#lbmrsecretsanta2017

[onyxangel]

Here’s my Secret Santa piece for @commandermelinaa, I hope you like it!

You asked for Lucifendi, Potty Prof and the Layton family doing something together for Christmas so I got this idea of them going gift shopping together.

[yume-shirokuro]

This is the LBMR Secret Santa for @hbcat13 You asked for some inner interactions between Potty and Placid with Placid as the antagonist, I hope I did that right ^^” and Happy Holidays to you! :3 

Hope you like it, and I’m so sorry it took so long it was my very first Comic ^^”

And thanks to @askalfendilayton for organizing this Secret Santa :D

[dont-drop-your-ascots]

LBMR Secret Santa for tumblr user @snozzlefrog​, who requested Potty Prof, Justin Lawson, and angst. Merry Christmas, hope you enjoy! Thanks to @askalfendilayton for organising this secret santa, it’s been great fun to participate in. 

Summary: After the events of Forbodium Castle, Justin sits by Alfendi's bed while the other lies comatose, attempting to brainwash him with the book he's found. As grieving friends and family come and go, he is consumed in equal parts by the fear of his crimes being discovered, and the guilt of betraying his colleague.

[floralicious]

in the frosty air

This is my gift for the LBMR Secret Santa! Thanks to @askalfendilayton​ for arranging the whole thing! 

My gift is for the wonderful @dont-drop-your-ascots

Now without further ado...

crossposted on ao3

Rating: General Audiences

-

Florence wheeled into Alfendi Layton’s office looking like a woman on a mission. Her hair was tied back, lab coat buttoned, and there were smudges of ink on her hands and face. She rolled over to Alfendi’s desk and slammed her hands onto the small part not covered with papers.

“Al, you’ve gotta help me,” Florence said, very nearly out of breath. “Christmas party. Will the Commissioner be there or not?”

Alfendi blinked at her from where he was sitting. “Pardon?”

“I need to know if Barton will be at the holiday party. Because if he’s there, I need to get him a nice gift. Stay in his good- achoo!” Florence sat back in her chair and pulled a tissue from the box on the desk in front of her.

“Oi, Flo!”

Florence nearly fell onto the floor. Lucy Baker had at some point materialized behind her, and was walking over with a bottle of hand sanitizer.

“It’s cold season, ya know. Gotta stay healthy!” Lucy said. “Nice decorations, by the way.” She touched the few layers of tinsel draped around Florence’s chair. Lucy then handed the family-sized bottle to Florence and disappeared to some dank corner of the small office.

A dry smile appeared on Alfendi’s face. “Lucy, you don’t need to mother everyone who comes in the office,” he said, glancing at the place to which Lucy had disappeared.

“I can and shall, Prof!”

“Much appreciated, Lu,” Florence said with a cursory glance to Lucy’s corner. She turned back to Alfendi and pumped some sanitizer.

“Florence, all I can tell you is that Barton is always at the party, which you know. What’s the real reason you’re here?” said Alfendi.

“I told you. Need a gift. For the Commissioner. Any ideas?”

“And this wouldn’t have anything to do with the new position in forensics opening up?”

“No!” she said, indignant. “If you must know-” Florence leaned as far as she could across the desk and lowered her voice- “I bet Sniffer 20 pounds that I can get Barton the best present ever.”

“That’s really not a big deal. The Commissioner just likes getting gifts, I don’t think he’s that hard to buy for,” said Alfendi. He pulled a snow globe sitting on his desk towards him. It depicted a snowman wearing sunglasses lounging by a sunny shore, and there were assorted beachy snowpeople decorating the base. Florence stared at the relaxing snowman as Alfendi picked up the snow globe and began to turn a key, causing a tinkling rendition of some Christmas standard she didn’t recognize to play.

Florence thought he must be intrigued by her problem if he picked up a snow globe instead of his paperwork. Or maybe just bored, but she really needed the help.

“Please, Al. It’s a matter of pride. Losing a bet to Sniffer Hague? No chance in hell.”

The snow globe stopped playing. Florence finally placed the tune- ‘Jingle Bell Rock.’

Alfendi put it back down on his desk and stood up. “Let’s go,” he said. “We’re getting lunch, then we’re both getting presents for Barton. Lucy, you coming with?”

“Can’t- already have lunch plans,” piped Lucy. She materialized again from whichever corner she was hiding in. She gave her boss an apologetic glance. “Have fun, you two.”

“Bye, Lucy, have fun with your plans,” Florence called over her shoulder. She had already wheeled halfway out the door.

-

“You can always do what I’m doing and get the Commissioner a gift card to a fancy restaurant,” said Alfendi. He was walking next to Florence along the pavement lining the shopping center. A brisk wind blew at the duo’s ponytails as they traversed the multitude of stores. A few inches of snow lay on the ground, turning quickly to slush with all the passers-by.

“We can’t get him the same thing, Al. Then Hague will know you helped.” Florence looked in the window of each store they passed, noting the various Christmas displays. She didn’t note the people staring at her lab coat and dirty face.

Alfendi stuck his hands in his coat pockets. “I don’t know. Writing pad? Fountain pen? Silverware? Gift card to a different fancy restaurant?”

Florence kept her eyes peeled. Skincare, no. Furniture, no. Creepy elf animatronic, a resounding no. Pots and pans-

“Hold it.” She froze.

“What?”

“What if…” She looked up to meet Alfendi’s eyes. “What if I made him food? Like his favorite dessert or something?”

He considered the idea.

“Florence Sich… You are a genius. Nothing Sniffer comes up with can beat that,” Alfendi said. They resumed their walk, this time in the direction of the Yard. Florence stopped gazing into every store display and focused on where she was going.

“What does the Commissioner like?” she asked.

“Hmm. Well, I know he’s not one for delicate dishes. But he loves a good sweet nonetheless. Maybe you could try giving him a pie of some sort?”

“I can’t cook, though. Nor can I bake. Al, any chance you know how to make haute cuisine?” She grimaced.

“I’m decent at baking, but nowhere near as good as you want to be to meet Barton’s standards,” he said, shaking his head. “But I know someone who can help. Do you know my sister Flora? Go see her, she’ll know what to do.”

“I hope so. I need all the help I can get.” The pair had reached Alfendi’s nearby car. They drove back to the Yard in the snow. Never had Florence been more grateful for the coat she had received from one aunt or another at some birthday. It may have been bulky and inconvenient, but it was functional in the old car with a broken heating system.

When they reached their workplace, Florence was no less frazzled than she was when the trip had started. Alfendi reached across her and took a pen and notepad from his glove compartment.

“Here’s the address,” he said, scribbling. “Flora will be there pretty much anytime before 6 pm. Just explain that you need to cook something and she’ll help you out.” He ripped out the piece of paper and offered it to Florence. She accepted the proffered address and made a mental note to stop by the place after work. “Thanks for your help, Al. I’m sure you’ll know whether I’m up 20 pounds or not after the holiday party.”

“Always a pleasure, Florence. Are we still on for coffee with Lucy next week?”

“Yup, yup. Have to go, Al, duty calls.” And with that, Florence was off to work.

-

Florence knocked on the thick wooden door. It was marked by a metal nameplate reading ‘Professor Layton.’

The address Alfendi gave Florence had led her to a small university she had considered applying to in her youth, out in the country. She found herself surrounded by old-fashioned wood and brick and young students milling around the campus. Unfortunately, the old building was filled with dust and rendered her considerably more sneezy than usual.

“Professor Layton?” she called. With no response, she tried the door handle. It was unlocked, so Florence entered. The office was lit warmly, and in a corner Florence noticed a desk. It was considerably neater than the one she had been staring down earlier that day.

Behind the desk sat a woman. Florence couldn’t see her face, as she was slumped over in sleep. Brown hair fanned out over her desk and around her shoulders.

Florence wondered if it would be rude to wake the woman. Probably not, she decided. Flora had looked kind in all the pictures Alfendi had sitting on his desk.

She tapped the woman on the shoulder. “Professor Layton?” she said again. “Professor Layton. Are you alright?” She sneezed into her elbow.

Flora sat up with a start. “What? Hmm?” She rubbed at her eyes. “Pardon me, but who are you?”

“I’m- achoo!- Florence Sich, Professor. I work with Alfendi. I was under the impression you could help me with something. It’s quite nice to finally meet you in person.”

“Oh!” said Flora. She pulled at a piece of hair that had escaped her tight ponytail. “Yes, I do remember a message from Al about that. You need to make the Commissioner a Christmas treat?”

The scientist fiddled with her coat buttons. “Yes… I’ve got a bet that I can get him the best Christmas gift. Achoo!” The place was really quite dusty.

“Bless you! So, what do you have in mind? Last I saw him, the Commissioner favored fruits… how about a fruit tart? That shouldn’t be exceptionally difficult. When can you give it to him?”

“I need it by next Friday. Can you teach me how to bake by then?” Florence asked.

“Let’s see.” Flora turned around in her desk chair to look at a calendar hanging on the wall behind her. “I’m free this Sunday morning at 11. Can you come over then and I’ll teach you? I can have Al send you my home address.”

“Would you really do that? Help me?”

“A true gentlewoman always helps a person in need,” Flora said. “Any friend of Alfendi is a friend of mine anyway. So will I see you on Sunday?”

Florence nodded eagerly. “Yes! I’ll see you then. Thank you so much, Professor. You don’t know how much this helps.”

Flora laughed. “Call me Flora, dear. I’ve made a few wagers in my life. I hope you win this one.”

-

“Gah! Why is baking so difficult?” Florence grimaced at the sight of the sugar all over her hands. She was in Flora’s kitchen, which smelled profusely of vanilla and butter. Flora stood next to her. Ingredients were spread all over the counter and Florence thought she must have a piece of every single one on the apron she had borrowed.

“Focus, Florence,” Flora said. “The cream is the hardest part. Once you get past this it’ll be smooth sailing.”

“I’m just worried about this- achoo!- party,” Florence said. “It’s not about the bet anymore. I actually want to make the Commissioner a nice gift. This year’s been a rough one for the Yard.”

Flora slowly poured cream into her bowl and began to mix with vigor, and Florence copied her. “Try to put all of that behind you. As long as you focus on the baking, I promise you it will turn out well and Commissioner Barton will love it,” said Flora.

“In fact, I was never much for cooking myself when I was young. Alfendi can attest to that. But with a few years of practice and a healthy dose of passion, I was able to make all sorts of good things. I bet it was sort of the same thing for you and detective work, huh?”

Florence sighed, pouring another ingredient in. “Yeah, but I’m a scientist, not a detective. You’d think I’d be good at this, dealing with measurements like I do.”

“Who said you weren’t good at baking?” Flora set down her own bowl and crossed her arms. “Look at what you’ve got there. That’s perfect!”

Florence looked down. “Huh,” she said. Her eyes widened. “Really? Is it okay?”

“It’s more than okay,” Flora said as she pulled their tart shells out of the oven, where they had sat for fifteen minutes. “It’s wonderful. And if you made this on your first try, being nervous, there’s no way you can’t recreate it next week.”

“Thank you!” Florence said. “Professor Layton, you are my Christmas miracle.”

Flora was beaming. “It’s always a pleasure to help, especially during this season! Now let’s finish these tarts!”

The pair finished the next couple steps with minimal difficulty. When they were done, Florence was dumbfounded at the neat appearance of her own creation. It looked too pretty to be something she had made, given the recent state of her affairs in the busy season. She thanked Flora over and over again before leaving.

“So will I be seeing you again soon?” she asked Flora.

“Sure thing, dear. I’ll make sure to drop by the party at some point. Have a lovely week!”

-

The Yard Holiday Party was by no means extravagant. This year it was held in a back room at the yard, as per the usual. It had been decorated nicely by someone. Probably Lucy, Florence thought, given the woman’s penchant for fairy lights. They were strung up on every table, around the walls, the tree, and even some people.

Tables with chairs were scattered sporadically across the small room, and a tree stood in the corner. It was done up with tinsel and paper clip garlands, courtesy of some bored Yard employees. Lights reflected off of red baubles hung precariously from the branches of the tree.

Various holiday sweaters abounded- from Dustin’s light-up Rudolph face to the Deputy Commissioner’s sparkly Christmas tree. Florence herself was wearing a simple red dress. Amidst the sea of sweaters she spotted Lucy wrapping a string of lights around Alfendi’s arm.

Florence went to where they were standing. “Have you seen Barton?” she asked, anxious to give him the treat she carried. “Oh! Looking good, Lucy.”

Lucy had switched her newsboy cap out for a Santa one covered in bells, and was wearing an atrocious fur-trimmed glittery sweater. Alfendi had obviously suffered a few hugs, being covered in glitter himself. “Cheers, Flo! Happy holidays!” said Lucy as she offered Florence a cup of cider. She took it and gulped down some in the hopes that it would distract her from the task at hand.

Alfendi offered her a jingle bell, presumably fallen off of Lucy’s hat.

“For good luck,” he said. Florence took it and tucked it into her purse. Alfendi smiled and pointed to the center of the room. “I think Barton’s over there. But Sniffer’s with him, so don’t let him get to you!”

“Thanks, Al. I’d better be off before Hague starts to sabotage me.” Florence carried her tart to the Commissioner himself. “Sir?” she ventured once near enough to give it to him. “This would be for you. Made it myself.”

The Commissioner took the treat Florence offered. “Ms. Sich, you didn’t have to get me anything,” he said. “And look- my favorite type of tart! My friend Layton used to make some just like this, you know.”

Sniffer Hague stood right next to Barton, upset that his conversational efforts to win him over had been interrupted. “Is that so, sir?” he asked, winking at Florence.

She was silent. The Commissioner paused, and everything seemed to slow down around the three. “Well, of course it doesn’t beat the signed cookbook you got me, but a homemade treat from the heart is really something special. Here, sit down.” He dragged Florence and Sniffer to a nearby table. “Let’s eat this right now!”

A crowd gathered around the table as the tart was cut into and eaten. “Merry Christmas, everybody!” said the Commissioner.

“Heh. 20 pounds to me…” Sniffer muttered to Florence.

“Delicious, Ms. Sich!” the Commissioner snuffled through a piece of tart. Sniffer picked up his own piece and started eating.

She flashed a genuine smile at the Commissioner. If she couldn’t win a bet, at least she had given Barton something he genuinely liked. She supposed that made the difficulty worth it. Still… all that effort for basically nothing.

She glared at Sniffer. “ I learned to bake just for this, you know,” she said.

“Really? That’s dedication,” he said, looking impressed. Bits of cream dotted his nose. “And this is really, really good. I guess I’ll let the money slide. But only because this is amazing, and because it’s Christmas.” Sniffer and Florence shook hands and smiled.

“Merry Christmas, Hague,” Florence caid.

“Merry Christmas, Sich.”

“Oi! You two! Over here!” They both looked over to where Lucy was calling them. “Let’s dance!” she said.

“I would rather not!” Florence shouted back.

‘Jingle Bell Rock’ was blaring from an unseen speaker. Lucy shrugged and started dancing with a somewhat reluctant Alfendi. After a verse or two, they pushed through the crowd to sit with Florence and her companion.

“So? Who won?” Alfendi asked eagerly. “Sniffer called it off!” Florence said with a triumphant flourish. “Did I ever tell you your sister was a Christmas miracle, Alfendi?”

“I take that to mean that Hague won?” he said. He was grinning from ear to ear.

Hague nodded. “Sich here just put so much effort into this bet. Had’ta throw it. It is the season of giving, after all. Here, try some of her tart.” He pushed a plate towards Alfendi and Lucy.

“Well then, here’s a gift for you.” Florence placed the bell Alfendi gave her into Sniffer’s hand.

“Yes! A true reconciliation,” Lucy said. “Now, can we please rock around some Christmas trees?” The music got louder, and rock they did.

end

Bonus moodboard baby! Happy holidays!

[melinaajamie]

A/N: I finally finished my Secret Santa for @floralicious . I tried to include everything you wanted, so you have some Layton Family dynamics with Kat and Al, a little Emmy cameo, Lucy and Al acting platonically and it’s Christmas themed! I’m deeply sorry again for the delay, the last weeks got even more stressful than planed and I couldn’t find the time to finish it properly.

Summary: Alfendi Layton had, in contrast to his sister Kat, never liked celebrating Christmas. But when Katrielle had invited him over to celebrate with their family and friends and Lucy had told him she'd do the whole paper work for the next month, he had no choice but coming over. And actually, Christmas isn’t that bad… not that he would tell them.

I hope you like it :) Have a wonderful Christmas!

Melina

[dumpsterfiresons]

LB:MR Secret Santa ‘17

To dearest @introvertedphantom, I bring thee an entire frickin’ AU for your viewing pleasure, as well as a snippet of a scene from it! It’s a bit late and I may be new to the PL fandom but I’m still giving it a shot!

I recommend reading the entire AU summary in the link before indulging in this little snippet. Enjoy!

November 13, 1XXX

It's been one dead end after another. Al and Kat have been at each other's throats more and more, and Hilda and I can only do so much. Kat refuses to leave until her brother does, and Al refuses to leave until we have more information, or at least a plan. It's been one dead end after another, with only the two of us out and about, and pretty soon, someone's going to do something rash.

I just hope things’ll

~0~

The brisk fall wind nips at Lucy's face as she made her way to the cafe. It was one of the few respites she has these last few weeks, the only place she feels free to be herself in. As usual, the cafe was near-empty this time of day, and Anne was there, smiling sweetly and waving at her. She smiles back, and takes her usual seat in the corner. She's been here often enough that Anna didn't even take her order, only going into the kitchen with a small, soft smile on her face. Lucy smiles back, but turns her eyes out the window, worry furrowing her brow.

"In five days," Al said, running a hand through his hair, "And I doubt I'll be able to last much longer with you sorry lot, but in three days, I propose we spring our own trap and see who bites."

"Eh? What're you goin' on about, Al?" Lucy asks.

"What I'm saying and this is a terrible, terrible plan but we have no bloody choice now, do we? What I'm saying is that I'm going straight outside, and I'm going to let myself be bait. You hear that? Terrible idea, more fitting for troglodytes who can't even see the obvious, but the only one we have right now! We don't have much to go on, Hilda can't go digging too far without alerting whoever the traitor is, and I am bloody SICK and TIRED of BEING HERE!" He says, slamming his hand on the table for emphasis. Hilda looked worried, but nothing could ever beat the sheer horror of Kat's expression hearing it. "No. NO! Al, you can't just do that!"

"And why not? You know as well as I do that we've been hitting a wall one after another, this might be the only option left, Kat. The longer we wait, the greater the risk of the spy finding us. And..." Al trailed off, sighing gustily. "I'm tired. I want this done and over with."

"It's still risky! Who knows what'll happen when you come back! You almost died, Al!" Kat

Hilda looks away from Kat. "He... has a point, Katrielle. At this point, we don't know where Makepeace is, and I'm no closer to finding out who sold us out. If we do this, I can arrange for witness protection, but we'll need trustworthy-"

"No, don't even attempt to veto anyone out. The idea is to draw the traitor out with my presence, and my surprise return should shock our spy into making some hasty decisions."

"But you might get hurt! I... I can't stand the thought, Al." Kat whispered, looking distraught, and a hurt, conflicted look crossed his face before he sighed.

"Fine, if you have any other ideas, say so. But once I step out, we only have one shot at this."

... And yet nobody could think of a better idea. And all the time they had left was spent planning, tempers running higher as the possibility of Al being hurt lingered in the air. The man had been frantically muttering to himself before Lucy left the flat, plotting out safe routes and contingencies and making worried glances at his sister when he thought she wasn't looking. If anything, he seemed more concerned about Kat's safety than his.

The sound of ceramic on wood startles Lucy out of her musing and turns to see Anne's smiling face and a steaming cup of cocoa on the table. "Tha’s a lifesaver, Annie!" Lucy says, taking the cup into her hands and savoring the warmth.

"Anything for my favorite customer!" Anne replied, tucking back a lock of blonde hair that escaped her ponytail. Lucy smiles, but it falters a moment later, something that didn't escape the waitress' attention.

"What's wrong?"

... Right, there's a reason she went here. One thing she never wanted to do.

"... Anne? I'm leavin' t'morrow. Back't London."

Today was the fifth day. And tomorrow… There’d be no turning back.

"Oh. That's... Sad to hear."

"Don' worry, Annie-lass! You ent' seen t'last 'o me! I'll be back b'fore you know it!" Lucy says, trying to keep her voice enthusiastic.

For a moment, Anne looked hesitant, before Lucy's efforts were rewarded with Anne's bright, sunshine-y smile. "I'll hold you on to that, then! Can't lose our favorite customer, after all!"

"If tha' were true, where's me extra whipped cream?" Lucy teases, and they settle into light banter until the sun's rays start disappearing into the horizon.

Tomorrow, they'll be leaving for London. And whatever comes next, they'll hopefully be ready for it.

[101flavoursofweird]

LBMR Secret Santa '17

Hi, @artistically-stupid! I was your LBRMR Secret Santa. Here’s Lucifendi cuteness with some Lady Layton references... from Florence Sich’s perspective. (She really ships Lucifendi.) 

There are mentions of alcohol in this fic, but nothing heavy. I hope that’s ok!   

Scotland Yard’s Secret Santa

“What if I want to get a gift for more than one person?”

Lucy was struggling to grasp the concept of ‘Secret Santa’. It was a Christmas tradition at the Yard, founded by Inspector Gilbert back in the fifties, but Lucy claimed she had never experienced it before.

That’s wasn’t too surprising, Florence supposed. Scotland Yard was Lucy’s first full-time workplace and she was one of their youngest recruits. (Dustin’s mental age didn’t count.) Plus, it was Lucy.

She had just bounded into the lab with a cup of tea and a box of biscuits for Florence. If anyone else had done the same, Florence’s suspicions would be on high alert. Last week, Sniffer had tried to sweet talk her into letting him skip the forensics queue.

Former Chief Inspector Britannias had bribed her to identify Katrielle Layton’s DNA at a crime scene. Kat proved her own innocence before the evidence reached the lab or Alfendi was made aware.

Al was livid, obviously, but none of them had ever seen Lucy so enraged. She was ready to bite Britannias’ head off when they brought him in. (How dare he accuse Kat?) Her fury was fuelled by her love for her friends.  

Lucy didn’t expect anything in return for her love. People flocked to her side like pigeons foraging for crumbs. How could she refuse them?

“If you really want to spend shocking amounts on everyone, feel free,” Florence sniffed. “Just don’t expect much in return.” Aside from the Commissioner, who paid for their Christmas party, they were all too stingy to buy multiple gifts. Florence preferred it that way. She had received enough pity presents during her time in hospital.

“Not everyone…” Lucy nibbled on a biscuit. “Just a couple of people.”

“Like Al – Cough! – and Fendi?”

Blood rushed to Lucy’s cheeks. “A-and you, Hilda, Dustin, Sniffer – “

“I bet you wanted the Prof for your Secret Santa.” Florence wheeled herself over to her desk drawer.

Lucy glanced at the door as if she expected Alfendi to burst in. “I don’t know what you’re niggling at.”

“If you say so…” Florence pulled out a slip of red paper with the name ‘Alfendi Layton’ written on it. Lucy gasped. “I was going to swap Secret Santas with you, but since you don’t want Al – “

“Alright,” Lucy squeaked. “I want him.”

Florence handed her the slip of paper, which Lucy folded into her pocket.

“So, who did you get?” Florence asked.  

Lucy cringed. “Deputy Commissioner Chan.”

“Never met him in my life. I’m sure he’ll enjoy the stress ball I bought Al.”

Laughing, Lucy looped her arm around Florence’s shoulder. “Ta, Flo!”

“Don’t mention it. Just mind the drip…”

Naturally, Florence’s cold worsened in the days leading up to the Christmas party. But she wasn’t going to miss it for the world. They hadn’t had a work do since Hilda’s birthday. (Hilda dancing on the table was truly a sight to behold.)

This year, Barton had booked a table at the local pub with Christmas dinner and mulled wine for all of them.

Florence couldn’t join her colleagues in the festive drinking due to the medication she was on. She didn’t really mind. She was just glad to see her colleagues unwind for once, particularly Alfendi.

They had never seen both sides of Alfendi consuming alcohol. It was surreal how his hair flashed from purple to crimson like a Christmas light. The placid half of him – the half Florence knew best – rarely drank. His alter ego... or rather, his original ego, was more indulgent. 

“Before the accident, he and Justin would go out for the odd pint,” Hilda sighed. She and Florence were a couple of seats down from Al and Lucy. Emiliana Perfetti had claimed the spot next to Lucy and was grilling her with questions about Katirelle Layton.

Florence hummed. “Did you ever join them?” 

“Me?” Hilda snorted. “Goodness, no. I can’t stand pints. Wine, on the other hand...” She took a sip of wine and smiled at Florence. 

They looked at Alfendi when he roared with laughter. From the sour expression on Emiliana’s face, it seemed like something had offended her. 

Hilda’s smile widened. “It’s so wonderful to have him back.” 

Florence wiped her nose and nodded. She was still warming up to the ‘old’ Alfendi, though he was nowhere near as bad as she’d initially believed. He was all bark, but would only bite the criminals who deserved it. He would never turn on any of them – especially not Lucy. 

At that moment, he and Lucy were playing tug of war with a cracker. Alfendi won but he gave the prize to Lucy and put the orange paper crown on her head. Florence couldn’t help smiling. How were they so cute together? 

“Ta very much, Prof!” Lucy said, handing him a box-shaped present from under the table. “Here’s yours!” 

“Lucy, you shouldn’t have... It better not be a hat – “ He tore open the box. Florence sat up in her seat, hoping to see what it was. “I don’t know what to say.... Thanks, Baker.” He tried on a pair of green headphones. “These will be perfect for listening to police reports on the go.” 

“Your sisters helped me pick them out,” Lucy admitted, chuckling. 

Alfendi stared at her and stated, “I love... them.”

No! There went his chance. Florence pressed her head on the table. She jerked up when Hilda cleared her throat. 

“You were my Secret Santa.” 

“Oh...” Florence peered into the silver gift bag Hilda has placed in front of her. It contained hair products, lotion and bath salts. Despite her blocked nose, Florence recognized the scent of Hilda’s perfume.

“It’s a pamper pack,” Hilda explained, as if she didn’t know. “Ideal after stressful days at work... or if you’re feeling under the weather.” 

All this must have cost more than your trivial Secret Santa gift. “Thank you,” Florence mumbled. She glanced up and down the table, avoiding Hilda’s gaze. Was that Deputy Commissioner Chan next to Inspector Hastings? 

She tossed him the stress ball from her handbag. “Merry Christmas, Deputy Commissioner!” The ball bounced off his head and everyone burst out laughing. Even Lucy braved a chuckle at Chan’s expense. Al’s arm was wrapped around her shoulder now. Florence doubted anything would separate them that evening.     

The next morning, Florence received a visitor at the lab. It was Katrielle, hunting for Alfendi and Lucy. Neither of them were in the Mystery Room office and Alfendi wasn’t answering his phone. (That wasn’t too unusual for Al.)

Florence asked if she had tried ringing Lucy. Kat shrugged her shoulders and admitted that she didn’t know Lucy’s number. The two of them usually communicated through letters. She was a far cry from her tech-savvy brother…  

Never mind. Florence reached for the lab phone, checked her list of staff numbers and rang Lucy’s house.

After three rings, Alfendi’s voice roared, “WHAT?”

“Oh… Hi Al,” Florence said, watching as Kat’s eyebrows rose.

There was shuffling on the other end – probably Lucy wrestling the phone out of Alfendi’s hands.

“Mornin’, Florence!” Lucy sounded a lot more chipper than him. “What’s the sitch…?”

“Sorry to disturb you both right now, but Al’s little sister is here – ”

“Kat?” Lucy’s squeal was loud enough for Kat to hear. “Eeeeee, you’ll never guess what happened!”

Florence rubbed her ear and handed the phone to Kat. Kat mouthed “Thank you!” and grinned as Lucy launched into an explanation of the Christmas party and all that had occurred afterwards.  

“I’m very happy for you two,” Kat giggled. “Now, if you’re not too busy canoodling, I could use your help with a case…”

As Kat chatted away, Florence leaned back in her chair with a smile. Love was in the air – she could even feel her cold clearing up! Maybe now she could finally pluck up the nerve to ask Hilda out for lunch.

[melinaajamie]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I LOVE IT!

Here’s my Secret Santa piece for @commandermelinaa, I hope you like it!

You asked for Lucifendi, Potty Prof and the Layton family doing something together for Christmas so I got this idea of them going gift shopping together.