount: 1.8k

Summary: You need a bit of help getting your Christmas tree into your apartment so you ask your neighbor for help

A/n: The beginning is the same but differs per character

---

You weren’t expecting much when you knocked on your neighbor's door for help with your 8ft Christmas tree. Honestly, you weren’t even sure if they would help. You knew they were home. You’d heard the door across the hall open and shut enough times throughout the week to know they went on a lot of odd grocery runs at 1 am.

But you’d never really spoken much, a few times at community functions and when you’d see each other in the hall but neither of you made an effort to talk to each other. However, that was mainly because you were intimidated by how attractive they were. Still, they had seemed more on the reserved side. Never bringing anyone home or throwing parties at their place. They were a perfect neighbor on paper, but their loneliness often made you sad. 

Initially, you had wanted to invite them over at some point during the holidays just to make a new friend and help them be less lonely but it became more of a need than a want when you tried to lug your 8ft tree into your apartment by yourself. 

So you knocked on their door across the hall and prayed that they would be willing to help you out. You rocked back and forth on your heels as you waited for a response, just as you were about to give up and turn to ask another neighbor the sound of locks clicking alerted you of their presence.

When the door opened you observed their tired-looking figure, they were dressed in casual gray sweats and a loose T-shirt. They stared at you curiously as you stood there before their eyes drifted behind you to the large tree lying on the floor in front of your apartment door. They raised their eyebrows in surprise.

“Hi!” you waved awkwardly “Listen I know this is random and you’re probably busy so you can say no but I kind of underestimated how hard it would be to get this tree in my apartment and I already had to carry this from my car to here and I scared a bunch of people out of the elevator because this thing took up the whole elevator and-” You stopped rambling when you saw a hint of a smile on their face, you think this is the first time you’ve ever seen them smile.

 It’s cute.

“Sorry, what I’m saying is, can you help me?” You anxiously bit your lip as you waited for a response.  Her lips quirk up into a smirk as she crosses her arms and leans against the door frame  “I’m surprised you didn’t take someone out with that thing”

You huff out a small laugh at the tease, relief slipping out with the action. Shifting on your feet you play with your hands and try not to blush under her intimidating gaze. “Yeah, if I’m honest I think I picked up someone’s dog with it on the way here”

The sound of her soft laugh has a smile pulling at your lips. To be honest you aren’t sure why you’ve never tried to talk to her before, she seems amiable.

The elevator dings somewhere to your right and you look to see one of the neighbors you stole the elevator from. They step out and notice the tree lying on the floor in front of your door, quickly shuffling to their door to unlock it as you give them an embarrassed wave. You’ll have to bring them a tin of Christmas cookies to apologize.

“Let me grab my keys real quick”

You turn back to your neighbor only to see the door in your face, you awkwardly step back and move towards your tree to assess the best way to pick it back up. Just as you're attempting to lift one half you hear the sound of a door and look up to see your aid locking her door. She swiftly joins you by the tree, watching as you struggle to lift the object that was easier to lift 2 hours ago. Your arms were so tired.

“We can probably get it in sideways” Her voice startles you from your half-assed hoisting and you finally stand and stretch your back. Missing the way her eyes follow the movement.

You roll your neck to release some tension and fix your eyes on her small form. You really should’ve used a dolly or something, or ordered a tree online like everyone else, but you wanted a real tree this year and when you saw the tallest one on the farm you really couldn’t resist it.

“Natasha right?” You remember a blonde man knocking on her door a few weeks ago and shouting her name until she opened her door. You weren’t eavesdropping you just so happened to be getting some appliances fixed that day and your door was open most of the day for the repair women.

She looks vaguely surprised that you know her name, tilting her head and folding her arms in an accusatory way that makes you quickly explain your situation. You drop eye contact halfway through your story, her green eyes were really pretty but you felt like you were being interrogated when she stared at you like that “And you’re y/n”

You snap your gaze to hers and see the same smirk from earlier back. You had the feeling she did that a lot, like she wasn’t the kind of person who was wrong often, or she said “I told you so” at least once a day. “How- How do you know that?” Small hands disappear behind her back and

she pulls a small envelope from her pocket, extending it in your direction. You notice the handwriting and address as one of your friends and grab the envelope you know is a Christmas card.

“I got your mail on accident yesterday,” She shrugs “I planned on returning it to you today but you beat me to it”

Blushing you nod your head and put the card in your pocket, “Oh, well thank you” inclining your head towards the tree you speak up “Should we get to it then?”

The dip of her head is your only answer and you crouch down to lift your side of the tree, watching the way she mirrors your action. Together the two of you lift the tree and you're surprised at how effortless she’s carrying her side, although to be fair she does look pretty lean in that T-shirt and you’ve seen her in the shared gym a few times.

Kicking your apartment door open, you lead your side backward and begin walking through the door, careful not to trip on any of the boxes of decorations on the floor. You lead Natasha to a spot you had deemed the perfect place for your tree this year and the two of you maneuver until the tree stands beautifully upright in your living room corner. It’s the perfect spot right by your floor-to-ceiling windows that have a beautiful view of New York in the winter.

Dusting off your hands you turn to Natasha and smile, watching the way she observes your decked-out apartment

“Thank you for your help, is there anything I can get you? A drink or some cookies? I have to warn you though I’ve been told My cookies will ruin all other Christmas cookies for you”

She quirks an eyebrow, eyeing the plate full of ridiculously decorated cookies on the counter “Don’t be fooled by their appearance they are delicious”

Walking over to the plate you pick up the worst rendition of a reindeer ever attempted and wave it at her suggestively, picking up a dwarf snowman for yourself and sticking it in your mouth.

Somehow it seems to have convinced her because she walks over and takes the cookie from you, breaking off a piece of what you think was an antler but could have also been a hoof and plopping it in her mouth.

You watch as she eats it, trying your best not to be creepy but eager to see her reaction. Much to your delight she lets out a noise of pleasure that has you blushing and then quickly takes another bite of the cookie. You can’t stop the smile that overtakes your face as she devours your cookie

“Those are unfairly good. I’m going to need the recipe” She only acknowledged your presence after she finished off the cookie but you don’t really mind her ignoring you for your baking skills.

You bring a finger up to your chin and pretend to contemplate the idea “Mm I don’t know, I can’t just go around giving away my secrets”

Natasha squints her eyes at you but the smile on her face betrays her. The lull in the conversation seems to bring both of you to the realization that Nat has technically fulfilled her helping duty and can now leave. You can’t help the disappointment that washes over you. 

You really wanted to get to know her better.

Deciding to take a longshot, you fix Nat with your best hopeful gaze and ask her a question you hope she won’t refuse

“Do you want to help me decorate it?”

Much to your surprise her smile widens and you swear her eyes sparkle with mirth. She shifts her weight to one hip and crosses her arms, copying your earlier actions and pretending to contemplate her answer.

“I suppose I could be persuaded” 

Your shoulders slump in relief and you swiftly grab a creepy Santa cookie and thrust it into her hands. Gesturing to the plate of cookies you tell her to help herself to as many as she wants

“As long as you leave a few for me to give the people I traumatized earlier” You joke and maneuver around the kitchen to connect your phone to a speaker. You put on a random Christmas playlist and start the process for two cups of hot chocolate all while Natasha eats another cookie.

While the milk is heating you make your way over to Nat and lean against the counter facing the tree “So I was thinking we start with the neon tinsel” Nat wrinkles her nose in distaste and you laugh at the endearing action.

~

Two cups of hot chocolate, Christmas karaoke, and a debate about your questionable ornament choices later, and the tree is fully decorated. It’s by far the best you’ve had in a few years and you’re sure it’s all thanks to Nat. Although she was incredibly apprehensive to put some of your favorite homemade decorations on her masterpiece.

  The two of you are sitting on your couch enjoying a second round of hot chocolate while Nat eats another cookie when you turn to her with an overjoyed smile on your face. “Have you ever seen Santa Claus Conquers The Martians?”

Nat gives you an affronted look but passes you the remote anyway and you put the movie on and scoot closer to her.

By the end of the night Nat and you were cuddled on the couch as the two of you fell asleep to the dull sound of shitty Christmas movies playing in the background.

~~

This is my first attempt at Ficmas so let me know what you think!~Starry

[thestoryofusstan]

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

part ii

pairing: harry styles x fem!reader

warnings: none really.. not edited.

summary: in which y/n's friends book her an amazing gig, but they don't mention anything about her favorite singer being in attendance.

request: nope!

your friends were more than aware of your obsession with harry styles. it’s not like it was a secret.

so, it only made sense that when you started to sing in bars and cafes — anywhere, really — that you’d always incorporate something of his into it. whether it be a love on tour crewneck, a song of his, a one direction song, or a song about him — you loved to cover style, because.. who didn’t want to strut on a stage to a song everyone knows?

however, you weren’t aware of what they were planning when they somehow booked you in a very prestigious bar.

the dress-code for this bar was strict. your usual get-up of jeans and a crewneck — or jeans and anything, really — was vetoed before you could even ask. so, you searched through the depths and trenches of your closet until you found a black, skin-tight cocktail dress that ended right at your mid-thigh.

“seriously, babe. you know sign of the times inside and out. you’re just psyching yourself out,” one of your friends, melanie, told you.

“i know, but.. still.”

“you doubt yourself too much.”

“so you tell me everyday. now shoo! i’ve gotta be onstage in five.”

you weren’t exactly sure how you got onstage. you’re pretty sure you blacked out.

as you nervously scanned the crowd, you spoke into the mic, “hi.. my name is y/n. uh.. i’ll be singing some songs tonight. i figured since it’s christmas eve, i could sing through a few.. christmas classics or whatever. so.. yeah!”

a few people in the audience laughed at your awkwardness.

you sang through last christmas first, which really boosted your confidence. the audience was very interactive, singing, dancing, and clapping along.

you sang a few other christmas classics. santa baby, let it snow, things like that.

and then.. it was time for the section you very much dreaded. your songs.

“so.. these next few songs are songs that i wrote. they’re.. like.. my babies. so.. please be nice to them,” you laughed.

you nodded to the band. a silent signal that they could start the music.

“when you first told me about her, you said she was thirty. and i just can’t help but think.. you knew it was dirty. and maybe you were just a little sad, but there’s no excuse to lie to me like that. but when you first told me about her, you said she was thirty,” you took a deep breath before belting the chorus, “but she’s only twenty-eight. i’m not even half her age. she probably just had her first high school reunion. you’re probably the first guy she’s ever moved in with. you think that i wanna hate. but you set me up this way. so for my health i’ll be blocking your number, ‘cause you couldn’t wait till i got a bit older.”

the crowd cheered, giving you more confidence as you walked around the stage.

“and sometimes i kinda feel like i wanna forgive. but it never crossed your mind that maybe i’m still a kid. and i’m so used to being the adult. even when you say it’s not your fault. but i’m kinda getting sick and tired of crying. so please stop lying, and lying, and lying. she’s only twenty-eight. i’m not even half her age. she probably just had her first high school reunion. you’re probably the first guy she’s ever moved in with. you think that i wanna hate. but you set me up this way. so for my health i’ll be blocking your number, ‘cause you couldn’t wait till i got a bit older. to tell me she was twenty-eight.”

as the drums and electric guitar got more intense, the lights flashed different colors.

“to tell me she was twenty-eight… what the fuck is twenty-eight? you said she’s mature, so that makes it okay. and you said she likes sports, so that makes it okay. and she’s actually pretty, so that makes it okay. but there’s nothing you can say that makes twenty-eight okay.. to me.”

the crowd cheered as you lowered the mic. a smile overtook your face as you laughed.

you walked back over to the mic stand, putting the mic in the slot as a slow, piano-ballad type song started. the lights switched to a soft white.

“they’re always charismatic. and they’ll turn up the charm. their words do something magic, saying no is really hard. they’re over-generous, you’ll never pay the bills. they’ll fall in love in seconds. die for you, or probably kill. ooh. and after six months, you’ll feel really stupid. ooh. i promise that it’s not your fault you fell for it,” you shook your head, keeping your eyes closed as you sang, “‘cause.. one little fight breaks into war. feels like you’re dying on the bathroom floor. you’ll make an excuse. you’ll say that it’s you. and the mirror’s telling you it’s true. won’t leave, can’t stay. how much are you gonna take? ‘cause you’ll always take the blame. it feels like shit, but that’s just how it is. when you love a narcissist. so if you’re feeling crazy.. i wouldn’t be surprised. the only thing they’re good at’s knowing how to gaslight. then make you feel like the most beautiful in the world. while they’re sleeping with another girl. ooh. and after six months, you’ll feel really stupid. ooh. i promise that it’s not your fault you fell for it, ‘cause.. one little fight breaks into war. feels like you’re dying on the bathroom floor. you’ll make an excuse. you’ll say that it’s you. and the mirror’s telling you it’s true. won’t leave, can’t stay. how much are you gonna take? ‘cause you’ll always take the blame. it feels like shit, but that’s just how it is. ‘cause i felt like shit. so i know how it is. when you love a narcissist.”

the crowd cheered as it went straight into another song.

“when you’d yell, i would stay quiet. you never noticed i was quiet. i was taught that speaking up was talking back. always first to say, ‘i’m sorry’, ‘cause i wanted you to like me. and i thought that’s what it took to make it last. it’s a lose, lose. that i don’t choose. but you don’t always choose the ones you love. i shouldn’t have to be the bigger person. how come i have to break to keep us working? it’s always up to me, even though it shouldn’t be. i’ll take the blame the way you want me to. ‘cause that’s what i do for you. i was half of this dynamic. i was stable, you were manic. without you or with you comes with a cost. i got used to the excuses and emotional abuses. we kept moving the lines we never crossed. it’s a lose, lose that i don’t choose. but you don’t always choose the ones you love. shouldn’t have to be the bigger person. how come i have to break to keep us working? it’s always up to me, even though it shouldn’t be. i’ll take the blame the way you want me to. ‘cause that’s what i do for you. i always think it’s over, but it never really is. but i can’t get the closure when you’re like this. can we switch? maybe this time you’ll be the bigger person. ‘cause i’m getting tired of carrying all your burden. it should be up to you, but you won’t admit the truth, oh-oh. shouldn’t have to be the bigger person. how come i have to break to keep us working? it’s always up to me, even though it shouldn’t be. i’ll take the blame the way you want me to. ‘cause that’s what i do for you.”

the crowd cheered again.

“thank you! we have.. four more songs tonight. this next one is would’ve, could’ve, should’ve.”

a crew member came and slipped an electric guitar around your neck. you quietly thanked them as you cleared your throat and the music started.

“if you would’ve blinked, then i would’ve looked away at the first glance. if you tasted poison, you could’ve spit me out at the first chance. if i was some paint, did it splatter on a promising grown man? and if i was a child, did it matter? if you got to wash your hands? oh-oh, oh. all i used to do was pray. would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. if you’d never looked my way, i would’ve stayed on my knees. and i damn sure never would’ve danced with the devil at nineteen. and the god honest truth is that the pain was heaven. and now that i’m grown, i’m scared of ghosts. memories feel like weapons. and now that i know, i wish you’d left me wondering. if you never touched me, i would’ve gone along with the righteous. if i never blushed, then they could’ve never whispered about this. and if you never saved me from boredom, i could’ve gone on as i was. but, lord, you made me feel important… and then you tried to erase us. oh-oh, oh. you’re a crisis of my faith. would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. if i’d only played it safe, i would’ve stayed on my knees. and i damn sure never would’ve danced with the devil at nineteen. and the god honest truth is that the pain was heaven. and now that i’m grown, i’m scared of ghosts. memories feel like weapons. and now that i know, i wish you’d left me wondering. god rest my soul, i miss who i used to be. the tomb won’t close, stained glass windows in my mind. i regret you all the time. i can’t let this go, i fight with you in my sleep. the wound won’t close, i keep on waiting for a sign. i regret you all the time…. if clarity’s in death, then why won’t this die? years of tearing down our banners, you and i. living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts. give me back my girlhood, it was mine first,” as you held the note, the crowd screamed.

“and i damn sure never would’ve danced with the devil. at nineteen. and the god honest truth is that the pain was heaven. and now that i’m grown, i’m scared of ghosts. memories feel like weapons. and now that i know, i wish you’d left me wondering. god rest my soul, i miss who i used to be. the tomb won’t close, stained glass windows in my mind. i regret you all the time. i can’t let this go, i fight with you in my sleep. the wound won’t close, i keep on waiting for a sign. i regret you all the time. oh, god rest my soul, i miss who i used to be. the tomb won’t close, stained glass windows in my mind. i regret you all the time. i can’t let this go, i fight with you in my sleep. the wound won’t close, i keep on waiting for a sign. i regret you all the time.”

with the final strum of your electric guitar, the crowd stood up to applaud. the crew member switched out the electric guitar for an acoustic one.

“this next one is called ceilings.”

a little bit more applause.

“.. ceilings. plaster. can’t you just make it move faster? lovely to be sitting here with you. you’re kinda cute, but it’s raining. harder. my shoes are now full of water. lovely to be rained on with you. it’s kinda cute but it’s.. so short. then you’re drivin’ me home. and i don’t wanna leave, but i have to go. you kiss me in your car. and it feels like the start of a movie i’ve seen before. before… bedsheets, no clothes. touch me like nobody else does. lovely to just lay here with you. you’re kinda cute and i would say all of this. but i don’t wanna ruin the moment. lovely to sit between comfort and chaos.. but it’s over. then you’re driving me home. and it kinda comes out as i get up to go. you kiss me in your car, and it feels like the start of a movie i’ve seen before.. but it’s not real. and you don’t exist. and i can’t recall the last time i was kissed. it hits me in the car. and it feels like the end of a movie i’ve seen before. before.”

you laughed as you saw melanie and your friends stand up in the back of the bar, dancing on stools.

“i can see my friends dancing.. so badly because they love the next song,” you laugh.

“once the flight had flown. with the wilt of the rose. i slept all alone. you still wouldn’t go. let’s fast forward to three hundred takeout coffees later. i see your profile and your smile on unsuspecting waiters. you dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor. you search in every maiden’s bed for something greater, baby. was it over when she laid down on your couch? was it over when he unbuttoned my blouse? ‘come here,’ i whispered in your ear in your dream as you passed out, baby. was it over then? and is it over now? when you lost control. red blood, white snow. blue dress on a boat. your new girl is my clone,” you smiled, knowing was part comes next. “and did you think i didn’t see you, there were flashing lights. at least i had the decency to keep my nights out sight. only rumors ‘bout my hips and thighs, and my whispered sighs. oh, lord. i think about jumping. off of very tall somethings. just to see you coming runnin’, runnin’. and say the one thing i’ve been wanting, but no. let’s. fast forward to three hundred awkward blind dates later. if she's got blue eyes, i will surmise that you'll probably date her. you dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor. you search in every model's bed for something greater, baby, was it over when she laid down on your couch? was it over when he unbuttoned my blouse? ‘come here,’ I whispered in your ear in your dream as you passed out, baby. was it over then? and is it over now? oh. oh. think i didn’t see you? there were flashing lights. at least i had the decency to keep my nights out sight. only rumors ‘bout my hips and thighs, and my whispered sighs. oh, lord. i think about jumping. off of very tall somethings. just to see you coming runnin’, runnin’. and say the one thing i’ve been wanting, but no. let’s fast forward to three hundred takeout coffees later. oh. i was hoping you’d be there. and say the one thing i’be been wanting… but no.”

another round of applause as you passed off the guitar.

“so.. this song is not my song. i am.. very nervous for this, but.. this is sign of the times.”

you closed your eyes tightly as the music started, “just stop your crying, it’s a sign of the times. welcome to the final show. hope you're wearing your best clothes. you can't bribe the door on your way to the sky. you look pretty good down here. but you ain't really good.. we never learn, we been here before. why are we always stuck and running from the bullets? the bullets? we never learn, we been here before. why are we always stuck and running from the bullets? the bullets? … just stop your crying it’s a sign of the times. we gotta get away from here. we gotta get away from here. just stop your crying, it’ll be alright. they told me that the end is near. we gotta get away from here. just stop your crying, have the time of your life. breaking through the atmosphere, and things are pretty good from here. remember everything will be alright. we can meet again somewhere. somewhere far away from here.. we never learn, we been here before. why are we always stuck and running from the bullets? the bullets? we never learn, we been here before. why are we always stuck and running from the bullets? the bullets? just stop your crying. it’s a sign of the times. we gotta get away from here. we gotta get away from here. stop your crying, baby, it'll be alright. they told me that the end is near we gotta get away from here. we never learn, we been here before. why are we always stuck and running from the bullets? the bullets?” you finally opened your eyes, trying to find melanie, but instead, you find the last person you expected to be here.

the man whose song you’re literally singing.

harry was slightly weary when an over-excited girl with light pink hair came up to him and asked him — begged him, really — to come to her best friends show. he wasn’t sure what convinced him. or what possessed him to bring his mother and gemma along with him.

but he had to say, he didn’t.. regret it.

you were pretty — extremely pretty. and you were a crazy good singer. he was pretty sure you were singing his song better than him.

you swallowed your nerves as you sang the chorus and bridge, keeping eye contact even though you felt like shitting your pants. “we never learn, we been here before. why are we always stuck and running from the bullets? the bullets? we don't talk enough. we should open up. before it's all too much. will we ever learn? we've been here before. it's just what we know. stop your crying, baby. it's a sign of the times. we gotta get away. we got to get away..” you finally looked away, closing your eyes. “we got to get away. we got to get away. we got to get away. we got to, we got to, away. we got to, we got to, away. we got to, we got to, away.”

you let out a shaking exhale as the song ended, backing up from the mic. you bowed and blew kisses to the audience before practically sprinting offstage.

to: mel x

WHAT THE FUCK MELANIE WHY THE FUCK DID INJUST MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH HARRY STYLES WHILE SINGING SIGN OF THE TIMES IM GONNA KILL

MY

SELF.

from: mel xx

NOOO I INVITED HIM ITS FINE

to: mel xx

you

what.

from: mel xx

I SAW HIM A WEEK AFTER WE BOOKED YOU THE GIG AND MIGHT HAVE BEGGED HIM TO COME BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WANT TO MEET HIM AND WHAT BETTER WAY THAN THIS

to: mel xx

oh i dunno

ANY OTHER WAY?

from: mel xx

BABE IT IS FINE

HE BROUGHT HIS MUM AND GEMMA TOO

to: mel xx

WHAG

from: mel xx

HE SAID HE LOVED IT AND U WERE OHENOMENAL

NOW GET OUT HERE AND MEET HIM

after taking ten minutes to breath, you walked over to the bar, finding melanie pretty easily.

“i love you so much for playing is it over now!”

“i played it just for you and your psycho obsession with it,” you laughed as she yanked you into a hug.

you two pulled away, and you turned around when you felt a presence behind you.

your eyes widened when you were face to face with harry fucking styles.

“hey.. y/n, right?”

you blinked a few times… that couldn’t be real. this was most definitely a prank.

“.. are you alright?”

“yes! sorry, i’m.. yeah, i’m good. hi, yeah. i’m.. y/n.”

he smiled at you, “i’m harry. but.. you seem to already know that, since y’sang my song and all.”

“i.. yeah, i do know who you are,” you laugh awkwardly.

“well, i’m glad to know who you are as well.”

you had to bit your lip to keep from smiling like a psycho.

“oh, and uh.. happy christmas,” he smiled.

you furrowed your brows, grabbing your phone.

12:01, 25 december 2018

happy christmas, indeed.

a/n: edging 😛 LMAO this might get another part, it lowk just depends on how well it does!!

[lilacliquors]

pairing: soldier boy x reader

word count: 1062

notes: on the third day of ficmas, lilacliquors gave to me ... soldier boy playing santa claus!

life had been peaceful the last few years. you and ben had finally gotten the chance to settle down, and now, you were the proud parents of twin girls, who were now four years old. finally at the age where they’d be more likely to remember this holiday better than the last three, and that made you excited. you and ben had gone a little overboard this year with the gifts, trying to fulfill as many little wishes on their lists as you could. this time of year was magical for a child, and even though ben grumbled about santa getting most of the credit, he knew the smiles on their faces would be well worth it.

the night of christmas eve, you hosted your family for dinner and gift exchange. and when it came time for your daughters to open their gifts from their grandparents, you and ben were more than thrilled to see the girls squeal in excitement as they ripped wrapping paper from barbie boxes and toy tool sets. they ran up to their grandparents and hugged them tightly, then went off to play before it was time to set out the cookies and milk.

“so, will santa be dropping by the house tonight?” your father asked, and you nodded with a smile.

“mhm, he sure will be. we have the sweetest little angels in the world. it would be a crime to skip them,” you replied, and ben nodded with a little smile.

what you didn’t know was that he had gone out of his way to purchase a santa costume. it had been tucked away in your shared walk in closet for about a month, and he knew that it would not only make you laugh, but it might thrill the girls to possibly catch a glimpse at the jolly man in red.

“well, it’s getting late, and the girls should be getting to bed before he gets here,” your mother said.

“right you are. don’t need any mishaps tonight. audrey! quinn! grandma and grandpa are heading out, so come say good night!”

audrey and quinn came rushing out of their bedroom and hugged their grandparents good night, then waved goodbye as their left your home. then, ben crouched down, and he set a hand on their shoulders.

“all right, you two ready to set out milk and cookies for the big guy?” he asked, and you saw their eyes light up.

“yes, daddy!” they said, and with a smile, you led them into the kitchen, pulling out the special plate and bowl you used to leave the treats out.

“looks like we’ve got some veggies for the reindeer, too,” ben said, pulling a bag of baby carrots from the fridge. the girls laughed, and they cheerfully began to arrange the cookies on the plate in the order they thought santa would be most likely to eat them, and then you set some carrots into the reindeer shaped bowl. you helped quinn pour a glass of milk, and then it was time for bed.

the girls settled in, and you read them your father’s old pop-up version of the night before christmas, just like he did with you. ben sat between their beds, making sure they each had a teddy bear tucked in with them, then you both kissed them goodnight before turning off their lamp. audrey and quinn smiled as they shut their eyes. they were worn out from an exciting day, and it wasn’t long before they were both fast asleep. you went down into the kitchen to wash the dished from dinner while ben disappeared upstairs, and you paid it no mind. you could hear the rustling to wrapping paper from behind you, and you figured he was just bringing down the gifts you had wrapped a few nights ago, so you felt no need to turn around to check. but you did have to turn to set the plates aside to dry, and when you did, you saw a brief flash of red. puzzled, you turned off the sink and crept towards the stairs, slowly making your way down them and into your family room, where you christmas tree was light with colorful lights. and there, you saw your husband, dressed in a santa costume, setting the neatly wrapped presents around the tree.

“oh. my. god,” you whispered, your hand going to cover your mouth. he chuckled, then stood and turned to look at you, his hands on his hips.

“nice costume, right?” he asked, and you began to laugh, walking over with a smile.

“it’s perfect. you’re too funny,” you said, reaching to play with the puff on the end of his hat.

“that’s not all. take a look…” he moved one hand over you, and you looked up to find a bit of mistletoe in his hand. you laughed again, then looked back at him, shaking your head.

“what am i gonna do with you?” you asked, and he wrapped his free arm around your waist.

“gimme a kiss, because those are the rules,” he murmured. he leaned down, and you met him halfway, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. the glow from the tree illuminated you both, and it felt like the most romantic moment you could have shared. until, that is, two tiny gasps pulled you apart.

“quinn! look! mommy’s kissing santa claus!” audrey squealed.

“girls! you need to get back to bed!” you said quickly, pulling away from ben to usher them back upstairs. they were giggling as they jumped back into their beds, and you pinched the bridge of your nose. of course, this was going to be the first christmas they truly remembered. how could it not be?

you went back downstairs and joined ben by the tree once more, and he was busy trying to stifle his laughter.

“very funny, benjamin,” you said, and he again wrapped his arm around your waist.

“if nothing else, this will be a holiday to remember. the time our daughters thought you were making out with a fat guy in a red suit with a white beard,” he said, and you snorted.

“great. what fond memories. guess we’ll have some questions to answer in the morning,” you murmured, and he kissed your forehead.

“if they aren’t distracted by the shiny new toys, sure.”

“... let’s hope they’re easily influenced.”

[taefaerie]

𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓��𝐘 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 . . . PRO-HERO!BAKUGO !

PRO-HERO!BAKUGO who helps you decorate the Christmas tree, even after complaining about it.

PRO-HERO!BAKUGO who spend weeks to carefully select the perfect Christmas gift for you, like a photo album or a homemade jewelry made by his rough hands.

PRO-HERO!BAKUGO who has a friendly cooking competition to see who can make the best Christmas cookies. Expect a lot of teasing, flour fights and maybe some accidental explosions. (He won btw)

PRO-HERO!BAKUGO who cuddle with you near the fireplace with a cozy blanket covering you both. The warm glow of the fire reflects in his ruby eyes as he steals a few kisses between exchanging gifts.

PRO-HERO!BAKUGO who sweeps you off your feet for a dramatic yet sweet kiss under the mistletoe.

PRO-HERO!BAKUGO who may grumble about it, but secretly enjoys a Christmas move marathon. Expect him to complain about every single action in the movies and maybe offer a rare but genuine laugh.

PRO-HERO!BAKUGO who holds you close for a passionate midnight kiss, promising to love you and facing the challenges or the upcoming year together as the clock ticks down to the New Year.

I kinda ran out of ideas lol. Have a Merry Christmas!! 🎄❤️

[holy-puckslibrary]

━ 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦

˗ˏˋ 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ˎˊ˗

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 — teacher!jeff skinner x teacher!reader 𝐰𝐜 — 2.4k 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 — their students decide to play matchmaker before a school dance; will their scheming pay off?

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 — written to fill a short n sweet request last year for my patreon fic-mas <3 and if you catch the lil nod to two of our favs, you're a real one

“I know we’ve been having a hard time concentrating this week, which is understandable with all the excitement surrounding the Snowball Dance, but you do have one more day of work before you can totally kick back and check out,” Jeff Skinner, a high school social studies teacher, says after the tardy bell chimes.

The students are settling into their seats but listen intently.

He continues, “That being said, I will still be collecting your annotations for chapters eighteen through twenty that we started during Monday’s class. While I’m doing that, a sign-up sheet for the Unit 5 case study presentations will be floating around the room. If I were you, I’d grab the earliest slot available to get it over with and be done for the semester. But, hey, that’s just me!”

His twelfth-grade AP Government class meets this with a chorus of groans. A subset of students lightheartedly boo him from the back row. Oddly, though, the ruckus pleases him.

Mr. Skinner strives to create a classroom environment where the teens feel comfortable sharing their honest feelings and have the space to do so if they choose. Their vocal push-back signifies their trust in him. He also appreciates their mutinous spirit because it arose after their deep dive into the Declaration of Independence and its twenty-seven grievances; they were combative but in the name of freedom for the cohort and the individual. Jeff saw that as a Teacher Win.

“I know, I know. I’m a tyrant, and you hate me. But unlike this country, this classroom is a monarchy, not a democracy,” he returns the teasing. “And if you looked at our agenda when you walked in this morning, you would’ve seen that—because I am obviously the nicest person ever—I have allocated today’s class period to independent work time. So, you can complete whatever you may need. That means putting any final touches on this week’s chapters, polishing up your Supreme Court case PowerPoints with your partner or group, or finishing any outstanding assignments.

And if you recall, I give full credit for late work, so long as it's on my desk before the cut-off tomorrow at noon. You’re welcome." Sarcasm is his favorite—and most effective—bonding strategy. "If you're squared away, you know where the board games and art supplies are. Just no more explicit drawings. I don’t care, but Mrs. Benson next door does.”

The class laughs, fondly recalling the fiasco the day before Homecoming.

A couple of students decided to use their free time to create a few political illustrations. While they were historically accurate and objectively hilarious, they were not “school appropriate,” according to the 9th-grade Geography teacher who glimpsed the comic strips as she passed the open door.

She demanded Jeff punish the perpetrators for their vulgarity, but instead, he had the drawings laminated and bound into a resource book. Said book has since found a home on a bookshelf, wedged comfortably between Howard Zinn’s A Power Governments Cannot Suppress and The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution by Linda Monk.

In his peripheral vision, Jeff sees a student waiting by the door and invites them in. He segues, “Before I leave you to your own devices, it looks like we have a visitor from ASB. So, please be nice, give them your full attention, and don’t embarrass me. Capiche?”

The class agrees to comply, and the boy, an underclassman if he had to guess, hesitantly walks to the front of the room.

Jeff remembers how intimidating seniors felt when he was that age, so he gives his students a pointed warning over the kid’s shoulder. A few of them perk up, noticeably straightening in their seats.

“Good morning, everyone. I’m Leo, and I will be filling in for Gabby today.” He looks down at the printout of the day’s announcements and clears his throat. Then, Leo begins reading them aloud:

“Feeling stressed this finals season? Stop by the quad next week during both A and B lunch blocks to decompress with some therapy dogs. If you need further or individualized support, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson will be opening up their schedules for one-on-one sessions. Appointments can be made using the yellow slips in the main office.

Work permits are available in the career counseling hub. If you plan on getting a job or need to renew, please submit an application as soon as possible. No permits will be issued during Winter Break.

Remember that your final exam period is not the same as your regular meeting time or day, so be sure to check your portals this weekend for the updated schedule.

Still need a ticket for the Snowball Dance tomorrow night? Please stop by the ASB room or contact Owen Power, the senior class president, before sixth period today. They’re $15 with an ASB card and $20 without one. Trust me; you don’t want to miss out!"

The audience of seniors cheers, hooting and hollering out their delight. The underclassman beams, confidence swelling, and tucks the script away. His smile grows. “And now…drum roll, please!”

As the students bang their desks with open palms, textbooks, and stray pencils, the ASB student angles a pair of jazz hands towards the open door.

“Santa Claus!”

Peyton, the current school mascot—in an ill-fitting costume that's certainly older than he is—materializes in the empty space. He hauls a lumpy velvet bag over his shoulder as he saunters across the room. The tiny gold bells affixed to the sack twinkle with every step.

“Ho, ho, ho! Candy Cane Gram delivery!” Peyton bellows.

His impression is unexpectedly convincing, in Jeff's humble opinion.

“Santa” roots around in the bag and pulls the first set out. They’re paper-clipped together, indicating both were for the same person. “Taylor Zimmerman? Two for you!”

He passes the slips of paper back to the student who raised her hand.

The distribution of festive notes, an annual fundraiser put on by the junior and senior class councils to bankroll the dance itself, fades into background noise as Mr. Skinner begins looking over the pile of essays he collected last period from his squirrelly 10th-grade World History class.

The prompt had been to explore the impact of globalization in the post-Cold War era, and they’re off to a great start. The first essay's author touches on “transnational actors” and their impact on overall global wealth—in the introductory paragraph. Pride blooms in his chest. Maybe someone had been paying attention after all.

Jeff gets through three and a half papers—all 95% and above, but who’s counting?—before he feels someone standing over him.

“Uh, Mr. Skinner?” Peyton whispers in his civilian voice.

“Yes?” Jeff replies.

To mark his spot, Mr. Skinner sets his pen below a particularly eloquent paragraph highlighting how American consumer culture polluted local ecosystems abroad.

The sophomore nervously looks around the room. After deciding his peers were too engrossed in the social politics of sending and receiving Candy Cane Grams and Ice Court nomination speculation to hear, Peyton pulls a slip of paper out from inside the thick, red coat and sets it on Jeff’s desk. It’s crumpled, and the miniature candy cane is barely hanging on.

“This last one’s for you.”

“Oh, thank you very much,” Jeff smiles. The polite expression is meant to relieve the student from his classroom, but Peyton remains glued to his spot. Gently, he asks, “Is there something else I can do for you, Mr. Krebs?”

“Aren’t you going to see who sent it?” the boy asks, all toothy grin and twinkling eyes.

Well, that’s not at all suspicious, Mr. Skinner thinks as he slides the slip closer.

He scans the generic template, reading his name and room number scrawled beside washed-out festive clipart, but doesn’t understand the fuss... until his eyes drift down to the section for an optional message.

Mr. Skinner,

Just like a snowflake, you’re one of a kind. Be my date to the dance tomorrow night? It would make me SNOW happy!

Jeff almost believes it’s from you. Had he not been familiar with your handwriting, it would have been an excellent forgery. But, he knew your penmanship. Maybe a little too well.

His anchor charts were all in your hand; he could see at least three from where he was sitting. Jeff can’t recall the last time he attempted one on his own.

In exchange for mercifully sparing him from teenage ridicule due to his poor penmanship, he handled the construction and refurbishment of the props and sets necessary for the Winter Showcase and spring musical every year. Whatever you, the brilliant and beloved drama teacher, dreamed up, Jeff dutifully built.

Including, but not limited to, an impressive Audrey II, the iconic Venus flytrap from “Little Shop of Horrors,” a life-size bubble for their Glinda to float around in during performances of “Wicked,”  and the massive tire that anchors the dilapidated junkyard set for “Cats.”

He was ambivalent about musical theater when he bartered the informal contractor role, but Jeff grew to love it after a few years. Due in large part to your infectious passion.

He gives the mastermind—or masterminds, props for trying, though.

“Oh, wow!” Jeff exclaims, deciding to play along. Peyton's face brightens; there’s no way he’s not involved. “Out of respect, let’s keep this between you and me for now, okay?”

“O-of course, Mr. Skinner,” Peyton sputters, as though he’s shocked Jeff didn’t notice anything amiss or ask any follow-up questions. “That’s why I waited to give it to you. It felt too personal to announce in front of your entire class. Especially after the whole Homecoming thing.”

“Thing” wasn’t what he’d call it, but this kind of dramatic exaggeration was one of the many reasons he loved working with teenagers.

During a pep rally in October, the student body president crowned the two of you the faculty Homecoming King and Queen. Jeff wasn't even aware that was a thing he could win, and neither had you, but you bashfully accepted the titles and accompanying crowns in front of a thousand rowdy high schoolers anyway.

Later that night, you slow-danced to Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” under a sky of twinkling stars—clear fairy lights repurposed from the previous year’s "Camelot" canopy—black glitter tulle, and a plywood crescent moon.

The students lost their minds then and were yet to get over it. Obviously.

“I appreciate that,” Jeff says, biting back his amusement.

Peyton salutes him and hoists the sack over his shoulder again. He and Leo say their goodbyes and move on to the next classroom on their route.

The remainder of the school day was agonizingly hectic. So much so that it meddled with his plan to swing by the auditorium where you held classes.

His projector kicked the bucket in the middle of his lecture on the two-way exchanges collectively known as the Columbian Exchange; Jeff couldn’t get it back into commission until his prep period, so he would have to explain how the triangular trade route emerged from colonial mercantilism policies in the new year. His 9th-grade World Geography class refused to participate in the activity he organized to mimic the Arctic landscape and harsh climate, so, somewhat reluctantly, he cut his losses and threw on an episode of Where On Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? And right before his sixth period, some bored senior pulled the fire alarm, forcing the entire school to spend the glacial afternoon lined up in the parking lot.

All that said, it was safe to say Mr. Skinner had never been happier to see his driveway and his dog than he was this evening. The border collie shepherd mix, Chips—affectionately named as a tribute to the trained sentry dog who became the most decorated canine in the Second World War—is waiting on the porch. Joyously, he howls when Jeff gets out of his car.

“Hey, buddy,” he says as he reaches down to scratch between the pup’s ears. Chips jumps up, his muddy paws landing on Jeff’s coat. He begins licking his owner’s cheeks with reckless abandon. “Okay, come on, crazy dog. Let’s get you back inside.”

Immediately after Jeff opens the front door, Chips darts down the hallway. He chuckles, shaking his head as he sheds his coat and tosses his keys into the bowl by the door.

Jeff rescued his dog as he was wrapping up his undergraduate degree at NC State, and the two were as thick as thieves up until a few years ago.

That’s not to say anything happened or there’s bad blood; Chips simply found a new favorite person.

Jeff trails after Chips, following the furry tail and the delicious scent wafting from the kitchen. He makes a pit stop at the fridge to grab a beer before turning to address his successor to the rescue's heart, standing at the stove stirring a giant pot of soup.  

“You won’t believe what happened in my second period today, babe. Every day, I’m surprised by how bold teenagers are. Hell, when I was their age, I was petrified to sharpen a pencil without asking. Their latest scheme wouldn’t have even crossed my mind. Seriously, I don’t think you could guess what shenanigans they got up to if you tried.”

He's met with melodic laughter, a sparkly sound that still makes his heart skip a beat.

“Maybe not, but I don’t need to.”

Jeff’s brows knit together, confused. Then his eyes zero in on the slip of paper identical to the one in his back pocket.

If it were possible, his jaw could sweep the tile floor.

“Guess we aren’t as sly as we think,” you smirk, waving a counterfeit Candy Cane Gram of your own in the air like a white flag.

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[im-a-marvel-ous-hoe]

Santa, Baby | Bucky Barnes (4th Day of 🎄)

(Credits to the owner of this pic!)

Heyo! I’m back with another Christmas fic! I kinda wrote this one super late at night and haven’t done a proofread on this, so if this is shit pls forgive me 😅🩵

Christmas Masterlist <- check out my other holiday fics!

~~~~

“That’s so cliché! C’mon, I saw that happening from a mile away.” Bucky laughed as we both sat on the couch watching a bad Christmas rom-com, both of us sharing a blanket so that gives us an excuse to cuddle up to each other. He reached for his mug on the coffee stand in front of the both of us and brought it up to his lips, taking a sip and savoring the bitter taste of his coffee on his tongue.

I watched him drink from his mug as I waited in anticipation for him to reach the bottom of the cup. I smiled to myself and shook my head, my attention turning back to the screen in front of us. “You’ve never seen this movie! There’s no way you could’ve guessed.” I joked as he leaned his head closer to mine while his eyes stayed on the TV screen, his arm laid comfortably draped over my shoulder. “Just because I’ve never seen it, doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

He smiled as he took another sip of his coffee, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as the hot liquid slid down his throat. “Well, when you’re as hot as that actor, the bad acting and cliché lines are forgivable.”

“I’m sitting right here!” He raised an eyebrow and turned towards me. “Oh, that’s right! I forgot that I can only fantasize about being stopped at an airport by the love of my life who tells me how much he loves me and doesn’t want me to leave when you’re not here. Sorry, baby, you’re the hottest man I’ve ever met.” He playfully pushed me off to the side and laughed.

“You dork.”

“You love me.”

“Unfortunately.” He shrugged his shoulders and smirked as I let out a gasp. I returned the favor as he lifted the mug away from me. “Hey, hey! Watch it! You’re gonna make me spill it all over us.” He smiled once he realized he was untouchable while holding the hot beverage. There’s no way I’m gonna allow coffee to stain our blanket and he knows it. He smiled as he lifted the cup up to his puckered lips. “Oh you cocky motherfucker, just watch. Once you put that mug down, your ass is mine.”

“You know, I’m actually quite thirsty. I think I might just hold onto it.”

“Mhmm.” I raised an eyebrow at him and laughed, my anxiety starting to rise wondering how much coffee is left in his mug. How would he react? I’ve been keeping this a secret for a few weeks and the anticipation of telling him was starting to eat me alive. Is this the best way to break the news to him? I mean, it’s a bit too late now to take it out of his hands so…

“Random question, but I’m just curious…” He took a quick sip before speaking up again. “Have you thought about what you’re getting me for Christmas?” I rolled my eyes and chuckled. “Yes, I have. Have you?”

He nodded his head, a small blush appeared on his cheeks as he smiled. “I’ve got the perfect gift, all wrapped up and ready to go.”

“Oh, really? All ready to go, you say?” I asked. “Mhmm. I can’t wait to see the look on your face and doll, let me just say, nothing, and I mean nothing… can top what I got you. I’m callin’ it.” I reached my hand up to his free one and intertwined our fingers together. “Oh, I don’t know about that Bucky. I bet mine is better.”

He shook his head and brought my hand up to his lips, placing a quick sweet kiss on top and looked down at my fingers. “Nope, I’m pretty sure mine is.” I could feel heat rise to my face as I watched him, my mind becoming mush for a second. “As much as I love your gifts, I think I’m the one who's got this one in the bag this year.” I glanced at the practically empty mug in his hand.

“You know what?” He hummed in response, continuing playing with my fingers as he looked directly at me. “You wanna exchange gifts now?” His demeanor changed for a second before clearing his throat. “R – Right now?” I nodded, my excitement and anxiety to tell him the news taking over my next words. “I literally can’t wait to give you your gift. It’s eating me alive.”

He chuckled nervously as his eyes drifted to a random corner of the room. The mug lie standing up on his lap, his fingers gripping the handle. “But uh it’s – it’s not Christmas.”

“I know, but.. this could be a preemie present. I don’t want you to see your gift in front of everyone at Tony’s Christmas party. Too many people watching for something that’s meant to be intimate.” He smirked as he recalled last Christmas. “Is your gift you, doll? Am I gonna have to unwrap you? Is that why you don’t want people watching?” I playfully hit his chest as he laughed before finally meeting my eyes.

“Get your mind outta the gutter, Barnes, I was trynna be sweet here.” His eyes crinkled as he laughed. “Hey, I wouldn’t complain. I loved my gift last year, doll. Can’t help it if I got excited thinking it might happen again this year.” I covered my face with embarrassment as he adjusted his body, his leg bent as he sat directly in front of me. “Do you love seeing me get like this or something?”

“Oh, 100%.”

I pulled my hands away from my face, which I’m sure was beet red. He sat there, staring at me and smiled. “There she is.” I felt my lips curve up and couldn’t help but smile back at him. “Can – Can we please just exchange gifts? I don’t know how much longer I can wait.”

He stayed silent for a moment and hummed. Something about the soft faraway look in his eyes and the way he bit his lip told me that my gift must’ve been something special if he’s acting like this. He glanced down at my hands in my lap and as if something in his head clicked. Seeming to come to a decision, he slowly nodded his head and looked up at me.

“Okay, doll. Let’s do it.” I didn’t realize I was holding in my breath awaiting his response until I felt my shoulders slump and a nervous smile creeped up on my face. “Okay… okay um..” I cleared my throat and took in a nervous deep breath as he spoke. “Ladies first.”

I glanced at the mug he still held onto and felt my heart beating erratically. My hands slowly reached for his cup and grasped it, taking it from his hands and lifted it up to his face. He raised an eyebrow as he waited to see what I would say. “Inside this mug, holds your Christmas gift.”

He glanced at the cup in my hand and smiled up at me. “Doll, I’m confused. Why wouldn’t you want me to see this gift in front of everyone at Tony’s party? It’s just a mug.” He laughed as he took the cup back in his hands. “I said inside the mug is your Christmas gift.”

“... Baby – ”

“Oh my God, Bucky, look at the bottom of the mug!” He held his hands up in defense and chuckled at my impatience, “Okay! It’s right here! It’s not goin’ anywhere.” He looked inside his mug and realized he hadn’t finished his coffee. He brought the cup up to his lips and began drinking the remaining liquid until he suddenly stopped. My heart pounded against my chest as he slowly brought the mug away from his face as he read out the secret message at the bottom of his drink.

‘We are pregnant’

His lips parted open slightly as I anxiously waited for his response. I began to play with the blanket that lay between us as I softly called out his name. He turned towards me and asked. “Are you… is this.. baby, is this real?” I nodded as he quickly placed the mug on the coffee table and brought my body close to him, embracing me in a bear hug. I wrapped my arms around him and felt my bottom lip tremble.

Tears began brimming my eyes as he held me tightly to him, letting out a quiet sniffle. “When – When did you find out? How long have you known?” I chuckled as I went to pull away from him but was quickly brought back in and held on even tighter. “I found out a few weeks ago. I took a few tests and they all came out positive.”

He buried his face into my neck and continued listening to how I found out we are pregnant. “I’ve been keeping this secret ever since. I haven’t told anyone yet – not even Nat or Wanda, although I’m sure they both know that somethings up.” I chuckled. “I wanted you to be the first person I told before we told everyone else. I didn’t want you to feel out of the loop or something if you found out at the same time as everyone else. I wanted us to tell them together.”

He pulled away and reached both of his hands up to reach the sides of my face, He sniffled as his glassy eyes met mine and we both just smiled at each other. “Baby… we’re having a baby.”

I nodded as he pulled me in for a kiss. And another.. and another.. and another.

His fingers ran through my hair as my hands stayed on the stubble on his face, not being able to move as much for how close he pulled me towards him. “You’re gonna be a daddy.” I softly spoke as my lips grazed his. “And you’re gonna be a momma.” I smiled against him and pulled him in for one more kiss.

“I love you.. I love you.. I love you..” He mumbled in between kisses as I giggled against him. His hand reached down and I felt the palm of his hand against my stomach. I placed my hand on top of his as he slowly pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine. “Darling, I… this is the best gift you could’ve ever given me.”

“Told you my gift was the best.” I smiled as he chuckled.

“You haven’t even seen what my gift is.”

“Doesn’t matter. This is as much a gift to you as this is for me.” He leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on my lips before pulling away. He held my hand in his as he rubbed his thumb over my ring finger and pinky as he tilted his head to the side before looking up at me and asked. “Can I give you my Christmas gift now?”

I nodded my head and wiped my eyes clear from my tears. He pushed the blanket that lay on his lap away from him and slowly reached his hand down to the front pocket of his pants. I sat there in silence as he suddenly pulled out a small black velvet box. His gaze stayed focused on the box as he took in a deep breath, shuddering and clearing his throat.

“Y/N…” With his free hand, he reached down and grasped mine in his.

Oh my God.

“Before I met you, I never thought I’d be able to find someone who makes me believe I deserve all the love I’ve been deprived of for so long. I never thought I could find someone who makes me want to be a better person. I uh haha.. never thought I’d find someone who I would want to start a family with..”

He looked up at me with tears in his eyes as he nervously blushed as he continued. “Being with you made me realize how much I want things. I want that quiet life in the country. The white picket fence with our kids running around..” He reached his hand down to my stomach as I felt myself become emotional all over again. If it’s because of the hormones or his beautiful speech, I’ll never know. Maybe it’s a combination of both.

“I want it. I want it all with you and no one else. You’re it, baby. You’re it for me and I want to spend every waking moment with you for the rest of my life. I want to be able to call you mine, forever. With that being said, I guess this means I just have one question left..”

He held the velvet box in his hand nervously as I brought my hand up to my mouth, trying to stifle any cry that’s trying to pop its way out.

“Y/N..” he opened up the small box as I let out a soft gasp. “.. will you marry me?”

I gazed at the beautiful ring in his hands and couldn’t believe that this was actually happening. Our lives are really forever about to change. With marriage and a baby already on the way, it’s making me wonder for a split second if we are moving too fast. His hopeful eyes and shy smile is enough to make my heart burst out of my chest and push away any doubt. This is the man I love and he loves me. I’m looking at the rest of my life in front of me.

I nodded my head.

“Yes. Yes, yes a million times yes.”

He smiled and grabbed the ring and slipped it onto my finger before bringing me in for another kiss for the night. I giggled against his lips as I thought about how busy we’re going to be with the baby and wedding preparations. He slowly pulled away and brought my ringed finger up to his face and inspected it.

“I’ve been waiting to put a ring on your finger for so long. Steve and Sam came ring shopping with me and helped pick out the perfect one. It looks even better than I could ever imagine..” I smiled at him as he met my gaze. “I think I chose well. What do you think?”

I chuckled. “It’s beautiful, Bucky. I love it..” I admired the ring as he moved a strand of hair away from my face. “I can’t wait to be Mrs. Barnes.” His thin line smile grew as he blushed at the thought.

“I can’t wait to call you my wife.” Bucky placed his hand on my stomach and softly smiled. I’m excited for what the future has in store for us. “You know we’re gonna be the talk of the party at Tony’s, right?”

“Oh definitely. That is gonna be interesting.”

“Mhmm and I bet you Sam is gonna ask to be the godfather of our kid.”

He laughed and shook his head. “And have our own kid grow up to bully me like he does? No way. Sam would get a kick out of it, I just know it.”

“He really would.” I laughed with him and looked into his eyes.

“You know somethin’?”

“What?”

“Who do you think got the better gift? ‘Cause right now, I’m thinkin’ it looks like a tie this year.”

~~~~

I hope y’all liked it! Please let me know your thoughts! Likes, comments and reblogs are very much appreciated!

[intimacyequalsdeath]

Bubz's 12 Days of Ficmas: Day 12 Christmas Eve (Otis Driftwood)

Here we are! The final day of Ficmas 2023!. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy holidays or if you don't celebrate anything have an amazing next couple days <3

Notes: Minors DNI, SFW, Fluffy, No specific descriptions or pronouns used for reader.

The firefly house was abuzz with the energy and festivities from the impending holiday. The fireflies loved Halloween sure, but since her babies were kids Mama firefly had also wanted to ensure that no matter what her babies had the most "normal" Christmas they could manage.

Even a family of psychopathic murderers deserved to have magical moments during the holidays, she had once said when Spaulding had bitched about going and getting a tree.

You were in the kitchen helping mama make some of the Christmas dinner dishes early so the workload for tomorrow would be a lot less. Mama adored you from the moment Otis had found you and brought you home. You were easily enveloped into the family dynamic were just as much one of her babies as everyone else was.

"Sweetie can you go get Otis to go get me more firewood? We're supposed to get a freeze tonight and I wanna be sure we have enough in case the pipes go"

"Yeah mama"

You replied with a smile before wiping off your hands and heading upstairs to the room you shared with Otis. Hoping to just find him there and that he wasn't already out.

"Otis? you in there?"

You called coming to a halt outside the door. Even though it was your bedroom too, you had learned very quickly to always let Otis know you were coming in. You had made the mistake of not letting him know just once, and he ended up nearly taking your head off.

"Yeah"

You heard him grumble from the other side of the door. Otis never had liked Christmas, no matter how hard Mama tried to keep everyone included in the Christmas spirit. It was always too cheery for him.

You opened the door to the bedroom and poked your head in. You noticed him sitting on the side of the shared bed and fiddling with some sort of wood that was for a future project.

"Mama wants you to go and get some more firewood. There's gonna be a freeze tonight and she wants to make sure we have backup in case any of the pipes bust"

Otis sighed and looked up at you from what he was working on.

"I mean hey out of all the Christmas stuff, going to get firewood is like the least Christmas thing you could do. Would you rather help baby finish decorating?"

His eyes widened and then he rolled them at you.

"Very funny, C'mon"

He said motioning for you to follow him as he got up. You followed him down the stairs and out of the house. If he had to collect firewood you were going to at least help him do so.

"Ya know it would make Mama real happy if you at least, tried to act happy during the holidays"

"Yeah and it would make me happy to get left the fuck alone. But that's not gonna happen is it?"

He simply said with not a hint of attitude in his voice. You gave him a small smile as the two of you approached the wood pile.

"Well it's just she tries so hard to make this a happy time for everyone, it wouldn't hurt you to at least try"

"Christmas just isn't my thing. Never has been, never will be. It's too goddamn happy and bright"

"Not everyday can be Halloween Otis. People gotta be "Happy and bright" sometime during the year"

"Sugar, Halloween makes me perfectly merry and bright"

You gave him a smile as he placed a few pieces on firewood into your arms. Once your arms were full he picked up an armful himself before the two of you began heading back to the house.

"Yeah and Halloween is why we still have that human spine in our fucking bedroom "

Otis laughed at this.

"I didn't have anywhere else to put it sugar"

"Yeah well you didn't have to hang it over our bed as if its tinsel"

"You said you wanted me to decorate our bedroom and make it more "festive" that's exactly what I did"

You rolled your eyes at him.

"You know that's not the type of decorating I meant Otis"

"Well when your with Otis Driftwood, It's the type of decorating you get"

He shot you a big smile as he opened the back door for the two of you to make your way back inside.

"Here's the firewood Mama"

You said rounding the corner to the living room to set it down by the fireplace. The tree Baby decorated was standing tall in the corner of the room adorned with all sorts of mismatch ornaments and garland. Once you set the firewood into the holder by the fireplace you turned to fully take in the tree.

"It looks like Baby just took all the junk out of her room and slapped it on there"

Otis said from behind you, you laughed at his comment.

"Be nice Otis, Baby was up nearly all night decorating this tree"

"That was nice, i could've said it looked like shit"

You smiled and scanned the tree until your eye caught one ornament in particular. The ornament in question was a little picture frame that you could slide a small photo into and hang it on the tree.

The photo that Mama had carefully slid into the small frame ornament was a photo of you and Otis. It was taken a few months after you had been fully accepted as a member of the family by Baby in the kitchen.

Baby had always told you how you somehow managed to melt her brother's cold dead heart and make him actually care about something besides himself but you never fully knew what she meant until she snapped the picture and showed it to you.

There you were, in the middle of Mama's kitchen, making dinner for the family. Otis had his arms wrapped around your waist from behind as you stood at the stove as he thought the two of you were the only two around to see it, not knowing Baby was there with the camera.

Most people would argue that a simple cuddle from behind didn't show anything to do with a person changing. But the fireflies would all know that Otis showing any kind of affection at all wasn't something to just scoff at. Otis showing any emotion other then just plain mean to anyone was almost miraculous. When you had announced you and the white haired killer were "going steady" as Mama put it, you could've sworn half the family almost fell out at the prospect that Otis Driftwood had managed to find himself a partner.

"Why do they still have that fuckin picture?"

Otis said from behind you, snapping you out of your thoughts while you still gazed at the photo.

"I think it's adorable. It's my favorite picture of us to be honest"

You told him truthfully. You adored the photo and were so happy Mama did too, enough to put it in a little ornament for Christmas.

You heard Otis huff behind you, before one of his lanky arms wrapped itself around your shoulders. You allowed him to bring you into his side as you wrapped your arms around his torso as the two of you stood there in front of the tree.

"I really gave you hell the first few months I was here didn't I?"

Otis snorted

"Yeah you and Baby were one in the same, no wonder the two of you were friends before she even brought you here"

A few beats of silence fell between the two of you before you spoke again.

"Merry Christmas Otis. I love you"

"I love you too...Merry Christmas"

[boldlyvoid]

Ficmas December 2023

Starting December 14th!

summaries to come!

[strawhatsanddelibirds]

If the beloved queen of Khura’in isn’t above the wrath of the people after twenty years of her sister’s propaganda, what chance does this defense attorney who hasn’t been in the country for the past fifteen years have? Little do they know that the Holy Mother won’t let Apollo die, and he will make that everyone’s problem.

[perseephoneee]

Pls write about damon salvatore x y/n going skiing

ski cabin (damon salvatore x f!reader) {ficmas 2023}

꒰ ࿁ ˙ ˖ ໑ happy day 10 of ficmas!

warnings: damon, smut (i censor it so you can skip!): fingering, blood-sharing, unprotected vamp sex

a/n: i tried writing smut. might be a failure. might not. i have no clue. i just work here. also i wrote this while watching the matrix and eating homemade nachos

↳ masterlist  ↳ ship exchange ↳ taglist ↳ ficmas 2023

Once upon a time, your life resembled a sense of normalcy. And then you met the Salvatores. Vampire brothers who seemed to attract trouble no matter where they went, and somehow, they had clung themselves to your life. You would love to blame Elena for this. Still, truthfully, you also had a fascination with their propensity for idiocracy and probably landed in this situation alone. The situation? Being a target for whatever big bad it was this week. 

It was decided that people should split up to minimize their chances of being caught. Unfortunately, you ended up with Damon Salvatore. Damon was the oldest of the Salvatore brothers and the most annoying. He was morally grey, somewhat self-serving, and handsome in a way that should be illegal. Sometimes, you thought he might be fond of you, but then he'd say something sarcastic and mean, and you'd remember why you loathed being around him. Since everyone split up, you and Damon opted to go to one of the nearby mountains, ending up at some ski lodge that some families would use more for vacation than for hiding. It was snowy, and the ice bit your cheeks as the wind tried to push you back aggressively. You sighed in relief when you finally got to the resort lodge and could breathe warm air. Annoyingly, Damon was barely frazzled. 

"We should ski," Damon said to you. You brushed your fingers through your hair, trying to get snow out as you glared at him. 

"I don't ski."

"Quitters talk," Damon sighed, taking in his surroundings. "Besides, what else is there to do? Besides each other." He whispered that last part to you, that stupid half-smirk on his face. You slapped him in the arm. He was a compulsive flirt at the worst of times. He also loved to ignore you when you expressed disagreement with what he said. So, he rented skis (he had no money, so you guessed compulsion) and forced you to suit up. You tried biting him when he attempted to help you, but you think that only added fuel to his fire. Waddling outside was even worse, as you relied on him most of the time. Looking at the snow-capped hills made fear grip your heart. You wished that the enemy would just kill you already. "Why do you look like you're going to throw up?"

"I don't like this."

"It's fun. We could be brooding in a cabin like my brother, but instead, we're in the great outdoors," Damon laughed. You tried shifting on your skis but felt your knees lock up. "Seriously, what's your problem?"

"I like having control over whether my body is going to eat shit or not."

"You and your control," Damon grumbled. "Y/N, learn to live a little." Shockingly, Damon was weirdly patient with you as he showed you the basics of skiing. He even helped you down the bunny slopes with minimal teasing. He taught you how to pizza, and when you felt yourself start to slip, he'd grab you and hold you upright. It was one of the few times where you weren't sniping at each other the whole time and instead actually having fun. Your body was exhausted when you returned to the lodge, and you were thankful to take off all the warm and heavy gear. Unsurprisingly, Damon immediately got himself a glass of bourbon. You got a hot chocolate and enjoyed picking the whipped cream off with your finger and licking it off. While you enjoyed your dessert, Damon went to find an available room in the lodge. He came back a few minutes later with a devilish smirk on his face. 

"I don't like that look," you mumbled, sipping more hot cocoa. 

"Guess what, princess? The only room left is a single bed," Damon fell next to you on the couch, throwing his arm around you against your protests. "Guess we'll be sleeping together after all."

"You're ruining my quality hot cocoa time," you hissed, pulling away from his arm. He just laughed, as he never took your threats that seriously. Why should he? You were human. He was a vampire. It was an unfair fight. 

You hadn't packed much when you ran, so you just tossed your backpack in the corner of your room when you got there. It was a queen-sized bed, at least, with an ensuite bathroom and winter cabin appeal. There wasn't a couch, just a scratchy-looking chair. You could sleep on the floor. 

"You're not sleeping on the floor," Damon said behind you, almost scaring you half to death. 

"I didn't say anything."

"I can hear you thinking," Damon muttered in your ear, sending shivers down your spine at his proximity. He went to the lounge on the bed, laying back against the pillows, every bit emulating Adonis with how he wrapped his arms around the back as his face caught the light streaming through the window. Sometimes, you wondered whether Damon's favorite form of torture was just being the object of desire that was unattainable. Yes, he drove you up a wall, but you weren't stupid. He could be loyal when he wanted, and his body alone was sculpted by some vain artist who wished to achieve perfection. You could see his arm muscles, the sunlight dancing across his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, and his lips. His eyes were the color of the sky reflected on the snow, a dangerous blue. Like a wolf just waiting for its prey to slow enough to make its bite. "Admiring the view?" he purred, turning to look at you. 

"Admiring a view, not necessarily you." You stepped closer into the room, removing the scarf and jacket around your neck. You kicked off your boots, leaving you in just your sweater and jeans. You pretended not to notice him watching your movements. There was a desk against the wall; you sat at the chair and faced Damon, curling your legs up under you. 

"You're scared of me," Damon said, turning back to face the window. 

"Am not," you huffed. 

"You think I'm gonna bite you?"

"Yes," you answer plainly. Frankly, you had yet to learn where you stood with Damon. Sometimes, he treated you like garbage; other times, you thought he would give up everything to protect you. 

"Come here," Damon sat up, moving to the end of the bed. You look at him with confusion. He huffs in frustration, grabbing you and pulling you onto the bed with him. You fall against the pillows with a yelp, glaring at the vampire as he sits back next to you. "I would never hurt you."

"You're not always the nicest," you mumble. "Sometimes I can't tell."

"Y/N, look at me," Damon grabbed your chin, forcing you to face him. "I'm damaged goods, but don't think that I would agree to hide out here with you if I didn't care. I do care. A lot." He brushes a strand of your hair behind your ear, his touch gentler than expected. "The best thing about returning to Mystic Falls was meeting you."

Damon was never a subtle person, and he doesn't try to be one now as he leans down and kisses you. His hand cups your face, tilting your head back so he can deepen the kiss. You let out a sigh of contentment, which just fuels him further. He tasted like bourbon, and you found you enjoyed it. 

*smut!!! proceed only if you want to*

Your hand found its way to his hip, fisting the fabric as he moved to be above you. He was assertive but not rough, and it was something you appreciated. His hand dipped under your sweater, feeling its way to your waist and under your breasts. You let out a gasp as he moved his lips to your neck, leaving nips and kisses and, most likely, many marks. Your hand flew up to his hair, gripping the raven locks and causing him to growl. 

"You drive me crazy," he mumbled, helping you pull your sweater over your head. He kissed you again, his hand running over the smooth skin of your stomach. He pulled away when you shrank back, hesitant. "You're beautiful, don't worry." He dropped down, kissing over the expanse of your belly, helping you feel more comfortable. He kissed his way up to your bra, for once looking unsure. You gave him a smile as you sat up, reaching behind to unhook your bra and toss it aside. Damon wasted no time planting kisses and licks over, under, and in between your breasts. The moan you let out was embarrassing, but Damon was just encouraged. He came back up to your lips, his fingers still playing with your nipples. 

"I see you like my mouth now," Damon whispered. 

"I hate you," you kissed his jaw, leaving bites down his neck. It was your turn to smirk when he became the one making noises. Your hands ran under his shirt, feeling the muscles in his shoulders. He sat back to remove it, and you spent a second admiring his figure. The both of you feeling impatient, you pulled off both your pants, so you were left in your underwear. Damon flicked the waistband of your grey panties with a bow in the middle. 

"Cute."

"Do you always talk this much?"

"Only to girls I like."

You rolled your eyes, smiling at the boy as his hands ran up your thighs. You pulled him down for a scorching kiss, already addicted to his lips on your own. One of his hands ran between your thighs, lightly touching your clothed center. You hissed into his mouth, and he only smirked. 

"Can I remove these?" Damon asked, looking at you. You nodded, shirking them so you were completely bare. You felt so vulnerable and yet comfortable in his presence. You sighed in pleasure when his finger found your clit, circling it with just the right amount of pressure to make you crazy. When he entered you with his fingers, his thumb replacing the gentle motions on your clit, you let out a moan that was almost pornographic. You buried your head in his neck as he pumped his fingers in and out. If his touch was this heavenly, you weren't sure you were capable of learning what else he could do. You moved your hand to his briefs, but he nipped your jaw as a warning. "No touching." He removed his hand, leaving you feeling empty and disappointed. You were about to deliver a sarcastic retort. Still, it died on your tongue as he removed the last piece of clothing, and you were faced with his better-than-average member. Damon grabbed your calves, pulling you farther down the bed and situating himself between your thighs. He kissed you hard, lining himself up before pushing in slowly. The stretch was a lot, but the pleasure overrode it as you felt your head drop back in a moan. 

"Fuck," you swore, wrapping yourself around him as he started to move. He fit you in a way you hadn't experienced before, and you weren't sure who you'd become when he left you empty. 

"I should've done this sooner," Damon groaned, kissing your neck and shoulder. He let out a hiss of pleasure when your nails scraped across his shoulder blades. He pulled out, sitting back against the headboard and pulling you onto his lap. He helped you sit back down on him before you had time to complain about the temporary emptiness. His hands grabbed your thighs, helping you bounce on him. Both of you moaned, and your head fell back as you fell into a rhythm. 

"The sight of you coming apart on my cock, tits bouncing, is the best thing I've seen in my life," Damon smirked, leaning forward and attaching himself to one of your tits. You had no clever retort, nothing to match the sense of euphoria you were experiencing. You noticed the veins under Damon's eyes and used your thumb to brush them gently. 

"You can bite," you whisper, eyes widening at the dark overtaking his eyes, but you aren't scared. He didn't go for your neck like you thought; no, he sunk his fangs into the top of your tits. One of his hands gripped your hip, the other reaching between your legs to circle your clit. It was so much pain and pleasure at once that you raced towards a finish you had been nearing for a while. You came with a shout, head falling onto Damon's neck. He came after you, fangs detaching and a growl leaving his lips. 

*end of smut*

You separated, falling to rest next to Damon. He pulled you into his side, biting his wrist and touching your lips. You accepted the blood hesitantly, letting it coat your throat before pulling away. He kissed the top of your head, one of the most domestic things you had ever experienced. 

"Damon," you whispered, tracing his chest with your fingertip. He looked at you in question. "I would be open to being yours." You see a boyish smile on his face, something that makes him look the age he was turned and not the age he is now. 

"I think that can be arranged," he said, kissing you again. 

The next day, he took you skiing again, but you kissed at the bottom of the slope this time. 

[rebelliousstories]

Stockings

25 Days of Ficmas

Relationship: David x Reader

Fandom: The Lost Boys

Request: No

Warnings: Fluff, David being David

Word Count: 1,457

Masterlist: Here

Summary: This was NOT what he had in mind when someone mentioned “stockings.”

David did not know what he was thinking. He did not know how he got here, yet here he was. He meant to be on the boardwalk with his brothers, and lover, enjoying a night of mischief and fun. But here he was. Where was here exactly? A Christmas pop up stall on the boardwalk. When his lover came to him and asked him if he wanted to help her pick out stockings, he had a totally different idea in mind. Now, he was trailing after the girl awkwardly in the store. She picked up a navy blue stocking with gold embellishments and turned towards the vampire behind her.

“Do you think Laddie will like this?” She asked, eyes watching his face intently.

“Sure.” The response was so dry from him that she leveled an unimpressed look with her lover.

“Could you at least pretend to like this stuff?” She questioned, turning back to the stockings in front of her.

“No, I can’t.” David quipped, looking around to see if he could disappear into the night away from the candy canes and glitter.

“Listen,” she turned back around, “if you help me picking out stockings for everyone to put up in the cave, including your own, I’ll make it worth while. But you need to pretend for as long as we’re in the store.” Her offer was tempting; but David being David, pushed a little closer to the edge.

“Worth my while, huh? Meaning anything I want?” He teased, reaching a hand up and caressing her cheek with gloved fingertips. Her look turned bashful for a moment before she returned to her usual expression when dealing with David; mild annoyance mixed with flirty.

“Sure, Davey. Anything you want to make this worth your while.” She purred, getting closer to him and leaning up against his chest. Her hands ran up his chest, resting right at the top hem of his shirt and staring him dead in the eyes. Crystal blue eyes barred right back into her own, but neither moved.

“Fine. I’ll pretend for you.” David relented, resting his hands on her waist with a squeeze. She turned back excitedly to the decorations in front of her, and began her perusing once more. David allowed her to drag him around the store, and entertained her with comments and input on whatever she grabbed.

“Really? Glitter?”

“No. Get Paul the pink one.”

“Dwayne might like the tiger on that. Get it.”

Once he started pretending to like that stuff, the less he had to act. David found himself enjoying offering the comments and critiques to his girlfriend. He liked joking around with her and messing around with the garland hanging around the aisles. She would giggle anytime he messed around, and laugh when he would make jokes. It was nice to see her lover pretending to enjoy himself. It was almost to the point where she truly believed he was having a good time with her.

Eventually, with bags a plenty, the couple left the Christmas shop to head back to the cave. Arriving at the boardwalk again, she had to fight to keep Marko and Paul's hands from getting inside said bags.

“Hey!” She exclaimed, slapping both of their hands before they could get to close. The vampires let out small whines when they got hit, making David chuckle at them.

“Hands away. You'll find out tonight when we put them up. Behave.” Her words made the boys perk up again. Everyone made their way to the bikes, and she had to situate herself on the back of David's while still holding on to the bags. Star saddled up to Marko as Laddie went to Dwayne. The pack made their way down the beach, screaming and whopping into the chilly air of the night. Arriving at Hudson's Bluff, Dwayne made Laddie help carry some of the bags of Christmas decorations down into the cave. David led his lover down the steps while Marko and Paul kept rough housing behind them.

Stockings of all different varieties were pulled from the bags before abortions could stop the terror twins. And they were in awe.

“Everyone, stockings! Come and get ‘em!” Marko cheered as he excitedly tore apart the bags to get a good look at each one. He set the patchwork quilt style one aside, knowing immediately that was his. Marko gave Star the bright pink one with glitter on it, only to be given a dry “thanks” and a disappointed look on her face. David chuckling made both of them stop.

“That's not Star's, Marko.” He got out in between chuckles, but the vampire was still confused. He looked at the stockings they had, and quickly found the one with the moon and sun drawn in an astrological style. Marko gave that one to the female, who had a much happier expression this time around. He pointed the bright pink stocking towards the girl who was now sat on David's lap. The blonde vampire's face held a smirk and shook his head, looking over to the other blonde in the group.

“Oh hell no.” Paul exclaimed, coming over to snatch the stocking out of Marko's hands. Turning to face her lover, she gave a ridiculous look to David who merely shrugged as he went to light a cigarette. Paul was digging through the bags, looking for another stocking that seemed to belong to him. But he dropped them when he saw there were none. He seemed to come to terms with it pretty quickly.

“Oh well, not the worst thing. Honestly, it looks like something I saw on acid once. Least I didn't get David's stocking.” And then he ran away before said vampire could ask him what he means. David was now curious about Paul's statement, but tried to hide it as best he could.

Marko held up an intricate looking stocking, with a Bengal tiger embroidered on the front. There was light bead work all around the stocking, but nothing could draw Dwayne's eyes away from the ornate artwork on the front. He could not take his eyes from the stocking as he turned to go sit down, and almost ran into Laddie who had made his way over to receive his.

“Here you are, little dude.” Laddie grabbed his navy blue and gold stocking excitedly, and ran over to Dwayne to share their stockings. And then there were two. Marko did not even bother taking them out of their bags, he just brought it over to the couple, and left.

Now, they sat in the chair together, with a single bag between them. She was encouraging him to open the bag first.

“Go on, David. Open it.” The vampire held an unimpressed look, but amused his lover. He reached down into the bag and pulled out a stocking with a dark red rose on it. However, she grabbed it.

“That would be mine. Go on.” Her smile overtook her face and she was almost buzzing where she sat. What David pulled out next, confused him. It was a black stocking, with no embellishments, yet held a blood red trim. He was confused because there were no stockings at that shop that looked like that, even though they only looked at the stockings in that shop that were of alternative designs. His confusion must have washed over his face deep enough that his lover was speaking up.

“I wanted yours to be a surprise since I knew you'd be coming with me. So I went during the day today and got this one for them to hold till I got the others tonight with you.” She explained, watching his face for any sign of discomfort or anger. But all she found was wonder. David was a man of few words, and that did not change now. No, now, he turned their heads together and joined them. Pouring all the love he could not say with words into this kiss, keeping his girlfriend pressed against him. When he eventually let her up for air he did not need, she held a dizzying smile.

“What was that for?” She asked dreamily, staring into the pastel blue wires of her lover.

“Just the fact that you did that. Means a lot.” David sealed his words with yet another kiss that she was quick to end.

“Look inside.” Her whisper enticed him. Reaching his hand inside the stocking, like she said, there was something there. David started to pull out whatever was inside, but stopped quickly. He saw black fishnet material and turned to his lover with an impish grin. She merely matched his expression.

“Told you I'd make it worth your while.” Now that was his kind of stocking.

[upon-a-starry-night]

Christmas Tree Trouble (Spencer)

Spencer Reid x Gender Neutral Reader

Ficmas Masterlist Spencer Masterlist

Wordcount: 2.7k

Summary: You need a bit of help getting your Christmas tree into your apartment so you ask your neighbor for help

A/n: The beginning is the same but differs per character

~~~

You weren’t expecting much when you knocked on your neighbor's door for help with your 8ft Christmas tree. Honestly, you weren’t even sure if they would help. You knew they were home. You’d heard the door across the hall open and shut enough times throughout the week to know they went on a lot of odd grocery runs at 1 am.

But you’d never really spoken much, a few times at community functions and when you’d see each other in the hall but neither of you made an effort to talk to each other. However, that was mainly because you were intimidated by how attractive they were.

Still, they had seemed more on the reserved side. Never bringing anyone home or throwing parties at their place. They were a perfect neighbor on paper, but their loneliness often made you sad. 

Initially, you had wanted to invite them over at some point during the holidays just to make a new friend and help them be less lonely but it became more of a need than a want when you tried to lug your 8ft tree into your apartment by yourself. 

So you knocked on their door across the hall and prayed that they would be willing to help you out.

You rocked back and forth on your heels as you waited for a response, just as you were about to give up and turn to ask another neighbor the sound of locks clicking alerted you of their presence.

When the door opened you observed their tired-looking figure, they were dressed in casual gray sweats and a loose T-shirt.

They stared at you curiously as you stood there before their eyes drifted behind you to the large tree lying on the floor in front of your apartment door. They raised their eyebrows in surprise.

“Hi!” you waved awkwardly “Listen I know this is random and you’re probably busy so you can say no but I kind of underestimated how hard it would be to get this tree in my apartment and I already had to carry this from my car to here and I scared a bunch of people out of the elevator because this thing took up the whole elevator and-” You stopped rambling when you saw a hint of a smile on their face, you think this is the first time you’ve ever seen them smile.

 It’s cute.

“Sorry, what I’m saying is, can you help me?” You anxiously bit your lip as you waited for a response. 

His hair's a little disheveled and you can’t help but watch as he runs a hand through it.

You silently observe as his gaze flickers to your tree and then back towards you a few times

 “Did you know there are approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas Trees sold in the U.S. every year?”

The fact throws you off guard and you find yourself blinking owlishly before finally processing his words

“Really?” you genuinely had no idea they sold that many. Guess the Christmas tree farms in Hallmark movies must be making bank every year. “This is my first year ever having a real tree so…”

You underestimated just how tall and heavy this tree was going to be. It was so much easier to order one online and assemble it yourself piece by piece. 

But you told yourself you were getting a real one in true Christmas fashion…only now you were starting to regret not taking up the farm owner's offer to send his son with you to help. Y’know stranger danger and all that.

However, asking your neighbor you’ve never really met could also be classified as stranger danger.

Your brain wasn’t currently thinking logically though so here you are in front of his apartment sizing him up as you realize he might not even be able to help you either.

Sure he was tall and handsome and you knew he had some kind of job that had him rushing out of the house at odd hours but looking at him now you wondered if you could carry more weight than him…

He seemed to come to that exact conclusion at the same time as you as he cringed a little bit and seemed to almost droop.

He reminded you of a sad flower or a wounded puppy. It made you want to hug him.

“I don’t know if I’m the best person for that- I have this friend I could probably call him to come and help-”

You would have to look up if you had Alien Hand Syndrome when you got the chance because involuntarily you reach out and grip his arm as he turns to go back into his apartment. The action seems to startle the both of you and you quickly retreat your hand.

“I’m sorry! I just- I don’t need your friend. Between you and me I think we could make this work”

In any other context, that sentence feels like it belongs in a romance movie and you subconsciously check the hallways for a camera crew and boom mic.

Green-ish-brown eyes bore into yours and you get the feeling he’s searching for something. For what you have no idea but he seems to have liked whatever he found because a brief smile slips onto his face as he observes your nervous stature.

“Let me change real quick and then we’ll see if we can ‘make this work’” You want to cringe at his blatant tease over your cheesy choice of words but you don’t get the chance to because he’s already turning and shutting the door behind him. 

You swear you saw a little bit of a smirk when he teased you but it could have been a trick of the light.

Your landlord really needed to change that flickering bulb

In the meantime, you manage to stand the tree up all by itself and lean it against the wall and you’re quite proud of yourself until it moves an inch. 

Again it could be a trick of the light, at least you hope it is because if this thing fell you were definitely getting crushed like a Christmas movie villain.

Much to your dismay the tree begins to slide again and you shut your eyes and prepare for the worst as the fluffy green mass begins to fall in your direction.

When the feeling of being crushed never comes you open your eyes and watch as the tree hits the floor with a final ‘thump’

Only now do you notice the feeling of something warm against your back. You thought maybe that was just what the hallway carpet felt like.

Looking down you notice two arms wrapped around your middle, and you’re currently standing two feet away from where you were when you closed your eyes.

You hadn’t even felt yourself move?

Looking up you’re met again with those enchanting eyes as they meet yours with concern.

“You changed your hair” You can’t help but frown at his hairs now-styled state. You kinda liked the disheveled sleepy look he was sporting.

Your neighbor lets out a laugh and you feel it against your back, you blush as you remember how close you two are. As embarrassing as it is to have to be saved from a falling Christmas tree you don’t feel like leaving his arms quite yet.

Unfortunately, that decision gets made for you as your handsome neighbor removes his arms and yet again runs a hand through his hair. 

A nervous tick perhaps.

Either way, it was cute and you smiled when it messed up his perfectly tailored mane.

“That’s the first thing you think of after I saved you from getting crushed by a tree?”

His goofy smile makes you want to melt and you’re mentally snapping a million pictures.

Normally when you see him he’s either rushing to leave his apartment with heavy eye bags or leaning his head against his apartment door with heavy eye bags.

You’re not used to seeing him look so happy and it’s doing things to your insides.

“Right I guess thanks are in order since you saved my life and all”

A contemplative look takes over his face and you watch his adams apple bob in hesitation. It’s only now that you realize he changed out of his T-shirt and sweats and into a pair of comfortable slacks and a Christmas sweater. It’s green red and white and the tiny reindeer on it make you giggle a little. You briefly wonder if he got it as a gift from a partner and the thought quickly wipes all the joy from your face.

“Technically you wouldn’t have died. I mean a tree this height and weight could possibly do some damage, especially to someone of a smaller stature but it would likely only result in some external bruising. Internal if it landed the wrong way and possible head trauma depending on how you landed when you hit the ground.”

Your eyes go wide as he explains the different injuries you could have acquired. You’re not sure how he knows all of this but you’d probably let him talk about anything for however long he wanted just to hear his voice.

“Well then I guess I really should thank you, Lord knows how insufferable I’d be if I got any bruising or head trauma”

The two of you smile at each other and you nearly get lost in the moment until the light flickers and it pulls you out of your daze. Your attention turns back to the tree and you rub your hands together to try and get them ready for another attempt at lifting the tree.

“Well then- shall we get to it?”

You turn back to your neighbor and he nods his head and joins you next to the tree. As the two of you are lifting it you’re surprised at how light the tree becomes with his help. Once the tree is leaning against the wall again you turn to him with a satisfied smile and raise an eyebrow in question

“What did you say your name was again?”

He turns to look at you and his head tilts slightly to the right. Again- puppy dog.

“Spencer, or Reid if you want. What’s yours?”

You give him your name and he mutters it like he’s testing the way it sounds on his tongue. Both of you seem to conclude that you like the way it sounds.

Twenty minutes and a lot of twisting and pivoting and sweating later the blasted tree is finally inside of your apartment. Somehow amidst all the commotion, you ended up on the ground in a heap of exhaustion, staring up at the ceiling and cursing the tree Gods.

“Well, it seems we ‘made it work’ after all” That sentence sounds a lot like the beginning of a goodbye and you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to your new friend Spencer so you swiftly hop to your feet and begin making your way to your kitchen.

“Well I think I owe you some hot chocolate after all that”

You don’t have to turn around to feel how hesitant Spencer is as he stands in your living room.

“You really don’t have to-”

You turn to him appalled, giving him your best ‘Are you kidding me?’ look

“Spencer, you saved my life out there! The least I could do is give you some hot chocolate”

His lips twitch up into a smile and you try not to fist pump as you realize he’s not saying no

.

While you make the hot chocolate Spencer peruses around your apartment observing every little detail like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. You hope to all Gods that you didn't leave out anything embarrassing.

As you make the finishing touches (whipped cream and candy canes are a must) you become curious at the sound of shuffling behind you, and when you turn around you nearly melt at the sight of Spencer setting up your Christmas tree in the corner. 

God, why hadn’t you talked with your cute neighbor sooner?

“Oh! Spencer you didn’t have to do that”

He shrugs as you approach him and thanks you as you hand him his mug of hot chocolate. He takes a sip and hums approvingly. You try not to let it go to your ego.

The two of you stand there sipping on your drinks and admiring your hard work when you turn to one of the many open boxes in your living room full to the brim with decorations.

“So green and white or red and white?” You question as you stare at the colorful ornaments inquisitively.

You swivel around and are met with Spencer's smirking face once again 

“Why not all three?” 

~~~~

Decorating the tree with Spencer is both fun and frustrating. Apparently, he doesn’t get why you keep moving some of the ornaments he’s placing. You keep trying to explain to him that he’s putting them too close together.

“There’s a system with Christmas tree’s you know”

You tried to explain it but Spencer was a hopeless case when it came to decorating it seemed.

You’d left him to his own devices for three seconds and came back to three red ornaments in the same vicinity. You nearly had a heart attack. Spencer needed a Christmas miracle.

“Look Spence, You’ve got to place it…”

You came up behind him as he was placing another ornament too close to the other. Wrapping your arms around his in a similar way to what he did in the hallway you began guiding his arms to a better spot for the shiny ball.

“Riiiiiight here”

Even after the ornament was placed the two of you stayed in the same position, arms still reaching out towards the tree. If you looked close enough you would see his ears were turning red.

You quickly cleared your throat and removed your arms, Pivoting and heading for the kitchen. Unable to look him in the eyes.

“So- refills anyone?” You attempted a joke but were met with silence, and a glance back at Spencer showed him staring at the tree in a trance. You furrowed your brows.

Slowly you approached him and tapped him on the shoulder, the hitch of his breath the only indication that he acknowledged your presence. 

“Look Spencer, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable…”

His gaze snapped to yours, his body finally regaining its functions.

“No, it’s not that it’s just-” He nervously fiddles with his hands “Normally I’m not a physical touch person”

Guilt flooded your system and you unconsciously took a step away from him “Oh.. I’m sorry I-”

Warm hands reached out and latched onto you “No!” He flinched at how loud that came out “No- what I was saying was, normally I’m not but with you, it doesn’t feel so bad. You’re very…warm” 

You had a feeling he meant it in more than just a physical way.

A shy smile slipped onto your face at the confession and you found yourself blushing once again.

“You’re warm too Spencer”

His smile mirrored yours.

“Hey, I was wondering- You can say no but there’s this Christmas movie festival at the park next weekend. I know we only just met but I’d really like to hang out with you more.” His hesitancy was cute, you could tell he didn’t have a lot of practice at asking women out but it was still charming and adorable nonetheless.

“I’d love to go Spencer”

He beamed.

“Great. That’s- that’s great”

You looked over your beautifully decorated tree. Admiring the way the greens reds and whites complimented each other. The way the lights reflected on them and made the room light up in colorful circles.

The way Spencer looked as the soft Christmas lights accentuated his soft features.

Thank God you decided to buy a real tree instead of piecing together a fake one.

Who knows if you would have gotten to know Spencer otherwise.

The thought made you upset so instead, you grabbed Spencer's hand and led him toward the kitchen

“C’mon, we’ve got popcorn garlands to make. The decorating is far from over”

His hand grasps yours tighter and he nods. Bright smiles never leaving either of your faces.

A/n: First Spencer one shot!!! how do we like it?~ Starry

[ghostofafruit]

Ficmas Day 4: Ugly Sweater/Jumper @doctorroseprompts

Ninerose, slightly above canon levels of shipping but not by much at all, gift giving, fluff.