#Also yes this is on a santa letter. this is what I want for christmas lol

[somegrumpynerd]

Very faint skeletons doodle from when I was stuck at the till at work

They’re introducing Nightmare to the beloved gyftmas tradition of decorating an unwilling creature against their will

[enwoso]

NAUGHTY ELF — alessia russo x child!reader

twelve days of christmas | day 1

based on this request

when alessia first saw the idea of doing elf on the shelf for the month until christmas, she thought it would be a cute wholesome idea and since you were a little older you would probably become a fond memory to look back on in years to come.

the key word however was thought, as she was now wondering why nobody told how much work it was to do in such a small amount of time. now she knew why not everyone did it with their children.

but still alessia was determined to finish it, and with only ten days left she was sure she could pull through. so after a bit of a gruelling day, a long day of training for the champions league match in a few days time and an even harder job of trying to put you to bed after the excitement of santa visiting your nursery today.

still though she managed and the clock had just struck half nine. walking into the lit kitchen the blonde made a beeline for the coffee machine, putting a coffee pod in and her mug in as she pressed the button to start.

alessia then went to find the elf — who you had named for some unbeknownst reason elvis — who had spent the day pinned to the wall with tape as little drawn flames were below him and a sticky note saying: 'the floor is lava'

but before she had to get her coffee from the machine her phone started to ring, a small huff coming from her as she had to backpedal and go back into the living room to get it.

seeing the screen light up a warm smile coming over her features seeing it was her mum calling, "hi mum"

"hi alessia, are you okay?" carol, alessia's mum asked as alessia wandered back into the kitchen to finally get her hands on her hot coffee which by now which just be edging the warm stage.

"yeah, i'm just doing lovie's elf and then gonna have an early night" alessia smiled as she placed her phone on the kitchen counter pressing it so her mum was on speaker as she added the sugar into her coffee.

"elf? what elf?" carol questioned as a small laugh came from alessia as she could imagine the confused look on her mums face.

"like an elf on the shelf?" alessia tried as she knew her mum knew what one was, but the other end of the line stayed silent. "mum! you used to do one for me, giorgio and luca when we were a similar age to lovie”

a chuckle came over alessia as she heard her mums realisation hum through the line, "oh yes, how lovely. i bet tiny is loving that" carol said as alessia moved around her kitchen getting what she needed as her mum carried on with their little catch up.

alessia had decided that for day 15 was had saw a cute idea of the elf sledding along the counter which was covered in snow, flour, a cute little letter on a green sticky note.

still chatting away to her mum on the phone as she began the little project, but as the blonde went to place the empty bag of flour into the bin she accidentally knocked her coffee cup over. a loud bang echoing throughout the kitchen as the cup fell on the floor smashing into tiny pieces and covering the once white flour.

"so me and your dad can take lovie-" carol was filling alessia in on the plans for the weekend when alessia was at a shoot which you weren't allowed to go to before she stopped her sentence after hearing the loud crash.

"oh you've got to be kidding me-" alessia muttered under her breath, burying her head into her hands wanting nothing but to scream the house down but it probably would be the smartest idea considering you were sound asleep.

"alessia? what was that bang.." carol asked as it echoed through the phone, alessia just letting out a loud groan. "less, honey what's happened?" carol tried again.

alessia eventually moved her head from her hands not before dragging them dramatically down her face. "i've knocked my coffee over onto the counter where i had just laid out the flour for the elf thing and now i’ve also smashed my favourite mug" a pout came over alessia's face.

"do you not have any more flour? or even caster sugar will work" carol said hoping to lighten the mood and bring a quick fix to stop the panic that was slowly setting into alessia’s mind.

“no? what am i supposed to do now” alessia whispered as she spoke fast the panic was really setting into as she could just see the imagine in her head of you waking up and seeing your elf in the same place as before you went to sleep. her heart breaking slightly just at the thought.

“can you not call one of the girls? i’m sure one will help you out and plus they would all do anything to see tiny with a smile on her face” carol pointed out as alessia hummed racking her head around her lived close by and maybe wouldn’t mind doing her a small favour.

“yeah maybe..”

“well don’t fall or drop your phone in the making, clumsy!”

“hilarious mum! i’ll call you tomorrow”

-

"lotte.." alessia dragged out as a hum came from lotte on the other line. "what's up less?" the girl asked with the slight hint of sleepiness in her tone.

“i haven’t woke you have i?” alessia panicked glancing to the time on her phone it only showing 9:54pm. a small wince on her face as she feared the worse.

“no? what’s wrong though, you sound stressed-“ lotte asked as alessia began to recount the events and how she needed a favour from the girl, hoping she wouldn’t mind.

lotte trying her best not to start belly laughing at the blondes clumsiness, it sounding as if it was all made up and probably someone that had never met alessia would think she had.

but lotte knew better and with alessia who struggled to keep herself and objects up straight than to know that alessia was saying she was one hundred percent being serious.

“honestly i’m not even surprised anymore less, but of course i can just give me twenty minutes and i’ll be round” lotte chuckled as a sigh of relief could be heard leaving alessia’s lips.

“i don’t know what i would do without you lotte!”

“me neither less-“

-

“mummy! get up i wanna see elvis!” you excitedly jumped up and down on your mummy’s bed as she groaned rubbing her eyes as you flopped on top of her.

“hang on lovie, let mummy open her eyes first!” alessia let out a small laugh as you began to pull the blankets off her, tugging at her hand for her to hurry up.

at least with the arrival of your elf, elvis, there was one positive that came from it and that was there was no trouble at getting you up in the morning. you waking yourself up with energy and excitement seeping through your small limps to see what your elf had been up to while you were asleep.

“go on then, mummy will follow behind you!” alessia opened her door a little wider than the small gap you had squeezed through, grabbing her robe to wrap around herself as the cool air that surrounded the hallway hit her bare arms.

“i wonder if elvis has been cheeky today?” you thought out loud as you carefully walked down the stairs, alessia three steps behind you.

once you reached the bottom step alessia let you find your elf knowing you had found him when, “oh mummy he’s been very cheeky” you called out from the kitchen as a gasp could be heard from you.

“oh my gosh, how’s he done that!" alessia said as she flung her arms in the air a smile on her lips as she watched your face change with excitement as you took in the sight of your elf sitting on some candy canes in a trail of snow — flour — with a bright green sticky note close by.

“have you read his little note?” your mummy pointed to it as you shook your head, “should we read it together?” alessia asked as you nodded, your mummy picking you up as she sat you on the edge of the counter holding you by the knee so you didn’t fall.

“just sledding in-“ your mummy read along with you helping you with the more trickier words helping you to sound them out by the letters, “to say have a good day”

“oh that’s nice of him” alessia cooed as you nodded eagerly wanting to read the rest.

“and i almost didn’t make it cause-“ you began to read again along side your mummy as she pointed to the word as you read it, “-you went to bed realllly late” a small gaps coming from you as you were a little shocked.

“i didn’t go to bed late” you pouted as your mummy had a small grin her eyebrows slightly raised, “it was a little past your bedtime”

“be good today- wait what do they mean” you pointed to the small xo’s on the handwritten letter that elvis — lotte — had written. “so the o’s are hugs and the x’s are kisses” alessia explained as a small awh came over you.

“that’s was nice of elvis wasn’t it” your mummy asked as you nodded drawing small patterns on the edge of the counter in the flour.

“who going to clean this up though!” you asked, your brows furrowing a little bit.

“well i hope elvis does, he made the mess” as alessia took you down from the counter and making her way to start making your breakfast.

“elvis! mummy says you have to remember to clean up otherwise it’ll make her sad” you peered over the counter whispering to the elf as you babbled along to yourself talking with elvis the elf.

but even though it was a little tiring making the elf on the shelf each night it made it all worth it to see your excitement each morning and your facial expressions when you saw what your elf had been up to — so in alessia’s mind that made it all worth the while.

[scary-grace]

(secret) santa, baby - a shigaraki x f!reader fic

Shigaraki doesn't want to participate in the office's Secret Santa exchange, but when Toga promises to make it easy on him, he gives in. But making it easy for him makes it a lot harder for you -- you're the one who got his list. Office AU, no quirks. For the first day of 12 Days of Christmas event in the X Reader Lovers community, prompt: Wish List! Divider by @ wcnderlnds

part i part ii part iii part iv part v part vi part vii part viii part ix

part i (wish list)

Tomura stares down at the blank piece of paper. It’s not totally blank. It’s – sparkly, just like the green and red pen with a pompom on it that Toga stuck in his hand. There’s a pattern around the edges, also green and red, of leaves and berries, and right at the top of the page, in curly letters, it says WISH LIST. Tomura doesn’t have a clue. He doesn’t even want to do this. He’s only doing it because Toga’s making him.

She’s staring at him right now. “Go away,” Tomura says. “I’m not writing it with an audience.”

“See, but if I leave you alone, you won’t write it at all,” Toga says, smiling. “It’s a Secret Santa, Tomura-kun. It won’t be any fun if you don’t write a good list.”

“It’s not going to be fun anyway, because I don’t want to do it.” Tomura shoves the piece of stationary back towards Toga. “Find somebody else.”

“Nope! Remember last year? You didn’t do it, and then you were mad all twelve days because everybody got gifts but you,” Toga says. She pushes the paper back towards Tomura. “Come on. It’s easy. Just put things on your list – not too expensive – and somebody who gets your list will leave them for you! Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“No,” Tomura says. Toga scowls at him. “I have to go shopping for somebody, too.”

Coming up with a gift list is bad enough. Waiting around to see if he’ll get presents – or even one present – from whoever got stuck with him is worse. But Tomura watched all of last year, saw all the effort everybody else put into their presents. Special hiding places, special wrapping paper. Last year Dabi got into an arms race with his younger brother and started leaving actual riddles for the person he was giving gifts to. Tomura’s not going to do any of that shit. Whoever he gets is going to be disappointed.

“I’m not doing extra shopping,” he says to Toga. “I’m out.”

“I’m organizing this year,” Toga says. So? “What if I get you somebody with a really easy list? Somebody normal who’s not going to ask for anything weird and who’s not going to get mad if you don’t set up a scavenger hunt.”

Tomura thinks about his friends, then his coworkers. “There’s absolutely nobody like that who works here.”

“Yes there are. You just don’t know about them, because they don’t do anything to annoy you,” Toga says. Her smile starts looking a little sharp around the edges. “Write the list.”

The sooner Tomura writes it, the sooner this will stop happening. He picks up the pen, sets it against the piece of paper, and hits an instant snag. “I don’t want anything.”

“Yes, you do,” Toga says. Tomura thinks about it, then writes something. Toga grabs the pen out of his hand and crosses it out. “No. It has to be a gift. Something you wouldn’t buy for yourself. Something nice.”

“For under ¥4000?” If Tomura wants something, he usually just buys it. “This is stupid.”

 “If you don’t have specific things you want, just write down things you like,” Spinner suggests on his way past with a stack of copies. “Like say – video games, dogs, candy, energy drinks –”

“I’m not letting him put energy drinks on his Secret Santa wish list,” Toga says. Spinner shrugs and keeps walking. “That’s not a bad idea, Tomura-kun. Write the kind of things you like, and then your Secret Santa can find things like that for the right price.”

Fine. Tomura gets the pen back from Toga and writes: video games, dogs, candy – “More specific,” Toga instructs. Tomura scowls and adds parentheticals. “See, that’s perfect! Was that so hard?”

“Yes.” Tomura lets Toga have the list, then takes it back again a second later. “I need to add something.”

It’s only a sentence, and Toga reads it out loud, looking all kinds of skeptical. “I hate the cold, so I don’t want any let-it-snow shit. Wow, Tomura.”

“You said to be specific,” Tomura says. “Are we done?”

“Yes!” Toga folds Tomura’s list into a quick origami heart, then tucks it into her pocket. “This will be fun! You’ll see. You won’t regret it.”

She leaves without the stupid Christmas pen. Tomura tosses it after her and flops forward on his desk, regretting it already.

part 2 ->

[allywthsr]

WISHLISTS | (l.norris)

summary: Lando and you check your kids‘ wishlists

wordcount: 1.7k words

pairing: landonorris x fem!reader

warnings: kids

notes: I think it’s cute, what do you think?? Also Lando is older in this than he is right now :)

advent calendar

”Are they both asleep?“

”Yes, we should look at their wishlists now, and see what we can order or not.“

It was later than normal in the evening, but both kids were little troublemakers and did not want to sleep today, both of them were buzzing with excitement over Christmas. They spent the day at nana and Pop's house, and Lando’s parents made a wishlist for Santa with them today.

Louis was about to turn six years old and little Sofia was three and a half years old.

Both of them were opinionated and knew exactly what they wanted. So when Lando’s parents brought up the idea of making a wishlist with the kids, how could you say no? Normally that was a thing that Lando and you did with your kids, but you hadn’t had the time yet, so you were thankful Cisca and Adam did it for you. This year, Louis was old enough to try and write it himself, it almost made you cry looking at his scribble that had been corrected by Cisca or Adam many times, but still, it was the cutest. He was growing up too fast, when you looked at Lando and saw the little pout on his lips when you showed him the paper, you knew he was thinking the same.

Sofia‘s list was written by Cisca, and Sofia had decorated it with stickers and random streaks of colorful pens. The ’Santa‘ on top of the paper was written by Sofia, the wonky letters were different sizes and the second ’a‘ was the other way around, but you were proud of your little girl.

Lando and you sat on the couch, you were in your fuzzy socks and sweats, relaxing with your favorite hot drink, while Lando was drinking some water and was also dressed in sweats and a hoodie. It was almost Christmas and you barely had presents for your kids, a few you both picked up on some errand runs, but nothing specific.

You cuddled up to Lando and held the wishlist of your eldest in your hand.

”I‘m ready to see what an almost six-year-old wants for Christmas. I can’t believe he‘s six, we are old, Lando.“

”Probably a car like mine, yesterday he said: ’Daddy, I want to race with you every weekend‘, so I guess we need to get him in F1, and talk to McLaren about it.“

He let out a high-pitched giggle. Lando said he wanted to wait for kids after he retired, but Louis happened because you weren’t careful enough, and when you broke the news to him, he wanted nothing more than to raise this baby with you. He was only twenty-three years old when you got pregnant, and not ready to retire yet, so he gave it a year to try it out, in the end, the three of you managed it well and he didn’t need to retire. Sofia was planned, you wanted to give Louis a sibling and now he was the best big brother you could imagine for your girl. Both of your kids were totally daddy orientated, whether they were crying and needed cuddles, or they wanted to play with someone when daddy was around, he was their first choice. But when daddy said no, which barely happened, they ran to mummy and asked you, and if you said yes, you were the favorite for the rest of the day.

With your head on Lando’s shoulder, you started to read out loud.

”Alright, dear Santa, I am a good boy and have a few wishes. A new big boy bike without extra wheels, a kart like daddy had when he was younger, the new cars racetrack, a cars lunchbox, new cars, construction trucks, a real bunny, a camera like daddy, my own helmet. Thank you, Santa. That are some wishes.“

”He certainly knows what he wants, but I like most of them, we can work with that. I also love his spelling, cars with a z or boy with an i.“

You pressed a kiss to Lando’s cheek, ”he‘s all grown up, he wants a big boy bike and a kart. I don’t think I can endure another Norris in a kart.“

”Don’t worry baby, I‘ll be with him.“

You talked about putting Louis in a kart when he shows interest, but so far he only loved cars and watching daddy drive around, for a week he wasn’t able to stop talking about driving himself. Lando loved that, he started around the same age and couldn’t wait to put Louis in a kart, especially since he had his own karting team.

”I think the bike thing is something we can give your parents, we can get him the cars things, do you think he wants the lunchbox with lightning McQueen or someone else?“

”He loves this Ryan car, he’s orange and ’looks like your daddy‘, maybe we should see if we can find one with him on it.“

You hummed in agreement, ”What about the construction trucks?“

”Sure, there's probably a set with different cars inside, that would be nice.“

Again you nodded your head, ”I don’t like the bunny idea, animals shouldn’t be something that’s gifted for Christmas. We can talk about that with him next year, but not for Christmas. I want him to understand that a pet is not just a cute thing that you can pet all day long, it’s work and commitment.“

”Yeah, I agree, we’re also away a lot, we can’t take a bunny with us to the tracks, and taking care of two hyperactive kids is a chore.“

You two chuckled, ”Well, they clearly have that from you, you’re always hyperactive, Lando.“

”And I‘m proud of it, we can’t deny that they’re mine.“

”We definitely can’t. What do think about the camera? I saw on Amazon a few days ago, that there are kids cameras, not expensive and does the job.“

”I like that. And I want to make a helmet for him.“

”Do you have his measurements?“

”No, but I‘ll say Santa needs his head size if he wants to make a helmet.“

”That’s sweet. And we also have that new swing play set outside for both of them, that should be enough presents from us, right? He’s going to be spoiled from the rest of our family anyway.“

He hummed quietly and kissed your forehead.

”Onto the next one“, you mumbled, grabbing the page that lay next to you.

”Dear Santa, I am the best girl, I want for Christmas: a new Barbie doll, a new Barbie doll, a new Barbie doll, a new Barbie doll, a bunny, a pretty pink purse like mamas, a bunny stuffie, pets for my Barbie’s, the dogs from paw patrol, new hair clips, a T-shirt from uncle Carlos. Thank you, Santa.“

”A T-shirt from Uncle Carlos? What is wrong with her?“, Lando was confused.

”I think Carlos told her multiple times over Facetime a few days ago, that she should wish for a T-shirt from him.“

”I have to call him tomorrow. But why has she listed the Barbie doll four times?“

”We should call your mum and ask.“

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and clicked on FaceTiming his mum. You two greeted her with waves and ’hellos‘ when she picked up.

”We went through the wishlists and why did Sofia list the Barbie doll four times?“

”I have no clue, darlings, when I told her, I’ve already written it down, she kept on repeating I need to write Barbie doll multiple times, or else Santa won’t get her point.“

”She‘s truly Lando’s child.“

”Oh yes, I can remember Lando also did something similar when he was young.“

”Are you calling me old, mum?“

”No, my darling.“

”Cisca, we thought you and Adam could get him the bike? Or do you have something else?“

”We only have small things yet, we would love to gift him the bike. He said he wants a black one with orange and bright yellow stripes, like daddy’s helmet.“

”That’s fine, I don’t know if you want to buy it with him or without him, should he be with you while picking it out?“

”Maybe that’s better, we can say Santa told us to buy it with him, so he gets the one he wants.“

You two nodded, ”And with Sofia, we need to check first, what dolls she has and which she does not have, we don’t want to gift her some she already has.“

”Sure my darling, let us know if you have any ideas for her from her wishlist.“

All of you said your goodbyes and Lando and you went back to discussing Sofias list.

”We have to check her Barbies tomorrow when she‘s at daycare, as well as the pets she has for them, I like the hair clips and the stuffie, does she want the paw patrol dogs as stuffies or normal toys? The bunny is obviously a no.“

”Yeah, bunny’s a no, but maybe as stuffies? You know how much she loves stuffed animals, she can also play with them as if they’re normal toys. What about the purse?“

”I don’t know yet, maybe we find a kids purse somewhere?“

She may love her daddy more, but she was imitating you, all the time, playing dress up with your bags and shoes whenever she was bored.

Lando hummed to the purse idea and sighed.

”She‘s three and already wants a handbag, and I thought you would be the only one for a while.“

”She‘s a true girl, next year she‘ll ask for makeup.“

”I won’t allow her that, she can do that when she‘s eighteen.“

”Lando, when she‘s fifteen she‘ll be doing her makeup, like it or not. If she already wants a handbag, that’s the next step, soon she’ll have a boyfriend.“

”No, she doesn’t need a boyfriend, she has me and Louis, she doesn’t need different men in her life.“

”So you don’t want to have grandchildren?“

”Louis can make them.“

You decided to drop that topic, you wouldn’t be able to change his mind today.

”And what about the Carlos T-shirt?“

”I‘m not even going to give you an answer on this.“

[pascalispretty]

arrangement

Javi Gutierrez x F!Reader

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings/Tags: 1950s AU/Golden Age of Hollywood AU, arranged marriage, implied bisexuality, brief references to period typical homophobia

Summary: Tabloid gossip threatens to derail your promising film career. Luckily the studio has a solution; they've arranged for you to marry their Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Javi.

A/N: written for the @pedrostories Secret Santa event for @wardenparker! Arranged marriage and period drama from your prompt list really inspired me, as did rereading the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! (ao3)

“You’re not serious.” Your glass is raised halfway to your mouth; it’s only when the beads of condensation start to soak through your gloves that you remember it at all. You set it down on the desk and concentrate on peeling the soaked silk off your hands. It’s late and it’s New Year’s Eve – nobody is going to be looking at your hands anyway.

“I know it’s not ideal, kiddo-” Jack starts. As producers go, he’s pretty good. Or rather, he knows how to make a picture and he’s never bargained blowjobs for better parts, which makes him a damned saint by Hollywood standards.

“Not ideal?” You snap, abruptly cutting him off. “You know the rumours are horseshit. As soon as they see me as Cathy-”

“You’ll never play Cathy if you don’t wise up and listen to what I’m telling you. The studio isn’t pleased, kiddo.” Jack stubs the end of his cigarette out aggressively in the ashtray, grinding it against the glass with rather more force than is necessary.

You wait as he flicks his cigarette case open and lights another. The tension in the room is almost as thick as the smoke hanging hazy in the air. Jack sighs deeply, and pushes his hair back from his forehead.

“Look. I love you. The studio loves you. The studio spent a lot of money turning you into a bona fide movie star. And you playing Cathy, well. That’s Oscar potential right there, baby. But-”

You open your mouth to argue, and he cuts you off with a wave of his hand.

“But the studio will drop you faster than you can blink if people think you’re a lesbian.”

You’re glad you put the champagne down; you might have dropped it otherwise to hear that word fall from his mouth. The knot of anxiety in your stomach that’s been there since the photos were splashed on the cover of Hush Hush feels like it grows three sizes.

It had been innocent enough. Her hand on your back, where your dress dipped low and left your shoulderblades exposed. It’d hadn’t stopped the tabloids from running with it, running any photo of the two of you they could find and writing articles full of thinly-veiled innuendo.

“I’m not. The rumours are-”

“Not going away. I’m sorry, kiddo, really. I know you’re not so hot on getting married again after Marcus died.” It’s an understatement. You never used your married name at work, but you found yourself signing a cheque only yesterday with ‘Mrs M. Pike’. You force yourself to smile.

“So does the studio have a candidate in mind? Some prized stud?”

“Yes, actually. You know Javi? He adapted the script for Agamemnon, and he won the Oscar last year for that comedy with the Coppola kid?” You do know Javi. You’d met him when Agamemnon was in production, your first serious role. He’s handsome, you can’t deny that. You’d seen his soft brown curls and big dark eyes at the table read and wondered which part he was playing, before he’d been introduced as the writer.

And kind, too. When Marcus had died ten days into filming for Agamemnon, he’d sent flowers with everyone else. He’d also written you a letter, short but kind, offering to bog the director down with rewrites if you wanted more than a weekend off to grieve. You hadn’t taken him up on it, but the gesture had stayed with you.

“And he agreed to this? Or are you springing an arranged marriage on him tonight too?”

“He agreed. He’s ah- he’s in a similar predicament to you, kiddo. Tabloid trouble, rumour mill keeps on churning. It’s not the worst thing in the world, is it? This way, you can help each other out for a year or so, stop the rumours, and quietly split once they’ve moved onto their next target.”

You hate that Jack sounds pretty convincing right now. When he’d sat you down and told you the studio wanted you to get married again, you’d imagined some portly producer older than your father, or another actor who was only interested in women because he hadn’t figured out how to fuck his own reflection.

“I wanna talk to him about all of this. And if we’re on the same page…” you let yourself trail off as Jack’s grin gets wider.

“You’re a star, baby. A bona fide star. Just you wait, you’re gonna have your pick of projects.” He picks up the phone on the desk and waves you away. “Go, go have fun at the party. Javi’s down there somewhere if you wanna talk to him.”

You give him a wave back, and let yourself out of the office before you can change your mind. Half of Hollywood seems to be ringing in the new year at Jack’s sprawling house in the hills. You descend the stairs into the press of bodies, a fresh glass of champagne appearing in your hand as if by magic.

The party has spilled out onto the deck, guests hanging in clusters around the pool. A few brave souls have even shed their party clothes and dived in, splashing about in their underwear. You ignore their urging for more people to join them, focusing on picking Javi out of the crowd.

It takes you two laps of the party before you find him.

He’s standing over by the bar, deep in conversation with a man you recognise as one of the composers at the studio. You take a long moment just to observe him. Your future husband.

There could be worse husbands, you suppose.

He really is quite handsome. He’s wearing a dark green suit tonight that screams understated wealth, and his curls have been tamed and combed back for the night. Whatever he’s talking about, he’s passionate about it, gesturing with his hands and smiling broadly whenever he isn’t speaking.

You wish you’d thought to glance in a mirror before coming to find him. You’re wearing Dior, a dress that had made you feel like a goddess when you’d put it on earlier. Now, after hours of drinking, and your time spent fretting in Jack’s office, you’re no longer certain you look quite so regal.

Before you can dash off to find a mirror somewhere, Javi spots you.

He flashes you one of those lovely smiles, seeming entirely genuinely pleased to see you. When he waves you over, you go. The composer rolls his eyes fondly and melts back into the crowd, leaving the two of you alone.

“Hello.” It feels like an inadequate way to greet your future husband, but you can’t think of anything else. Javi’s the one who’s good with words; you’re just good at repeating them.

He beams at you, completely unbothered by your unoriginal introduction.

“Hello yourself! It’s been a hot minute.” He leans in to kiss your cheeks in greeting. Even though his skin barely brushes yours, it still makes your face feel warm as you imagine other kinds of kisses from him. He smells wonderful too, an expensive cologne that’s present without being overwhelming.

“I hear you’re up for Wuthering Heights. It’s a great part,” Javi says, shoving his hands in his pockets. “The way Jack tells it, you’ll be a shoo-in for the Oscar again.”

“Ah, well, I think you’re the expert on those now. You’re the one who actually won the damned thing.” Most men in Hollywood would take the opportunity to springboard into a monologue about their work; Javi waves you off bashfully.

“I got lucky. Nicky was a great guy to build the story around.” It seems to come from a place of real humility. You’ve seen him at table reads, filling in for uncast parts; you don’t think much of his acting ability. He might just be the genuine article. It’s impossible enough to find in this business, but you find that you want badly to believe it’s true; that he really is as humble and genuine as he seems.

“I’m glad I found you. I was looking for you,” you tell him, stepping in closer. Your heads are bowed conspiratorially together; if nothing else, it’ll give the other partygoers something to talk about, you suppose.

“Oh,” he says, his eyes softening. “Jack spoke to you?”

You dive in headfirst, not knowing how else to proceed.

“He did. I said- I told him I wanted to talk to you first.”

“Well I’d hope that the fact you haven’t thrown your drink in my face means you don’t hate the idea entirely.” There’s that smile again. It really is a shame he’s more comfortable behind the camera.

“I don’t. Jack mentioned you were in a similar…situation. And that we might come to an arrangement.” With no specifics from Jack, you don’t want to push. He could be in the closet; he could also have just been caught with a joint at the exact wrong moment by the exact wrong person.

“I’m not as flawless as the studio would like me to be, no. But it doesn’t- we don’t have to go so far as marriage, if you don’t want to. It was just an idea.”

“Come and dance with me.” When he looks at you blankly, you laugh. “Come dance. Unless you can’t. I’m not sure I wanna be talking marriage with a man who can’t dance.” You keep your tone light, teasing. With an affectionate roll of his eyes, he sets your drinks down on the side before taking your hand, guiding you towards the dancing couples.

It’s the first time you’ve held his hand, and you’re struck by just how large it is compared to your own. He’s soft and warm here too, though you can’t help but notice a nick on one of his fingers.

“That’s pretty nasty for a papercut,” you say, tapping the skin just below the cut.

“Ah, I was wrestling with my typewriter earlier. One of the keys jammed.” The two of you find yourselves on the outskirts of the dancefloor, far enough away from the press of other couples to carry on speaking. Javi brings his free hand to rest on your waist, and yours finds his shoulder as you begin to sway in time to the beat.

“I know you might not be so wild about marriage after Marcus,” he says softly. The tender look he’s giving you makes you want to weep; in a strange way, it reminds you of Marcus.

“It’s been nearly two years. I’m not…completely opposed.” After all, it’s not like Marcus would want you miserable and moping for the rest of your life, you are certain about that. And you like Javi, in spite of yourself. He’s handsome and kind and warm. Any girl would be lucky to marry him.  

“We wouldn’t be the first couple in this business to get married because the studio said so.” Javi looks around the room, glancing at the other couples moving around the dancefloor. “There’s probably more than one…arrangement just in this room.”

“It’d help to really sell it, if we got married. You can move in with me, if you like,” you say impulsively. “But I’d prefer if you were in the guest bedroom at first.”

“That’s absolutely fine.” The song changes, but the two of you keep swaying aimlessly. There’s a long pause as Javi looks searchingly at you.

“Can I be honest?” Javi says, adjusting his grip on your hand. “I was – I’m glad it was you, that Jack suggested.”

“Oh?” You can’t help leaning in. His other hand slides a little higher up your back, between your shoulder blades.

“I think you’re the cat’s pyjamas,” he says, smiling softly. “You always noticed me, on set. Asked me questions. The lead of the whole damned picture, just lost your husband, and you think to ask me how my day is going. And that’s not even getting into how talented you are, how beautiful-”

You feel lightheaded, like you’ve drunk a bottle of champagne all in one go again.

“Oh Javi, baby. Do you like me?” You tease, a smile spreading across your face. He seems flustered again, and you take your hand off his shoulder to cup his face.

“I quite like you too. You’re handsome and kind and you know how to put a sentence together. Women have married men for a lot less.”

Before you can overthink it, you kiss him.

A lot has been written about your kisses. The kiss you shared with Don Adler in Agamemnon won some sort of award, and you have an article framed on your vanity about your lipstick choice at the Oscars.

This is different though.

After the smallest moment of uncertainty, Javi kisses you back. Any hesitance you might have melts away as you lean into the embrace. You kiss him more firmly, more boldly. His hand on your back presses harder, holding you closer against his body. A feeling of warmth blooms through you, like settling into a perfectly warm bath after a long day.

More than anything, it just feels right.

You’re not sure how long you kiss before you break away. Javi cradles your jaw in his hands, the pad of his thumb resting lightly against your lower lip.

“You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.”

“You didn’t write that one,” you say with a smile. He laughs, a sound so lovely and warm that you immediately want to make him laugh again.

“Give me time. I’ll write your next leading man a hell of a monologue about the shape of your lips alone.”

“You promise?” You catch at the lapel of his blazer, running your fingertips against the fine fabric. Based on everything you know about him, Javi seems like a man who keeps his word.

“I do.”  

Taglist:

@avengersfan25 @misscharlielulu @apenny4thots

@its-nebuleuse @totallynotastanacc

[diazsdimples]

James, oh giver of Alfie lore, what is Alfie asking Santa for this year? 💞

Ohhhh yes so Alfie (who we're gonna pretend is around 6 rn even though timeline wise he was only born like a week ago) is the most excited little kid ever. He's got his list, he's making sure his dads are decorating the house perfectly, he's checking that Eddie and Grandpa are all ready too, he's got it all sorted. Alfie has also been practicing his handwriting so much because Tommy told him he could write a letter to Santa and maaaaybe Santa might give Alfie one he really wants if he asks him so nicely. And Papa has never lied to Alfie ever, so Alfie gets out his best piece of paper, a big ol envelope he found in Daddy's drawer, and writes so carefully and precisely as follows:

Deer Satan, This yeer I wont a bisikil 4 crismis, plees Luv from Alfie

He puts a bunch of candycane and snowman stickers on it, puts it in the envelope, and with Buck's help he very carefully writes the address on it and off they go to the post office. Alfie is a little too short and has to stand on the very tips of his toes to reach and get the letter in, and when he does he very proudly exclaims "I sended it!!" to his Daddy and Papa, who are certainly not tearing up about this. Anyways, Alfie does get his bicycle and rides laps around the ranch for the rest of Christmas Day

[writing-reference-redux]

Christmas prompts!

60 ideas for writers and artists!

Either choose your own prompt, or ask your followers to choose for you by sending you a character or ship and the number or emoji. Also, let people know if you welcome combos (combining two prompts into a single story or art piece)!

🎅 - That isn't really Santa... is it?

🪓 - Let's cut our own tree this year!

🛒 - What do you mean I bought too many decorations?

🎄 - Time to trim the tree!

🧯 - This whole season is a fire hazard

📋 - The gift list just gets longer and longer

💸 - Too broke this year

🧶 - Made with love

🔄 - The gift of the Magi

✂️ - The ups and downs of wrapping gifts

👔 - What to get for the person who has everything?

🛍️ - Yes, I'm done shopping. No, you can't see what I got you.

🎁 - The perfect gift doesn't exi...

🧦 - I actually love the socks you gave me!

🎀 - I'm your gift this year

😈 - The naughty list

😇 - The nice list

👥 - First Christmas together

💋 - Meet me under the mistletoe

💔 - Holiday heartbreak

❤️‍🩹 - Holiday heart-mending

🛏️ - Getting festive between the sheets

💍 - A holiday proposal

❄️ - Walking in a winter wonderland

🌨️ - Too much #$%& snow

🥶 - I hate to tell you, but the heater is broken

🧤 - Your hands are so cold!

🧣 - Don't forget to bundle up!

⛄️ - Do you want to build a snowman?

🛷 - Zooming down the hill

⛷️ - Skiing lessons

⛸️ - You've really never gone ice skating before?

🩼 - Sorry you fell on the ice! I'll take care of the Holiday prep!

🤒 - I can't be sick on Christmas!

🔥 - Warming up by the fire

☕️ - A cozy coffee shop and good company

🍗 - First time making Christmas dinner

🍪 - Baking together is... an adventure

🍽️ - Let's just go out for Christmas dinner this year

📺 - Getting comfy to watch a Christmas flick

🍿 - Want to go see that new holiday movie?

💬 - Texting you my love this year

📝 - Composing the yearly Holiday letter

📫 - A card from a friend

🏠 - There's no place like home for the holidays

✈️ - Why do we have to fly there? The airport is packed!

🚗 - We'll just drive home this year

⏪️ - Remembering holidays past

🕯️ - I'll leave a candle in the window

📖 - A good book on Christmas Eve

🐁 - Not a creature was stirring, except for a mouse

🔔 - It's a wonderful life redux

🎤 - Christmas karaoke time!

💃🏼 - Who says you can't dance to Christmas music?

🎼 - We're going caroling (whether you want to or not)

📻 - Too many Christmas songs... can't take it much longer...

🥳 - New Years party shenanigans

🍾 - Tell me your resolutions, I'll tell you mine

😚 - A kiss to ring in the New Year

🎵 - Bringing back the old tradition of songfics

[chlobliviate]

Wolfstar Microfic- Father Christmas

Words: 834

@wolfstarmicrofic

🌙✨🎄✨🌙

“Who is this guy?” Sirius said as they walked through the shopping centre. “He’s everywhere!”

“That’s Santa.” Remus stared at him. “Santa Claus? Father Christmas? St Nicholas?”

“Father Christmas?” Sirius screwed up his face. “Is there a Mother Christmas?”

“Well, he’s often depicted as having a wife, but she tends to be called Mrs Claus.” Remus reasoned. “But then there’s Mother Nature but no Father Nature.”

“Maybe Father Christmas and Mother Nature are together,” Sirius said. “What’s Mother Nature?”

“Oh, that’s a whole other thing. Not related to Christmas at all” Remus laughed, “Let's just focus on getting Christmas presents, and hot chocolate and then go home.”

While Fleamont, Euphemia and James had pre-booked plans to visit family in Goa during the Christmas break, Hope and Lyall Lupin had invited Sirius to stay at their home with Remus. He would have been happy to remain at Hogwarts, but Remus promised him all the muggle Christmas delights he could ask for if he came home with him, so who was he to say no. Plus, spending time with Remus, just with Remus was something he found himself craving more and more. But he tried very hard not to think about what that could possibly mean.

So here they were, walking through the German Christmas Market, hands brushing occasionally, sending shivers up Remus’ spine, and down Sirius’.

“So, Father Christmas.” Sirius started. “Whose father is he? Is this to do with that chap Jesus? Is he Jesus' dad?”

“It’s not… He's not Jesus' dad, no. It’s a lie that muggle parents tell their kids. That Father Christmas or Santa brings them presents on Christmas Day, but really, the parents buy them. They say that Santa lives at The North Pole and magically can fit all the presents into a sleigh and deliver them all over the world in one night.”

“Well, he could be using an extension charm and apparating. It’s not so far-fetched.”

Remus sighed, “Yes, but muggles don’t know about those things. They just go ‘oooooh it’s magic’ and get on with it, not asking any questions.”

They walked up to the Hot Chocolate Stall and Remus got them each a hot chocolate with the commemorative mugs. It would be nice to take them back to school and have matching mugs in the dormitory. An image of the two of them curled up in bed together on a cold morning, clutching matching steaming mugs made him choke on his hot chocolate.

“Hey, easy!” Sirius chuckled as he rubbed Remus’ back gently.

They sat down on the stone wall that surrounded the fountain nicknamed by locals as ‘The Floozy in the Jacuzzi’ and Remus took another sip of the hot chocolate. It was incredible. He hummed in contentment, not missing the look Sirius gave him as he did so.

“I can’t believe your family never did Christmas,” Remus said softly. “I mean, I could rant for the whole of December about consumerism and capitalism ruining muggle Christmas, but it’s such a wonderful time of year. I used to love writing my letter to Father Christmas. Circling things in the Argos catalogue.”

“In the what?” Sirius asked, “Argoscatalogue?”

“Oh, there’s a shop called— Never mind. It was like a big book with everything you could ever want in it. Jewellery, tools, clothes, toys, musical instruments, furniture. And there was a new one every year, and a lot of muggle parents, like my mom, would bring home one of these books and get kids to look through for ideas of what they’d like Santa to bring them.”

“So you just wrote this man a letter saying ‘please give me these items’?” Sirius blinked at him. “And this is a genuine muggle tradition, not just a strange Lupin one?”

“Well, yes I guess that’s the long and short of it.” Remus nodded, “But it’s also a bribery thing. Santa only brings toys to good kids, and there’s a song about it that literally says ‘he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake.’.”

“That is… the most terrifying thing I've ever heard. ‘Hey kids, this old man is watching you sleep, but it's ok because he’s going to bring you presents’?”

“Well when you word it like that, Padfoot...” Remus laughed, exasperated. “I think it’s just one of those things that is so ingrained into muggle culture. Well, some muggle culture. Not everyone celebrates Christmas but that is most definitely a conversation for another day. I’m not getting into muggle religion with you in the middle of town.”

“So how do people know what he looks like?” Sirius asked as they got up, put the mugs in Remus’ bag and walked towards the shops. “Because everyone has him looking the same. Wearing the same thing even. Are you sure he’s not real? Maybe he’s a wizard, and just doesn’t want people to know he’s real.”

“Yeah… maybe you're right,” Remus said wearily.

[itscontinental]

Q #1960

Hallo again were in love, have we sayed it too? in love in love with something new; have we sayed it? god is real and we always new that he was real but we thout that maybe he was like the same as santa or same as public pools.

those are different reasons, but we don't really want to tell you.

But god is nothing like public pools and Santa and Jesus are friends when they are both in paradise and they are so happy for all the poor people and hungry people and ones who also just need Jesus or a bysicle or both of them which they can have both: bysicles for poor people and money and food and money for the hungry people too.

God is something like Santa but we didn't tell some body big and mine at Christmas time or send him a letter (to santa) at Christmas time too. there is no one big at all, not even a skinny one for us to ask for or pull on their sleeves even tho I am old but anyway that's not why we wanted to talk to you.

we want to talk that we did not tell a thing that we want letter to Santa, how how ever I did pray to Jesus who died on the cross ( and who happens to be SO friends with Santa ) for things to be better and not be a hurting all of the time and how to find friends and get better at not want to get off while you are getting just threw or trying to just getting across.

and guess what you guessed it. Have we already sayed it? Oh well if we sayed it we are in love and have we already sayed with who? we will say then this is with who which is with them which is is every one which is with you and you and yes I am in love--have we sayed it already too? I can say it but only I can say because its a secret that I am in love because I am only in love with you;

Breakfast is back and even at night or even in the afternoon and

we are in love and you must axept that and also you must axept that that means you

Breakfast is back and even at night and cooking up something big and new;

This here above is grass up here for cows who go moo moo moo

Breakfast is back but here is some grass if you just need something to chew or for sleeping if you are sleepy, grass can doo that too! can you beleif it, Continental Breakfast:

it all comes with the room!

[russellsppttemplates]

Santa Claus has been (George Russell)

A sneak peek into Christmas in the Russell household

Note: english is not my first language. Before New Year comes around, let me get the holidays is somewhat of an order!

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!

my masterlist

Tag list: @myloverjk-blog

"Do we have all the supplies we need?", George questioned as Arthur set the glue down, "yes, we're ready, daddy! Can you help me make sure I'm writing it correctly, please?", the little boy asked. While Olivia was fine to write on her own, Arthur had started second grade a couple of months before, and sometimes he still had a little slip here and there.

" 'Dear Santa, my name is Olivia Russell, and this year I have been a good girl. I have always helped mummy and daddy around the house, and I only hurt my brother, Arthur, once and it was an accident because I didn't think I was that strong when I threw the ball at him. ' Do you think that's good, daddy?", your daughter wondered, wanting to know her father's opinion.

"That's good, darling. Now you go on to tell him what you'd like to get from him", George praised, turning his attention back to Arthur's letter, "That's good, well done! Just this one here, it's two 's' and not just one", he pointed to the spot in the paper.

"Are you and mummy also writing a letter for Santa?", Olivia asked once she was finished, hands already holding glue and glitter as she bedazzled her letter, "Me and mummy got eachother a gift and that was it, we have everyhting we need already", George said as he kissed both of their heads, "but I do think Santa is bringing something for mummy as well, but it's a secret between me and him, so you guys can't tell her!", he mused.

.

"Do you think he knows we're coming?", Arthur wondered as you walked along the Christmas themed park.

"Of course he does, daddy spoke to him, didn't you?", Olivia reasoned back with her brother, "he told us he knew him because he spoke to him!".

"Does daddy know Santa, hm? I didn't know that!", you looked at your husband, quizzical look as you silently wondered where the kids got the idea.

"Daddy knows a lot of people, don't I?", George urged as they walked, winking at you as you made sure you didn't lose anyone in the sea of people, missing the way Olivia apologetically looked at her father, whispering "sorry, daddy!", as she realised she nearly outed her father's secret.

"The line isn't that long", you commented, seeing three families in front of you, "I have your letters here", you fished them out of your bag, handing them to each kid who held onto them.

"Do you think he'll remember us from last year?", Arthur wondered, "well, you two have grown a lot, maybe he'll have some trouble first", you reasoned, not sure what to say and knowing the kids would ask the person in the red and white costume.

"You guys are next!", a young woman dressed in her elf costume clapped, "do you have your letters ready?", she added.

"Merry Christmas! Oh, look at you! What are your names?", the old man in costume asked as he received them inside his house.

"I'm Arthur", your son said, sitting in the bench as his sister followed, "and I'm Olivia!", your daughter cheered, "and that's mummy Y/N and daddy George!", she introduced. "We wanted to bring Maya and Winston", Arthur explained, "but mummy and daddy said that they could get scared so they stayed home, but they're out family too!".

"Do not worry, my friends, I will make sure I leave something for them when I go by your house, I'm sure they've been good this year too", the man winked, gathering them so they could take a picture and talk a little about what they wanted for Christmas.

.

Leaving things for Santa

"So, we have cookies we baked, a glass of milk if he's thirsty, and then some carrots for the reindeer!", Arthur said, checking if nothing was missing for your visitors.

"Now we have to go to bed, or else Santa won't stop here!", Olivia said, putting a few extra cookies in the plate.

After putting the kids to bed, you and George began to work on your plan. Grabbing the boots, you sprayed them with oil and then dunk the sole in flour, attempting your best to create footsteps, "it's not snowing outside though", George pointed out, wiping the remnants of flour in hopes of making it realistic enough, "Lapland has snow and he still had some on his feet", you shrugged, continuing your task while he filled the stockings and put the big presents under the tree.

Just as you were about to fall asleep, a tiny thought came to your mind, "love?", you called, checking if your husband was still awake.

"Yes?", he acknowledged your call, "I wrapped all of the presents with the same wrapping paper. Which means our presents on the stocking and the presents from Santa Claus are going to be wrapped in the same paper. And we have very observant children!", you hissed.

"We'll just say that Santa's Elves and daddy and mummy have the same taste", George cuddled you, rubbing his lips on your forehead, "sleep, darling, you and I both know we'll need it as much as we can".

You slept for about four, five hours, you guessed until you were woken up by footsteps.

"I heard the door, they're coming here", you groaned into your pillow, feeling George's arm around your waist squeezing you closer to his body, "you're just listening things, darling", he replied.

"Oh yes? Why did you wake up too, then?", you snickered, looking the moonlight peaking through the curtains, "the sun is not even out, George, my goodness", you muttered, snuggling further into your husband as you heard the door open, "Winston can't do that", you grumbled, "neither can Maya", George reasoned with you, making you both groan in unison, "it's the kids".

"Mummy, Daddy", Arthur was the first to speak, "we think Santa has been already, we heard his footsteps on the roof!", Olivia said as she climbed in bed with you, "can we go and see? Please!".

"Don't you guys want to wait a little bit? Warm up in bed with us?", you attempted, hearing the huff from both kids, "we really want to go, mummy, please! We can sleep later!", Olivia reasoned.

Getting up and grabbing a fluffy robe, you and George followed the kids, seeing the grey cat look at you weirdly, "they probably just heard you, Winston, there isn't actually someone else in the house", you petted him as he followed you to the living room, seeing Maya at the corner of your eye who huffed, not understanding why her humans were up that early.

"You can go to sleep, Maya, although they're probably going to start squealing soon", George petted her caramel fur.

"HE HAS BEEN! LOOK, OLIVIA! He ate all the cookies, and the carrot is bitten!", you heard your son excitedly say as he looked for his presents with his sister's help.

"It's your genetics that make them get up this early, I think I'm still asleep", you murmured against your husband's clothed chest, hugging his waist as they unwrapped and gasped at what they got, "my genetics also make them incredibly cute, along with your genetics that make them irresistible, so that's how we do this", George kissed the top of your head.

"Mummy! Santa thought you were a good girl this year, too, look! You have a big present!", Olivia said, "Oh, I'm the best girl, specially for being up at this hour!", you chuckled.

[fangirlfrom-hell]

Letter to Santa || Jay Halstead x Halstead Sister

This ended up being something totally different from what I had planned.

“Guess what I have for homework today, mommy!”

“What do you have for homework today, hunny?” Mrs. Halstead looked at her daughter through the rearview mirror with a wide smile.

“My letter to Santa!” She screamed excited from her baby chair.

“Oh! That’s so exciting!” She was somehow relieved, since she was struggling on finding a present for her youngest. This was the perfect opportunity to know what she actually wanted. “And what are you going to ask Santa to bring you?”

“Uh-uh, not gonna tell. It’s a secret!”

“A secret? You can’t have secrets with me, I’m your mommy!”

“Yea, right”, The baby worried, “But…I want it to be a surprise!” She said a bit saddened.

“A surprise for me? But it’s your present not mine!” Mrs. Halstead stayed quiet, wondering a few minutes, she’d have to try again later.

"Well, in that case, I have a surprise for you!” She resumed the conversation with lots of emotion in her tone.

Becca opened her mouth with excitement, “A surprise?”

“Yes, and you are going to love it”

“Give me a clue!”

“Can’t, you’ll guess it right away”

But the girl wasn’t satisfied and she begged, “Mommy!”

“Think about what you wish the most right now, that’s all I’m saying”

“I know what I wish”, she muttered, “But that can’t be”

Becca’s belly started to hurt when her mom parked the car in the garage. She was nervous to know what the surprise was, the little girl knew it couldn’t be what she wanted, but was still clinging to hope.

“Wait here and close your eyes”, her mommy ordered, “No cheating!”

The girl shut her eyes as tight as she could, trying to go against the uncertainty of opening them. She could hear a los of noices, some quiet laughing, muttering, the front door opening and steps.

“Ready?” Mrs. Halstead was obviously nervous, “You can open them now!”

"JayJay!" Tiny Becca screamed her lungs out when she saw her brother coming out of the house in his soldier uniform. Eagerly, she tried to untie her belt, but failed to do so. Laughing, her big brother approached to help. As soon as she was untied, she climbed into his arms and hugged him with all of her strenght, climbing from his neck. From the distance, their mother was recording the moment.

“This is just what I wanted”, all the girl’s emotions translated into a hard sobbing.

“Then why are you crying?” Jay finally spoke, wiping away her tears. She just shrugged.

Mrs. Halstead, also with watery eyes, came close to Jay and Becca, who’s head was now resting on her brother’s chest; he managed to hug them both.

“We should go inside”, he said avoiding to join the chorous of crying too.

There was a welcome cake for Jay that day and Becca couldn’t separate from him for the rest of the day, she was scared he’d disappeared from her life again. She was asking questions and telling him all she had done during his absense. It was time to sleep, but Mrs. Halstead didn’t have the heart to send her to bed. The little girl resisted as much as she could, until her eyes slowly began to close and she fall asleep in the couch, hugging her brother’s arm.

“I need your help, Jay”, his mother said when they were alone in the kitchen. He got scared. “I need you to help me find out what Becca wants for Christmas”

“Oh!” He was relieved, “Why don’t you just ask her?”

“I’ve tried millions of times, but she says she doesn’t want anything. She’s now saying she wants it to be a surprise for me”

“Hm”, he frowned.

“She knows something, for sure” All of the family had tried to hide Mrs. Halstead illness, but the little one was perceptive and she had sensed something was wrong.

“Why don’t we just get her a generic doll or something?” Her son proposed ignoring that last coment, “She’s not that difficult, she’d love that”

Mrs. Halstead stopped what she was doing and stared at her son, a gaze that made him feel shivers down his spine.

“This has to be her perfect Christmas, Jay”

“Mom…”

“No, don’t say a word. You know that”

An intense silence filled the room, they stayed in their places without moving and avoiding eye contact.

“Okay, I’ll talk with her tomorrow” He concluded.

The next afternoon, Jay sat at Becca’s tiny desk to help her do her homework.

“I don’t know how to write, so I am going to draw what I want for Christmas and we’ll send the letter to Santa at school” The youngest Halstead explained as she started to work on it.

“Cool. So…what are you going to draw”

“Uh-uh, it’s for Santa, not for you”

“Hold on a second, but I’m your brother, you always tell me everything”

“Are you sad?” She stopped.

“Because you don’t want to share it with me? A bit, yea”

Becca leaved the colors down and leaned her elbows on the table, toughtful.

“I am so sorry, Jay. I love you, but just can’t let you know, ‘cause you’ll tell mom”

Now he was very intrigued. He helped her cut and decorate the envelope, leaving it opened on purpose.

“Ok, got the letter”, Jay showed it to his mother later on the day. Carefully, she opened it and smiled to the drawings and glitter decorations. She stared at it for a while, caressing it as if she was looking at her own daughter, thinking about all she would miss from her if her threatment didn’t go well.

“This all is really cute, but I can’t understand a thing”, She felt hopeless.

Her son analized the drawings, there were some squares and rectangles with what he tought were letter on them, but didn’t have a clue on what they might say. He the pointed to a stick figure with orange curly hair, “That’s Will, for sure”

She sighed, “Well that present is going to be impossible”

“Hey”, Jay tenderly hugged his mother, “I know this is important for you. I’ll find out, don’t worry. I’ll work on that”

But she felt guilty of putting this pressure over him, knowing he had his own struggles after war, “No, son. You already have a lot to deal with”

“But this is more important”, he meant it.

On Monday morning it was Jay who took Becca to school and picked her to take her home. On their way back, they passed by to get a milkshake, the first step of his plan to gather information out of her. He let the car parked and she moved to the front seat.

“Don’t tell mom I led you had it before dinner”, he threatened her while she was sipping the beverage without a pause. She raised her pinky to make the promise, he followed her game. “And stop it or else your brain will freeze”

“Ok, now that we’re here I have something to tell you. Bad news”

“Oh, oh! Did I do something wrong?” She worried.

“No…well, it depends on how you see it”

“What!?”

“I got a letter from Santa, it was your letter, actually” Becca swallowed hard. “He returned it because he didn’t understand what you asked him for”, Jay explained.

The little girl’s heart was pounding hard and her big round eyes looked like glass, “My drawings were bad? but I did my best, it’s just that I don’t know how to write words!”

“I know”, He was now regretting what he tought was a good plan.

His sister was now having trouble to breath, her concern scalated quickly, “He understands our drawings, that’s what my teacher said! She lied!”

“No, no, no, Beccs it’s alright, there’s a way to solve it, I’m gonna help you solve it”

But his little sister wasn’t listening anymore, as she started to despair in a way he had never seen her before, “Now momma’s— not going to— receive her me— medicine and— it’s all my— foult”. That being said, she exploded in an uncontrolabble bawling.

“What?” Jay felt terrible for making her feel so bad, but he had no idea it would end that way. The girl was now angry and sad, she started to kick the seat. She was usually so calmed, he had never seen her like that, but this was not a tantrum, this was something else.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Jay tried to help her breath, it took a while for the little girl to regain control over herself and it was until that moment that she led her big brother hold her. He was scared, “What happened?”

But she just moved her head. By her body language, it was obvious how devastated she was, on top of all, she was feeling stupid.

“Don’t call yourself that”, he said calmly.

Some tears were still rolling down her cheeks, “But is my foult!”

“What is it?”

“That mommy’s not getting her medicines for Christmas”

It took few seconds for Jay to connect the dots, that was the surprise and the reason she didn’t want anybody to know what she asked Santa. Becca wanted her mother’s medication to make her feel better.

A lot of toughts came into Jay’s mind, “How do you know she needs them?” She wasn’t supposed be aware of that.

“I heard daddy saying they were expensive and that he was going to work double to pay them. It takes the pain away”

A deep silence invaded the space between them, for Jay it was painful, for Becca was filled of uncertainty.

“Is she sick?” She asked not really understanding the meaning of her question.

Jay ignored it, “You don’t need to give up for your present and you shouldn’t worry about adult things, ok? Santa wouldn’t like that”

“But is she—"

“I know you are worried for what you heard dad said, but everything’s going to be fine” His smile carried a bit of sadness. “What you did was very kind, Becca, really. But I’m sure mom would be happier if you get a present for yourself”

“You think?”

“I know”, but his little sister wasn’t convinced. “I will get the medicine, I promise”

“You have the money?”

“I’ll…I’m working on it”

Jay passed a napkin to her so she could dry her face, she was finally feeling better. While his sister was recovering and finishing her milkshake, he was questioning himself if he should let her mother know about this or if he should keep it a secret.

“I wanna go home with mommy” Little Becca yawned. After all this strange conversation, all she wanted was to hug her.

There was no more evidence of her turmoil, so Jay started the car, “Yea, we’re good to go”

“I want Will for Christmas”, Becca stated on the way back home.

That made Jay get mad towards their eldest brother. He should be at home, if he was able to come back, Will had it easier, it was just that he didn’t wan to, “I don’t��� I don’t think Santa can make that happen”, he tried to be still.

“Oh” She shaded.

“What if you ask for something only for you? Like a toy. Isn’t there a toy or game you’d like to have?”

“I’ll think about it”

Their mother received them in the front door, Becca hurried to give her a tight hug, “I love you, mommy!” She smiled.

“Did she tell you?” Mrs. Halstead asked later when they were alone, she was getting a bit anxious, “We’re running out of time”

Jay hesitated, he knew he had to tell his mother about the letter, but it wasn’t the right moment, “Sort of, but I’m getting close”

In that moment, Becca entered the living room where her brother and mother were talking, she was holding a sheet with her both hands, and a box of colors under her armpit “I need your help”

“What is it, hunny?”

“I did my letter again, only drawings, but can you two help me with letters? I want Santa to understand this time”

Her brother peeked into the sheet and once he made sure there were no medicine boxes drawn on it, he smiled wide “Sure”

The little girl placed her materials on the coffee table and sat in the middle, “I want mommy to do it”

“Ok, so what do you want?” She prepared herself to start writing.

“I know what you said”, Becca talked to Jay, “But this is Will again. I gotta try” She pointed to a stick figure and with a pang in the heart, their mother wrote her son’s name under.

The woman pointed to a crooked drawing, “Ok, and what’s this?”

“That’s a doll that can talk and eat and closes her eyes to sleep”

“Oh, yeah, yeah. I have seen those on TV” Jay mentioned outloud, but the comment was mostly for his mother, who nodded with relief. A sense of comfort finally filled the space.

“All of my friends at school have one of these, but they cost money” Jay frowned, it made him feel something strange to realize how his young sister was so aware of her context, he wished it wasn’t like that.

“That’s something you should’t worry about…”, her mother stroked her hair, “…because Santa is going to make it for you”

“Yas! That’s what I tought” Becca smiled.

“Now…”, their mom continued, “What about movie night?”

“I’ll make popcorn”, Jay stood up and during all the time he spent in the kitchen, he tought and planned how to raise enough money for the medicine and the doll in such little time.

[nightghoul381]

Dead or Love ~ Ellis Twilight

This a fan translation so it is definitely not 100% accurate. I do not own anything related to Ikemen Villains. Support Cybird by buying their amazing stories!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Bitter End | Premium End | Epilogue

Ellis: “Beautiful lady over there. Are you meeting someone…?”

The person who came up beside me without making a sound was Ellis.

Kate: “Ellis…”

Ellis: “Thank you for wearing that dress. It looks great on you.”

Ellis: “You’re so cute, and beautiful, and easy to talk to… I was a little nervous.”

Kate: “I never expected you to prepare such a wonderful present for me…Thank you very much.”

Ellis: “Yes, but Christmas is still here…right?”

(Ah…)

Ellis’ hand grabs mine in a fluid gesture.

Kate: “Ellis, that…”

Ellis: “Tonight, I’m your Santa Claus.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous the explanation was.

(It’s Christmas tonight…okay?)

Kate: “Yes, please escort me, Santa.”

Ellis: “Shall we go to the Christmas market first?”

Ellis: “It seems like there will be lots of things that can make you happy.”

As predicted by Santa Ellis, there were many exciting things lined up at the Christmas market.

(Ah, the sweets, and a mini tree!)

Kate: “There’s a nutcracker, Ellis.”

Ellis: “The nutcracker… what was that story about?”

Kate: “The nutcracker is actually a prince and ultimately protects the princess.”

Ellis: “Oh, I see. If that was the story…”

Ellis: “Then you were just cheating on me.”

Kate: “Eh, uh, cheating!?”

Ellis: “Even though I’m right next to you, you’re looking at a prince.”

Kate: “Um, uh, that’s…”

Ellis: “Just kidding… I just wanted to see your cute face.”

Kate: “…already. Please don’t make fun of me.”

Ellis: “…fufu, sorry.”

Still, I see Ellis smiling quietly next to me, looking happy, and it makes me happy too.

That’s why I wanted to step into Ellis’ life just a little bit.

Kate: “What kind of Christmases have you had so far, Ellis?”

Ellis: “Me?”

Ellis: “I see… I guess I’ve been working a lot lately.”

(It seems like Jude is working regardless of Christmas.)

Kate: “Oh, so what about when you were a child?”

Ellis: “My house was a normal house, so I had a Christmas like any other.”

Ellis: “A little bit of a special meal, a little bit of cake after dinner.”

Kate: “Fufu, sounds like fun.”

Ellis: “Oh, and at my parents’ urging, I even wrote a letter to Santa Claus about what I wanted and left it by my bedside.”

Kate: “What did you write as a child, Ellis?”

Ellis: “It was…”

Ellis: “…”

Ellis: “I forgot.”

Kate: “I see. I’m sure your parents were happy that you asked for it…”

Ellis: “Hey, Kate. Aren’t you hungry? I’m starving.”

Kate: “Me too. In that case, we can go to the deli or one of the street stalls I always go to—”

Ellis: “Leave it to Santa Claus today. Let’s go, Kate.”

Kate: “Whoa, Ellis…?”

Ellis starts walking while holding my hand.

(…I’ll indulge Ellis tonight. And he looks like he’s having a great time.)

(What’s that…?)

Suddenly my gaze dropped to Ellis’ feet.

Ellis: “Kate?”

Kate: “Ah, no, it’s nothing. Let’s go, Ellis.”

(Th-this is…)

Ellis escorted me to the first-class lounge of the luxury cruise ship, Orelus.

The pure white table was decorated with flowers, food was lined up, and Ellis and I were sitting across from each other.

Ellis: “It’s only anchored at the port for Christmas.”

(I was given a quick tour.)

Kate: “You made a reservation, right?”

Ellis: “Yeah, I kinda stand out.”

Ellis: “Oh, they’re serving freshly baked bread! Yay!”

Ellis: “It looks like there’s also one with your favorite chocolate, Kate.”

Dining in such a nice place, I enjoy my meal.

Although he said he felt like he stood out, Ellis seems naturally at home here.

Kate: “It’s strange to ask this now, but…”

Ellis: “…hm?”

Kate: “You’re very popular, aren’t you Ellis?”

Ellis: “…What do you think? I don’t know if I’m popular or not.”

Ellis: “I want to be popular with you.”

(Uh…)

Kate: “You’re teasing me like that again…”

Ellis: “You’re evading me like that again.”

Kate: “…don’t imitate me.”

Ellis: “Fufu, I was scolded.”

Then a spot light shone on the stage and the crew members smiled.

Attendant: “We will give away gorgeous and fabulous prizes to everyone who dances during the dance time that is about to take place!”

Perhaps from drunkenness, the voices around us sound like they’re having a good time.

Kate: “It looks like it’s gong to be fun. Shall we join in as well?”

Ellis: “Ah, yeah… Right.”

It was only for a moment, but I could feel the confusion in Ellis’ reply.

(Something isn’t right…and)

Ellis’ gait seemed a little different today.

(Maybe it’s just my imagination, but if something happened.)

Kate: “Ellis, uh…are you okay?”

Ellis: “Kate?”

I take him out to a secluded place and look into Ellis’ eyes.

Ellis: “What’s wrong, Kate?”

Kate: “Um, sorry if I’m wrong.”

Kate: “Ellis, is your leg injured?”

Ellis: “…Ah, that’s…”

(I knew it!)

Kate: “Please show me, how bad is the wound—”

Ellis: “…Kate, don’t get too close!”

When I rolled up the hem of Ellis’ bottoms, I found something I hadn’t expected.

Kate: “What….What is this…”

Ellis: “A time bomb.”

Kate: “T-time…bomb?”

Ellis: “Yesterday, I had another job to do with Jude.”

(Then, you’ve spent all this time with it on.)

Even though it’s a time bomb, there is no way of knowing when it will go off.

This fact sends chills down the spine.

Kate: “W-why did you stay quiet for so long—”

I was taken aback by almost saying that.

(“I want to give you a very special, very happy Christmas.”)

(It’s, because you promised me?)

I swallowed hard and pulled Ellis’s pant leg back down.

Ellis: “I’m sorry for keeping quiet, Kate.”

Kate: “…It’s okay. I’m really glad it didn’t explode...”

Kate: “So, how do we disarm it?”

Ellis: “Jude will figure it out in time.”

(Jude is strict, but he always keeps his promises… I’m sure he’ll be okay.)

Kate: “Okay. Once we get off this ship, let’s try not to walk around as much as possible.”

Ellis: “Okay. In that case—”

After getting of the ship, we headed to the church where he had planned to meet up with Jude.

When we step into the church, instead of a tranquil atmosphere, we find--.

Ellis: “Ah…”

Part 1 | Part 2 | Bitter End | Premium End | Epilogue

[sibillascribbles08]

Mornin Jasonnie squad ! This one is for @mossscribble ! He asked for Jason and Donnie's first christmas together for our holiday exchange, so here's these nerds.

“Do you celebrate Christmas?”

“I mean, not a lot? When I still lived with my mom we usually did something but nothing all out. And now that it’s just me and my dad it’s even more lowkey. We’ll get each other like, a small gift, but most gift things happen for new years and birthdays. What about you guys?”

“Not that different, in fact. Father always used to get us things when we were little, mostly because we saw it happening on movies and Mikey was dead set that Santa was real and then he got really into Christmas cookies. I think we make more food than we give gifts at this point. We all get something for April though, since she celebrates. She can’t visit the day of, since she’s with her parents, so we meet up on the twenty-sixth.”

“What about Comet?”

“Oh, they are very excited for more presents.”

“Did… you want to do something with me? Is that why you’re asking?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure if you’d be busy so…”

“On Christmas Day? Maybe. But we could do something on Christmas Eve.” 

They had that conversation over a month ago. Now Jason sat in his living room by himself, waiting for Donnie to arrive. 

His father evidently didn’t do much to decorate, as Jason learned last year, but the little rainbow christmas tree in the living room was always a nice touch. The man even decorated it with little photos of his friends and partners. 

And that was fine, because Jason wasn’t crazy about the holiday for a number of reasons. Overblown, overhyped, and he had zero attachments to the religious connotations, or what little remained of them. 

Still, celebrating with Donnie would be fun. First time they would be since they started dating. Donnie said he’d bring over dinner, they could swap presents, and then wander around the city looking at lights among other things. 

And Jason’s father planned to be at a Christmas party all night so…

It’d be nice.

But right now he was bored, and hungry, seriously it was almost seven. Where the heck was Donnie?

Finally, the doorbell rang.

Jason groaned, in a mixture of frustration and relief, and got off the sofa. He hoped it was Donnie and not some last minute package delivery. Surely he and his father weren’t waiting on anything. 

Jason opened the door, more than glad to see his boyfriend standing there, grinning at him. He wanted to take a second to admire the turtle’s makeup, and the amount of gem stickers lining his eyes, but his gaze couldn’t help but move down.

“Donnie?” Jason said.

“Yes?”

“Why do you have two buckets of KFC?”

Evidently that wasn’t even all given the brown bag also tucked under Donnie’s arm, but the buckets were impossible to miss with that bright red. 

“Christmas tradition, obviously.” Donnie straightened up and walked inside.

Jason let him, closed the door, and then followed. “Tradition? For who?”

“From Japan, actually.” The softshell went to the kitchen to deposit the food on the table. “That’s what Papá always said, and then I actually researched it when I got older.”

Jason squinted, having a lot of trouble believing that, but it couldn’t hurt to look it up himself. He rapidly tapped through the letters on his phone and stared at the browser window as everything loaded in. Huh, that was a lot of results. He combed through a few of the pages, which more or less confirmed what Donnie said.

“That’s almost wild to think about.” Jason muttered.

“Well, what do you eat for the holidays?”

“Honestly, Dad and I just hit up a local Chinese place.” 

“Oh that would be good.” Donnie tapped his chin and then shook his head. “Too bad, we have two buckets of fried chicken to eat now. Plus sides.” He pointed at the bag.

“Two buckets?” Jason almost shouted. “Donnie, how much do you think I eat?”

“More a question of how much you need to eat.”

“If I try to eat that much chicken, I’m going to puke.”

Donnie grinned and grabbed Jason’s face. “It’s the holidays, we’re going to try anyway. Now one thing I did not buy is drinks, so what do you have?”

The pair of them picked out a few cans of soda and then took everything to the living room along with a bundle of napkins. Jason cleared off part of the coffee table so they had space to eat, then flipped on The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. 

“This isn’t even a Christmas movie.” Donnie mumbled as he curled up on the sofa.

“It has Santa in it, it counts.”

Jason grabbed some food, knowing he at least needed to try and put a dent in it before Donnie complained. But only a few minutes in, he swiftly realized he’d never seen the softshell eat fried chicken before. 

The terrifying snap is what drew his attention in the first place. Donnie held nothing more than that nub end of a drumstick in his hand as his teeth crunched through the rest of it, gaze fixed on the television. Then he tossed the last bite into his mouth before grabbing another. 

Jason squinted. “Donnie, what the fuck?”

He glanced over, brow raised. “What?”

“Are you eating the bones?”

“Waste not.” The turtle stuck his nose in the air. “My brothers and I are more than capable of chewing through bone, though Leo despises the sensation of it. Besides, it makes eating this stuff much faster.” He held up the thigh with both hands and bit into it with his incredibly sharp teeth. 

Jason very briefly had the passing thought of, “God I wish that were me,” before he shook his head and tried to focus on eating. 

He only made it through four pieces—plus sides—before he had to quit. One more bite would probably have him puking. He didn’t dare touch another sip of soda either for a few minutes. 

Donnie tried to insist he eat more, so Jase glared at him until he shut up. 

When the movie ended—and Jason’s stomach didn’t feel like it’d implode if he rolled in the wrong direction—they cleaned up any trash and left the leftovers in the fridge for Donnie to take home later. 

“So, do we wanna do gifts before or after we go walking around?” 

“Before.” Donnie grinned and tapped at the gauntlet on his arm. “I can’t wait for you to see this one.”

Jason refrained from rolling his eyes. He thought about the custom keyboard that sat in his room and worried about what his boyfriend decided to pull this time. “Did you even bring it with you?”

“No, it would have been a hassle to carry.” The turtle waved a hand. “Shelldon will deliver it momentarily.”

A hassle to carry? Just how big was it? Jason really hoped it wasn’t some kind of vehicle because he did not have a license nor did he plan to get one anytime soon. The tank driving lessons were only done in case of emergencies. 

Well, if they were waiting on Shelldon, Jason might as well go get what he made for Donnie. He signaled for his boyfriend to wait downstairs and then headed up to his room. He’d kept the box wrapped and under his bed for the past week. Not really christmas paper—he and his father never wrapped presents—but a bunch of rainbow dots were festive enough. 

Just as he walked down the steps, the doorbell rang. Donnie hopped a couple of times before rushing over to answer it.

Thankfully Shelldon hovered on the other side, a rather tall box just below him. The droid smiled at Donnie and then flew inside, twirling around Jase a couple of times.

“Heya, Jase.” The droid stopped in front of him. “Happy holidays.” 

“You too.” He reached up to scratch under one of Shelldon’s ears. “Donnie got you something nice, I hope.”

Shelldon rolled his eyes. “Nah, he insists I don’t need presents.”

“You don’t.” Donnie barked. 

“Give me my flamethrower back.”

“No!”

Jase chuckled and put the gift on the floor so he could hold Shelldon in both hands. “Aw, come on Donnie, look at his face. How could you leave your son presentless?” 

“Yeah!” Shelldon said.

“Besides, you could at least give him a fresh polish. Or maybe a new game.”

Donnie kept working on getting the box inside the house. Evidently it wasn’t that heavy to the softshell, but the shape made it a bit awkward. “He can already download almost any game he wants.” 

Jason shook his head and held Shelldon against his hip, scratching the drone once more. “Not helping your case, Donnie. You ask him to deliver that giant box and you’re not getting him a present?”

“Ugh! Fine.” Donatello managed to push the box close to the stairs. “I will think of something to get him by tomorrow. Happy?” 

Shelldon chuckled and flew out of Jase’s grip, swirling around his head again. “Thanks, Jase. See you nerds later, I’m headed back.” 

Jason gave him a wave as Shelldon rocketed out of the house. Donnie frowned and walked over to the front door to close it.

Jason couldn’t help but shake his head again as his boyfriend approached. “Cannot believe you don’t get your drone a gift.”

“I didn’t think it was necessary!” 

“Cruel, cold, heartless—”

Donnie lightly jabbed him in the side.

Jason bit his lip to keep himself from laughing as he jumped back. 

“Now, if you’re done criticizing my relationship with my sort-of invention, sort-of child, sort-of sibling, open the box.”

Jason knew he should shove Donnie’s gift into his hands, but the turtle probably wouldn’t quit pestering him until he opened this thing. So he approached the cardboard, noting it was only a few inches shorter than him, and pulled out his multitool to cut through the tape.

Donnie practically vibrated next to him. 

Thankfully, his boyfriend did not structure this container so that you had to pull something out from the top. After cutting through a few rows of tape, the side simply fell to the floor, and one more cut had the rest collapsing as well. 

In the center of it all was a chair. 

A desk chair, from first glance, but of course it was purple. And judging by the line of buttons on one of the arm rests it had a number of features.

“Isn’t it awesome?” Donnie rushed behind his creation—because there’s no way he didn’t build this—and clung to the headrest. “Not only is this thing designed for good back and shoulder support, but I’ve decked this thing out with massage features, self heating, and a few customizable buttons if you want to attach it to devices. You could start the kettle from your room.” 

Jason walked around it as his boyfriend rambled, noting the rather large compartment in the back. “What is that?”

“Oh, the ice maker.”

“...Why does it have an ice maker?”

Donnie’s eyes went wide, staring at the wall. Then he blinked a couple of times. “I… am not sure. I don’t remember why I thought that was a good idea.”

Jason couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I bet I’ll find a reason for it.” He stepped over to actually run his fingers over the softer parts of the chair. He wasn’t sure if it was real leather—probably not—but it felt that way. If he pressed down hard enough he could feel the harder components for the massage features. 

Still, Jason glanced up at Donnie. “You really want me to take better care of my posture, huh.”

“Well obviously.” His boyfriend huffed. “Did you feel how stiff your shoulders were for that last massage? You’re going to wreck yourself doing that. You can say, ‘thank you for saving my shoulders so much horrible pain, Donnie,’ whenever you want.” 

Jason rolled his eyes as he smiled. Yeah, no way he was saying that. But he still tugged his boyfriend into a hug. “Thanks Donnie, this is awesome.” Then he leaned back. “But for the love of god do not start replacing all the furniture in my room.”

“Really?” Donnie frowned. “Because I have some new ideas for bed frames and—”

“Open yours.” Jason immediately cut off that train of thought before it went anywhere else. He darted over to the box he left on the floor and turned to hand it over. 

Donatello went through the mildly frustrating ritual of shaking the box a few times, clearly thinking long and hard about what it might be, and then carefully popping all of the tape off the paper instead of just tearing through it. 

Jason heard about this behavior from Leo. The slider was certain that Donnie just did it to aggravate everyone, not because he actually cared about saving paper. 

But Jason left him to it, because it’s not like revealing the box would do much. It was a plain box meant for wrapping clothes in.

But the interior was filled with little, purple, cubic pieces. 

Donatello tilted his head. “What is this?”

“Puzzle.” Jason crossed his arms as he smirked. “3D puzzle, to be exact. Modeled it and all the pieces myself.” 

Donnie’s face brightened. “Really? What’s it supposed to make.”

“Figure that out yourself, genius.” He stuck his tongue out.

“Huh? Come on, Jase, you have to give me some kind of visual to work off of here.”

“Nah, I think you’re smart enough to work it out.” Jason was not about to spoil that when all the pieces were together, it’d make a smaller model of Shelldon. The droid even volunteered to let Jason do a model scan of him to get all the details right. Mapping out all the individual pieces had taken hours, though. 

Donatello shut the box again, making sure it sealed tight. “Very well, I’ll have it finished within the week, you’ll see.” 

“I look forward to it.” He glanced at the chair. “Now how are we getting this up to my room?”

“I got it.” 

Jason let his boyfriend heft the heavy looking chair up the steps and into his room. 

With that taken care of, they got ready to head out. Jason didn’t need to bundle up much, but he made sure to get one of his heavier jackets and a scarf. He was shocked to see Donnie came well prepared, with a thick jacket, pants, boots, and even a fur lined hat. In fact, the turtle complained about his lack of winter wear.

“I’m warm blooded.” Jason grabbed his house keys and opened the door. “Now come on.” 

Donnie couldn’t really fly them anywhere with his coat on, which was ultimately fine. All of the cold air blasting against his cheeks probably would have made Jason second guess dressing this light. Instead they walked to the nearest train station. People in the subway almost never gave Donnie more than a single glance, so they had no trouble getting in and out. 

When they reached the Rockefeller Center, it was just about as crowded as Jason expected for Christmas Eve. If people weren’t walking around to marvel at the massive tree or the lights, they were skating in circles on the ice. 

Donnie held Jason’s hand as they walked through the crowd. He spared most of the lights a quick glance, but they did come to a stop near the tree to take a few selfies, pointed upwards with all the lights in the background.

“Hang on, I have to adjust these settings.” Donnie tapped on the screen. “Those lights are making us blurry.” 

“I dunno, the one that makes it look like you dropped your phone is pretty funny.” 

After a few more decent looking shots, they started to wander again.

“Anything specific we should do here?” Donnie asked. “Do we want to do any store browsing?”

“Well, there is a toy store around here.”

“The toy store!” His boyfriend immediately grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him off. “Let’s go!” 

The store itself wasn’t any less crowded than the plaza. Dozens of parents and even plenty of children were running around the interior trying to look at everything on the shelves. Donnie wasn’t much better than the toddlers as he went straight for a marble run display.

“You know, I used to have one of these when I was little,” he began to ramble. “Father happened to find a box next to a garbage bin and brought it home for us. I spent a lot of time finding different combinations of pieces.” 

Jason had an easy time imagining that. “Do you want a new set?”

“As delightful as it would be, I think I should just make my own. It would tower over everything else. A marble run that could last thirty minutes.”

He snorted. “You’re gonna watch a marble for thirty minutes?”

“Don’t act as if you wouldn’t.”

Yeah, he probably would. 

They kept browsing the shelves. Sometimes they’d talk about toys they used to have, things that they missed, and occasionally even stare in confusion at something they’d never seen before. Jason wanted to judge the strange things kids played with these days, but it probably wasn’t that much stranger than anything from the 2000s. 

Eventually they left the store, less because they ran out of things to do and more because Jason could see the way his boyfriend would flinch anytime a young child screamed in excitement or started crying. 

Jason gently led him out of the store, which was only so much quieter, but at least the sounds of kids lessened. 

Donnie muttered out a thank you, hand sometimes pressing against the side flaps of his hat. Did he have his goggles on under that?

“Going to buy you earmuffs next year.” Jason nodded.

“Those won’t fit over my goggles.”

“Wear your goggles less often then.” He glanced around the plaza. “Did you want to check out another store?” 

“Why don’t we try some ice skating?”

Jason groaned. “No thanks, I don’t know how.”

“Huh? You’ve lived here for how long and you never learned?” Donnie held out a hand. “Come on, I can show you how.” 

“So I can fall on my ass a dozen times? No thanks.” 

“Come on.” His boyfriend waved his hand but never actually grabbed Jase’s arm. “Just try it?” 

Jason sighed. He could already feel the pain in his legs, his hands and his butt, but let his boyfriend drag him towards the rink. It took a few minutes for them to even be waved in, limits on people in the rink and all that. As they waited Jason blew warm air on his hands a few times, his knuckles finally feeling the bite of the cold air. 

“See, you should have worn gloves.” Donnie nudged his side. 

“I’ll be fine.” He put his hands in his pockets. “How are you holding up?”

“More than alright since I came prepared.” 

Jason just rolled his eyes and kept waiting for their turn.

He thought on a loop of what a terrible idea this was as he fitted on the ice skates and barely got on his feet. Donnie held onto him, with one arm around his waist, and carefully pulled him out onto the ice.

Which made it even harder to keep his balance. The second both of his feet touched the ice, the skates tried to slide forward. He would have fallen on his back if Donnie didn’t hold tight.

“Here, just hang on.” Donnie tugged him up straight. “You taught yourself to dance with me, so this shouldn’t be too difficult.” 

Jason trusted his boyfriend, but this didn’t feel the same as dancing, mainly because they were facing in the same direction. He managed alright with going straight, but the minute his boyfriend would try to turn a corner Jason would keep sliding in the wrong direction. His attempts to correct it had him either almost hitting the ground or just slamming into the wall. 

Donnie laughed. 

“Shut it.” Jason mumbled, but let his boyfriend keep dragging him around the ice. “How did you even learn to do this?”

The turtle hummed. “Truthfully, Cassandra made us all learn after we became friends. At first she just challenged us to a hockey game and then found out only Mikey knew how to ice skate so…” 

“Bet she makes a fun teacher.”

“If you can deal with the volume of her voice, she does quite well actually. Besides, I found it all rather fun. Just a new way to dance.” Donnie drifted toward the wall and took Jason’s other hand, placing it there.

Jason held on for dear life, because the second he grabbed the wall his boyfriend slid away without him. There wasn’t exactly a ton of space on this crowded rink, but just enough in the center for Donnie to drift out and start swirling in circles. 

Jason straightened up, just to get a better look at his boyfriend grinning ear to ear as he twirled. A few children that he spun past gasped and clapped their hands. 

Jason became so enamored that he foolishly loosened his grip on the wall. One of his feet moved and that was all it took for him to slide out of control. He failed to catch himself on the wall properly and his chest slammed against the ice. He tried to shove himself up, but when he opened his eyes he realized his glasses fell off in the process. What if someone—

“Are you okay?”

A woman and her child came to a stop next to him. From this close he could see his glasses in the child’s hands, so he gratefully took them and put them back on his face. 

“Yeah, I’ll be okay.” He wheezed out. “Thanks.”

“Jase.” Donnie shouted as he skated back over, weaving around the mom. “You were supposed to hang onto the wall.”

“Yeah, well, that didn’t work out.” He tried to use it now to pull himself up, but Donnie practically lifted him off the ground. 

The mother flashed a smile and tugged her daughter along back into the moving crowd.

“Can we be done with skating now?” Jason sighed. 

“For tonight, maybe.” Donnie led him along the skating path. “I am now determined to teach you.”

“Not sure why that’s necessary.”

“Maybe I’ll just hand you off to Cassandra.”

Ugh.

Jason refused to quit arguing about it. They filed out of the rink and got their shoes back, moving through the plaza once more. Jason let his gaze linger on the lights again and he almost missed something tiny fluttering through the lights. A lot of them. Almost like dust in sunlight, but with a bit more sparkle to them.

Now his gaze moved up, seeing the flurries much clearer from this angle. “Ah, there’s the snow they mentioned on the forecast.” 

“Oh? I didn’t realize we’d get a white Christmas this year.”

“Assuming it sticks. They said it might not.” Jason shrugged and turned to look at the tree again, watching the snow dance in front of it. “Still looks nice, at least.” 

Donnie hummed in agreement, and for a few minutes they just stood in silence, watching. Jason wasn’t holding onto his boyfriend, but he still stood close enough to feel the faintest movement when Donnie shivered. 

“Cold?” Jason asked.

“I’ll be fine.” His boyfriend’s shoulders raised up as he pouted. “But it may be wise to avoid staying out much longer.”

Jason reached out and tugged at the collar of Donnie’s coat. “Unzip your jacket for a sec.”

“Huh?”

“Just do it.”

Donatello did, and the minute the thing was open, Jason pressed himself against his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around his back underneath the coat. 

He glanced up at the turtle. “You’re cold because you’re an idiot who doesn’t wear a shirt under this thing.”

“The layers would only do so much.” Donnie snapped, then tugged his jacket all the way around Jase before zipping it back up. “Hah, now you’re trapped.”

“Oh no.” Jason gave a fake whine. “Whatever will I do?” 

Donnie chuckled and nuzzled his nose into Jase’s hair. 

Once again the pair fell silent. Jason even let his eyes close, just focusing on the sensation of his boyfriend’s slow heartbeat and the occasional kiss of a snowflake on his cheeks or his ears. 

“Feeling warmer?” He mumbled into the turtle’s chest.

“Yes, but we still shouldn’t stay out much later.” Donnie kissed his head. 

“Wanna just head back and warm up?”

“Oh?” Donnie let out a faint growl. “What did you have in mind?”

Jason snorted. “Probably what you’re thinking, but we can also just get some hot chocolate and watch another movie.”

Another kiss. “How about we warm up first? Then get some hot chocolate.” 

Yeah, Jason would be more than fine with that, but he didn’t make any effort to free himself and start walking. “Donnie?”

“Yes? Are you asking me to free you?”

He cracked a smile. “Nah, I just wanna say that I’m really glad you’re here. First time in a while that I’ve enjoyed this holiday.” 

His boyfriend hummed. “I hope I can make it enjoyable every year after too.” 

Jason returned the hum and finally straightened up. “Alright, let’s get walking before I just fall asleep in here.” He tried to wiggle free, but that didn’t work with how tight the jacket was. “Donnie, unzip this thing.” 

“What if I just leave you trapped there forever, hm?” Donnie laughed and then tried to take a step forward, only to stumble when their legs bumped into each other. Thankfully he didn’t crash into the ground because Jase did not want to do that a second time.

“Just let me out, you idiot.” He laughed. 

“But it’s gonna be cold,” the turtle whined.

“Not for long.” Jason tilted his head to kiss Donnie on the throat. 

Now his boyfriend scrambled for the zipper, almost knocking them both over a second time before finally freeing Jase. 

Jason laughed again and waited for Donnie to close his jacket. Then he took his boyfriend’s hand and led the way to the train station.

[alianarepasa]

Little Toy Prince: Chapter 1

Summary: After bringing in a wooden Christmas toy Nutcracker, which for some reason, looks like his ex-rival, SMG3 woke up from a noise in the upper floor of his cafe. Little did he know, he will be experiencing the classic Christmas story, without any knowledge of its story.

Tags: Inspired by Barbie in the Nutcracker, Nutcracker Story

Note: Thanks to Olive/lullabycreations for being my proof-reader for the Prologue and Chapter 1, even if they have no knowledge on SMG4

When he noticed it, he instantly sprinted, and then crouched a little to take a closer look at the box. He titled his head. “The hell?” SMG3 thoughted in confusion. 

He doesn’t remember having that box being there, did he order something from earlier? He checked his online shopping application on his phone, and to his surprise, there is no listing that he ordered something. So if he didn’t even order anything, why the hell is it here? In fact, how long is it here? He then looks left and right if anyone is looking up at him, in which no one did as the area he is in right now is empty. Well it makes sense since it is gonna be closer to night time right about now. Either way, he took the box with him, and instantly went inside into his cafe.

As he goes inside, he is then instantly greeted by his beloved doggo child Eggdog. He instantly smiled and greeted his pet.

“Hello Eggdog! Miss your dad?”

Eggdog barked in excitement as it can be translated as a yes to his dad. However, Eggdog then stopped, looked at the box, and tilted his head, as if he was curious about what SMG3 was holding. SMG3 instantly noticed it.

“Oh this? It's just a box I found in front of our cafe. I… don’t know who left it there though. Did you see someone either delivering it, or leaving it at the door, Eggdog?” He asked.

Eggdog then tilted his head again. Crap, that just means the answer is a no. SMG3 was saddened by that answer, but it is no big surprise.

“Huh… well, whoever left this box outside, it got to be something!” He exclaimed it in a slight furiousness, as he wanted some answer. Eggdog barked at SMG3 back, probably telling Three that maybe he could try checking the box to investigate it further, in which, SMG3 agreed.

“Yea you’re right Eggdog! Maybe I should check in this box!” He placed the box on the counter, with Eggdog then jumped into it as well, and thus, the investigation began.

From what SMG3 and his doggo see, it is a brown box with no stamps and/or writing on it for starters, which means that this is a suspicious looking box. Great! Totally not suspicious at all! Secondly, it doesn’t have a tape to keep the box protected from being open, or at least, the box itself doesn’t seem to be sealed when he first saw it, which not only gave Three another huge red flag, but also made him think that someone probably already opened it and “steal” it, making him think that the box is empty. But this doesn’t make any sense, as he felt that there was something inside of that box when he carried it. It isn’t too heavy, but it isn’t too light either. And lastly, and most importantly, when he carried the box, it also didn't have a letter right next to it, making this suspicious looking box even more suspicious.

SMG3 then thought to himself, what if he just opens the box, and sees what’s inside of it? After all, it was placed at his cafe, maybe it could be some kind of Secret Santa or whatever gift giving secret is called in Christmas, just done either very rashly, or poorly, as if someone gave up trying to wrap the gift itself. Either way, he opened the box, with Eggdog of course confused, yet curious on why his dad opened it, and as he opened it, he was surprised by what he saw. Inside of the suspicious box, is a Nutcracker, or at least, he guessed that it is a Nutcracker?

The Nutcracker is not what SMG3 expected, he just had this talk with SMG4, and agreed that he, Four, and the others would watch a Barbie movie adaptation of it, and now this wooden toy came into his own cafe, as if the universe is laughing at him again, only this time, they’re laughing at him because of his “I don’t celebrate Christmas with anyone, therefore, I ain’t celebrating it!” Mentality in the past, which is already not a good sign for SMG3. Although, as he took a closer look at it, the Nutcracker appearance looks a bit peculiar to him. It has a blue marching band outfit look, with brown boots, and some gold and white accent to each component of the outfit. Its hat is also in that color scheme, with a “S” insignia on it. As he looked down into its face, he noticed that the carving of its face looks more like SMG4, has the exact hairstyle, hair color, and everything, except, the eyes is a black to blue gradient dot, with a fake white highlight on the left side of each of its eyes. This made SMG3 a realization. His face turned into annoyance.

“...This is for SMG4 isn’t it?” He said it as he turned his head to Eggdog. Of course, Eggdog simply replied with a bark. SMG3 then sighed and looked back at the wooden toy. “Well, may as close this box and-” As he’s about to close it, he causes the box to nudge a bit, which causes the Nutcracker to slightly slide as well, but it also causes the right arm to slightly separate to its body. SMG3 instantly noticed this.

“Ah crap, not only they mailed this box to the wrong location, they probably accidentally broke it!?” SMG3 then groans in irritation. He then grabs the Nutcracker, with it’s right arm out of the box, and places them into the counter, with Three placing the Nutcracker standing up. “I’ll be right back, just gonna get something to fix it’s arm.” He said as he left the counter area of the cafe, and entered the “Employees Only” room, leaving Eggdog, and the right armless wooden doll in the room. While Eggdog waited for his dad to get the tool, Eggdog then started to get a bit curious about a wooden doll, and tried to sniff it. As the doggo is about to do it, suddenly, the wooden doll turns its head to Eggdog, as if it is like one of those creepy dolls. This freaked Eggdog out a bit, and started to bark, possibly trying to call for his dad. Thankfully, SMG3 got out of the “Employees Only” room with a toolbox, as he looked at Eggdog in a frightened, yet worried look.

“HUH?! IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG EGGDOG?” SMG3 exclaimed. Eggdog barks repeatedly to the Nutcracker, as if the doggo is trying to tell Three that the doll’s head turned at him unexpectedly, in which gave Three a skeptic look for at least a moment until he looked at the wooden doll, and noticed that his pet son is right, the head did turned. This caused SMG3 to widen his eyes a bit because of that. “The hell?! How did that doll turn its head? Do even Nutcrackers do that on their own?” He said in a shock, yet with a slight of a frightened look on his face. He holds the wooden doll, and expects it a bit. He then turns the wooden doll’s head back into a front position, and sees if it moves, and within a second, it turns its head back into the position that it turned to Eggdog before. SMG3 examines the doll a bit more and finds out what caused it. He then tells Eggdog about it, and petted him to reassure his little doggo.

“Aww, it’s alright my little Eggdog! This doll head is just a bit loose. Let me just fix it a bit, while also putting its arm back into its body ok?” This thankfully calmed Eggdog.

After reassuring his meme pet son, he then started to fix the Nutcracker. Firstly, SMG3 slightly pushes the head a bit to make sure it doesn't feel loose, in which he successfully fixed, as he tested it to make it turn into a different direction, without having it turning into the same direction. After that, he then examined the right shoulder of the wooden doll, and noticed that the peg for the right arm was no longer in the slot, but rather, it was instead stuck to the arm itself, in which he pulled the peg out from its arm, and saw that the peg was broken. He tries to fit the peg back to its shoulder slot, but with no luck.

“Hmm, maybe the peg itself is broken?” He wondered about it as he took a look at it. 

The peg itself seems to have… cut off in half? This causes SMG3 to feel more confused. Why would a single wooden peg be cut off? I mean, it is impossible to literally cut off the smallest wood, not to mention, a wooden peg, with an axe or a saw blade, well, maybe the latter one could be possible if you have a very sharp eyesight, can easily not get yourself a cut, and make it not move around, but still, this feels a bit odd for Three. Either way, he checks if the other half of the peg is in the right shoulder slot, but it was there unfortunately. He sighed in disappointment.

“Well, I'm gonna need to find a good replacement for this peg. Maybe I could just replace it with a screw?” He questioned himself. SMG3 then gets his toolbox and gets the screws, and the screwdriver. He then uses his phone and turns on its flashlight mode to see if the thread of the screw can fit in, and make sure the peg’s original spot isn’t too large that it will take the whole screw, while also not too small of a slot that it won’t fit in, which thankfully, it is in the right size. After that, he placed his phone to the side and grabbed the screw, as he gently placed it into its slot, and then he used his screwdriver and placed its tip into the screw’s head, and turned the handle clockwise gently until it was right enough to place the arm. He then inserted the arm, and it was done!

“There! Good as new! Man, I'm so awesome for fixing it!” He egotistically noted himself, self-proclaiming himself that he was the best at it, with Eggdog bark excitedly that his dad fix the Nutcracker. Three smiled at his doggo.

“Now that I fixed this wooden doll, I may as well put it back and-” As he was about to say something, he then heard a notification noise on his phone. He picks it up and checks the phone, and who else but SMG4 himself. Four has messaged Three, and causes him to check on it. The message reads…

STUPID BINGUS 

(SMG4)

Hey Three! Just letting you know that if you already have a gift ready for your Secret Santa for tomorrow’s Christmas Eve!

Sent 6:50pm

Hope you didn’t just have to give them your cafe merch and that’s it. I’m kidding lol.

Sent 6:50pm

But in seriousness though, just letting you know about it.

Sent 6:51pm

“Well… shit…” Three muttered under his breath. He realized that he forgot the gift… great… he’s smoked! He instantly checked into his counter cabinet and saw if he still had that paper that he drew it from a couple of weeks ago. He sadly couldn’t find it in the cabinet, as he instead then checks his overall pockets, but got no luck. He then screamed, and started to shudder.

“AHHH! WHERE DID I EVEN PLACED IT?!” Eggdog then started to help his dad by sniffing it out. They looked and checked everywhere in the cafe, but unfortunately, it wasn’t anywhere in the area they are in, until SMG3 got his expression widened.

“Maybe I left it at my evil lair! C’mon Eggdog!” He exclaimed in worries, with his doggo replied back with a simple bark.

Eggdog then instantly jumped into Three’s arm, and instantly went into the “Employee Only” room, without noticing that they left the Nutcracker unintended.

Few hours went by, it was almost 9 o’clock pm. SMG3 and Eggdog came back from their bedroom, still worried that he had lost that paper. Three then started to panic.

“OH GOD! OH GOD! OH GOD! WHERE DID THAT PAPER COULD BE? I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO IS MY SECRET SANTA THIS YEAR! IF I LEFT AT FOUR’S PLACE I-” As Three keeps circling around the room and talks in worries, while Eggdog is look sadden as he has the same feeling as his dad right now, he narrowed his doggy eyes a bit at the wooden doll, then instantly went back to seeing it again, as he noticed something right next to the doll. It was that paper that his dad was looking for! Eggdog then started to bark at his dad to get his attention, in which Three did.

“Hm? What is it boy?” Three asked with a worried expression. His son pointed at the paper with his snout, which he followed on what Eggdog had pointed. He instantly went to it and grabbed it immediately.

“OH THANK GOD!” He exclaimed in relief. “IT WAS THERE THIS WHOLE TIME?! BUT LAST TIME I CHECKED, IT WASN’T THERE BEFORE LAST TIME!! HOW IS IT THAT POSSIBLE?” SMG3 added as he questioned the placement of the paper. Eggdog then suddenly stares at the wooden doll suspiciously, which made SMG3 confused at first, until his own mind made an instant realization on why Eggdog was feeling suspicious at the doll. He believes that Eggdog is trying to say that the doll did something with it.

“Eggdog, are you saying that the wooden doll was hiding the paper, or at least retrieve it back for me to grab it?” He skeptically asked Eggdog. Eggdog did not respond to Three with a bark, but he however started sniffing around the counter, then jumped off safely to the ground, as he continually sniffed until he stopped at the other side of the entrance door to Three’s cafe. Three then followed Eggdog, and as he was to ask what Eggdog saw, he noticed from what it looked like a dew on the floor, as if someone, that was so small, went outside, and then came back with some leftover snow, that has now melted into a dew. This made Three and his doggo a bit confused, while also frightened a little.

“That… wasn’t there before… was it?” SMG3 muttered to himself. He knows that the trail itself couldn’t be Eggdog as not only it looks somewhat recent, and too small for his paw size to make those trails, but Eggdog is also right next to him this whole time. So he and Eggdog followed the trail with their eye contact, and although the trail’s track had started to disappear, they still tried to follow it. They then slowly looked up a look a bit on where the trails lead, and stopped as they realized where it leads. It leads back to the Nutcracker. This caused Three and Eggdog made a realization. Did that doll move? And if it did, how?

As SMG3 is about to say something, he instantly hears his phone ringing. He checked his phone and it's a reminder schedule. Seems like it is his time to go to sleep.

“...Welp! Looks like we have to get some rest, c’mon now Eggdog.” He exclaimed calmly. As SMG3 walks back to the counter, Eggdog stops him and barks repeatedly, as if it was telling Three “what about the dew of footprints, the Nutcracker, and the Secret Santa then dad?” To which SMG3 replied.

“We will do it tomorrow little buddy, maybe it could be some kind of pest that went inside, which… I hope it is not those vermin again…” He narrowed his eyes after saying that, as not so very long ago, the rats instantly infested the area, when the cafe was still in the construction stage, causing his opening of his cafe to be delayed a bit. He did learn that it was Bob who hypnotized them away, with Mario being the one who created the tunnel to get through to the construction area. Three also learned that apparently Depresso was their leader to cause those vermin to suddenly appear at SMG4 place, which made a lot more sense since he and SMG4 did see him one time with a dead rat, in the vent during WOTFI. Either way, he only said this because he doubted that the wooden doll could be the one who either got or stolen that paper, as it is bizarre that all of the sudden, it can finally move after fixing it, though then again, it is possible that it COULD be the Nutcracker since the box did came out of nowhere and was just left it there, and, once he fixed the doll, got reminded that he has a secret santa during the christmas eve party tomorrow, almost lose the paper, and started the whole somewhat possibly meaningless search, it was with it this whole time!... Or he is just so tired that he couldn’t even look clearly that it was on the counter, it was just his own vision that couldn't even see it.

Either way, he then goes to the counter, picks up the paper right next to the Nutcracker, and opens the “Employees Only” door for Eggdog.

“You go first my precious boy!” SMG3 said as he smiled at his meme pet. Eggdog was a bit skeptical, but nevertheless, he was getting tired, so he went inside first. SMG3 was about to follow him, but he looked at the Nutcracker again a bit, before he closed the door again, leaving the Nutcracker alone once more. And as that happened, its dotted eyes started to shine.

It is now 10 o’clock, geez that was… something. SMG3 is now in bed, in his own pajamas, a black sleep top, and a purple sweatpants, with a purple sock and the Eggdog slipper. He also has his purple robe, as it is now in the winter season, so he needs at least some cold resistance to it whenever he sleeps. Eggdog has now fallen asleep next to him. Three is just done looking through his phone, and as he is about to go to sleep, he looks at the paper right next to him, his Secret Santa to be more exact. He’s a bit scared. As he is letting his own thoughts run, not only has he somewhat forgotten about it, but he also still doesn’t even know who his Secret Santa is, and how he can give them a gift that isn’t just his cafe merch. His possible secret santa could be either of the SMG4’s friends. It could be either Meggy or Mario if it's like the closest friend group that he hangs out with. Or it could be Tari or Saiko as at least a change of pace. Melony or Bob could also work. He would rather not have Boopkins to be his Secret Santa though. But if it is not one of them, then this only leaves one person… SMG4.

Gosh the universe is probably laughing at Three again. I mean, what if it is SMG4? If it is him, he may as well think of a gift tomorrow fast! Unless… he could just use the Nutcracker as a gift, since he originally thought that it was for Four, but after what happened today, he started to think that it may or may not be a good idea to send it to him as a gift. Either way, it's either one of Four’s friends to give them a gift, or it would be his meme guardian partner himself. SMG3 then looked at the paper again, he stared at least a bit, before his own thoughts ran through him, and made a decision. He has to know who his Secret Santa is.

SMG3 sighed, as he looked at the blank folded paper one more time, he then started to open it, and see who it would be, until…

“No, I-I will just do it tomorrow, it’s better if I just know who it will be if I just know it the next day, than letting myself worry the whole night. It’s… better that way.” He uttered himself silently. He placed his paper inside the robe, and started to lay-down. He now let his eyes go shut-eyed.

[tailsbeth-writes]

Saw the open tag from @taste-thewaste on this! This took me down memory lane a bit 🥲

How many works do you have on ao3?

61

What's your total ao3 word count?

138,797

What fandoms do you write for?

Red, White & Royal Blue mostly but I'm happy to write Heartstopper and og Skam.

I've written for Riverdale, Teen Wolf, Skam France, Wtfock, Druck, Skam Italia & Shadowhunters in the past.

Top five fics by kudos:

Digital Love Letters (RWRB)

i try hard to get back inside your arms alive (RWRB) - and particularly insane as I posted this last week! 🥰)

Right Kind of Wrong (Riverdale)

your heart is your masterpiece (RWRB)

a frightening magic I cling to (RWRB)

Do you respond to comments?

Yes! They make my day, I screenshot my faves. I also love when someone finds a fic that has lots of chapters & I get a flurry of comments 🤌🏻

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Tricky, I don't usually finish on angst. Echo (Wtfock) follows on from a very horrendous part of the show or Season 5 - Magnus (Skam) never got finished so it's been left in the midst of angst.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of them end on a happy note but Love, Henry (RWRB) is probably the happiest.

Do you get hate on fics?

I think there was a little back when I started in Riverdale but I think it more anger on their part for a topic I could have written more sensibly I suppose? I've had critique on fics now but never hate.

Do you write smut?

I've written it one time years ago & it felt weird. I loooove writing foreplay though! But I've not ventured into smut in my current fandoms. That might be something I do though, my bigender Alex fic might go into that if there's sequel.

Craziest crossover:

I've only done one and it was a Riverdale meets Teen Wolf, it was a Christmas special and they had to help reunite Santa with his reindeer. While I haven't watched Riverdale for ages, I'm still really proud of that fic!

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No, thankfully!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, I'd love that though 😄

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No but I'd absolutely love to collab this year, in the RWRB fandom in particular y'all are so talented 🥲

All time favorite ship?

Firstprince (RWRB) probably. Wilmon (Young Royals) is a close second atm, I'd love to write some YR fics soon. I'm still a massive Yousana (Skam) and Davenzi (Druck) shipper too. Oh and Nathan/Annalise/Gabriel (TBSATDH) - can't remember the ship name! That show got cancelled too soon & it was basically like a fix it for the books.

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have a Teen Wolf reader insert fic with a pregnancy story line that I left on a huge cliffhanger but frustrates me but not enough to motivate to finish it. I also have my Skam season 5 - Magnus fic that I'd love to finish one day but I haven't found the plan I made for it originally.

What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue and character voice I think?

What are your writing weaknesses?

Plotting? I'm good at writing scenes but writing a longer storyline in fanfic is something I struggle with.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

If you can do it, go for it! I wish I could incorporate more Spanish in my RWRB fics but alas I only got French or German at my school, I only stuck with French. Maybe I'll brush up & add some in for Henry (RWRB) or Nick (Heartstopper).

First fandom you wrote in?

Riverdale, I haven't seen it in years 😅

Favorite fic you've written?

i try hard to get back inside your arms alive is the probably the one I'm proudest of and while it isn't finished yet Her Royal Highness is up there cause it combines so many of my favourite things, I'm getting to explore darker topics in some scenes while also putting Henry in drag - fanfic catnip for me quite frankly!

I'm not sure who has done this already but I'll tag folks I want to see answer this: @heysweetheart-writes @candyspandemonium @firenati0n @onthewaytosomewhere @callumsmitchells & of course, open tag 💛

[babyjakes]

I know you’re on a kinkmas grind (I’ve been loving it!) but I can’t help but think about Willa at the holidays! You may have done this before (I may have been the one to even suggest it even lol) but imagine Willa learning about the various holidays. Steve teaches her about Christmas and gets Thor to dress up like Santa. She learns about Hanukkah from Bucky and they light candles together. Idk I just love coming up with Willa fluff.

hey sweet friend, happy holidays! i was indeed very busy with kinkmas when i received this but i still wanted to give a little answer about willa's holiday season as you and a few anons sent in asks about it 🫶

note: i wanted to include willa learning about a wide variety of religions and cultures, but i'm not an expert on anything so if i got anything wrong or anything should be adjusted please let me know!! i will be so happy and grateful to learn more 💕

the end of the year is a crazy time for willa-bug, she's so busy! i didn't know bucky was jewish (and a quick google search wasn't very helpful on confirming this) but if he is, i love that!! and then yes he definitely does hanukkah stuff with her, lighting the candles and maybe she even makes him little presents for each night of hanukkah 🥺 she also wants some of the other friends (peter, thor, wanda, clint...) to come celebrate with bucky too, and bring gifts and participate in all the festivities with him!

i bet she and peter do advent calendars together, he gets her an avenger themed one and she finds him a spiderman one lol 🥺 maybe steve invites peter and wanda to stay over for the first 25 days of december and makes a big deal about them and willa getting to experience "christmas-time in a proper home" 💕 they do all sorts of traditional stuff that steve loves: baking and cooking, decorating the house, fun little crafts, putting up a christmas tree, etc. maybe the whole team comes over one night to help decorate the tree, and they all bring some ornaments to contribute so that willa and steve can have a nice selection for every year 🥺 christmas eve is super fun, she sets out cookies and milk for santa- then in the morning, steve and the kids all gather around the christmas tree and santa brought sooo many presents! (wanda and peter made sure to bring willa out to get lots for steve too ofc 🫶)

a silly little side note: willa's letter to santa is so precious 🥺 at five, she's just learning to write and can't spell yet, so she asks steve to write it out for her so she can copy it down onto her paper. the first part of the letter is just her talking to santa, asking how he is and how all the reindeer are and if he has to wear a bunch of coats in the north pole lol. she asks for a few things for herself but then she asks for a present for each of her friends too, bc thor told her that grown-ups don't write letters to santa and she wants to make sure santa knows exactly what they would like!! so if she's the only one writing to him, she's gotta put in a word for them herself 🥺 she also writes "please" after each thing so santa can see she's using her manners 😭 steve is already tearing up as he listens to her and writes it out for her in big, easy to read letters. then when he sees it written out in her own five-year-old script, he's practically clutching his heart he can't take the cuteness 😭 he definitely saves it, tucks it away somewhere safe to show her when she grows up

willa isn't ready for proper preschool but steve does bring her to an early childhood education program where parents stay and play 💕 she makes lots of friends, many who have different backgrounds that she gets to learn about! she gets to learn about ramadan and eid ul-fitr, as well as eid ul-adha from one classmate whose mom invites her and steve to come join them for iftar! another friend tells her all about chinese new year and shows pictures from the festival she went to last year with her family.

steve definitely raises her to be interested in and respectful of all other cultures and religions! he teaches her what traditions and holidays he celebrates, but also encourages her to find out what other important people in her life believe in and celebrate, and to value those things as well. maybe he gets her a big calendar to hang on the wall where they can mark all their holidays, and their friends' holidays too! so they can remember to celebrate along with them in ways they find meaningful 💕