multifandom-christmasinjuly

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

“You’re safe in my arms. The hard part is over.” Pepperony

So this is just a piece of fluffy fluff in my new "The Ending He Deserved" series, where Tony survives endgame and gets the life he should have had (dammit). So enjoy some Christmas (In JULY) fluffiness!

Mommy's Secret Present - Morgan accidentally spills a secret to her father while they're going Christmas shopping.

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

“You’re safe in my arms. The hard part is over.” He bundled Morgan up as they made their way out of the store. He forgot just how much loud noises made Morgan’s ears hurt, and the Christmas crows and Macy’s was particularly rowdy. But they’d gone into the city to get some Christmas shopping done for Pepper and Peter and Happy and May, and it was all done. They could go some where quiter and decompress now. Everyone should be happy with the gifts he and Morgan picked out, but even if they weren’t, his primary concern right now was his daughter.

They got out to the bustling sidewalk and she lowered a hand from her ears, running it along his prosthetic arm. She liked to touch it when she was stressed, and he let her run her fingers along the cool silver metal whenever she liked. He got the feeling she wanted a metal arm of her own, but he wasn’t liking of the idea of her losing a limb like he had.

He didn’t like thinking about the final fight with Thanos, when his heart stopped for just a moment after using the gauntlet until something in the stones jump-started it again. His arm was gone, but he had his life ahead of him, which was more than he could say for some extraterrestrial tyrants. Morgan had slept by his side in his bed as soon as she could, and she rarely left his side now. Maybe one day she’d be able to process it better, but she had already been a daddy’s girl. For a little while, he’d enjoy the extra attention.

Finally he spotted an ice cream shop and turned to Morgan. “Want some ice cream? Or a hot cocoa?”

“Ice cream!” she said happily, her other hand lowering from its position over her ear. He grinned back.

“Ice cream it is, my little princess,” he said, ducking into the shop. They settled in at the seating in front of the window and had their ice creams. She seemed better, and if she was up for it, he wanted to hit Tiffany’s and get a special mother’s gift for Pepper. Pepper had all sorts of lovely jewelry, but nothing signifying her daughter’s birth. Maybe a necklace? A ring with Morgan’s birthstone? He turned to his daughter “Morgan Monster, I have a question for you,” he said, using her favorite nickname. She may be his little princess, but she liked scaring off the monsters under her bed by being a bigger, scarier monster, and he was so fond of it the nickname had just come naturally.

“Yes, Daddy?”

“Should we get Mommy a ring or a bracelet for a mommy gift? You know, with your birthstone in it, and her birthstone?”

“Shouldn’t we wait for the baby?” she asked before turning her attention back to the ice cream.

Tony blinked. “What baby?”

“Mommy went to the doctor last week and she said Mommy was going to have another baby.”

Tony felt a surge of pure joy at the news, but he knew they needed to keep it under wraps that he knew. “Hey, Morgan Monster, let’s keep that news between us, okay? I think your mommy wanted to surprise me.”

“So I ruined the surprise?” she asked, and when she turned to look at him she had a frown, her brows furrowed and a look of confusion on her face.

“No! I can act surprised. But maybe I should just let you pick out a special necklace that you think Mommy would like right now. How does that sound?”

The confusion melted off her face, replaced with a wide toothy grin. “Okay, Daddy!” She started talking about pretty colors and Tony settled in to listen to her and help plot out what kind of special necklace they should get for Mommy, all while a warm feeling filled him up at the idea of another little one with Pepper coming on the way. They hadn’t been trying for a second child, but that child would absolutely be just as loved as his little princess.

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Christmas cactus -- Philinda

So this starts fluffy and then...isn't? But it's still a melancholy sort of sweet. I killed Coulson for real in this one, so Major Character Death warning.

The Christmas Present/Housewarming Gift - Phil and Melinda get a Christmas Cactus as a Christmas present/housewarming gift. Melinda is left to take care of it when Phil passes away.

READ @ AO3

“This has nothing to do with Christmas,” Melinda said, looking at the plant. “So why the hell is it called a Christmas cactus?”

“Probably because it’s green with red flowers,” Phil said, taking a look at it. “But you have a black thumb so it will be dead in a few weeks.” Melinda punched his shoulder, not much harder than a lovetap, and he grinned at her. “It’s the thought that counts. And besides, we could use some plant life around here.”

“Black thumb, remember?” she said, throwing his jab at her back at him. “But...it’s nice. It was a nice housewarming gift, especially considering the season.”

“Well, just remember, I like plants,” he said, lifting it up and carrying it to the kitchen counter. “I’ll look up how to take care of it and you can leave it to me.”

--

Phil hadn’t lasted long, but the cactus had lasted longer. The illness caused by whatever the hell had been done to him had taken its toll, but slowly, and she’d treasured their time together. The house had been filled with more plants before he passed, but he’d always paid special attention to the Christmas cactus, the Christmas present-slash-housewarming gift that she’d thought she’d kill within a few weeks.

But she’d watched. She’d picked up how to care for all the plants, but even though he was gone from her world now, she was bound and determined to prove she could keep the plant alive, because as long as it was alive, a bit of Phil was, too.

He hadn’t lasted a year, but when the cactus hit a year, she lit a small votive candle nearby the cactus in remembrance “My black thumb didn’t kill your favorite plant, Phil. Aren’t you proud of me?” she said, smiling warmly as the small candle illuminated the red flowers and green leaves. After a few minutes she blew out the candle and watered the plant. If the plant was going to keep living it’s best life, she had to take care of it, just like she needed to take care of herself. That’s what Phil would want most.

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We were going to a Christmas party but fuck if you don’t just look sinful in red, and you know what? Fuck that Christmas party. Wondertrev

I decided to finally answer this one for this year's @multifandom-christmasinjuly and I'm so happy I did. I really like how this one came out. Enjoy!

A Little Naughty - Steve sees Diana in her new dress and they decide to be a little naughty and skip the family Christmas party to spend the evening alone together.

READ @ AO3

The war had been hell, but the aftermath sweet. He thought he’d make the ultimate sacrifice, but when he got the plane high enough that it wouldn’t hurt anyone else or plummet back to Earth and injure even more people, he’d spied the parachute and decided maybe, just maybe, he could still do some good in the world. He put it on and jumped out of the plane after jamming the controls to keep the plane in the air as best he could. Parachute had gotten singed by being too close to the exploding plane, and his landing had been harder than it had needed to be, but from a distance he saw Diana kicking Ares’s ass.

He had never been more sure of a decision he'd made than he had been to live.

And now, after the war, they had settled on his family ranch. They weren’t going to stay there forever; he was going to age and tey weren’t sure what was going to happen to her when it came to growing old after leaving Themysciera, but there was a whole world to explore and they wanted to do it together. And that was just fine with him; he’d finish recuperating from the war and then watch out world, here they’d come.

It was Christmas now, Diana’s first, and the ranch was decorated inside and out. She was still learning the customs of man’s world, but she’d taken a liking to all the things she was discovering about Christmas. She did it all with a childlike glee, from cookie baking to present shopping to tree decorating. And it was now two days until Christmas and it was time for his parent’s annual Christmas party. The two of them had been hunkered down in the guest quarters so they could “have their privacy to do as they pleased,” as his mother had said. He hadn’t expected his parents to be fine with him living in sin with a woman he met abroad, but maybe they understood him well enough to know it was love, and it had been his love for her that had gotten him through the worst of it all.

Either way, there was a diamond engagement ring hidden among the packages of the tree in their room, so maybe she’d allow him to allow her to finish making an honest man out of him.

She came out of the en suite in a red dress he could have sworn was brand new. It was tapered close to her chest and waist, coming out in a full skirt and it clung to all the nice curves he’d memorized over the last few months in bed. His hands went to her waist, feeling the smooth fabric underneath his calloused hands. “You look gorgeous.”

“Your mother helped me pick it out,” she said with a smile. She smelled like some exotic fruits and foreign isles, and he leaned in to get a closer whiff. This was a new scent and he had to admit he was enraptured.

“My mother has good taste,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the bit of bare skin at the nape of her neck.

“Steve…” she said, her voice slightly breathy.

“I think we’ve been nice all month so far. We deserve to be a little naughty,” he said, sliding his hand from her wait to her back and once he found the zipper, moving his hand to the top, slowly unzipping the dress.

“Maybe we could be a little naughty,” she said, and when she looked up she had a slightly wicked grin on her face. He pulled her close and kissed her deeply, reveling in the taste of her. Oh yes. They could definitely be a little naughty this evening...

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

25. "You know I'd do anything." Khanolly

This is a cute bit of fluff that takes place the same day as "Christmas Is A Time For Family, Wherever They Are" with a bit of bonus Uncle Sherlock. Enjoy!

A Bit Of A Nice Christmas - Christmas Day at the hospital continues as Khan runs out to get Molly something she's craving, leaving his family in the company of Sherlock.

READ @ AO3

He hadn’t expected to be out in this cold and miserable weather, but Molly had been in the hospital for days now and had a hankering for currant cheesecake. And, as a dutiful husband, he’d asked Sherlock to watch their son and keep Molly company while he hunted down some currant cheesecake to soothe Molly’s pregnancy cravings. Their daughter was due any day now, but he knew even if Molly hadn’t been pregnant and on bed rest in the local hospital, he still would have gone out in the god forsaken weather to get her anything she wanted.

"You know I'd do anything," he’d said, and he’d meant it. She was the light of his life and he absolutely would do anything to make her happy. He was just happy that this was such a simple request, and that the Tesco near the hospital was open twenty-four hours. He made his way in and quickly found the object of his wife’s cravings, and picked up a few more festive things for the room. It was all he could do to cheer her up until Noel made her way into the world.

He went back to the hospital and found their son in Molly’s bed as Sherlock read him and Molly a Christmas story. He had to admit, if there was anyone else in the world who cared for Molly as much as he did, it was Sherlock. Not in the same way, but he had to acknowledge that both of them would willingly and gladly give their lives to keep Molly safe, and Khan knew this extended to her children as well on Sherlock’s part. He was pretty sure Sherlock would let him fight his own battles if it came to that, but he would help.

It didn’t make them friends, but he could count on him more than Kirk.

“Look who’s back, Edmund,” Sherlock said, gently closing the book he was reading from.

“Da!” Edmund said happily, sitting up a bit more and reaching for his father. Khan set the bag down and picked his son up, nuzzling his hair with his nose.

“I suppose I should go,” Sherlock said, beginning to stand up.

“Can’t you at least finish the story?” Molly asked.

“Khan can finish it. Our voices sound similar, so you won’t miss much.”

“Go ahead and stay, Sherlock,” Khan said. “I got a few Christmas crackers so you may as well stay for a bit and enjoy them.”

“Oh, marvelous!” Molly said, gingerly adjusting her position. “It doesn’t look like we’ll have a Christmas baby after all, but this has been such a lovely day with the decorations and the gifts and all that. I feel almost as if it wasn’t being spent at a hospital.”

Khan’s demeanor softened as he looked at his wife. “I have your cheesecake. Do you want it all to yourself?”

“No, I’d rather share. The hospital food isn’t ghastly by any means but I just want to little something sweet. Now go on, Sherlock. Finish the story while Edmund and I open one of the crackers.”

Khan set his son back next to his mother and got the crackers out first, handing it to Edmund. Molly took one end and he took another and they both pulled until it popped open. Edmund looked at the treasure inside with glee, and Khan couldn’t help but smile. Even with Sherlock there, it felt quite cozy and even a bit...nice. He could accept a nice Christmas, even if it wasn’t the perfect one he had imagined.

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

My latest RadioDust fic is up!

@multifandom-christmasinjuly Prompt fill for "scarves."

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

My newest RadioDust fic is up!

@multifandom-christmasinjuly -- prompt fill for "hot cocoa"

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

My latest RadioDust fic, Snow Isn't The Only Thing Falling, is up now!

@multifandom-christmasinjuly -- prompt fill for "snowflakes"

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

All I Want For Christmas Is You -- Salcroft

A little bit of pre-ship Christmas fluff for you all! Plus this is the beginning of a Salcroft series.

The Bearer Of Happy Tidings (A “The Copper & The Bureaucrat” Story)  - Sally is at home decorating for the holidays when Mycroft Holmes comes to visit, bringing good news.

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

“Baby all I want for Christmas is you,” Sally sang along with the song playing on “Love Actually” as she waited for her popcorn to finish popping. It wasn’t for consumption; she had decided she was going to string together a popcorn chain for her Christmas tree, hunger be damned. It was the first year she’d put one up in a while, even if it was just a miniature tree on a tall stand. She’s waited too long to get a big one, but she’d been out of the country on a cross-jurisdictional case with Greg and just gotten back, two nights before Christmas.

The time in New York had been productive. She’d solved the case and made the arrest, and Greg said it was looking good that she’d get a promotion in the next round of them. Being a DI meant a pay grade increase and more duties, but the only downside would be not working with Greg anymore. They had a bond, a close friendship, and it would be an adjustment to have her own DS under her and be responsible for training them. But Greg knew it was what she wanted, what she needed, and he’d let her shine on the cross-jurisdictional case. She’d gotten time to enjoy some holiday things while she was there for two weeks, too. She’d gone to Rockefeller Center and seen the Rockettes, and the last night she joined the consultants and the cops and Greg for some ice skating in Central Park. She never thought she’d have such a good time around her own ilk.

But now she was home, alone, decorating a small tree and hoping to get the last of her gift shopping done tomorrow. It would be Christmas Eve Day and the stores would be packed, but she’d brave it nonetheless. Sherlock and Molly were having a Christmas party at Baker Street and she’d been invited this year, so she wanted to come bearing gifts for everyone in her newish found family. Since the ice had melted between her and Sherlock they’d actually gotten along remarkably well. Molly was definitely a good influence on him.

Just as her popcorn slowed to a few pops every few seconds there was a knock at her door. She turned off the microwave and then wiped her hands and went to the door, opening it to find Sherlock’s brother at her doorstep. Mycroft was...an enigma, she supposed. But she liked him. There was something about him that didn’t fit in with the world that she related to.

“Sergeant Donovan. Or should I say, Detective Inspector Donovan?”

“Promotions don’t come around for another few weeks,” she said, her eyes wide.

“I put some pressure on Scotland Yard on Lestrade’s behalf. You’ll get the official announcement tomorrow, but I thought you should know now.”

“That’s wonderful,” she said, her surprised expression melting into a warm smile. “Come on in. I was just decorating my sad excuse for a tree.”

“Do I smell popcorn?” he asked, coming inside. He laid his umbrella tip down by the door and shed out of his coat.

“I was going to make a popcorn chain, but I can share it if you’re hungry.”

“It would ruin my diet,” he said.

“You? On a diet? You’re just the right weight,” she said, closing the door after him. “You probably give Rosie Watson excellent hugs.”

“How did you…?” he asked, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

She tapped the side of her nose. “I’m not a Detective Inspector for nothing. Besides, that little girl has us all wrapped around her finger.” She paused. “You gave her back her mum. I’m sure that’s netted you the title ‘Uncle Mycroft, most huggable uncle after Sherlock.’”

“It was nothing,” he said.

“No, it was a big deal. Her past was a minefield, but you gave her a future by helping her fake her death. Sherlock told me the details.”

“He would.”

“Well, I think it was a good thing to do. After her death, John just went off the deep end, and so did Sherlock. I’d get calls from Molly where she was watching Rosie and worrying about Sherlock and John and she wasn’t sure she could cope.” Impulsively she hugged Mycroft and he embraced her back after stiffening for a moment, melting into the embrace. “See? Good hugger.”

Mycroft gave her a faint smile and sat on her sofa. “You do have an extraordinary sense of people, Donovan.”

“You can call my Sally if I can call you Mycroft,” she said, getting the popcorn and bringing it to the sofa, opening the bag, and setting it between them. “Want to watch a movie? I have some Christmas ones and some classic black and white films, so you have a choice.” She paused. “If you’re in the mood for Christmas movies, we could watch ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’”

“I think I would like that,” he said with a nod. “And...you may call me Mycroft.”

“Good,” she said, getting up and going to her DVD player. Something about tonight told her this would be a change in her relationship with Mycroft, leaving them at least on more friendly terms. It couldn’t be a bad thing and, she rather hoped, maybe it could lead to something more.

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

Christmas Is A Time For Family, Wherever They Are (1/1 - An “In Another Time, Another Universe” Story)

My third @mollyappreciationweek/Fandom Christmas In July 2022 collaboration, this time featuring Khanolly!

Christmas Is A Time For Family, Wherever They Are - Khan surprises Molly while she’s on bed rest in the hospital.

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

I’ll have a blue Christmas without you I’ll be so blue just thinking about you Decorations of red on our green Christmas tree Won’t be the same dear, if you’re not here with me

Molly huffed at the song playing on the radio in her hospital room. Noel was bound and determined to make her arrival into the world as possible, and so now she was on bed rest while Khan was at home with Edmund. And it was Christmas day and she wanted to cry because she was missing it all just to lie in a stupid hospital bed.

She shut her eyes and sighed, biting back tears. Edmund’s first Christmas and Mommy wasn’t there–

The door opened and she heard Edmund’s babbling and her eyes flew open. Khan was carrying Edmund on his hip, and he had a trash bag filled with…something, and a smaller bag she could see decorations peeking out of.

“We couldn’t very well have Edmund’s first Christmas without his mum,” Khan said, setting Edmund in the chair and pointing at him, a stern, wordless warning to sit still, and then he took the bag of decorations and started putting them up around the private room. Molly’s heart burst with love for her husband at the simple act of decorating a hospital room and sharing Christmas with her when she was otherwise indisposed.

“Does the big bag have the gifts?” Molly asked.

“Of course,” he said. “I’d have used a canvas sack but I couldn’t find one that would fit all of your and Edmund’s gifts.”

“But not your gifts?”

“We can open mine after you’ve had Noel and are back home, safe and sound,” he said as he finished decorating. “Edmund will sit on the bed with you and I’ll pass you gifts, and then we’ll stay and keep you occupied until you go into labor or the nurses kick us out, whichever comes first.”

“I love you, you know that, right?”

Khan moved over to her and kissed her softly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. And I love you too, just so we’re clear.”

Molly laughed and Khan lifted Edmund up onto Molly’s bed. She snuggled with her son and waited until he was handed a gift to unwrap. She helped him unwrap the gift that Khan had meticulously wrapped, having gone on bed rest before they could even finish the shopping. He was the best husband she could have asked for, and she would always remember this Christmas for the rest of her life as one of the best.

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

The Most Wonderful News Of The Year (1/1 - A “Not On The Side Of Angels” Story)

And here’s a Sebolly fic for @mollyappreciationweek/ Fandom Christmas In July 2022!

The Most Wonderful News Of The Year - Molly drops a bomb on Sebastian at the Tesco while they do their grocery shopping.

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

The two of them walked into Tesco hand in hand to do their weekly grocery shopping. Molly was looking forward to getting some peppermint-flavored and scented things, as that was a weakness of hers, and Seb was interested in mince pies. They browsed the aisles, gathering the things they wanted, keeping up a fairly steady stream of conversation, until it lapsed when Molly was deciding between two different peppermint ice creams.

Seb started to really listen to the Christmas music playing over the speakers and began to sing along. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

“Wasn’t that song in a Marks & Spencer ad a few years back?” Molly asked, smiling at Seb.

“Not this version. This one is by Harry Connick, Jr.” Seb hummed a little more of it before speaking again. “I’m a fan of his. Not so much his father, but…” He cleared his throat and brought his fist up to his mouth. “Work stuff.”

“Didn’t ask, don’t want to know,” Molly said.

“To be fair, it was when I first started after my less than honorable,” he said.

“You have your secrets, I have mine,” she said.

“You don’t have any secrets from me. I can read you like an open book.”

“You didn’t know I was pregnant,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

He froze as she went back to deciding between the two ice creams. “You’re pregnant?” he asked quietly.

“Did I really just blurt it out?” she asked, dropping the ice creams to bring her hands to cover her open mouth.

“You’re pregnant?” he asked again. “You’re really pregnant.”

“Seven weeks,” she said. “Are you happy?”

“I’m going to be an athair to a wee one again?” he asked, lapsing into Irish.

“Yes, if that means father?” she said.

He picked her up and spun her around. She laughed and hugged him around his neck, and when he set her down he kissed her deeply, both of them ignoring the dropped ice cream and the open freezer door. “I’m ecstatic.”

“I can tell,” Molly said with a laugh. She pulled away to pick up the ice creams, put them both back in the freezer, and shut the door. “Ice cream can wait. Let’s get the rest of the groceries and celebrate.”

“I can agree to that.”

– Seven months later, when their second son was born, Molly insisted he would be named Harry Andrew Moran after the two singers who sang the song playing when she told him about the pregnancy. Seb wholeheartedly agreed.

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

Mood Killer (1/1 - A “The Best Laid Plans” Story)

So this is the first of my (many) stories for day 1 of @mollyappreciationweek/belated entries to 2022 Fandom Christmas In July! Enjoy some slightly angsty McMolly!

Mood Killer - McCoy reveals a bad memory he’s associated with Christmas long ago, and Molly sets him straight that she will never repeat such a horrible thing.

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

“This is depressing for a Christmas song,” McCoy said as he strung the garland of tinsel around the tree. “Why are we listening to it again?”

“It’s on my playlist for some reason,” she said, adding a hook to the ornament in her hand and then moving towards the tree.

“Yeah, but ‘last Christmas I gave you my heart, and the very next day you gave it away’? Doesn’t sound very festive.”

“I can change it, you know,” she said with a half smile. She was used to McCoy’s grumpiness when it came to the holiday season, and even if they were just trying to decorate the tree at 221B, she could let it slide. Sherlock wasn’t here to aggravate him, which was a bonus, but she moved to her ancient MP3 player and forwarded the song to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” “Better?”

“Much,” he said. He finished with the tinsel and then wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close and kissing her neck. Sherlock had said he’d avoid the flat for a few hours so they could decorate “as a favour to Mrs. Hudson, of course, and to make it festive for Rosie,” so they had the place to themselves. Not that she expected anything to happen until they got home. It had been a tumultuous year, but home was her place now.

“You know we aren’t going to do anything until we get home so it’s not fair getting me hot and bothered,” she said with a laugh.

“You always have me hot and bothered, darlin’,” he said.

“Mmmhmm. I’ll remember that.” She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him eagerly. He kissed her back in equal measure, and for a moment she wondered if McCoy’s old bed was still there. But he pulled away and had a faraway look on his face. “Leonard?”

“If I’m too grumpy this holiday season, you’ll tell me, right?”

“Of course,” she said. “But other than a few things you’ve been pretty mellow with the decoration and my endless baking and most of the Christmas songs I’ve played. Where is this coming from?”

“My ex served me with divorce papers on Christmas Eve after our daughter had gone to her grandma’s for the day,” he said. “I had to pretend to be happy the next day for Joanna’s benefit when all I wanted to do was get so drunk I’d black out.”

“Oh, Leonard, that’s horrible!” Molly said, her mouth open wide. “No wonder you were such a grouch last year.”

“I’m happy with you, I am, but the bad memories linger.”

“Leonard, look at me and listen very closely,” she said, framing his face. “I am not going to leave you on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or Boxing Day. I’m not planning on leaving you at all if I can help it. And I won’t ever purposefully ruin a holiday for you. Do you understand?”

He responded by pulling her close and kissing her until she was breathless. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers. “Understood, crystal clear.”

“Good,” she said. They stood there for some time before she pulled back. “Let’s finish the tree and go home. I feel the need to show you exactly how much I love you with a good dinner, a shared bath, and a fantastic shag.”

“I could get to liking that,” he said with a grin, giving her knuckles a brush of his lips before letting her go completely.

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

The Twelve Pains of Christmas -- Katy/Shang-Chi

And I answered this prompt a few days ago but forgot to post it. Sliding in under the July radar now!

The Perfect Christmas Party (A “Shifting Relationships” Story) - Katy is pretty proud of the little Christmas shindig they threw. 

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

“...and finding a Christmas tree!”

Katy looked around and grinned. The mini karaoke machine they’d bought when they’d decided to be roommates was a hit and was currently programmed with a bunch of Christmas songs, the “build your own cupcake" station was almost empty, the beers and Christmas-themed drinks were flowing freely and Shang-Chi was in the corner, regaling their friends with their latest superheroic adventure. It helped that Wong was in attendance to back up the facts.

Overall, their first Christmas party was a smashing success.

The Polaroid camera went off in her face and she batted it away, only to find Shang-Chi was the one who was holding it. “I thought you were otherwise occupied,” she said as he pulled out the picture.

“You looked photogenic,” he said, waiting for it to develop. She slung an arm on his shoulder, looking over to see how the picture turned out. “See?”

“Not bad, not bad,” Katy replied. “So we seem to be the premier party planners.”

“We just got all the fun stuff. We still have Soo and John’s reception dinner to go to.” Katy made a face and Shang-Chi chuckled, pointing to the couple, who were joining Wong on the karaoke machine. “Maybe they’ll have karaoke.”

“Maybe, but I doubt it. That’s our thing.”

“We have things?”

Katy smacked his shoulder. “Of course we have things. We’re a dynamic duo.”

“So I can call you Robin?”

“Ha ha ha.” Katy had some more of her beer. “Come on. Let’s stuff a cupcake in your mouth before they’re all gone.” She moved away, shaking her head. “Robin. Ha! I’m Batgirl, hell yeah,” she said under her breath, eliciting a grin from Shang-Chi.

   --–  

The pink Batman logo mug Shang-Chi got Katy for Christmas had a prized spot on the kitchen counter from Christmas morning on, and if Katy sang the Batman theme as she made her coffee...well, she was a superhero sidekick, after all. It was well-deserved accolades.

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) -- Wondertrev

So sorry for the angst!

The Bitter And The Sweet - They've been through so much, but they have so little time left that they try and enjoy each moment to the fullest. Sometimes, though, they talk about what will happen when he's gone.

READ @ AO3

Christmas. She had grown to love the holiday over the years, years spent happily with Steve. He had gotten older while she had stayed young and vibrant, and this was their fortieth Christmas together now. He decorated the tree while she decorated the mantle in their apartment in Paris. It was done in almost companionable silence, with only Christmas music making a sound.

Suddenly Diana felt arms at her waist, twirling her around and settling, one hand on her shoulder and the other at her waist. “Care for a dance?” Steve asked, a twinkle in his eye. He might be in his seventies now, but he was as lithe and spry as ever.

“I think a dance would be lovely,” she beamed, and they began a waltz around the living room to “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire,” Steve humming along with the song as he guided her around furniture and then dipped her before pulling her back up.

She smiled, though it was bittersweet. The terminal cancer diagnosis six months ago had been a blow, and he’d said no to chemotherapy and radiation. He wanted to be as whole and healthy as he could be despite cancer, living his life with Diana to the fullest. Their old friends from the Wars were gone, and their new friends all thought Steve was a dashing retiree and Diana was his caretaker.

If they only knew the depth of love that ran between them. It had survived his near death at the hands of Ares and many more adventures among gods and men. What they had now was a slice of peace, their own private Heaven. She wanted more, she’d always want more, but she had been lucky so far. She was thankful for what she’d been given when she could have lost him so many times before.

“We aren’t going to have many more holidays like this one,” he said once she was upright and close to him. His hand was in her hand and he had his other hand wrapped around her waist. It was almost like in this close proximity he could read her mind. “Do you ever wish it was different?”

“Different means I could have lost you in World War I,” she said. “Or World War II. Or on any number of the missions we ran together.”

“Different also means we could have had children,” he said.

“The children we’ve fostered have a special place in my heart,” Diana said. “I loved them all as though they were my own.”

“I did too, but there would have been one that’s ours.”

“We could always do what my mother did,” she said. “Make a child out of clay and ask the gods to breathe life into him.”

“Would the gods listen?” he asked, pulling back.

“Maybe.” She paused. “There are other ways. We could adopt. I could adopt, I mean.”

“I don’t want you to be alone when I’m gone,” he said. “I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life missing me.”

“I won’t,” she said. “I promise, I’ll live life to the fullest, in your memory.” She leaned in and kissed him then, a kiss full of promises for days to come. She would live her life to the fullest, even if she didn’t have him by her side.

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

Joy To The World -- Phrack

I went through all my Phrack fics and made a new series! It’s called “Scenes & Seasons Of Phrack” and it’s a story of them getting together in the show with missing scenes and post-”Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears” life together.

A Moment Under The Mistletoe - Jack leaves the Christmas in July party for a moment and manages to surprise Phryne in the process.

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

Cec and Bert and Jane were singing “Joy to the World” when Jack slipped out of the parlour to get a moment to himself. He was happy for the Christmas in July celebrations, now that they were safe, but he had come close to losing Phryne in the mine shaft. Had Nicholas Mortimer aimed anywhere other than Phryne’s feet, she could have died. It had weighed on his mind ever since he came to in the mine shaft to see Phryne had knocked him down to the ground and the bullet casings on the ground.

But here she was, laughing and chatting with her extended family, not a care in the world. She was going to be the death of him, he knew it.

She pulled away from Prudence and made her way out to him. “They aren’t off-key, you know,” she said with a smile, sipping her champagne.

“I know. ‘Joy to the World’ is a song one could get very...excited about.” He leaned against the door jamb, taking her in. She was gorgeous, as usual. He knew he was in love with her but sometimes he wondered if she would ever feel the same way. He hoped she would, but she continued to live her life the way she had before and that forced him to do the same.

“So why did you leave?” she asked.

“I just needed a moment,” he said. He looked up and saw a sprig of mistletoe, not the type that Jane had been waving around. “It seems Jane will get her kiss after all.”

“Oh,” Phryne said, looking up and then turning to Jack with a smile on her face. Jack leaned in and kissed her cheek softly, then pulled away and went back into the room, not missing the surprised look on her face. Maybe, sometimes, he could get the upper hand between them.

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) -- Sebolly

I’m going to fill in more or the stuff while Sebastian and Sherlock are gone later, but here’s Seb’s return to London in the “From Pain, Anew” series.

At Her Doorstep - Molly wonders if Sebastian and her would work as a couple if he was home, and her Christmas wish gets answered.

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

It wasn’t that she wasn’t used to spending the holidays alone. She’d done that often enough before. But there was…something...between her and Sebastian, and she wanted to see where it would go if he was there in person. Phone conversations around his adventures taking down Moriarty’s network with Sherlock were one thing, but she hadn’t seen him since he saved her life. Since he’d killed Jim. Would it all actually work?

She’d paused her viewing of “Love Actually” while she’d been decorating her tree to turn on Christmas music, as the romantic plotlines weighed on her heart and made her miss Seb even more. She had a record player and her father’s collection of vinyl, and so she put on “All Alone On Christmas” by Darlene Love. It was a double-sided vinyl; the other side had “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on it, and she remembered all the times her father played this vinyl during the holidays when her mum was working long shifts at the hospital.

She’d gotten the tree half-decorated and opened up a bottle of red wine when it came time to switch sides, and she flipped it over and put the needle in the groove, and waited for the music to come out before dancing around a bit.

 (Christmas) The snow's coming down (Christmas) I'm watching it fall (Christmas) Lots of people around (Christmas) Baby, please come home

 (Christmas) The church bells in town (Christmas) All ringing in song (Christmas) Full of happy sounds (Christmas) Baby, please come home

She had some of her wine and was singing along with the song when there was a knock at the door. She set her glass down, turned the record volume down as well, and went to the door, looking out the peephole and then gasping. She flung the door open and saw Seb there, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. “Molly,” he said softly.

“Is it all done?” she asked, her eyes wide. He nodded, and he had just enough time to drop the bag before she threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. He picked her up and twirled her around in an effort to keep on balance. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

“Sherlock said he’d see you in two days,” he said when he set her down. “I think he thinks we’re going to go straight to bed and spend all night and all day shagging.”

Molly blushed. They’d had their fair share of naughty phone conversations, but now that he was here she wasn’t sure she wanted that. She pulled away and he picked up his bag and came inside, depositing the bag by her small table next to the door. He took a step towards her and pulled her into his arms again. “I missed you,” she said.

“I missed you too,” he said. “All I want to do tonight is be close. No shagging just...close.”

“I can do that,” she said. She pulled away slightly and looked at him before shutting her eyes and leaning in to kiss him softly. He kissed her back, keeping the kiss light, but she could feel tremors in his body as he tightened his hold on her. He was back, and just in time for the holidays. Maybe Christmas wouldn’t be so bad this year...

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer -- Loki/Darcy

Another fic in the “Pursuing A Happy Ending Together” verse. Enjoy!

Just Making An Appearance - Darcy went to Stark's Christmas party just to make an appearance, to be polite, and she's disappointed until a certain Asgardian whisks her away, but not before they end up under some mistletoe first.

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The party was in full swing, but Darcy was admittedly only there to make an appearance and then head back to her apartment to get away from Christmas for a bit. Thankfully this year Hannukah had already passed and wasn’t mashed together at the same time as Christmas, so she could at least enjoy the aesthetics of the party without feeling too much like she was being a traitor. But there was so much Christmas celebration all over that it was hard to escape. New York City turned into a bastion of red and green and white, and she wasn’t as used to it as she had thought she’d be by now.

She perked up slightly as one of the few Christmas songs she liked came on the speaker. She’d stay long enough to hear “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” and then she’d make her escape. Not that anyone would miss her; Jane was enjoying watching Thor and Brunhilde take in the Christmas stuff and go all out when a song would repeat, singing it at full blast. And everywhere else there were couples.

Being single? That sucked on a normal day, but tonight it sucked even more.

She hummed along with the song so she could finish her admittedly tasty sugar cookie martini. Tony Stark threw a good party with the best of everything, and she made a note to find out which bartending company he used for the party tomorrow so she could get the recipe for this martini. She had to admit that the alcohol made absorbing the Christmas cheer a little easier.

“You look like you’re going to bolt.”

She turned to her side and there was Loki, standing next to her in an all-black suit, standing out like a sore thumb. But he looked damn good in the suit, she could admit that much.

They hadn’t talked much since the makeout session at the gym, but it wasn’t like they were avoiding each other. There were Avengers-level threats on a weekly basis, so Loki was off helping, and she was busy planning her next round of university lessons. She had one semester under her belt and it had gone well; one more semester and then she’d go back to running the occasional errand for S.W.O.R.D and assisting Jane on her experiments. It was just a matter of missing each other because she didn’t leave her apartment much when he was in the city.

“Christmas is not really my thing,” she said. “Being Jewish and all.”

“I see,” he said with a nod. “Hannukah already happened, so I suppose wishing you a Happy Hannukah would come off as trite?”

“Cute. It comes off as cute,” she said with a smile, thinking it was nice that someone bothered to acknowledge her religious celebrations. “I was going to stay until this song was over. I like this one, just because it’s funny.”

He nodded. “Might I tempt you with coffee?” he asked. “Or more drinks somewhere else?”

“Why don’t we do coffee at my apartment downstairs?” she said. “And I just made a batch of better-than-sex brownies. Have you ever had them? I give Jane a ton for Thor pretty often.”

“I have. I think coffee and brownies are better than this party,” he said, offering her his elbow. The song wasn’t over yet, but this invitation was far better, she thought to herself as she set her glass down on a passing tray and took his arm. They took three steps away before Loki stopped. “Your thoughts on mistletoe?” he murmured.

“A kiss is...nice,” she said.

He dropped his elbow and went to put an arm around her, pulling her close. She closed her eyes and leaned in, and when their lips met the same sparks that had gone off at the gym were there. She moaned into the kiss and he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss in the process.

When they pulled apart, she opened her eyes, blinking at him. “Can we do more of that?” she asked, just a little breathlessly.

“Absolutely,” he said quietly, his gaze intense. When he let her go it was only enough so that his hand dropped to her side, and she grasped it, entwining her fingers with his. Maybe it hadn’t been such a bad idea to make an appearance after all...

[multifandom-christmasinjuly]

The First Noel -- Khanolly

And here is another entry in the “In Another Time, Another Universe” series. Enjoy!

Their First Noel - Molly and Khan pick out a name for their second child.

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“Noel is such a pretty name, don’t you think?” Molly asked, rubbing her very large and very pregnant belly.

“I suppose it’s fitting for a child being born in December, with ‘the angels did sing’ and all,” Khan said, keeping an eye on their son as he played nearby.

“Noel as a first name or middle name, though?” she asked before sitting next to Khan and leaning into him. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“Well, Noel Hooper-Singh has a nice ring to it, I suppose. But what else would you consider naming her?”

“I’m not sure.” She huffed. “It was so much easier naming Edmund. You had that name picked out the minute you finished reading ‘The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.’”

“Peter is a prat at times. I relate much more to Edmund. He did a bad thing, and he was forgiven. You’ve helped me see that that fate could be mine as well.”

“I don’t think Jim will ever forgive you for killing his mentor, though.”

“No, I don’t think he will,” Khan said softly. “But here, he sees I try to be a better man. He seems to want to encourage that. And it’s rubbing off on Sherlock, too.”

“Jim is not nearly as bad as you think he is, you know.” She turned to look at her husband and saw he was making a face. “Well, I like him, at least.”

“Yes, and that is why you’re my buffer, for both Kirk and Sherlock.”

“I’m a good buffer,” Molly said with a chuckle. She leaned up and kissed her husband’s cheek. “Back to baby names. Since we have Edmund Peter Hooper-Singh, why not Noel Lilliandil Hooper-Singh? Christmas and Narnia fit well.”

“The star?” he asked. “Noel Lilliandil Hooper-Singh. It does roll off the tongue.”

“Then it’s settled. That will be her name. Then we can have a Lucy Susan at a later date.”

“You want the women in this family to outnumber the men?” Khan asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, you know any child we have will have you wrapped around your finger. Edmund already does.” Molly slowly leveraged herself off the sofa and went to her son, picking him up with just a little difficulty. “Don’t you, Edmund?”

“Da!” Edmund said, trying to get out of his mother’s grasp and reaching for his father.

“See? Wrapped around your finger,” Molly said as Khan got up and took Edmund from her, balancing him on his hip.”

“And you have me wrapped around yours,” he said, leaning over and kissing the top of her head.

“I do, I do. And since we’re all up, why don’t we head to the park while it’s still warm? Then we can come home and get some warm takeaway.”

“That sounds good,” Khan said with a nod. Molly smiled up at him before they headed towards the foyer to get their coats and gloves. They had finally agreed on a name. Now they just needed to wait for Noel Lilliandil Hooper-Singh to make her arrival...