#out of room in the house? put the christmas tree on the roof. just do it

[spacestationerysims]

panasonic blu-ray panasonic blu-ray panasonic blu-ray christmas in july

[whorekneecentral]

Christmas On The Farm

Erling Haaland x Fem!Reader

Warnings: family christmases, stealing a tree, use of an axe, getting caught, soft boyfriend erling, a few cheesy moments, fingering, oral (f!receiving), overstimulation kinda, penetrative sex (p in v), nipple sucking, creampie, getting caught in a different way :)

Word Count: 2,357

Author's Note: omg it's the big mannnn, anytime I think of erling, I think of the farm so here we are lmao - also this is for pookie too sorry lmao all her bfs are in here

merry smutmas series

--

Erling takes you home to spend the holidays at the Haaland Family Farm and you two end up being the only ones there. 

"Are we going the right way?" You look over at your boyfriend, the man driving through the snow.

Erling nods, "I promise I know where I'm going." He laughs, the wind shield wipers make a squeaking sound, brushing the snow away as he slowly makes his way up the road. He turns into the driveway, the snow really coming down as he parks the car.

"It's freezing!" You shouted, running up the front porch stairs to unlock the door. Erling rolls his eyes at your theatrics, getting the bags out of the car before following you into the house.

The door shuts behind him, Erling shaking the snow off of his hoodie.

The two of you had ventured up to the Haaland family farm for the holidays. His siblings and parents were supposed to meet you guys there but due to the snowstorm, their flights were canceled. They would be arriving on Christmas Eve rather than the 18th like the two of you so that left it up to you to get things ready for the holidays.

It takes the two of you an hour to defrost and get comfortable, Erling rearranging things to his liking and you were relaxing on the couch, finally glad to have your boyfriend to yourself and not have to fight for his attention during the season - though you had to give it to him, he balanced everything in his life perfectly.

"We should decorate," he announces, coming into the living room from the kitchen. You look at the man over your book, "okay, with what?"

Looking around, the house lacked Christmas spirit big time.

Before you could gather yourself, Erling's got you over his shoulder as he walks down the hallway. "I can walk, you know!" You say through the giggles, holding onto him.

He smiles, putting you down at the end of the hallway. "Where's the fun in that?"

You roll your eyes at his childish ways, letting him walk into the room first. The room was used for storage, all sorts of things packed away in boxes and containers. You flipped the switch, turning on the light as he looked around. Eventually you two found the boxes marked for Christmas - ornaments, garland, lights etc.

One by one you moved the boxes into the living room and you started on your tasks.

Erling braved the cold; something that never really bothered him - having his Norwegian blood and all - and strung the lights around the porch railing and roof.

You were working on the inside; wrapping the staircase in garland, changing the curtains to the red and green ones, hanging mistletoe, replacing the regular throw pillows for the holidays ones and things like that. Eventually Erling came back in, helping you with the rest of the tasks, a few miscellaneous things to do here and there around the house.

There was one box left, the big label on the top read ornaments.

"We need a tree," you looked over at him, your hands on your hips.

Erling smiles, "you look.. very wife like."

"Thank you, I guess," you laughed, "but we still need a tree. Do you guys have one somewhere? Did we forget it in the room?"

"You mean like.. a fake one?"

"Yeah, duh." You looked at your boyfriend, the look of confusion on his face. "We don't have one in the house but there's one outside."

"Okay where is it? In the barn or?" You trailed off, waiting for an answer.

"No, we can just cut one down." He says, tossing your hoodie to you. The sweater lands on your face and you move it, looking at the man like he was insane. "I'm sorry, we can.. what?"

"Cut the tree down. There's a few at the back of the property. It stopped snowing so we can make it and be back before it gets really dark."

You put your sweater on, looking for your coat. "Have you ever cut a tree down before?"

Erling shakes his head, putting his own coat on. "No, but it can't be that hard."

He was out the door before you could protest. You really had no choice now, did you? You followed the man to the barn, he pulled an axe out of some trunk and handed you a giant torch light. It was the blind leading the blind, the two of you trudging through the snow to find a Christmas tree.

Sometimes you really wondered what went through this man's head. Then you wondered if you were right in the head, following him through the snow in the dark to find a tree.

You find a few, settling on the biggest one you could get without it being too heavy to carry or too big for the house, and Erling started swinging the axe.

You took a step back; you trusted him but not when it came to chopping a tree down in the dark.

It reminded you of when you were a child, your father yelling at you to hold the light one way while he's doing something and you held it a different way.

So there you were, dragging a Christmas tree through the snow with your boyfriend. "Move faster," Erling says and you grumble.

"We don't all have superhuman strength, you know."

"Just hurry up, babe," he told you.

You grumble again, trying to move a little faster but between the thick snow, the heavy tree and holding the light, it was a little hard to do.

"What's the rush anyways ?"

"Well," he starts and you know that tone; something was wrong. "It's actually the neighbour's tree."

"WHAT?" you stopped, turning to face him. "WE STOLE A TREE?!"

He laughs, nodding for you to keep walking. "It's not that serious babe, just keep walking."

Sometimes you really wondered how you ended up with him as a boyfriend, but the fact that he made you an accomplice to Christmas tree theft is outweighed by how good of a boyfriend he is.

Despite all your huffing, you help him get the tree into the house in the snow off of it. It took about an hour of sorting for you two to settle on a theme for the tree; the classic red, green and gold. The ornaments hung off the branches, Erling strung the lights around the tree before finally plugging it in.

The two of you admired your work, his arms wrapped around you as he hugged you from behind, his chin resting on your head.

Your own hand rests on his, "I cannot believe you made me steal a Christmas tree."

Erling laughs, "is it really stealing though ? The tree is out in the open sooo.." He trails off, making you laugh. You turned to face him, your hands holding his jaw, "you're ridiculous."

He leans into you, kissing you softly. "'Tis the season for giving, baby."

"Yeah, sure."

"Speaking of gifts," he starts, his hands moving to rest on your lower back, pulling you flush against him. "I have one for you."

You brows furrowed, "it's the 18th, babe. You're a whole week early." Your head tilts to the side as you look at your boyfriend. The man smiles, shaking his head as he leans down to kiss you.

It clicks, you realize what his gift is.

"Oh," you giggled, the two of you shifting to the floor. "I like this kinda gift," you whisper, his lips moving to your neck.

"I knew you would," he mumbles into your skin, his cold hand slipping under your shirt. "Erling!" You shrieked, wiggling away from him.

The man smiles, "sorry."

He sits against the couch, watching as you undress in front of him. The leggings sliding down your smooth legs, pooling by your ankles before you step out of them, you pull off the sweater and that leaves you in the same blue set Erling loves so much.

You reach behind to unhook your bra but he stops you, “leave it on.” 

He pulls you by your waist back to him, his hand slipping down to rest on your ass before giving it a smack. You’re quiet, looking down at your boyfriend on the floor. 

“I like this,” he tells you, fingers rubbing over the blue lace. 

You smile, “I know.” 

He pulls you to lay on the floor, he’s sat between your legs with one on either side of him. You’ve propped yourself up on your elbows to look at him. Erling pulls the panties to the side, his eyes fixed on your pussy and he gives you no warning, pushing his fingers into you. The sound leaving your mouth was like heaven on earth to him. 

His fingers curl upwards, your back arching at the feeling. 

“Baby, please.” your hand reaches down to wrap on his wrist but he swats your hand away, managing to pull both to rest on your stomach and his free hand over your hands, pinning them to your stomach. 

You try to wiggle your hands away from him, trying to grab on something. “Behave.” He tells you, adding another finger.

You subconsciously spread your legs, giving him more room. Erling's cheek presses to your inner thigh, watching as your face twists, pleasure all across it and your hands stop wiggling, he smiles, satisfied. 

Erling can feel your eyes on him, he reaches for the blue lace you’re wrapped up in and tugs it down your legs, letting it fall to the floor with the rest of your clothes.

He shifts to lay on his stomach between your legs, leaving a trail of kisses as he works his way up to your cunt. 

Your eyes meet his, he knows you’re looking. He wants you to look at him. Your hips buck when you feel his tongue against your clit, your hand gripping on his hair. 

He knew you like the back of his hand, gripping your thighs to keep them in place as his tongue lapped your clit. Your hips buck, your way of saying you want more and Erling gives in - he always gives into you. Two fingers in you and he glances up to see your head tossed back onto the pillows, eyes fluttering shut and your free hand groping your tit. 

Between his fingers and his tongue, your orgasm was teetering on the edge; he knew that much. 

He pulls his hands away, the sticky fingers on your thighs. A whimper leaves your lips at the loss of fullness. 

“What- why’d you stop?” You asked, pouting at your boyfriend in disapproval.

Erling sits up, patting his lap. “C’mere.” 

You manage to pull yourself up, your legs feeling like jelly as you move yourself onto your boyfriend’s lap. Erling's hands resting on your lower back, fingers dancing up and down the curve of your spine. They run up once more before they stop on the clasp of your bra. 

He unhooks it, letting the straps slide down your arms and land on your lap. He brings his hands around to your stomach, once again his fingers slide up your soft skin before resting on your tits. 

“Erling,” you call, eyes fixed on him.

He hums, his focus on your tits rather than anything you had to say. Gripping his chin between your fingers, he finally looks at you. 

“Please,” you mumble, the desperation all over your face. Erling smiles, there's a look you've seen a million times over on his face.

You’re up on your knees, hovering over his lap, your hands under you as you undo his pants. Erling helps you, pulling them down enough for you to sink down onto him. Your hand rests on his shoulder, giving you a moment to gather yourself before starting to bounce on his lap.

You look at your boyfriend, watching as he kisses down your chest, over your tits before his lips wrap around your nipple, tongue lapping over it. Your hand tangles in his hair, his name falling from your lips.

Your back arches a bit, pushing into Erling. His hand moves from your hip to your other tit, fingers pinching your nipple, twisting and rolling it softly between his thumb and index finger. 

“God,” you breathe, a hand raking through Erling's blonde hair. 

You rock your hips forward and Erling's head drops back into the couch, his eyes fluttered closed.

“Fuck, you’re perfect.” His hand pats your hip, “made just for me.” He tells you, your lips on his neck -- a trail of marks and sloppy kisses being left along his neck.

Erling can feel the way you were clenching around him and he knew you were close; you knew he was close, his eyes closed and head back.

His hand reaches between the two of you, his fingers finding your clit once again. “Oh my god,” your hips bucked, his fingers matching the pace of his hips, your body rocking back and forth to get the most out of your boyfriend. 

“C’mon sweetheart, want you to cum for me.” He says, knowing it won't be long more. 

He knew you like the back of his hand, every look, every touch, every movement, he knew you.

Between the two, he pushes you over the edge. The knot in your stomach comes loose and your boyfriend watches as you cum. The wetness wrapping around his cock, and with a few sloppy thrusts, Erling follows behind you. 

The two of you are holding onto each other like the other is going to disappear, giggly and love drunk. Your boyfriend peppers kisses all over your face, your arms wrapped over his shoulders.

It wasn't until there was a knock on the door that you two froze, looking at each other. "Erling?!" The voice calls from outside.

His hand covers your mouth, your brows furrowed and eyes widen as you look at him. His lips are by your ear, "it's the neighbour."

You move his hand, whispering back to him. "The lights are on."

"Shhh, they'll go away if we're quiet."

You look at your boyfriend, lips pressed together in an attempt to muffle your laughter. He really did make you wonder sometimes.

--

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[ugotcooneycrossed]

a christmas education • kyra cooney-cross

a/n: little something based off this since its christmas tmr

you're determined to educate your girlfriend on all things christmas

------------------------------------------------------------the build up to an appropriate time to blast christmas music has you buzzing. having been on the team for two years now- everyone has promptly banned you from anything christmas related until december first. a rule in place after your first year with the team, when you rocked up to training donning a santa hat, singing jingle bells at the top of your lungs, two days after halloween.

so, the moment your alarm sounds on the first of december- you shoot up in bed, in your excitement, you momentarily forget your girlfriend spent the night, and you send her tumbling out of bed.

leaning over the other side you smile at her sheepishly- she's sprawled out on the floor, face hidden in the mass of blankets she brought down with her.

"oops- sorry ky."

she sends you a thumbs up- sitting up fully now. her hair still messy and yawning.

"come on kyra- it's christmas time!"

"it's only the first baby."

"umm yeah- the first of december! now come on-there is so much christmas music we can listen to from now until training."

-

"tell me baby- do you recognise me?! its been a year, it doesnt surprise me!"

"oh god- here she comes."

you dance into the change rooms- invisible microphone in hand. your christmas sweater-complete with flashing lights, bells, and a protruding, squeaky, red nose- jingles as you shimmy your way to your locker.

"merry christmas everyone!"

kyra comes in after you- dragging her feet, she stops at lia, whispering in the older woman's ear.

"why didnt you tell me she's crazy?"

-

you steal the gym speaker before anyone else can-connecting your phone and ignoring the groans that ring out.

"babe! what's your favourite christmas song?"

"uhh- i don't know."

"what do you mean, you dont know?!"

"if im being honest (y/n), i dont know much about christmas stuff."

kyra shrugs-brushing off it off, smiling at you. but when she see's your mouth hanging open- eyes bewildered and unresponsive, her smile faulters.

"babe?"

"what do you mean, 'you dont know much' about christmas kyra!"

"dunno- just never really thought much about it."

"we- i need to fix this."

-

"so, first we decorate the tree- yes i did take everything off, so we can do it all over again together and listen to all the christmas music possible, then we're going to decorate gingerbread houses and watch all the christmas movies."

you smile proudly- standing in front of your now bare christmas tree.

-

"rudolph the red nose reindeer- something, something, some-something."

kyra sings softy under her breath- moving around the tree- hanging the ornaments on gently.

finally, you reach down- handing her the star, and nodding to the top of the tree.

"you want me to put this on?"

"yeah!"

-

"okay- so we'll start with the grinch- and then see where we get from there!"

you watch kyra decorate and watch the movie with a grin- something about kyra loving the grinch just makes so much sense.

-

"done!"

you look up from yours- the final touches perfecting your house, you look at her's, then yours, then back to hers.

she's brandishing it to you proudly- grinning at you with frosting around her lips.

the roof of her house has collapsed in- some of her gummy lollies half bitten and stuck to random parts of the house. most of the frosting probably eaten instead of holding together the walls of her house.

"its beautiful?"

"thanks! i know right!"

-

"now this is my favourite part of christmas."

you take her hand- leading her to your bedroom, the door open.

"your bed?"

"no you idiot- look up!"

"why do you have a random bush-"

"its mistletoe ky."

"ohhh- oh- oh."

you put your hands around her neck- her own wrapping around your waist- and you share a sweet kiss.

"mmh- you taste like frosting."

[lavendermunson]

mistletoe - steve harrington

day 13 of leia’s christmas tree farm

cw FLUFF. mentions of steve’s mental health. henderson!reader. preestablished relationship

Steve isn’t a pretty big fan of the holidays because he doesn’t spend the night like the others. His mom pays someone to make dinner for her, she gets them out of the plastic containers and places them in expensive personalized dinnerware. His dad buys expensive whiskey and finishes the bottle in a couple of minutes along his friends.

He has grown to believe Christmas is just a holiday about showing off. Giving expensive gifts and seeing people use them for three days just to bury them at the bottom of their dressers.

That’s something his parents always did, brag about money and big houses instead of having a good time. He thought he deserved this, a life so soulless and unkind.

When he met Dustin, your mom, and you his whole world changed. He fell for you so hard, risking all for you and making sure you were always happy. You do the same for him, you always do.

You are his safe place.

It’s Christmas Eve. His family is having dinner with his dad’s colleagues and his mom’s loud best friends. He hates this, he hates that he has to put on a fake smile on his face while he feels miserable.

Steve wishes you could be by his side, but he couldn’t put you through this. His dad will ignore you and try to set him up with someone else. He knows his mom would love you but eventually side with him because that’s the way their relationship works.

Their marriage is stupid.

His parents are stupid.

This day is so stupid.

Surrounded by the stiffness of his room, looking at the pictures of him with you and the friend group. He feels like he could cry, he wants a good Christmas Eve just for once. He misses you all so much.

His head is heavy and his vision is blurry. He sits on the edge of his bed, tapping his foot against the carpeted floor and preparing himself for the night.

Then he hears a knock on his window. It’s you. Like he summoned you. His heart skips a beat when he sees your face, you are all dressed in black.

“What are you doing? My parents are here!”

“We are here to steal you, like a precious piece of art from a museum!”

He laughs, looking at you.

“I can’t, honey. I can’t leave, they are going to kill me!”

“They won’t because…” you hold your index finger in the air, waiting for your sign to escape. When you hear Steve’s mom scream you take his hand in yours, pulling him to you. “Your house is infested with cockroaches”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll explain in a bit, let’s go”

You take a step back from the roof, Steve is impressed to see you climb his house for him knowing how difficult it is for him to get to your window. He escapes from his own room, his hands gripping the window frame as he gets out quietly.

When you get off the roof, you hold his hand in yours running with him towards your car. He opens the passenger door and sits down excited, ready to escape this hell of a house.

He did it. He is out, he is with you. The cold breeze hits his cheeks, he feels calm for the first time since he woke up.

“Dustin! Hurry” you scream at your little brother, he holds an empty box as he runs to meet you.

“Mission accomplished!”

Both of you join Steve in the car, you are quick to drive away from his house before their parents catch you. He misses his mom telling him not to come downstairs.

“You guys are crazy,” he says, anxiety slowly disappears as he rubs his abdomen. He looks back, noticing how his house disappears from his vision. “When did you come up with this plan?”

“Today” you answer, eyes focused on the road as you speed up to get to your house quickly.

“And why are you both dressed in black?”

“It’s our steal-a-museum outfit,” Dustin says, feeling Steve’s eyes glaring at him “It was her idea!”

“I couldn’t leave you there, I spent all day trying to come up with something for you to spend Christmas with me”

“Thank you, honey”

“And your parents freaked out when they saw the cockroaches, it was hilarious!” Dustin says, getting out of the car when you finally get home. Safely and with Steve by your side.

Steve holds your hand as you walk to your house, his fingers interlock with yours and he leans to the side, kissing your cheek before pushing the door open.

After opening the door, he sees a crowd of people cheering and screaming. Your mom, Robin, Eddie, Nancy, Jonathan, and all of his kids are there.

Steve smiles brightly, feeling his cheeks warm as well as his heart. Everyone comes up to him, hugs him, and welcomes him before they follow Dustin, who cannot stop laughing as he tells the story of how they got Steve here.

Your mom gets close to him, hugging him tightly.

“We are happy you are home,” she says. Steve holds back his tears, home. He finally feels like he has a home.

“Thank you, Mrs. Henderson” he smiles at her, his chest heaving up and down from the excitement. “I’m surprised you were okay with this plan”

“Oh Steve, who do you think got that box of cockroaches!” she laughs and you join her, both looking so happy that he is here. How is it possible? He feels like he is dreaming. It’s all just too good to be true. “I’ll leave you guys, you are under the mistletoe”

You look up at the branch of mistletoe that wasn’t there before you left the house. Steve looks at it too, then he wraps your waist with his arms pulling you to his chest.

“Thank you, baby”

“Don’t. It’s the least I could do, they are going home at ten but you are staying here with me”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I love you, honey”

“I love you too, baby”

You cup his cheeks in your hands, the feeling of your soft fingertips makes Steve melt. Pressing your lips against his, he feels in heaven.

He feels you, he tastes you.

The one who saved him from one of the worst nights of his life, he owes you everything.

His head falls to the side as you tangle your fingers in his hair. It makes Steve moan softly, feeling all his body warm and bubbly.

You spend the night together. Sharing jokes, laughing at Dustin’s stories, and drinking. He only gets more excited because he gets to sleep with you, maybe thank you for what you did, and wake up on Christmas to open his presents.

reblog to support your creators! comments are appreciated !! ♡ thank you for following my christmas event, your support means so much to me 🎄

[thewriterg]

♡︎𝐩𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬♡︎

pairing(s): Darry Curtis x gn!reader, Sodapop Curtis x gn!reader, Ponyboy Curtis x gn!reader

summary: Darry asked you to watch over the house while he was gone latter than usual for work he didn’t expect for both to share the night with wrapping paper, tape, and candy canes

word count: 1.3k+

warning(s): kisses, pet names, fluff, too early present wrapping, and language

A/n: —GIFs; @kitherondale— Just to let you guys know because some of you been asking, Yes you can request Christmas/ Winter prompts for the advent calendar!

Darry walked through the doorway with a heavy sigh beginning to take off his work boot with the front of his foot it was at least 10;30 at night and he’d never worked as late as he did if it weren't for the Holidays

So stepping to put his pride aside he had asked you to babysit make sure Pony and Soda didn't burn the house down and to make sure their heads were still attached to their shoulders by the time he come back home but what he did not expect was for to be sitting crossed legged under the tree wrapping gifts that were way in advanced the due date if you asked for his opinion

“I didn't know you would still be here” It was true the eldest Curtis brother didn't he also didn't expect for his brothers to abandoned the scene of the living room it was a school night Soda didn't have to work until morning and Pony knew better than to stay out this late on a week day he came to the conclusion they were sleeping

“I didn't know you would still be here” It was true the eldest Curtis brother didn't he also didn't expect for his brothers to abandoned the scene of the living room it was a school night Soda didn't have to work until morning and Pony knew better than to stay out this late on a week day he came to the conclusion they were sleeping

“And y-you made dinner darling, you didn't have to do that, why'd you do that?” Darry didn't give you a chance to reply as his eyes darted between you and the saran wrapped plate that sat in the middle of the small dining table while you couldn't help but let a small smile grace your lips

“Because you asked me to watch your brothers, that included making sure they didn't go to bed on an empty stomach. That includes you too handsome”

It wasn't a secret that Darry’s love language was acts of service that went from scolding you for paying some ‘overpriced stranger’ to fix your roof when he was perfectly capable, raking your leaves, shoveling your snow complaining about how you would sink in the knee high snow or how it would mess up your car tires, even building you a damn shed so you'd have somewhere you could paint and store your art.

If it was a secret to the world it wasn't to you.

“Go shower honey, so you can eat” Darry had finally snapped out of his own mind as he nodded with no fight going to find his way in the small bathroom that stood in the middle of the hallway standing in the doorway for a split second to look back at you before the light that spilled into the hallway shooed away as he closed the door

You stood from your position on the floor in front of the couch the long way down book you had gotten Pony left halfway unwrapped as you made your way to the kitchen grabbing the food filled plate from off the table setting it into the microwave as is radiated warmth just before the machine could beep you were already grasping the handle opening with a ‘click’ taking the saran wrap from over the top of glass as steam engaged above in the air

Just then you could here the shower turn off from the thin walls while you turned the kitchen lights out sitting the plate of food on the coffee table before sitting yourself down continuing to wrap presents that stood between your fingertips

“It's quite early to be wrapping presents darling” The eldest Curtis muttered taking a seat next to your crossed-leg position while you ripped a piece of tape with your teeth before placing down onto the last corner of wrapping paper

“Usually I’d procrastinate until the last week but I seen some things at the store earlier and just went ahead and got ‘em” You sighed before sitting the decorated box down in the pile you had previously wrapped lying your head down on Darry’s shoulder

“Thank you.. For dinner, and watching the boys an-” Before the brunette could continue you cut him off with a kiss he tasted like mints and energy drinks something you'd accustomed to during your years together

You and Darry had been best friends since sixth grade his parents were overjoyed when their first born son had come back everyday talking about a girl that held his hand at recess going down the slide, shared her colored pencils since he didn't have any, or snuck snacks from her tin lunch box into his brown paper bag

You were a middle class but a pure greaser at heart like your dad who married you mom a middle class women herself she passed away when you were fourteen from breast cancer as a nurse herself she knew there weren't many options she had and she was content with that Christmas was void that year the only thing you were excepting to receive from your father was your mothers wrist watch that you still wore to this day

After that the Curtis’s threaded their way into your life no matter how many times you cut the thread 8th grade was hell for you but they were your heaven your safety net Mrs. Curtis became a second mother to you, what you found uncomfortable to talk with your father you talked about it with her

So when they both passed away with the tragic car accident you grieved just as hard as the brothers you all lost parents blood or not

“If you thank me one more time, i'll skin you” You simply stated pulling away before kissing the man's cheek returning to your position along his broad shoulders while he chuckled at your antics reaching for the plate that sat on the table digging his forth in without a second thought as you both sat in silence watching the Christmas special of Charlie brown enjoying each others company.

💌💌💌💌

You hummed alerting Darry hold a piece of a candy cane to his lips which he took as you discarded the wrapping in a plastic bag

You both sat shoulder to shoulder wrapping gifts for the gang as the pile of decorative paper wrapped item got larger and the still to be wrapped got smaller

“You know, you spoil them” Darry stated out into the open as he wrote ‘To; pony & soda’ for the fourth time with a sharpie the brunette had at least wrote everyone's names three time on a box or the tag on a gift bag he still wondered how the hell you could even begin to think what someone such as Dally would like

Before you could even respond he began to feel a guilty bubbling sensation in his stomach here you were spoiling the gang, his brothers, hell you'd even hid behind the couch so he couldn't see what you were wrapping for himself and the only thing they could offer you was a headache you worked two jobs and he knew this was at least 75% of one of your paychecks

“Stop thinking so loud Darrell. I did this because I wanted to, because I love you and the gang. Everybody deserves a Christmas” He hated when you did that at times like this, read his mind it was almost like a second instinct to you

“If you want to thank me, the only payment I except are kisses” You interrupted before the brunette could thank you again which he smiled at before pressing his lips to your without a split second of hesitation or resistance it made you both lazily love drunk

That’s how you both spent the rest of your night cuddling and giving each other lazy peppermint kisses

[dancingtotuyo]

All Farms…

Javier Peña

Summary: Javier has to decide what to do with the ranch

Warnings/Tags: grief, loss, hurt (no comfort?), ranch/farm used interchangeably here.

Notes: I started this on Christmas after walking my grandparents farm which happens to be the same farm I lived on for the first 7 years of my life. My grandparents are getting older which has sparked a lot of conversation with what will happen to the farm when they're gone. Fast forward to now, I'm currently processing a lot of feelings this Easter weekend. I lost my step dad last year. He was a farmer too. After his cancer diagnosis, all of us kids (there are ALOT of us) came home for Easter. It was the last time I saw him look like himself and the last time we were all together before he died. In my processing, I started working on this piece again. It's one of those things I need to put out into the world for me. I hope for anyone else going through something similar, it brings you comfort or makes you feel not quite so alone.

Peep the cow picture. I took that one myself at Christmas :)

Words: 966

Author Master List

All farms have a graveyard. One of lost memories and stories. Typically along a ridge or tree line, piled-up equipment that was never sold or broken beyond repair sits in overgrown piles and sunken earth. The old family car. The beat-up sports car or pickup truck each son or sometimes daughter inevitably thought they could fix only to spend hundreds of fruitless hours with one glory ride before it went haywire. Scrap metal torn from barn roofs pile up. Every tire imaginable is half buried in the earth. No farmer dares to clean out the graveyard. The moment you do, you’ll find use or need for the items thrown out. 

The Peńa’s graveyard sits between scattered trees at the bottom of the hill. Javier rarely makes his way to that side of the farm. They don’t use that space for cattle since his dad downsized the herd. He pretends there’s no reason for it, but it’s more than just broken down cars and scrap piles to Javier. It’s a ghost town of memories. 

There’s his mom’s ‘62 Ford. The one she drove his whole childhood. The vehicle that took them across town, to Sunday services, and hosted their many road trips. It’s where his Mom feels most tangible, her soft voice playing in his head singing to the radio. 

His first truck. The one he’d spent months fixing up, he kissed Sally Jones on a Saturday night and done much more with Vanessa Reyes. He’s proposed to Lorraine in that truck, driven past the church in it too. 

Chucho’s first American Harvester sits further back. His dad is so proud of that machine… or he was. 

The ache grows in Javier’s chest as he stands at the edge of the graveyard. He begged Chucho for years to clean this up. His dad always waved him off, stating that he would get to it someday. Except, Chucho didn’t make it to someday, and now it is Javier’s responsibility.  

His fingers twitch, desperate for the feel of a cigarette between them. Nicorette gum sits in his breast pocket instead. He’s working to quit again, picking the worst damn time to do it, but that’s life. 

He should probably bring the tractor down to pull everything out. It’s overwhelming with no good place to start. Digging around down there will only dig up the memories. Javier can’t deal with the memories right now, so he leaves the project for another day. He only needs to clean it up if he decides to sell the ranch. 

The house is quiet when he walks through the door. Javier is used to the subtle sounds of life- the coffee pot going, the tv running on low, Chucho’s boots on the linoleum, but it never comes. It won’t ever come again. 

Javier kicks off his boots, lining them right next to his dad’s. He hasn’t moved them. He’s not sure he will. 

He heads for the back of the house toward his room but stops at his Dad’s door. It’s shut tight as he places a hand on the wood. Javier hasn’t gone in there since picking out clothes. It’s a strange thing to pick out clothes for a dead man. How does one pick out what someone will wear for the rest of eternity? 

His hand lands on the knob, and it gives way with a squeak. The same squeak that used to echo down the hall, waking Javier up before the sun to let him know it was time for chores. Javier is flooded with the comforting scent of his father. It envelopes him, pulling tears into his eyes immediately. The bed is fixed just as Chucho had left it before he went out and started the chores just as he always did. Except that day, almost a month ago now, Chucho Peña didn’t return to the house. 

He collapsed in the field. He was already gone when Javier found him. He died alone and that hurt almost as much as the fact that he was gone. 

A thin layer of dust covers the surfaces in the room. He should clean it, but would it lose its smell then? In here, Javier feels surrounded by his father. The closest he can get to him. His room, the one he shared with Javier’s mother, is perfectly preserved. 

Javier dares to ease onto the bed and look at the world from Chucho’s perspective every day as he woke up. On the dresser, there’s a photo of his parents when they first started dating, and one from Javier’s high school graduation. On the bedside table, there’s a book with a bookmark halfway through, a picture from his parent’s wedding day, and another of Chucho on the tractor with Javier in his lap. He couldn’t have been older than two at the time. Javier traces it with his finger, wishes he could remember that moment, wishes he could go back in time and relive it all, even the bad days, and treasure it all, ask his dad more questions, called him more often.

Javier lays down on his parents' bed. Chucho’s scent is thicker here with Javier’s head on his pillow. Big, hot tears fall from the corners of his eyes dampening the pillow. He rests his hands over his chest, letting his eyes close. Javier can hear his voice now, his laughter, catches a hint of his mother’s as well. It’s Javier’s job to carry on their legacy.

All farms have a graveyard. One of lost memories and stories. No farmer dares to clean out the graveyard. When a tractor kicks the dust or that farm use pickup can only be stripped for parts, Javier follows in his father’s footsteps. He lays them to rest between scattered trees at the bottom of the hill.

[thecherryotome]

Court of darkness princes + Lou discover gingerbread houses

Fenn: IT’S CHRISTMAS GUYS

Lou: christ…mas?

Fenn: it’s a holiday where treasure’s from

Toa: from what she has told me, people from earth usually exchange gifts, decorate a tree and create a gingerbread house.

Roy: she has told me that she wishes to eat gingerbread but hasn’t had the time to make some.

Guy: how trivial. I’ll order Jasper to deliver some to her room.

Fenn: *sighs* as practical as ever

Rio: I think we should bake it ourselves. Think she would like it more!

Roy: I too believe she would appreciate the sentiment 

Lynt: shall we make a gingerbread house for her then?

Rio: I’ve got the recipe!

Lou: have you made this before master Voleri?

Rio: I haven’t, but I’m sure with six minds it can’t be hard to make.

Toa: let’s away to the kitchen then

In the kitchen…

Guy: how do you understand this recipe. What is a tablespoon?

Rio: let me assist you

Guy: do not interfere. Just tell me which one is the “tablespoon”

Rio: THAT’S A SPATULA

Roy: headmaster… I think you’ve stirred it a bit too hard

Lou: I would like to put my best effort into it

Toa: that is too much. Do you plan to spill all the batter over the whole tabletop?

Fenn: Lynt, come help us 

Lynt: my arm is tired

Toa: all you did was measure the milk

After a lot of time and Rio basically remaking the whole thing, they managed to produce edible gingerbread.

Lynt: we did it!

Guy: you didn’t do anything

Toa: it’s not over yet. We have yet to assemble it into a gingerbread house

Roy: what manner of house do you think she would like?

Fenn: I imagine she would like a nice little cottage

Lou: and her favourite colour is black so we should drizzle black icing over it

Fenn: …we can’t make a black house

Guy: it’ll look more like a funeral home rather than a Christmas decoration 

Roy: I thought her favourite colour was yellow

Lynt: isn’t it orange?

Rio: there are chocolates of all different colours. We can use it to make a rainbow brick roof!

In the end, their gingerbread house looks like this:

They present their gingerbread house to the MC and poor MC has to try not to burst out laughing.

[hufflegruff]

Chapter 4: A Knowing Look

Pairing: Sebastian x F!Reader Summary: In which Sebastian is whipped and literally everyone can see from a mile away that this is more than friendship.

“Is that… a mistletoe?” “It… must be Anne’s doing.” Was all Sebastian could say, rather lamely. He was ready to laugh it off. Tell her that it was just a silly little old thing. But to his surprise, she replied almost matter-of-factly: “… Supposedly if we don’t kiss, we’d be doomed to 100 years of misfortune.” Almost cautiously, he replied, “We wouldn’t want that.” “Not at all,” She said as she nodded.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | AO3 Link

Chapter 4: Anne

Winter fell upon Feldcroft. Snow descended upon the Sallows’ home in soft billowy mounds.  

Sebastian had never really understood the appeal of Christmas. It was always too cold, too dark and too stifling to just stay at home. Under Solomon’s roof, he never let himself feel too comfortable. Not even the guise of mulled cider, plum pudding and ornately decorated pine trees could make him put his guard down. He much preferred the freedom of Hogwarts endless hallways. If not for Anne - well, he frankly wouldn’t have bothered to make the trip over. There was little joy to reap or use to gain from seeing Solomon’s irritable face.  

But despite Solomon’s numerous shortcomings, he allowed him to invite both of his best friends over for Christmas. And for that, he was grateful.

Glancing over to the kitchen, he couldn’t help but soften and break into a smile at the sight. Under the glow of the dim candlelight, Ominis and Anne were chatting merrily. 

Ominis normally looked so stoic, like an old man that held the entire weight of the wizarding world in the crease of his brow. That was the blight of the Gaunt family name. But as he sat listening to Anne, who was animatedly retelling one of her classic tales of misadventure, his expression was as light as a feather. Even with his perfectly pressed shirt and impeccably neat cardigan, it was such a relief to see that he could look like an ordinary teenage boy. 

And Anne… Well, Anne had her good days and bad days. Thankfully, today was one of her better ones. She’d been particularly energetic as of late. Despite Sebastian’s protests, she went out of her way to decorate the cottage with wreaths, tinsel and candles galore. Insisting that guests should not be subjected to Christmas in a house so bare.

He hadn’t seen either of them look so content in a while. Not since they were just three kids scheming mischief in the Undercroft. Not since they’ve become three weary people weathered by fate’s hand. 

The normalcy of it all gave him newfound hope. One that felt different from the kind of hope had him hunting ancient relics, ravaging the restricted section, and burning dark wizards ever since Anne got hurt.

This one was softer. Much quieter and warmer. 

Just for today, he would graciously allow himself not to worry. Not of curses or cures or hidden scriptoriums. Just Christmas. Just family and friends.

Anne’s voice broke him out of reverie, “Sebastian! What are you daydreaming about? Come here!” She beckoned him over with a wave of her hand.

“Probably best not to know,” Ominis said, “likely something despicable or unlawful.”

“Funny.” Sebastian said dryly, as he made his way over to them, “Utterly hilarious.”

“I am rather, aren’t I?” Ominis replied cheekily.

“If slander is your particular brand of humour.”

“Forget presents,” Ominis’ voice was laced with sarcasm, “Your endless wit is the greatest gift you could ever afford me.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. The mouth on this one.

Sebastian looked around the room and noticed that there was one person sorely missing. Their absurdly lovely (it’s all still very complicated) friend. After the whole Andrew Larson ordeal, he conceded that it was possible that this whole friendship thing… could potentially be more than a friendship thing. 

It was a crush - a flight of fancy. On someone who just happened to be a beautiful, smart and wickedly talented friend.

That was the only way that Sebastian could rationalise it. Crushes were perfectly normal and frivolously fleeting. Calling her a softness, or a fancy or even the object of his affection was all still manageable. It was better than the alternative. Because if he were to start calling it anything more than that… 

Well, that could be perilous.

Love had consequences, and Sebastian wasn’t sure if he was ready to face them.

The girl wonder had also been staying with them in Feldcroft these past two days. Sebastian had only been back at Feldcroft for two days and Anne had already been making terribly sly remarks his way. How could she have known? Had she and Ominis been exchanging letters behind his back?

He supposed that practically half of Hogwarts had already accused him of being infatuated with the girl wonder. But in fairness, the prying eyes of the student body had been privy of his relationship with her for the better half of two years. It made him wonder if he was being so obvious that perhaps even Solomon could sense it too.

That would be mortifying. 

And honestly, after the emotional whirlwind he’d already been on — Sebastian didn’t know how it could get any worse.

He cleared his throat, “Anyways, where’s the girl wonder gone to now?”

Anne shot him a mischievous look that Sebastian knew meant trouble. It was too devilish and deliberate to ignore, and it felt like Anne could see right through him. What was she plotting? Sebastian raised a curious eyebrow in response. 

Anne replied with a shrug, “She’s just gone to the room to grab something.”

And as if it had been planned meticulously ahead of time — the door creaked open and the sound of her footsteps approached.

He turned around and almost made an ungodly sound at the sight. A wrangled, pained sound that he was frankly quite embarrassed to acknowledge. Because this — whatever this was — was something he hadn’t been expecting. 

“Is that my sweater?” Sebastian swallowed thickly.

The girl walked out of the bed chambers in an old green knit sweater with a small embroidered flower on the left corner that looked all too familiar. There was nothing spectacular about it, but Sebastian knew without a sliver of doubt that it was his sweater that hung a little too loosely on her shoulders. Because as most nine year old boys did with their clothes, he had bought it dismissively when he was in Diagon Alley, and wore it to death in his youth. It had been chucked carelessly across fields, caves, bodies of water all across Feldcroft. It was tattered, frayed and looked worse for wear from his haphazard use.

So how in Salazar’s name did it manage to look so damn good on her?

There was nothing precious about it. 

But it was his. And she was wearing it. 

Sebastian was of two minds about it all. He couldn’t quite decide it himself — was this a gift or divine punishment from the Gods? Where had she even found the old blasted thing and was she actively trying to kill him? The niggling urge to touch her was stronger than he had ever felt before. His self-restraint was melting with every second longer his eyes lingered on her. The only thing that was holding him back from holding on to her (and never letting go) was the ridicule he’d most definitely receive from Ominis and Anne.

To his dismay, to the deep sickly pit in the bottom of his stomach — this was very likely something that would be permanently etched into his mind. There was something primal inside the diabolical crevices of his brain that just couldn’t unsee it. Some unhinged line of thinking that his brain managed to conjure up to justify it all. That if she looked this perfectly right in his clothes, he could believe that there was a universe in which she could be his.

That if people could be owned (he knew they couldn’t) — she would be rightfully his.

“Oh, I figured you wouldn't mind,” Anne said, “She was feeling a little chilly, so I gave her one of your old sweaters. You hardly wear it now anyways.”

Almost nervously, the girl wonder gave a small twirl, “Well, it doesn’t look silly on me does it?”

Silly? Sebastian thought. It was a little silly. 

It was silly that the sight of her in his old, worn and beaten sweater that he’d worn to death, made his heart scream out of his chest. How was it possible that she could even make scraps of wool look so bewitching?

It was as if being the wielder of a rare form of ancient magic hadn’t sufficed her hunger for power. It was as if she went out of her way to contrive her very own beguiling brand of magic that would render him a total fucking dunce. How else could Sebastian explain the prickling in his fingertips to reach out to her? Or the compulsion in his chest to bury his face in the crook of her neck? And that stupid sweater must’ve smelled like him. Years and years of him. By that logic — because she was wearing it — that must mean she now smelled like him too.

And the thought of that was almost too thrilling for his chest to handle. 

Merlin. All this overthinking was a testament to the steely grip this witch had on his heart.

Despite his inner turmoil, he just about managed to choke out a response.

“Not at all. It suits you.” 

It more than suited her. In fact if she never wanted to take it off — he’d gladly allow it.

Ominis gave him a pointed look. Anne smiled knowingly. Sebastian wanted to hide. He felt as if his innermost feelings were being paraded on display. Like his internal organs and his blathering heart had been sprawled across the dinner table for everyone to witness. The only person that didn’t seem amused or even remotely aware of his pining was her. She looked at him so sincerely that it was almost distressing. Delightfully doe-eyed, she smiled brightly at his compliment. 

It was so fucking endearing that he had to look away. Any longer and would probably combust on the spot into a fan of pitiful flames. Or collapse from this corny infatuation-induced arrhythmia his heart was suffering from. So he turned to look at Anne scathingly instead. 

“But thanks for asking before you raided my closet, Anne.” Sebastian said chidingly.

Anne smiled mysteriously, ignoring his accusatory tone all together.

“I was being a courteous host is all.” She said innocently.

Sometimes Sebastian forgot how conniving his sister could truly be. He couldn’t decide whether he was annoyed or proud of her shenanigans. 

The girl wonder, sensing something off in Sebastian’s tone, interjected, “Anne was just trying to help. But I can put on something else if you’d prefer—”

“No.” Sebastian said firmly, “You don’t have to. I don’t mind.”

From afar, he heard Ominis snicker.

Ominis was likely calling Sebastian all sorts of embarrassingly belittling names in his head. But that seemed unfair. How was Sebastian supposed to tell her that he would in fact mind it very, very much if she took off his sweater — without sounding like an utter fool? 

“Thank you.” She said with a smile and his heart was beside itself.

In fairness, he supposed that Ominis had been right about one thing. 

Sebastian was a fucking sap.

“I can’t help but picture a young, petulant baby-faced Sebastian running around the house causing all sorts of mayhem in this sweater,” she said full of mirth as she wrapped her arms around herself, hugging the sweater in glee. Never had he been jealous of a sweater before. That was new.

“Come off it,” Sebastian retorted, “I’ll have you know I was never a petulant child.” 

Ominis piped, “Never? That’s odd. You’re still perfectly petulant to me.”

“Okay someone put Ominis on a time out please.” Sebastian said grouchily. 

The girl wonder laughed. And like a shot of healing draught down his throat, the sound of it washed away the irritation in the nooks of his taut body.

As she linked arms with Ominis, she said “Come Ominis. I’ll save you from Sebastian’s wrath.”

They retreated into the kitchen, getting plates to help Solomon set up the tables for dinner. With burning eyes, Sebastian watched as they walked away, feeling listless tied to the ground that he stood on. Anne stayed firmly beside him, as if she’d been waiting for this moment to corner him all evening.

“I saw that.” Anne whispered.

His heart leaped, “Pray tell, sister, exactly what you saw?”   

“Oh,” she said coyly, “Just the terribly soppy looks you were giving our friend.”

“Oh.” Sebastian said, almost sounding resigned.

Anne raised an eyebrow, “That’s all you have to say?”

“Well, frankly you’re not the first person to say that to me. So I can’t really give you much points for originality,” He replied dryly, belligerent thinking about the long list of friends (and frenemies in Leander’s case) who had already informed him of his affections towards her.

“Hmm, yes. Ominis did mention something about that,”Anne said.

So Sebastian had been right. They had been exchanging letters. He supposed that there wasn’t much point in denying it anymore. While it was true that he could admit to himself that he cared for her deeply, he hadn’t confirmed it verbally with anyone else. Not even Ominis. 

But maybe it would be cathartic for him to just… say it out loud. To hell with it all.

Maybe this would be a good time to start.

“I guess there’s not much to contest when it’s the truth.” Sebastian tried to say as casually as he could, despite the palpable weight of what he was so blatantly saying. 

Almost gleefully, Anne shrieked, grabbed onto his shoulders and shook him manically, “That’s so very sickeningly endearing for you to say. Who are you and what have you done to my terribly cynical brother?”

He groaned “I don’t know. It’s disgusting isn’t it?”

“Are you in love with her?” Anne squealed as she asked excitedly, ignoring Sebastian’s state of emotional turmoil entirely.

Love? He had wanted to yell. Or throw up. He’d been trying his damn hardest to avoid the word, and now Anne had just thrown it into his face. It had already taken so much out of him just for Sebastian to concede that this could possibly be more than friendship; that this was a romantic affliction. But love? That was a whole other degree and department of troublesome feelings. Love was severe. Love was drastic. Love was a steep curve for him to climb.

Also had Anne forgotten that she was sitting literally right there? In the next room? That she could easily overhear?

With a slight hiss, Sebastian motioned for her to pipe down, “Be a little more discreet would you? Also that’s a little strong. I wouldn’t quite call it… that.”

“Well, then what would you call it?” Anne asked inquisitively.

What was it? That was the ever-complicated question, wasn’t it?

“A crush.” He said simply.

“A crush?” Anne said with a laugh of disbelief, “No way. That brief … whatever you had on Violet McDowell in 2nd year, that was a crush—”

“—God, don’t remind me—” Sebastian said with a grimace at the embarrassing flashback.

But Anne paid no mind as she continued.

“— But this? The way you look at her. The way you speak of her — No matter which way you put it, I don’t think there’s anything else you can call it.”

Sebastian almost took offence at that. Because there had to be something he could call it that didn’t feel so treacherous. That didn’t make him feel like so suffocatingly he’d been backed into a tight corner. 

“It’s… complicated.” He replied lamely.

“Sebastian it’s not like you’re trying to decipher an ancient form of magic,” Anne said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes, “It’s just a feeling. It just is or it isn’t. Boys truly are hopeless.”

Sebastian resented that.

“I resent that. It’s not that simple. I’m figuring things out.”

What was the rush anyway? To figure all this out? Love… or whatever this was, wasn’t something to take lightly. He never imagined that Anne would’ve been so frivolous with the word. If anything, he thought that she’d be telling him to tread carefully, not throw caution into the fucking wind. Wasn’t it decidedly worse to say such things so carelessly? To say something that he didn’t mean? 

And if Sebastian was sure of anything, he knew that the girl wonder didn’t deserve anything less than the truth.

“Well you might want to figure things out a tad faster.” Anne said as if to warn him.

And that instantly set off a spiel of alarm bells in his cluttered mind.

“Why? Did she say something to you?” Sebastian said almost in a panic.

“I mean, look at you, Seb. You’re getting frazzled from speculation alone!” Anne exclaimed, as if he’d just proved her point  “No, she hasn’t said anything to me. But do you really want to leave it long enough and risk her being whisked away by someone else?”

Sebastian had recently learned that he absolutely detested that idea.

He learned that he would sooner claw his ears deaf than ever have to endure her being taken away by anybody else.

Not that he had a right to be so dramatic about it, of course. Because people couldn’t be claimed – even if he wished dearly that they could be so. Because she was her own capable witch that had her own fair share of suitors vying for her affection, and Sebastian was (at least at the moment) too cowardly to do anything about it. Because even after all the mental mountains he’d already scaled to admit how fucking enamoured he was by her… he still couldn’t bear say the word love alongside her name. 

But still. Beyond any rational reason he hated the thought of her being with anyone else with an infuriating passion.  

“No.” He admitted.

And maybe that meant Anne was right. 

He had to get his shit together.

“Then, dear brother of mine — a word of advice. And I’m saying this because I love you a stupid amount,” Anne said with a firm pat on his shoulder, “Girls don’t wait forever.”

Dinner had been lovely. They’d been fed all the works; from roast ham to mince pies to Christmas pudding. Sebastian had been surprised that Solomon had brought out all the bells and whistles for them. He couldn’t remember the last time that they’d had a meal so lavish in their humble abode. It must’ve been years. But he gathered that it very likely had to do with their special guests. 

Since Solomon and Anne had done the majority of the heavy lifting with cooking dinner for them, he felt that it would only be fair that he should be the one to endure the surly task of doing the dishes. Which had left Anne gaping in total shock because she knew how fervently Sebastian hated doing the dishes.

“Okay, now you’re truly scaring me. Are you an imposter? Or an impeccably crafted clone?” Anne had teasingly said.

But to his delight (or his horror) the girl wonder had offered to help him.

So that was how Sebastian found himself in the dim kitchen candlelight, standing so closely to the girl that had been plaguing his every thought for the past few weeks. The girl that had been running amok in his tiny, addled brain. His shoulders brushed hers as they did the dishes in the sink. Like the sizzle of fire on an oiled pan or a gulp of caffeine, every little bump made him feel jittery. And there just was something so deeply domestic about this that filled his head with giddiness. 

The smell of soap and sea sponges. The crackle of the fireplace. The muffled chatter from the living room. Her in his sweater. Her sleeves pushed up to her elbows. Her gloved hands. Her furrowed brow. Her smooth hair swept back in a clip. 

Her in his home. 

As she washed and wiped the dishes, she sang a pretty hum from her lips. It sounded folksy and merry and absurdly lovely in the lilt of her voice — but he didn’t recognise it. He deduced that it was likely one of those muggle tunes she loved so dearly. And he made a mental note to ask her about it when he was less distressed.

It all suddenly felt very dangerous. Largely because of how easily Sebastian could see himself accepting this as a permanent fixture in his life. How easily he could get used to all of this. And he wouldn’t need to be convinced by any means or measure. In fact he’d grovel, pray, beg whatever god or infallible wizard he needed to make this regular occurrence. A taste of this homeliness was enough for him to fold like a cheap suit. 

It was appalling at how a tiny taste of mundanity was enough to devoid him of his wit.

“So…” she began slyly, “Anne told me an interesting story about you and the Neighbour’s garden.”

He felt himself go stiff, because that cloying tone of her voice did not sound good at all. What on Earth did Anne think that she was doing? God what on Earth did he think he was doing? 

“Something about how you ran stark naked around your neighbour’s garden after a little bender down at the pub? ” She said almost all too innocently. He was shocked at how she managed to say such wicked things with such innocuousness.

He groaned in despair. That was not a story that he had ever wanted her to hear.

“Merlin. You need to stay away from Anne.” Sebastian said brusquely. 

“I thought you wanted us to get along?” She said coyly.

His heart jumped. He swore that he could hear a hint of something wicked in the underbelly of her voice. Was she flirting? Because this certainly sounded like flirting.

And if the shivers that ran down the back of his spine was any indication, it sure fucking felt like flirting too.

“Yes, but not at my expense, obviously.” Sebastian said flatly.

“Where’s the fun in that?” She said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Fun? Merlin this girl would be the death of him. It was supposed to be Sebastian who flustered her; who said cavalier things that made her blush feverishly and rendered her speechless. It had always worked with the village girls down the stream, or the barmaids in Hogsmeade. But with her — the one girl where it truly mattered — it had never been the case. 

Here she was rendering him a total dunce, and all it took was a coy smile. All this time, Sebastian had thought that she’d been doing it unintentionally. But maybe she’d been doing it more deliberately than she’d let on. And if that was the case…

He wouldn’t survive it.

“You’re becoming more despicable with every passing day.” He retorted wittily, with just enough mirth to appear charming, but not too much as to leave him feeling exposed.

“I did learn from the best.” She replied pointedly and shrewdly.

Admittedly, he felt his chest swell with pride at the idea that she’d learnt it from him.

But before he had the chance to retort, she caught him off guard with a dose of sincerity.

“Thank you for letting me come over this Christmas.” She said quietly, to a backdrop of the running water tap and the clinking of ceramic plates.

She was thanking him so earnestly. And Sebastian wished he could take credit for it. Pretend that he was totally selfless in inviting her into his home — but he couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be wrong. 

The girl wonder had made it known to him early in the year that she had planned to stay in the castle over Christmas. And when she had first mentioned it several months ago, Sebastian had felt restless — but at the time, he hadn’t known why. 

After months of emotional whiplash, it was safe to say that he now had a clearer idea. 

“Couldn’t let you stay alone in the castle, now could I?” Sebastian said.

“I mean you could’ve.” She joked.

He couldn’t have. He wouldn’t have. But how else was Sebastian meant to explain that without confessing some degree of his despairing devotion to her? How was he to explain to her that actually, she was doing him this favour? By being here, with him, in the dim corner of his childhood kitchen light. How else was he to explain to her that if she hadn’t, even if she stayed by herself in the hallowed halls of the castle, he’d still be the lonelier one between them?

He couldn’t. So he needed to keep it brief.

“No,” he said surprisingly sincerely, “I really couldn’t.”

And all of a sudden, the weightless atmosphere that once pervaded the room was now gone. The muffled voices from the living room became soft. Even the soreness in his fingers from all the dish-washing dulled. What was left was only the sincerity in his voice now. He hadn’t intended to sound so… honest, but he guessed that she naturally brought it out of him. 

He could only hope that he hadn’t… totally freaked her out.

He turned to look at her, to say something either aloof or wildly charming — but he soon realised that it was a grave mistake. Because suddenly, he was looking right at her, and she was looking right at him. And with one measly look, Sebastian’s chest felt tighter and the air felt thinner.

(This was happening so often, really — you’d think that he would’ve been more accustomed to it all by now.)

Her eyes flicked up to something above them that had caught her attention; but Sebastian couldn’t bring himself to look up — or care in all honesty. Too enraptured by the magnetic pull of her eyes. 

But the next words she uttered out of her lips, he couldn’t have ever ignored: 

“Is that… a mistletoe?” 

Sebastian almost wanted to laugh. Because surely, he had to have misheard.

Because a fucking mistletoe?

But alas, magically above them, a mistletoe sat. In all its almost mocking, prickly glory, a mistletoe was perched on the edge of the hanging kerosene kitchen lamp.  All of a sudden, blood was rushing in his ears, drowning out the rest of the room. All that he could hear was the thunderous pounding thump of his relentless heartbeat banging against his eardrums. 

When Sebastian realised that he hadn’t spoken for a while, he racked his tiny anxious brain for something meaningful, charming, or at least coherent. 

“It… must be Anne’s doing.” Was all Sebastian could say, rather lamely.

Was this Anne’s idea of helping him move along? To make it all go a little faster? Because if that were true, this was the most insane plan he’d ever heard of. And Sebastian was normally the mastermind behind the most ludicrous and most asinine of plans — so trust that he could spot one a mile away.

If he hadn’t loved his sister so dearly, he would’ve banished her out to the neighbour’s cottage for the rest of the night for all the emotional strife she was causing him! If he were to die young from all the heart palpitations this meddling was sure to give him — he’d vow to haunt her endlessly for eternity.

Because coercing the girl that he… had very strong feelings for… into kissing him would not bode well on his conscience. Or his ego. Or his delicately constructed sense of self-worth. In fact it would rather bruise him if she were to kiss him out of some sort of misplaced obligation.

No matter how heavenly he knew it would probably feel.

Sebastian could feel himself literally teetering on the brink of perilous precipice; between what he could do next… but also what he should most definitely not do next.

This was all feeling too loud and too radical for him to bear. How did kissing her suddenly factor into this equation?

… But as if by wicked instinct, his gaze dropped down onto the curve of her lips — and he absolutely loathed himself for it. 

Gods, wouldn’t it be nice to kiss her?

(Another one of those absurd, intrusive thoughts of his.)

He was ready to laugh it off. Tell her that it was just a silly little old thing. Some outdated conventions. They didn’t have to go through with it. In fact, they could spare themselves the embarrassment and never speak of this ever again if she willed it so. 

To his surprise, she replied almost matter-of-factly:

“… Supposedly if we don’t kiss, we’d be doomed to 100 years of misfortune.”

Like a slow sinful poison, he felt his body go numb in shock. Like a match to a barren wick, he felt his mouth go dry. Had he heard right? 

Was she implying what he thought she was implying?

Almost cautiously, he replied, “We wouldn’t want that.” 

It was true, he wouldn’t want that. 100 years of misfortune wouldn’t do him any good in trying to court the girl before him.

“Not at all,” She said as she nodded.

So it was only logical that they had to kiss.

“100 Years is… a long time,” He rationalised.

He almost couldn’t believe the words tumbling out of his mouth. 

“A lifetime long,” She agreed.

Forget what he was saying — why was she encouraging this?

“And I suppose it is tradition,” He justified.

“Right. Tradition.” She clarified.

When she’d put it like that, it seemed entirely sensible. Almost as if doing anything else would be totally irrational. Sebastian normally skewed towards irrationality, because what was life without a little bit of unreasonableness… 

But if she was readily weaving this enticing thread of logic for him — he would obediently surrender to her pull.

Sebastian waited for the punchline. The cruel joke. For her to say she was, “just kidding, of course!” 

But even after what felt like aeons of silence — it never came. He wondered if she could read him. If she knew that he was all unbridled nerves and anticipation in this lanky body of his. All he saw was her, looking straight at him. No distractions, just a firm sense of purpose. And he wondered what was behind her eyes. Was she nervous? Because he was fucking nervous. 

Why didn’t she look nervous?

A lull fell over them, and it was as if they’d reach an impasse. As if it were a silent agreement between two precarious souls.

“So I guess-” He began.

“Right.”

He supposed that was confirmation enough. For him to press on. To take the next step.

But what was the next step? This didn’t come with a fucking manual. How was he to go about kissing the girl that had plagued his every waking thought now that she was all but offering it?

He supposed he just had to take it.

So he did.

He took a daring step forward, and he swore that he could see a slight tremor in her throat. It was tiny, almost imperceivable, but honest to god, it helped him breathe a little. Because it meant that maybe she wasn’t so unbothered by this treacherous proximity as she appeared to be. 

When he looked at her closely and scrutinised every crinkle in her eye, he saw a sliver of something he hadn’t seen before. Something familiar. Like the flicker of a yearning and restlessness he saw so often in himself. In the rounds of her cheeks, he could make out the outline of a growing blush, betraying the effect his closeness had on her.

With every passing second he inched closer, Sebastian could feel something growing inside him. Breaking out in the pit of his stomach like turbulent waves. A feeling he knew would only be quelled if he managed to get his mouth onto hers. Until he knew what every inch of her lips tasted like.

Was he really about to do this?

Sebastian was still holding onto the dishes in the sink. But fuck the dishes. He didn’t have the time to put that shit down. He’d carry the weight of every stupid dish, cup or ceramic bowl if it meant that he’d be able to touch her.  

“Merry Christmas Sebastian.” She whispered.

And what a lovely whisper it was.

Before her hands ever touched him, her voice did. It embraced him everywhere; his arms, down his spine, even in the unknown depths of his heart. He felt his chest melt a little with something warm and soft and so, so pleasant. In this moment, he allowed himself to believe it. Believe that maybe he could be in love with her. Maybe he was already knee-deep in it; buried thousands and thousands of feet below the weight of his burdensome feelings.

And that this love wouldn’t kill him. It wouldn’t hurt him. It wouldn’t be wrong or scary or restricting.

He could love her and still breathe.

She was so close. Just one more step and they’d meet.

Fuck his ego. Fuck his conscience. Fuck his brittle his self-worth. He would fucking kiss her like his entire measly existence depended on it.

It was just on the tip of his tongue. It was right there for the taking. It was—

“Hey, Dessert’s ready—” 

— Ominis?

As quickly as heaven had opened its gates, it had also come crashing down like a train wreck. 

Like a brutal punch to the gut, Sebastian was thrown back into a sobering reality. Ominis’s sharp voice had popped the fragile little bubble they’d temporarily created. 

Wasn’t the universe just fucking cruel?

And as much as he loved his best friend, he had never ever hated him more. Of all the moments that he could’ve chosen to walk in on… this was what he decided on?

Silence hung in the air. The shadow of something that almost happened lingered like a half-spoken sonnet, begging to be finished. Sebastian searched for the right words, searched for clarity in the fog, searched for the will to string his thoughts together — but it all eluded him.

“...Did I interrupt something—”

“N-No!” “Nope.”

Her face was flushed crimson. His was probably no better.

Thank Merlin, Ominis was blind.

As if by magic, they were now a whole metre apart. Now that Sebastian had a taste of closeness, this distance starved him. It felt like a cruel, deprivation 

A heavy silence settled between them, with each second stretching out for what felt like an eternity. Ominis hadn’t seen them, per se — but Sebastian had a feeling that he could sense that he had just ruined… something significant.

Love might not have killed him, but this painfully awkward silence would.

"Right... well. Solomon asked me to get you both," Ominis finally broke the silence, his tone tinged with clear discomfort.

The ambiance dissipated, the moment was gone. Replaced by the ordinary state of affairs they were forced to return to.

“We’ll—” Sebastian began to say with a slight croak, before clearing his throat, “We’ll be right there.”

He couldn’t bear to look at her as he rushed out to the living room, where normalcy awaited him.

There went his bloody chance.

“Ominis, my plan!” Anne said in a rushed whisper as she pulled the blonde boy into an alcove of the small Sallow residence.

He looked back at her guiltily, with only the slightest hint of a grumble, “Well you could’ve told me about the plan ahead of time…”

“We were so close!” Anne said

“I’m sorry…”

——

Notes

GOSH I apologise so deeply for how atrociously long this chapter took!!! It took me so long, even though I've literally had the outline for it from the very early stages of this fic!

But work did not kill me and I have a new chapter for yall <3

I made sure to sprinkle all the good tropes like, the classic wearing his sweater trope, the oh is that a mistletoe? trope, the almost kiss trope!!! AHHHH I hope you guys like it :)

My HC that the only person that can tame Ominis' outta pocket sass is Anne.

I'm so sorry if you guys have been waiting, and if you're still reading THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Shoutout to the very very lovely, @wt-fxck @deliciouslyferal @sonicranger1 @spaceyaceface @eleanorstaghart @ithinkweallsing @somethingiswrongwithme @tlnyjoong @musicbecky @oliviajdjarin @intheshadowofthegame @weeb-shitss FOR ALL THE COMMENTS AND THE TAGS!!!!

[nyukyusnz]

after christmas with nct dream! <3

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

mark lee - singing your last christmas songs together

during christmas and even before so, you and mark were always singing christmas themed songs during december cause it was the holidays! how could you not? at the end of christmas day, you two listened to your christmas playlist for the last time. "we have to do this again next year." he laughed, it was very joyful, you couldn't lie. "definitely will." you smiled back, you planned on it for next year and every time year after that.

huang renjun - taking down decorations

one of the saddening parts of the end of christmas would be taking down the decorations :(( the pretty ornaments coming down off the tree along with the tree itself is so depressing <//3. "i cant reach the star." "youre too short for this stay at the bottom of the tree, elf." renjun mocked you, it wasn't your fault the tree was like 8 feet tall and he picked it out?! you still couldnt reach with the help of a ladder but that's okay cause youll make renjun do it <3 same as for the hanging lights and paper decorations. you think youll stick to the lower levels when it comes to this.

lee jeno - putting away christmas clothes

we all know about matching ugly sweaters and so and so, so you offered to do that with the rest of the dreamies and they were all glad to! but after christmas day, you and jeno spent time together washing the sweaters from the messes you'd made throughout the day and neatly putting them away. "give me that hanger." he asked as you handed it to him, making sure all the other sweaters were dry. "this one's still damp..." you felt across the sleeves of the woven yarn, noticing it hadn't fully dried. "it's fine it'll air dry." jeno said, taking the sweater from you and hanging it with the others.

lee donghyuck - building a specific christmas snow man

it was dark out, and you were walking home with haechan from a christmas party. the snow was so pretty under the street lights, you stopped for a moment and kneeled down to draw a heart in the snow just in front of your house before speaking up, "hyuck, can we make another snowman for christmas?" you slipped off your scarf ready to tug it around the head as haechan had already started at the lower body immediately after you said so. he huffed as he set the head on top of the other two parts of the body and you finally settled your scarf around it. you grabbed spare christmas lights you saved for this and set the stones on its face alone with a top hat. "amazing." haechan smiled as you two posed for a photo with it.

na jaemin - eating the rest of the christmas cookies

"why did you make him dead?" jaemin questioned having finally recognized the x's you'd drawn as the eyes of one of the snowmen with it's tongue hanging out. "because we're gonna eat him regardless, i put him out of his misery the moment he was born." you stated. he chuckled, mumbling something before sliding the head of the cookie into his mouth "see? and you killed MY cookie." "he was already dead!"

zhong chenle - cleaning gift paper and trash

after you'd made a complete mess and not realized it, you offered to clean with chenle. "at least the gifts were nice." you said with a handful of balled up wrapping paper from opening gifts. you half sighed and laughed, a little disappointed in the mess but you enjoyed cleaning at the same time. "we might as well clean the whole living room, huh?" you wished it wouldn't be as logical but it made sense... you and the boys basically turned it into a junkyard. you were all still little kids when it came to christmas.

park jisung - breaking and eating a gingerbread house

you and jisung stared at your creation that was honestly.... half failed. one side of the roof on the verge of slipping down but was held in place by the dry icing. you picked off one of the candies and popped it into your mouth, handing jisung a candy. "this house is such a disaster i don't even know if i wanna eat it." he hesitated. "just because it looks bad doesn't mean it tastes bad." you said, shoving m&m's into your mouth and taking off the roof that was already partially off. jisung sighed, tasting a part of the gingerbread. "its okay i guess."

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

kyas note: sorry if the lengths are unfair i wanted to make them make sense🙏🏼🙏🏼 this is also for funsies like all of my writing but i do hope you have fun reading <3

[charmsandtealeaves]

One More Sleep

Summary: A little Sirius and Remus raising Harry Christmas fluff. Three year old Harry is very eager to catch Santa Claus delivering him presents for the first time.

Words: 1K

Read it on AO3 or below the cut.

Sirius had tasked Remus with sneakily placing presents under their christmas tree and making their lounge room look like a jolly fat man had been to visit. Which left himself with the job of putting his eager godson to bed, and staying in said bed. Usually this task was a breeze as young Harry was always eager to please, however Sirius was quickly realising that he may have bitten off more than he could chew. After weeks of promising  and slowly convincing Harry that unlike at his aunt Petunia’s house where Santa never left gifts for him, at Padfoot’s he was 100% going to be able to open presents on Christmas morning it seemed the young lad had finally chosen to believe him. Which had prompted him in true mini marauder to want to catch Santa in the act of leaving presents under the tree. 

“Santa won’t come see you if you aren’t tucked up in your bed pal. That’s the rules,” said Sirius as he leaned down to give his godson a kiss on the forehead. 

Which was a custom he’d taken to do every night, knowing that Harry had received very little signs of affection during the few years he had lived under the Dursley’s roof. Which he had done for the year prior to Sirius winning custody in the muggle courts. When Sirius and Remus had first brought Harry home, he had been the quietest and most placid toddler either of them had ever met, especially considering their previous experiences had involved the Weasley boys. But finally after ten months living under their roof, Harry had started to push boundaries in true three year old fashion. 

“But Padfoot! You promised Santa would come no matter what!” Harry whined, wiggling so his blankets untucked from the sides of his bed. 

“He will buddy. So long as you’re in your bed.” Sirius shoved the sheets and covers back into place, only for Harry to wiggle his way out again.

“Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy”

“Well you might get covered in soot when he comes down the chimney,” he supplied. 

“When we go in the fireplace Uncle Moony just waves his wand. You can do it too!” Harry pleaded. 

“Santa might get a fright seeing you out of bed. We wouldn’t want to frighten him now would we?”

“We can hide!” 

Harry pulled his dad’s invisibility cloak out from under his covers. He’d taken to sleeping with it at night since Sirius had managed to get it back from an affronted Albus Dumbledore. Merlin’s pants, this kid had an answer for everything! Why had he had to inherit his fathers knack for mischief and his mother’s big brain?  

“I tell you what… Uncle Moony is like the mastermind when it comes to rules. So I’ll go ask him. But you stay here while I go ask okay?” 

This statement seemed to finally placate Harry, who fidgeted but stayed in his bed. Sirius made sure to lock his bedroom door with a silent charm for good measure as he took off down the corridor to find Remus. Absorbed in his task as ‘Santa’ Remus didn’t notice when Sirius frantically entered the room, constantly checking over his shoulder for a small boy who was getting very good with controlling his magic. 

“Moony we have a problem,” Sirius stage whispered. 

“Did he wet the bed again? His quidditch sheets are in his cupboard. I washed them earlier in the week.” 

“No… he wants to sneak out here and watch Santa leave his presents. I’m running out of answers to give him about why he can’t.”

“So let him.”

“What?!”

“Just come out here and sit with him under the cloak chances are he’ll probably fall asleep and we can just carry him back to bed. I can charm my hair and beard. It’s not a biggie Pads. Stop worrying,” Remus teased. 

Sirius raced back to the bedroom to find Harry standing on his bed, bouncing from foot to foot in anticipation. “What’d Moony say? What’d he say?!”

“Moony says so long as we stay really quiet and hide under the cloak we should be okay.”

Harry squealed with glee and jumped up and down on his bed excitedly clutching his invisibility cloak. Sirius picked him up off the bed and carried him in his arms through to the lounge room, where Remus was nowhere to be seen and the presents that had already been stacked under the tree had been covered with a disillusionment charm. He snuggled down into the big armchair Remus liked to read in and cuddled Harry in the crook of his arm. Harry draped the cloak over them, though it mostly just covered Sirius’ torso and head, his legs and feet sticking out the bottom. Harry’s body was entirely covered and that’s what counted. 

“Is Uncle Moony coming?” asked Harry.

“He’s in bed, sweet thing.”

“Is he feeling poorly again?” he asked worriedly, bottom lip wobbling. 

“Just a little bit. He’ll be okay tomorrow. Promise.”

Harry snuggled into Sirius and they watched the fireplace expectantly. Remus had let Harry help him earlier in the evening, set out a plate of chocolate biscuits for Santa and carrots for his reindeer, alongside a glass of milk on the mantelpiece. They waited a few minutes longer and the fireplace glowed green indicating someone was about to step out from the floo network. Sirius had to hand it to him, Remus was a genius, despite knowing it was him beneath the white hair, beard and ruby red overcoat Sirius hardly recognised him. Harry was purely delighted, clamping his hands over his mouth to try stop himself from making noise and kicking his legs excitedly in Sirius’ lap. 

They watched as Remus inspected their plat of offerings, dunking a biscuit in milk and tucking the carrots into his coat pocket, green tendril ends sticking out. Then he moved to the tree where he revealed the presents, Sirius assumed his wand was tucked up under his oversized sleeves somewhere. He turned to the invisible Harry and gave him a small wink and a tip of his hat before climbing back into the fireplace and disappearing again in a roar of green flame. 

“Did you see! Padfoot! Padfoot!” 

“I did. Now come on you off to bed. We can open presents in the morning with Uncle Moony when he wakes up.”

“Okay!” Harry cried and raced off towards his bedroom. 

[dehydration-stati0n]

Strawhats living together HCs (Modern AU)

The strawhats living in a house together.. ha

Rules Word Count: 1.1k Spoilers: None

Luffy

The crew has to constantly send someone to the store cause this man won't stop eating everything in the fridge

The cops get called to the house by the neighbors for all the noise Luffy makes

His room is arguably the dirtiest in the entire house. Like there's actual clumps of dirt in the carpet.

The neighbors hate him, but the bugs hanging around his room sure don't

He, Usopp, Franky, and occasionally Chopper he cries when he loses will sit in the living room and play Super Smash Bros or smth

Sometimes the crew will lock him outside in the backyard

Fell off the roof once

He has clothes all over the floor in every room. Clothes in the living room, clothes in the kitchen, and he probably has socks in the yard.

There was almost a petition signed to kick him out of the neighborhood

Zoro

They had to throw him and Luffy into a room to avoid making the other rooms smell bad, but he doesn't even really sleep in there, he just kinda passes out in the hallway.

He uses his shared room to work out in so it constantly smells like sweat

He's one of those people who like to sit on their front porch and drink beer. Franky probably sits out there with him too with his coke

Usopp and Nami make him do all the yard work like mowing the yard or raking leaves

Only thing he contributes to the house is tiddies forced labor. Won't be much help in anything else.

Leaves the toilet seat up

Offered to help clean once and now there's a closet that's so full that it'll be like an avalanche the next time someone opens it

Probably orders takeout to piss off Sanji but then reluctantly apologizes when he runs out of money and wants to eat

Nami

so close to setting this place on fire

she pays the bills every month since she doesn't trust some of the others to get it done other than Robin and Jinbei

Constantly has to apologize to the neighbors

"You'll owe me 100$ if Smoker shows up again."

I could see her fostering kids? Like she comes back to the house with Momonosuke or Tama or any of those random kids they always have with them and they'll just live in the house for a little.

She manages their garden with Usopp

Forces Luffy and Zoro to clean their bathroom/room

She'll bribe some of the crew members with money to do chores but she has never paid them and never will

Usopp

The one constantly getting sent to the store

Has a lot of plants in his room

He bought 2 dartboards, one for Franky's garage and the other for his and Chopper's room

Most of them come to get him if there's a spider

He and Chopper have a shared hat collection

Only one who vacuums the place

Whenever something breaks or goes out in the house, Franky will teach Usopp how to fix it

Bro bought a ridiculous amount of blankets (mostly for Zoro and Brook who sleep anywhere except their rooms)

Sanji

He'll host a neighborhood barbeque every once in a while to show off to the ladies

All of his products take up half of the sink in one of the bathrooms

There's a drawer in the kitchen that's full of his cigarettes

Makes them take 'Family photo' type pictures so the walls aren't completely bare.

Only calm on Tuesdays

He wants to get a dog for the house

Says he hates the kids Nami fosters but he's always seen playing games with them and teaching them how to cook

They have a homeless man living in their front yard because Sanji fed him once (it's barto)

Chopper

Had Dr. Kurhea sign a permission slip for him before he moved in

it's a good thing he's there cause otherwise, Zoro would've died of liver failure

Has bunk beds with Usopp

He puts the crew's Christmas tree up right after Halloween

Checks the mail every morning and gets so excited when something's addressed to him

He'll write a script and then get Brook and Usopp to put on a play for the rest of the crew

Was so excited when his family photo made it on one of the walls in Franky's garage

Robin

In the mornings, she'll sit in the kitchen with Sanji and Jinbei and read

Has a mug collection and it's overflowing some of the cabinets

decorated the house to make it look nice but it went downhill fast when everyone moved in so now she just cleans up here and there

puts letters in the mail addressed to Chopper just to see him happy

She also sits at the table and helps Chopper with his homework when he comes home from school

Franky renovated the house and made her a library

The neighbors are a little scared of her after talking to her for a little at one of Sanji's barbeques

Franky

He was the one who suggested the idea of living together cause he liked the idea of living in a frat house with everyone

The garage was turned into his SUPER cool man cave

man's fr got bazookas and those really funny propaganda posters hanging on the wall

It's where he sleeps

He bought a mini fridge for it and its filled with coke and milk

Has like 5 cars that everyone can use, they run well too since he built them himself

They have the best security and wifi systems because of him

Way too loud in the mornings

The dinner table is always covered with his stuff.

Brook

Has concerts in Franky's garage. He put a disco ball in there specifically for that

He also just kinda sleeps wherever, usually on the couch tho

Has a huge fish tank with only one fish. It's named Laboon and it's his pride and joy

Gets too excited about Halloween and spends all their money on candy

Leaves the chip bags open and they always go stale

Blast's music without realizing it sometimes

Bought a coat rack for the front door but he's the only one who uses it

Jinbei

the only thing keeping this house together

His room is always clean

he will sometimes make breakfast if Sanji is feeling tired

reads stories to the kids Nami fosters Robin does too but then they can't sleep

Has one of those designated dad rocking chairs

He probably wakes up the earliest to make coffee for everyone except Luffy, who's banned from having caffeine

Lines everyone's shoes neatly at the door

He probably sews festive sweaters for everyone during any holiday

//Overall//

it's a fucking madhouse

good news is, they don't have to worry about anyone breaking in

bad news is, CPS is always getting called on them

it's a warzone whenever they eat because of Luffy

Holidays are always a blast

A few arguments but it's an all-around good time

[weirdthoughtsandideas]

Please rank the Astrid Lindgren stories

I'll only do a top 10 because this woman has written so many stories and is the closest we have to a secluded religion over here. So if I don't mention some, now you know.

1. Madicken

Mischievous badass little girl? I know we got Pippi but Madicken's life is tbh more appealing to me. She comes from a wealthy home, but their closest neighbours are poor, the husband is drunk and the wife is ready to sell her body to science to get some money. Their son is 14 but he's so big and cool (until he dresses up as a ghost and scares the shit out of you). Madicken's dad also refuses to be a normal upper class man, inviting their maid to the ball for example. The local mean girl who Madicken has a beef with turns out is very poor, and when she gives Madicken lice, Madicken's mom invites the girl and her sister, and cleans ALL of their hairs. They're anti child spanking in a story set in a time when hitting and spanking children was common. THEY HAVE THIS SCENE OF MADICKEN'S FAMILY TRYING TO HAVE A PICNIC AND END UP RUNNING FROM BULLS AND HAVING TO CLIMB UP TREES AND IT ALWAYS MAKES ME LAUGH. Madicken jumps from a roof with an umbrella just to see if she can fly. She's completely unhinged, yet so loveable. I also love her and her sister's relationship so much. Lisabet is also really funny.

2. The Children of Noisy Village

Just a slice of life story about children living in the countryside in early 1900s Sweden. Honestly great for a lot of historical fiction, showing how they lived back then, but also it's so cozy?? Just the kids, going through their everyday life, and causing chaos. It's april 1st, THE ENTIRE CLASS comes to the school at 6 AM to change the time, then go wake up the teacher (who DOES live in the school because this is Sweden in the countryside), and prank her. The same day, one of the boys tricks the other to go give a salesman a bunch of rocks, creating the most memeable quote "Sa du sten?!" that sweblr uses as a meme tag now. One of the kids is afraid to loose his baby teeth, so his neighbours SNEAK INTO HIS ROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND DRAGS IT OUT WHILE HE SLEEPS. They have the coziest christmas where all the kids lie in a row on the floor and sleep. One of the kids accidentally fall into the water as they're ice skating, and it teaches kids what to do if this ever happens to someone! At one point everyone goes out in the forest to look for a mythical creature and one of the kids strips his clothes off and sits naked on a rock with a harmonica pretending to be him. The stuff these kids get up to, you wish you lived there with them! You wish you had the childhood they had!

Also the 1987 movie adaptation has every kid have a totally different accent and it's hilarious.

3. Pippi Longstocking

Was gonna put her lower but then I remembered how many times I watched "Pippi on the run" as a kid and changed my mind. But my sister was more obsessed with the actual show adaptation, I was more into the movies. Pippi is cool! However I remember sometimes getting second hand embarrassment when she didn't act the way you're supposed to in social situations. Especially when she got invited to the reception and dipped her head in the cake and kept messing everything up. Literally not the point about Pippi, like the point is that she breaks the rules and I am happy she's just herself and doesn't care for any norms, and yet I feel second hand embarrassment during those moments she's in other people's houses (or when she broke off a mannequin arm at the store). I don't know why! I do however appreciate that she's randomly magic, like making the most scary impressions (the dark man-voice in the tree still haunts me) and in the "on the run" movie she just goes biking without wheels and ends up FLYING ON A BROOMSTICK at the end (Pippi has been a witch all along!!!!!!!!!!)

4. Lotta on troublemaker street

Lotta is every single youngest sibling combined into one person. She's that one kid in the family that everyone has a story about. Although the thing I remember the most was when her brother decided to climb a cliff and ended up falling into the water. I was for some reason also obsessed with the fact that her sister's full name was Mia-Maria. Her dad is also one of the best dads in all of Astrid Lindgren tbh. Lotta I think is just how it feels being the youngest of the family and not really being allowed the same things as your siblings because you're too young, and it's not fair! And so you revolt, and runaway to the neighbour lady who is more than happy to play with you. You wanna ride a bike like your siblings so you STEAL AN ADULT BIKE and ride down the street. It feels like the whole world is against you, but you're also literally five years old. And because of your 5 year old willpower, you also manage to save christmas and get a christmas tree for your family.

5. Ronja the Robber's Daughter

I honestly didn't find this as appealing as a kid, I remember thinking the movie adaptation was WAY TOO LONG (and it was, it was over 2 hours), but I've grown to appreciate it way more. Especially since the new adaptation they released on Netflix. Also it has one of the catchiest themes, like I hum that robber's song every day. I love just seeing her play in the forest, I love her and Birk's banters... the creatures in the forest will forever scare me but goddamn those butt gnomes... everyone quotes them and we immediately know. Although tbh I've never been a fantasy kid, it could be why I wasn't as into this.

6. Seacrow island

Honestly?? I found it quite boring before Skrållan was born. Weird, huh? Thought it got better because they added a baby. It could however have to do with the final movie being one I watched a lot. I do appreciate the full series a lot more now than when I was a kid. I love the islands, I love the children's shenanigans. Still is so messed up how Westerman just gaslit Stina into thinking she sold Skrållan to him, when in reality he just made her get a cocoa ball as he returned Skrållan to her mom. I felt so bad for Stina??? SHE'S LIKE 7 YEARS OLD SHE JUST WANTED A COCOA BALL, AND SHE JUST WANTED TO BABYSIT THE ONLY BABY ON THE ISLAND SO SHE COULD FEEL BIG FOR ONCE. Also always got me so nervous when they snuck into Westerman's house to retrieve his gun so that he wouldn't shoot a fox. I also wish Teddy and Freddy were more developed, it felt like they just stopped caring about them, but they were interesting.

7. Karlsson on the roof

This is ONLY because of the cartoon version. I hated the live action version as a kid and I felt SO BAD for Svante because Karlsson kept messing his life up ALL THE TIME. And then everyone blamed him because no one believed Karlsson existed. But it was slightly better in the cartoon, I think. I also remember quite liking the books, and I remember distinctly how I watched a play in Stockholm where BENJAMIN INGROSSO played Svante. Yeah, I've seen Benjamin Ingrosso when he was a literal CHILD playing on stage and that's how I'll remember him.

8. Emil in Lönneberga

It's mostly for the songs from the adaptation? Because I could never enjoy anything properly due to being so scared of Emil's dad. But the songs are such bangers. Also I have appreciated it so much more now when I'm grown than when I was a kid.

9. Mio my Mio

I remember my parents insisting on reading this to me when I was a kid and I didn't want them to, so I pretended to dislike the story. But tbh, I was kinda into it. I hate his foster parents so much, though?? Like imagine adopting a kid and being like "yeah we dislike you because you're not a girl like we wanted to adopt". Also, the theme song for the adaptation slaps, even though the adaptation is kind of... meh.

10. Brother's Lionheart

I remember as a kid not getting why everyone loved this, because I was like "I don't get it, I find it boring idk" (kid me really didn't pay attention when I watched the movie adaptation), but as I'm older... woah. Astrid Lindgren said "the two main characters, both minors, DIE in the first chapter. You're welcome". I really understand why this book caused such a controversy, ESPECIALLY due to the way it ends????? Also it got the iconic quote "All makt åt Tengil vår befriare".

[sweaterkittensahoy]

Prompt: “I can’t waste any time. There’s too much work to be done.”

Pairing: Crubbles

[A little early Christmas cheer]

Harry wakes up to the sounds of hurried walking. He groans and squints at the clock. Just after six. "Joey!" he yells. "Really?!"

"Yes!" Joey yells back. Because of course he does. Because it's the day after Thanksgiving, and Joey does this every goddamn year. 

Harry grumbles and gets out of bed. He puts on his slippers and his robe and shuffles down the hall and through the living room to the kitchen. The coffee's on, at least. He pours himself a cup and sits at the little table in the corner, knowing Joey will come to him as soon as he's done with whatever's got him in the front closet. 

"Why are you in the front closet?" Harry hollers. 

"I put the backup bulbs here last year!" Joey hollers back. 

Right. Harry remembers now. Not why, mind you, but that they're in there. "Wait. Why?" he calls. 

"So I don't have to go all the way to the shed for 'em!"

Of course. Harry takes another sip of coffee. He listens to the closet door latch. He listens to the sound of Joey walking towards him. Joey walks into the kitchen and beams at Harry, dropping to kiss the top of his head. 

"Morning," Joey murmurs. 

Harry can't help his smile. "Morning," he replies. "Have you eaten?" 

"I'll eat later. I can't waste any time. There's too much work to be done."

"You know you don't have to get the lights up before everyone else every year," Harry says. "You could let someone else win."

"It's not a race," Joey says, though his eyes say different. "I just like it, is all. It's Christmas!"

"It's the day after Thanksgiving," Harry replies. 

"Fine, then it's Christmas-eve-eve-eve-eve-whatever." Joey rattles the box of spare bulbs at Harry. "I'll be on the roof."

"Please don't break your neck," Harry replies. 

"Haven't yet," Joey calls over his shoulder as he turns on his heel and leaves. 

Harry finishes his coffee and stands up. He pours himself another cup, then pulls out the frying pan as he hears the ladder hit the side of the house. He cracks two eggs as he hears Joey step up, and he pushes down bread in the toaster as he listens to Joey walk across the roof. He'll be back inside in a couple of hours, pink-cheeked and starving. Harry will make him his own eggs and toast and get a hot cup of coffee into him, and then they'll pull the tree and the ornaments and the window decorations from the attic, and that'll be their day. Getting ready for Christmas. 

Harry smiles as he sits down to eat. The extra-early morning he could do without, but the rest of it? He wouldn't miss it for anything.

[1moreoffkeyanthem]

Alright I can’t sleep so it’s time for OJV headcanons that only myself will probably care about but who’s turn is it? Surprisingly not Kenny yet, but

Cartman.

• OrangeJuiceVerse Eric Cartman is an abrasive fuckwad, but he’s not actually Evil.

• He genuinely cares about his friends in his own fucked up way, but he will deny it every goddamn time. Like in hs he’ll give kenny a ride home when his shitty death trap car won’t start but he WILL insult him the whole way.

•this hasn’t been seen in the fics yet, but this mf starts a WEDDING PLANNING COMPANY called, you guessed it, CUPID ME. Marj actually got her degree in hospitality and helps him with it. Both the Style and Kenjorine weddings were GORGEOUS and so personal.

•he didn’t go to college himself but still lived with the group in their weird little house close to campus, and was the one to dubb the place “SP Survivors Safehouse” and named the EXTREMELY dangerous staircase the Widowmakers.

•was the drum major senior year but was incredibly lazy about it, just wanted a “position of power” (only got the position bc he’s an okay clarinet player and his mom slept with the assistant director)

•definitely fights with Kyle growing up ofc because as a child, he WAS truly evil. Like sociopathic. In 6th grade he FINALLY gets some mental help and is surprisingly good about keeping up with the cocktail of antipsychotics and various other shit, plus therapy and trying really hard to empathize with others.

^on that note he still ACTS LIKE A TOTAL DICK most of the time because he thinks it’s funny, but also because he is terrified of anything changing in their group and ya can’t teach an old mr kitty new tricks

• has the most OUT OF POCKET INSULTS ever and is SHOCKINGLY good at naming things. He coined the phrase “Sadsack” too.

• most of them are to mess with kyle of course. Some of his favorites are “pack it up, Fiddler On The Roof”, calling him a burning bush, prince of Egypt, things of that nature. HOWEVER!!!

•the rest of the gang accepted long ago that Cartman was always just gonna call them names and be a general jerk, but they SET UP RULES AS TO WHAT HE CANT DO/SAY!

• in high school, they implement the “Fuckwad Jar”.

• the rules of the jar are as follows: he can rip on his friends, but the SECOND something he does or says genuinely hurts someone, he has to put a dollar in. No exceptions.

• for example, he can roast Stan for being a “tree hugging hippie” and call him a buttplug, “photosynthesizing dildo”, but he CANT call him an alcoholic or try to bring home a taxidermied dog

• he’s not ACTUALLY for real transphobic, but if he tries to make a joke about Marj for shits and giggles, JAR!

• since his favorite target is Kyle, he has the most shit. He DOES still make fun of him for being Jewish, but ANYTHING GENUINELY ANTISEMITIC and ESPECIALLY ww2 “jokes” get the Jar. He’s also not allowed to say SHIT about his body, eating habits, or make ED jokes (this was a rule Stan made on his bfs behalf). Once, he made a concentration camp /ed joke COMBO while only Kyle and Marj were in the room. Kyle completely froze, but Marj went over and FUCKING DECKED HIM. When the other two got home and Kyle got over the initial shock, they all forced him to cough up his entire wallet lmao

• he can call Kenny a perv and rip on him for being poor and “pocket sized with nothing in his pockets”, he’ll call him McWhoremick but the Kenny jar rule is that you DO NOT SUGGEST THAT HES DISLOYAL

•sry I just enjoy the concept of the jar lol

•has a lot of fun living with the gang during his gap year, holding on to that last little bit of childhood normalcy, but eventually he does have to move on. He winds up traveling for a while and eventually settles in Nevada and sets up his business

•has a cat and that thing is SPOILED AS HELL

•tries to send Stan one of those beef jerky club memberships every year for Christmas lmaooooo

[gatheringfiki]

The following ficlet was written by @i-am-still-bb​ based on this photoset.

Fili/Kili, Gen.

You might also be able to read this story on AO3.

If you’ve enjoyed this story, please leave a comment either in replies or on AO3. :)

Deck the Halls

—

December 1st

Kili opened the cardboard box that he had brought down from the attic days before. It was dented and soft around the corners, and there was a water stain from some long ago roof leak. He had dragged the ornaments down after he put the tree in its stand. He had intended to start decorating the tree. But then he just… hadn’t.  He had gone to the tree farm and cut down the tree on his own, brought it home, and gotten it into the stand and it was more or less straight. That was enough. And it felt like it might be enough for the whole holiday season.

He pushed the box into the corner and turned on the television to watch a hockey match. He did not like hockey, but every other channel was playing Christmas movies, talking about Christmas, or airing the news. And he wanted to avoid all of those things. Right now he did not want to watch parades, see men be tricked into becoming Santa Claus, watch fathers run all over town trying to find the toy their child wants for Christmas, or the chaos of a family Christmas complete with a kidnapping and a house fire. 

Fili and he had always watched those movies together—Jingle All the Way, The Santa Clause, Christmas with the Kranks, Home Alone 4, Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, others, and the whole plethora of animated Christmas cartoons from their childhoods.

They had spent the holiday season apart before. School, work, illness—all got in the way at one time or the other. So sometimes Kili put up the tree and FaceTimed Fili while he decorated it. Other times they would watch movies on their laptops, clicking start at the same time. But they always saw each other at some point even if it was just for a day. But since they had completed college, grad school, and internships they had spent each Christmas season together for nearly a decade.

Not this year. And probably not next year if the news of the expedition was correct. 

Fili had taken a job as a Navigator on the HMS Dauntless. It was a tremendous honor to be chosen, but it still took Fili away and into the stars. Fili was going to spend Christmas on a different planet looking at different stars. He wouldn’t have a Christmas tree with colored lights and baubles flashing in a darkened room. There would be no light displays in the city center to look at with peppermint hot chocolate in hand. Instead Fili would have twinkling stars and maybe lights from a distant, alien city peeking through cloud cover. And Kili had his job on Earth. He had all of things things available to him. But he had not bought a single peppermint hot chocolate or gandered at the light displays. 

—

“You brought what?” Fili asked incredulously.

“Baubles,” Matt said, grunting as he pulled a large tote out of the storage closet. “Tinsel, some fake garlands, lights.”

“On a space mission? Where we could very well be fired on at any given moment given how the negotiations are going.”

Matt shrugged. “And that’s a reason not to celebrate Christmas, why?”

“It’s not…” Fili faltered. “I just was not expecting it, was all.”

“And that’s part of the point,” Matt said. “No one is expecting it, so it will be a good surprise. And we need some good surprises rather than just all the bad ones that we’ve been getting so far on this voyage.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

“I even had some honeyed hams put in the deep freeze.”

“Did you think about presents?”

“I did,” Matt admitted. “It’ll have to be crafts something”

“I have exactly one crafty skill, and only one. Mapmaking,” Fili held up his hands, “Not really a jumper or a scarf.”

“Well, make a map then.”

Fili grunted. “Who’s going to be doing the decorating?”

“That would be you,” Matt pushed an unlabeled, but heavy box into Fili’s arms. “Merry Christmas.”

Fili strung up silver and gold garlands over the doors into the common areas and around the windows in the navigation cabin. The captain saw him and rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Then there were the baubles in blue, silver, and gold, and the warm white twinkling lights. The refectory, the navigation cabin, and the recreation lounges were certainly more festive than before, but still sterile in the way that spaceships always were. Despite the definite cheerful bend  it felt off for Fili. He had grown up with trees covered in eclectic ornaments; some were antiques, some were preschool crafts, some were hand made gifts, and some were mass produced spheres. Those were all hung on a tree that they had cut down themselves. Kili’s family had always used a fake tree, but once he moved in with Fili he had been initiated in the tradition of wandering a field and cutting down your own Christmas tree.

Fili had brought other traditions with him into the house that he shared with Kili. There was gold tinsel, multicolored lights, and a Moravian star on the top of their tree. Kili had brought origami snowflakes, stars, spheres, and his love for bells of all sorts. 

Tubs now empty of decorations were now stored away and now released from duty Fili was reading over some navigation reports in the largest of the recreational lounges. The reports could have waited until tomorrow, but the appearance of the Christmas decorations had made him a bit melancholy. He had been excited to take this job, but he had simultaneously dreaded it. To spend almost 2 years aboard the Dauntless, but very possibly more, was a dream job, the very job that he had been working for most of his career working on navigation systems. But it also meant nearly 2 years away from his friends and family.

And Kili.

Fili shook his head and refocused on the reports, but his thoughts started to drift almost immediately.

A few of the younger crew members were seated around a television and they had selected a show to watch. The telltale introduction for Rudolf started with the introduction by the snowman. 

Kili knew all of the songs. They had sung them together on more than one occasion.

Fili ended up watching the program from his spot at the table, reports completely forgotten. He wondered if Kili would watch any of the movies on his own.

—

December 7th

Kili had put decorations on the tree, but it was minimal; tinsel, lights, and the most meaningful ornaments—the one commemorating their first house together, baby ornaments, a felt bell decorated with puff pant and a photograph of Fili as a toddler with red cheeks and a cowlick  in the center.

Snow had fallen the night before, and Kili could not yet be bothered to dig himself out. 

So he set a photograph of Fili and him standing in front of a Christmas lights display on the coffee table, made himself a hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, and settled in to watch one of their favorite Christmas movies. 

—

December 10th

The alarm set for 7:50 pm always startled Fili when it sounded at the same time on every second Saturday. He expected and looked forward to this alarm with its chiming bells, but it always caught him off guard. His turn in the Communications room started at 8pm. He was always waiting at the door so he could use all of the time that was allotted to him. 

—

Kili’s phone sat fully charged, screen facing up, on the coffee table. He sat anxiously on the edge of the brown leather couch, elbows on his knees, staring at the tiny black screen. He tapped the glass to wake up the display. It was still fully charged. There was still a full signal.

And it was only 7:58 pm.

The screen turned dark and Kili tapped the glass again.

7:59 pm.

Then 8:00 pm. 

The phone never rang immediately no matter how much Kili willed it to. He knew Fili had to sign in with the attendant, find a terminal, sign in to the computer, and then dial Kili’s number. Tasks that ate up precious seconds and delayed their only means of direct communication.

They could also send emails back and forth. They took advantage of that, but the emails usually consisted of a list of things they did that day and that they missed each other. Kili looked forward to those emails, sometimes refreshing his Inbox every few seconds for hours waiting for the next missive to appear. But emails were not the same as video chatting.

And video chatting was a far cry from seeing each other in person. But it was the best they were going to have for… a while. Kili had an app on his phone counting down to the Dauntless’ anticipated return date. And for now he never looked at it. The number was far too large. 

Then Kili’s phone rang.

Fili’s face filled the screen with a large green button that Kili swiped to answer the call. The photograph shifted from one of Fili smiling in their kitchen to him sitting in the Comm room with large black headphones covering his ears and a microphone extending from one earpiece.

“Hi!” 

“Hi yourself,” Fili replied with a smile. “You are not going to believe or be able to guess what I did this week!”

“Discover a new planet? A race of aliens? Fixed a broken Nav-1500-K12 system yourself?”

“See, those are all things that would make sense given that I’m on a Space Cruiser with the specific mission of locating new planets and I am employed as a Navigations Specialist.”

“Umm…” Kili searched for less plausible activities, but he was distracted by Fili’s voice and face. He could have sworn that Fili looked different in each call, but Kili could never pinpoint exactly what was different. “Used a pogo stick in zero gravity?”

Fili laughed, “Now that would be a challenge.”

“I give up,” Kili grinned back.

“I put up Christmas decorations,” Fili said proudly.

Kili frowned, sure that he had misheard, “What?”

“Christmas decorations,” Fili repeated, “Let me see if I can…” Fili reached forward, fidgeting with the camera to change the direction it was facing.

Kili squinted, nose almost touching the small glass rectangle in, and tried to make out what Fili was trying to show him.

“See? There? Over the door?” Fili said, holding the camera up trying to give Kili a better view.

“I think so?”

“It’s not much. No trees or anything, though, now that I think about it, I am a bit surprised that Matt didn’t bring any of those on board. He had me hanging faux greenery garlands, lights, tinsel, and baubles. He also has a whole bunch of wrapping paper, tape, ribbons and such for presents.” Fill returned the camera to its stand and sat back. 

“Are you going to be giving each other astronaut ice cream or other dried food stuff?”

“I don’t really know. It’s not like any of us can run out to the mall to buy something, or hop on the internet and have it show up on our doorstep within twenty-four hours. He did say something about crafting, but,” Fili shrugged. “You know how I am with crafting.”

“You’re just comparing yourself to Bilbo. And he’s practically a wizard.”

“I guess,” Fili said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Enough about life on a floating metal tube. What did you do this week.”

Kili sat back into the couch cushions. The light emitting from the woodburning stove flickered. “It snowed.”

“Oh? You know, I never thought I’d say it, but I actually miss the snow and cold. The ship is cold, especially in the hallways and lesser used rooms, but it’s cold without a purpose other than conserving fuel. Cold that brings snow? At least there’s an upside.”

“Are you sure you miss snow? Maybe you can take over shoveling when you get back. It took me hours to clear the driveway the other day. I did just leave it for a while. And then it snowed more, and I’m still not sure if waiting was a good thing or not because of that. I only had to shovel once instead of twice, but there was more to shovel in one go.” Kili ran a hand through his long hair.

“I’ll shovel all the snow you want me too when I get home,” Fili replied.

“Good.”

“As long as you make me that hot chocolate of yours.”

“I can, but it’s not that hard. I even taped the recipe card to the top of the cocoa tin.”

“It’s never right when I’m the one making it.”

“I’ve watched you make it. It’s correct.”

“Must be the love that you add.”

Kili stuck out his tongue to cover up his pleasure at Fili’s words. “Oh! I also saw an elk when I took a short hike before clearing the snow.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t a reindeer? It is the season.”

“It’s Colorado, not Sweden or Canada.”

“Did it have a red nose?”

“No,” Kili said. He leaned back on the couch, slouching deep into the cushions. “I miss you.”

Fili’s expression softened. “I miss you, too.”

“It… it doesn’t feel like Christmas without you here.”

“Are you going to put up any decorations?”

“I did put up some,” Kili shrugged despondently. 

“Show me?”

Kili held his phone up and turned it so Fili could see the green tree standing in the corner of the room with its garland, lights, and ornaments. 

“Looks good, Kee.”

Kili turned the camera back around. “Eh,” he shrugged. “I didn’t put on all the baubles. And most of the boxes are still in the attic.”

“You don’t have anyone ordering you to decorate. Do what you want. You don’t have to put up any decorations.”

“I know.”

“I’m glad you did though. I miss you and I miss doing the holiday activities with you, but I’d hate for you to just not do any of them because you enjoy those things as well.”

Kili nodded, but did not respond right away. “I watched The Santa Clause yesterday.”

“You did?” Fili leaned forward on his elbows, braids swinging over his shoulders. 

“Yeah. I made hot chocolate and had some Christmas cookies that Bilbo had dropped off.”

“Jealous!”

Kili smiled a little. “I put on your Christmas jumper.”

“The jumper with the hole in the elbow?”

“That’s the one. And I had that ridiculous blanket you bought. That one with the ghosts wearing Santa hats and wrapped in Christmas lights over my lap.”

“It’s not ridiculous. It’s wonderful!”

“It was warm.”

“I didn’t think to pack one of your shirts,” Fili said a bit sadly.

“The jumper didn’t smell like you if that makes a difference?” Kili offered. “It smelled of laundry detergent and that stuff we always put in with the sweaters so they don’t smell all funky when we get them out of storage.”

“The herb sachets.”

“Yes. Those. Though I think the one in the bit needs to be replaced before next year.”

“I’ll send you the instructions whenever you need them.”

—

December 23

“Would you look at that?” Matt’s voice was full of awe and wonder. 

He was talking about the planet that they had been approaching for nearly a week and now it was below them and the ship was orbiting the planet that had the familiar, blue, green, and brown of earth, but also some unexpected colors like pink and coral. 

“There should be another moon,” Fili said looking from the planet back to his charts. 

“It’ll show up,” someone said.

“Or it won’t,” someone else quipped. 

As the line between daylight and darkness moved across the planet below lights started to flick on. There were clusters, but they were not near the oceans, like they would be on earth, and they were not connected by slender threads of highways.

“So which navigator gets to go on the cruiser to land on the surface?” Aaron, one of the other Navigators, asked.

The captain opened his mouth to answer the questions, but before he could speak another Navigator spoke up. “It should go by seniority.”

“You would suggest that, Zach,” Fili said. “Since you are the most senior member of the navigation crew.”

“And the most experienced,” Zach replied. “I have done this sort of thing before, and experience is invaluable in situations like this.”

“But the people are responding well to our communications,” Alexandra, the youngest Navigator said, “Do you really think that there’ll be trouble?”

“No,” the captain said quickly.

“But there’s always a chance,” Zach added. 

“It would be a great learning experience…” she said wistfully. Alexandra had not finished her college degree before taking the job. She had accepted her position on the ship and her university pressured her professors into grading her work and awarding her degree in the middle of a semester. “Maybe I should join whoever goes, to help with any instruments and such.”

“We should draw lots,” Aaron said. “That’s the only fair way to do it.”

“Like drawing pieces of paper from a hat?” Alexandra asked.

“It will be Fili,” the captain said, interrupting the conversation about how people should draw lots, which methods were easier, and which ones were statistically more fair. 

“That’s not fair,” Zach protested.

“But it is what I have decided,” the captain said firmly, giving Zach and any other Navigators who looked like they might protest a dark look  from beneath bushy grey eyebrows. “Alexandra.”

“Yes, captain?”

“You may accompany us.”

“Thank you, sir! I won’t let you down!” she gushed. 

“Both of you will be ready to depart at 1100 hours.”

“Yes, captain,” Fili and Alexandra said in unison.

Fili went back to his charts and calculations and tried to ignore the jealous glares that his crewmates were shooting him.

—

December 24

“You did what?!” Kili’s eyes went wide as he listened to Fili.

“The captain picked me to join him on the trip down to the surface,” Fili repeated, eyes bright and practically glowing in the dim light of the Comms room. “You should have been there, Kili,” he said dreamily. “It was something else. There were mountains unlike any that I have ever seen before. And we were received in a building that reminded me of that trip we took to Europe when we saw all of those cathedrals. Except this one had nothing to do with any sort of religion. It was just a standard building.”

“That sounds like it would be a bit weird.”

“It was,” Fili admitted. “Every building that we saw was ornately decorated.”

“Did the meeting at least go well? Or is that classified and I’ll find out the public version of events on the news in a week or so?”

Fili’s brows furrowed. “I think it went well, but, to be honest, I was not really paying attention to any sort of negotiations. My job stopped the second we got out of the cruiser pod and started when we got back in. I was mostly looking at the people and the architecture.”

Kili settled back into the armchair with the holiday ghost blanket pulled up to his chin, “What were the people like?”

“For the most part they looked like us, actually,” Fili said. “Which was not what I was expecting.”

“For the most part?”

“They had pointed ears, Kee, like Spock.”

Kili’s fingers went to his ears where he pinched the top to create a Spock-like crease. “Interesting.”

“But I want to hear about your day,” Fili said.

“Yours was much more exciting than mine,” Kili adjusted the blanket. “I went over to Bilbo’s for Christmas Eve dinner. He made ham. I took rolls like we always do.”

Fili nodded and listened as Kili told him about the holiday gathering and how the younger generation had started a game of Spoons that had ended when someone nearly got a concussion after being pushed into a wall but after someone had needed to use a first aid kit to treat a bleeding finger.

Fili leaned forward, his chin resting in his palm, “Did you play?”

“No!” Kili said emphatically. “But it is weird not being one of the kids, you know? I’m one of the grown ups now. Not that we’ve been kids or sat at the kids table in a longtime. It just felt more obvious this year. Bilbo managed to foist off planning the New Years’ planning on to Ori, Gimli, and I. I did warn him that he should expect to have just bags of chips and maybe some dip.”

“What did he say to that?” 

“Uh,” Kili looked at the ceiling for a moment. “He laughed and then said, ‘Kili, my boy, you’re all in your 30s. I’m sure you can manage a sandwich platter from a deli at the very least.”

“And did that end up falling on you?”

“I put “ordering a sandwich platter” in my planner for Monday. Gimli can manage napkins, maybe.”

“And hopefully this year they won’t be wet and say Starbucks on them,” Fili laughed. 

“Hopefully,” Kili echoed. 

“So are you ready for tomorrow?” Fili asked.

“No,” Kili said.

“What are you planning to do?”

“I’ll probably sleep in since I plan to stay up late tonight watching whatever movies they decided to air on the TV. I ended up watching Last Christmas the other night on some such channel and it was decent. So I’m going to give some of those ridiculous holiday made-for-tv romcoms a chance on the off chance that they’re decent.”

“Sounds good. I think someone is hosting a Christmas movie marathon in one of the common lounges tonight.”

“You should go.”

“I’ll think about it,” Fili said with a shrug. “So you’ll be sleeping in because you’ll be up late tonight; what about tomorrow?”

Kili lifted his shoulders noncommittally and scootched lower into the corner of the arm chair. “Probably sleep late, like you said, maybe go on a run if it’s not too cold.”

“Heathen.”

“I know,” Kili replied before continuing. “Then probably some leftovers for lunch and dinner, read some, light a fire.” Kili shrugged again. “There’s not much going on tomorrow. All the group plans have already taken place and they avoided the day of Christmas to avoid conflicting with family plans. You?”

“I actually drew the short straw and I have to work most of tomorrow.”

Kili pulled a face, “Gross.”

“I know.”

“Hey, we’re almost out of time.”

“Already?” Kili whined and pulled the blanket up over his chin.

“And I have one final thing to tell you.”

“What?”

“After we hang up I want you to go look in my underwear drawer.”

“What will I be looking for? Holiday underwear? Boxers that say ‘Unwrap me?’”

“No,” Fili laughed. “No boxers saying that. Though maybe I’ll have to find some when I get home. No, you’ll know it when you see it.”

“Okay…” Kili said skeptically.

“Love you, Kee.”

“Love you, too.”

“Merry Christmas.”

The connection was lost before Kili could reply. He sighed and dropped his head back, his hand holding the phone dropping into his lap. Then he put his phone down and pushed the blanket to the floor. 

The wood-burning stove kept the cottage fairly warm when someone was home all day to tend it, but the floors where air from the drafty doors was still cold on Kili’s feet. He pushed open the bedroom door and flipped the lightswitch which lit a couple of lamps that were positioned throughout the room. “What did you hide in with your underwear, Fili Durin?” Kili asked the empty room. 

Fili’s drawer squeaked from long disuse when Kili opened it. All he saw at first were rows of Fili’s neatly folded white underwear. Kili pulled the drawer out a little further and caught sight of a glittery red ribbon. He fished the object out of the back corner of the drawer. It was a small package, wrapped in brown paper and tied with a red ribbon. The label said “To K, from F.” And there was a card tucked under the ribbon.

Open Me First 

Kili flopped down on their bed, leaving the drawer open. He squirmed a little on the bed currently decked out in the gray linen duvet cover that was too warm to use during the summer, and some flannel sheets with a holiday themed fuzzy blanket thrown over one corner to get comfortable. 

He set the wrapped package to one side. He ran his fingers over the slightly rough duvet cover absentmindedly while he stared at the envelope considering his options and savoring the anticipation. Kili flipped the envelope over, stuck his finger beneath the flap and tore the envelope to reveal a Christmas card with a standard scene of a snowy forest and a trite greeting on the front.

Kili opened the card.

Dear Kili,

I’m sorry that I’m not home for Christmas this year. I want you to know that I love you and I miss you, and I will be thinking about you all day. I did not want you to feel lonely this year, so I planned a surprise for you, but you don’t get to find out until Christmas morning! (Or you could find out now, I can’t enforce rules from 3,000,000 miles away.)

Love you and can’t wait to see you again soon!

Yours,

Fili

P.S. Have one of those wonderful hot chocolates of yours for me, please!

Kili considered the instructions for a few moments before taking the package in hand and returning to the living room with the wood burning fireplace and the Christmas tree. Kili carefully set the package down on the plaid tree skirt.

He straightened and considered the present for a moment. Then he picked up the blanket from the floor, folded it, and went into the kitchen to make the hot chocolate that he was supposed to drink for Fili. Once it was ready and loaded with whipped cream and chocolate shavings he returned to the living room, settled in on the couch, feet outstretched towards the stove, and turned on the television. He flipped through the stations until he found something worth watching. 

—

Fili had gone to bed after ending his call with Kili. His bunk mate had lit a peppermint scented candle, and it felt a little festive. But if Fili had been on duty on the main navigation deck he would have seen the shadow of a sleigh drawn by reindeer pass in front of the double moons of the planet they were orbiting. 

—

Kili drank the hot chocolate and watched the predictable foibles and shenanigans of the main characters. But he did not see how it ended. By the time that the happy ending had rolled around Kili was asleep, head lolled to the side, and warm beneath the blanket.

Outside his window the moon was shining bright and the world was light in the blue light of reflected moonlight. And then, across the moon, a silhouette briefly appeared of a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

[princessbatears]

Papá Noel

Pairing: Javi Gutierrez x Werewolf Single Mom f!Reader Summary: Javi appoints Astrid his little helper elf on Christmas Eve Warnings: secular Christmas themes (i.e. gift giving, Santa Claus, Christmas tree, etc.), mild sexual content, language, mention of alcohol, feelings of inadequacy, mention of spousal/parent death Words: 3k A/N: This takes place during the time skip in Casa Werewolf Chapter 9

“There’s so much snow!” Bo yells for the dozenth time from the backseat of the car as Javi drives up the winding road.

“At least a meter, right, Mama?” Tallulah guesses.

You smile. “I’m not sure there’s quite that much, but there might be soon if it keeps snowing like this.”

“How much longer?” Astrid asks, whole face smushed against the glass of the window, her breath fogging it up.

“We’re almost there,” Javi promises. “You should be able to see the house soon.”

This is his first Christmas with you and your triplets and he couldn’t be more excited. He’s brought you all to his Swiss chalet for the school break. It’s quiet and private, the perfect place for a werewolf-filled holiday that your family deserves.

“Do you remember seeing snow before?” you ask, turning around in your seat to look at the kids.

Astrid ponders. “Maybe.”

Bo shakes his head. “Just from the pictures.”

“Mama’s got pictures of us when we were really little in the snow,” Tallulah informs Javi. “It was before Daddy died.”

He smiles at her in the rearview mirror. “Those are very special pictures.”

“We’ll show you when we get back home.”

“Are we gonna take new pictures?” Astrid pipes up hopefully.

You smile, reaching back to stroke her hair. “Of course, as many as you want.”

“Is this the kinda snow you raced in as a puppy?” Bo asks.

Your smile grows childlike and mischievous. “Yep! Powdery, so you’ve got some traction.” Then, you turn to Javi. “When I was a pup, me and my siblings would spend hours racing each other in the snow. The deeper, the better, because it forced you to get creative. My tactic was digging tunnels so I could keep plowing ahead instead of using all the energy bouncing up and down.”

He laughs, loving the idea of you as a little kid and puppy. “I bet you beat them.”

“I did!”

A moment later, Javi turns a bend and the chalet comes into view: a cozy two-story house made of spruce with the classic gently sloping roof and lots of windows. “There it is, niños!”

There is a mad dash to get inside, mainly because you insist that the children help unload the car before they’re allowed to play.

“Your room is on the left,” Javi calls as they practically run each other over in their haste to get upstairs. When he’d known you were coming, he’d had a triple bunkbed put in the larger room.

“I want the top!” Bo’s claim travels down the staircase.

“No, me!” Tallulah argues.

Meanwhile, you’re staring in delight at the big, open room, bedecked for Christmas. In one corner, a tall tree glitters with twinkling lights, glass ornaments, and tinsel. Garland drapes over the fireplace mantle and large, knitted stockings hang below it, one for each one of you.

An advent calendar hangs on one wall, marking the day as December 24. Juniper and berry sprigs fill vases. A cheerful American-style Santa figurine sits on the top of a bookshelf with his reindeer.

“What do you think?” he asks.

“It’s gorgeous! The house, the decorations. Perfect.”

From upstairs, Tallulah yells, “I got there first!”

You grimace at Javi. “You might regret spending the whole week with us all alone here.”

“Never! I promise, any chaos and drama that those three bring can’t compare to my own family. If I was at my mama’s, I would be refereeing my great-aunts arguing over whose dentures are more uncomfortable. I promised this is preferable to that.”

You let out a snort-giggle of disbelief. “That does not happen.”

“It does! See this.” He points at a small scar on his left forearm. “Tía Carmen bit me with hers when she thought I’d sided with Tía Paulina. Vicious.”

Laughing, you bend to kiss the spot. “Poor baby,” you coo mockingly. Then, you shake your head. “I can’t believe we’re here, in Switzerland, for Christmas, on vacation!”

He chuckles, pulling you close to him. “How long has it been since you had a vacation?”

“God,” you ponder. “Not since Ivan and I first got married. We didn’t have enough money once we had the babies. Not to mention, it’s very hard to take a vacation with three unreliable werewolf pups. By the time they were more in control of their shifts, he’d passed.

Javi’s more determined than ever to make this an amazing rest for you. “You are long past due. For the next week, all you need to do is eat, sleep, sled, and play.”

You give him a kiss that ends with a gentle nip on his bottom lip that immediately makes him weak in the knees. “I can’t wait to play with you later,” you whisper.

He can only manage to mumble something incoherent, using all his willpower not to whisk you up to the big, plush bed that’s waiting.

A stampede behind him returns him to his senses. Three fluffy werewolf pups charge down the stairs, paws too large for their bodies slipping and sliding on the polished wood.

“You are not to go outside the fence,” you say firmly. “And as soon as it starts to get dark, your little butts need to be inside. If you smell anything larger than a rabbit, come back immediately. Understand?”

They bark their acknowledgement before scrambling for the back door. You cross to unlock and open it. They dive headfirst into the drifts of snow, disappearing completely.

He laughs as their heads pop up and down as they hop along towards the vast expanse of mountain yard.

“Ah, some peace and quiet,” you sigh happily. “They’ll probably be out there until supper.”

Javi kisses you again. “I’m going to light a fire and make us something warm to drink. You just relax.”

For the next hour, you and Javi cuddle on a nest of furs in front of the fire, drinking hot mulled cider and watching one of his favorite Spanish Christmas movies.

At one point, he glances down at you and finds that you’ve fallen asleep. He smiles, cocooning you in the furs. It’s not lost on him how much you trust him that you’re able to fall asleep while your children are playing outside and you’re in a new place.

It’s also an excellent opportunity to sort through the Christmas presents he brought.

Although Javi grew up on the Spanish tradition of the Three Kings bringing gifts in early January, he wants to honor your cultural tradition of Christmas Eve gifts.

After carefully disentangling from you, he heads upstairs with two suitcases full of presents to your room. There, he unzips the tops to double-check everything is there.

The question is, should he put them under the tree now or wait until right before midnight, when he’ll be rousing everyone to open them? Will their allure excite or torture the kids?

“What are you doing?” Astrid’s little voice startles him and he spins around, seeing her bundled in the plush robes he left by the backdoor for when the pups returned.

Then, she gasps, eyes growing huge, when spots the gifts. “Christmas presents!” She rushes over to the bed and bounces up and down. “There are so many! Can we open them?”

Definitely would be better to wait to put them out if she’s already wanting to open them.

Smiling coyly, he says, “I’m just holding onto these for Papá Noel.”

Astrid rolls her eyes. “Santa doesn’t exist.”

Javi slaps a hand against his chest, scandalized. “How could you say such a thing?”

“I’m eight,” she says like he’s the world’s biggest dumbass. He’d have expected such a response from Tallulah, who sees herself as a mini adult, but it makes him a little sad that even Astrid doesn’t believe in the mythical man.

Wait… if werewolves are real, does that mean Santa Claus might be real?

He’s distracted by her shaking more presents. “Stop using your wolf ears to try to guess.”

Then, it suddenly occurs to him that he didn’t hear her come inside. The house is too silent for Tallulah and Bo to be in it, so she must be alone.

“Where are your brother and sister?”

Her face falls. “Out racing. I got tired. And I couldn’t ever win. I’m not fast enough. I hate being the littlest!”

He crouches in front of her, pulling her into a hug. “That’s hard. But, you know what? You’re the sneakiest. I didn’t even hear you come in. And you didn’t wake your mama up. There’s no way the other two would be that quiet.”

Astrid perks up. “Yeah! I’m way sneakier than they are. They always gotta yell or crash into stuff. Not me.” She stands on her tiptoes, silently scuttling across the wood floor with a positively wicked smile on her face that makes him laugh.

It also gives him an idea. “Let’s just say Santa exists. Doesn’t he usually have a helper? A little elf?”

She shrugs. “Yeah, I guess.

“It’s an awful lot for him to have to come all the way up this mountain, so I’ve offered to put out the presents and save him the trip. Since you’re so good at being quiet, you’d be the perfect elf to assist me.”

Puffing up with pride, she beams. “I can help!”

He grins. “Okay, so we’re going to keep it a secret from Bo and Lulls. You’ll all go to bed when Mama says and then I’ll wake you up and we’ll sneak everything downstairs. How’s that sound?”

Astrid nods vehemently, practically vibrating with excitement at her new responsibility.

She clamors onto the bed and peers into a stuffed suitcase. “Oh, that one’s mine!” She snatches it up and shakes the square package. No sound comes from it. “Can I open it? As payment for being an elf?”

He pulls the gift from her hand, biting back a laugh. “Being an elf is voluntary.”

She pouts as he returns the box to the spot and zips the suitcase up.

“Go get dressed. Then, we’ll start cooking our Christmas Eve feast!”

The rest of the afternoon and evening pass in a blur. Bo and Tallulah return from their racing before everyone helps Javi heat up the delicious Christmas Eve feast that’d been prepared. Entremeses piled high with blood sausage, manchego cheese, crusty bread, olives, and pickles. Then, creamy soup, roast lamb and potatoes, followed by shortbread cookies and chocolate cake.

You and Javi practically have to roll the children up the stairs to put them to bed, they’re so stuffed and sleepy. He briefly wonders if he shouldn’t wake Astrid early, but, as he tucks her into one of the bottom bunks, she whispers in his ear, “When are you gonna wake me up?”

Smiling, he breathes back, “Half an hour before midnight.”

She grins at him before snuggling down to sleep.

You and he close the door behind you and you say softly, “You’ve really made Astrid happy asking her to be your elf.”

“It’ll be much more fun to play Papá Noel with a helper,” he chuckles.

“You know,” you purr, “we’ve got a couple hours and I’ve always wanted to kiss Santa Claus.”

He smirks, deepening his voice, “Ho ho ho!”

Thirty minutes to midnight, Javi creeps into the children’s bedroom. All three are breathing deeply, sound asleep. He presses a kiss to Astrid’s forehead before murmuring, “Astrid.”

Her big eyes flutter open and she immediately sits up excitedly. “Is it time?”

“It’s time.”

She tiptoes with him out of the room and downstairs, where he’s set out the suitcases near the tree. There’s also a pile of gifts that you’d brought that include some for him that you absolutely refuse to give him hints about.

“How do you think we should arrange the gifts?” he asks.

She hums. “The biggest ones on the bottom. Then, the other ones can stack on those. But I don’t think we should sort them by person because then, if someone has a smaller pile, they’ll be sad.”

“Very wise,” Javi agrees, although you and he made sure each kid got the exact same amount of presents.

Astrid begins pulling out each gift, setting them in piles by size. She pauses every time she reads her name on the tag and scrutinizes it. Javi’s glad he allowed a full half hour for this task because she’s in no hurry.

“These gotta go under first,” she orders, pointing at the largest packages. “Also, we gotta hide some in the back so we can be surprised when we think there’s no more presents and there still are some!”

Grabbing a long box with a scooter addressed to herself, she heaves it to the back of the tree. “That one’s got wheels, doesn’t it?”

Javi was sure he’d padded them properly, but it’s damn hard to fool Wolves. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

She humphs, going to a pile and picking up a small, flattish gift that was for him. “Well, you’ll have to wait and see what this one is. It’s from me to you.”

He bites back a chuckle as she clutches his gift to her chest with one hand and shoves at a bike for Bo with the other. It’s the heaviest gift and the only reason she’s making any progress is because she has werepup strength.

“Need some help?”

“No,” she says confidently, inching it along the floor.

Javi grabs Tallulah’s skateboard and sets it by the scooter. That’s when there’s the sharp sound of glass breaking behind him.

“Oh no!” Astrid whimpers.

He turns around to see her kneeling by his gift, which she must have dropped. Her face crumples as she starts to cry.

“It’s okay,” he says quickly, moving to embrace her. “Accidents happen.”

The sound of her tears hastens you from where you’d sequestered yourself in the bedroom while they played Santa. “Honey, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“I dropped Javi’s present and…” But she’s sobbing too hard for the rest of the sentence to be intelligible.

You crouch next to her and Javi, gently picking up the still-wrapped gift, which tinkles softly as it’s moved. “This isn’t a big deal,” you reassure, stroking her hair.

She clenches her fists, eyes now angry and amber, as she grinds out, “I can’t even be a good elf! I can’t be good at anything!”

Javi’s heart aches at this self-condemnation.

You cup her cheeks. “That’s a really hard thing to feel, that you’re not good enough. And, even if you feel that way, it doesn’t make it true.”

“I just wanted to be a good elf!”

“But you are, mi amor! Look at how organized everything is.” He gestures at the piles of presents. “We’re going to have a very stable stack under the tree where nobody feels left out. That’s something you’re very good at: making everyone feel included.”

She turns those wet, golden eyes to him, hope slowly seeping into them. “I guess that’s true. I do that at school, too. If somebody’s sitting alone, I’ll sit with them so they don’t feel lonely.”

You smile warmly at her. “You have a very kind heart.” Then, you hold up the gift. “And this isn’t ruined, sweetie. The most important part isn’t what broke. We can replace that part.”

Astrid wipes her eyes and nose on her sleeve. “We can?”

“Of course.”

“But I wanted him to open it tonight,” she sighs.

“Do you want him to peek now and then he can reopen it later?”

Astrid nods, turning to Javi. “But be careful, you don’t heal like we do if you cut yourself.”

“I’ll be careful,” he promises, setting the present down on the floor and gently opening it.

A lump forms in his throat. It’s a framed photo of the first group shot you, he, Tallulah, Bo, and Astrid took together during a day at the beach. The first picture of the five of you as a family.

“I love it!” he whispers hoarsely.

Astrid’s whole face lights up at his reaction and she locks her arms around his neck. “I’m glad it’s not ruined.”

He hugs her tightly. “You, your mama, Bo, and Tallulah being here is the greatest present I could ever have.”

She pulls back, making a face. “You sound like a Christmas movie dad.”

Javi chuckles, his hand finding yours and linking your fingers. “I do, don’t I?”

You wink at him and he grins.

Hopping to her feet, Astrid says, “It’ll be midnight soon, we gotta hurry!”

Javi nods, pushing himself up. “Yes, ma’am!”

“Do you want me to help?” you ask.

Astrid shakes her head. “Santa and Elf only.”

And thanks to her excellent direction and efforts, all the gifts are distributed around the tree two minutes before midnight.

“It’s so pretty!” she beams.

The brightly colored wrapping papers glimmer with the glow of the fire and the twinkle of the lights, and Javi has to agree— it really is pretty.

You stand, pulling your phone out of your pajama pocket. “Stand by the tree, you two, so we can document Santa and Elf’s fine work!”

Javi and Astrid stand by the tree, gesturing at it proudly.

“Can I go wake up Lulls and Bo now?” Astrid asks eagerly.

“You sure can!”

Giving up all stealth, Astrid bound up the stairs, flings open the kids’ bedroom door, and bellows, “IT’S CHRISTMAS!”

Javi wraps his arms around you. “You know I meant what I said, about you four being the greatest gift I could ask for.”

You lean into him. “The same goes for us, having you.” Then, your eyes drift to the tree with mild disapproval. “Maybe I should have told you that sooner, before you went overboard.”

He scoffs. “That wouldn’t have stopped me.”

“Not all of those things are going to fit in our apartment.”

He shrugs, unconcerned. “The overflow can stay at my place.”

Laughing, you give him a kiss. “Merry Christmas, Papá Noel.”

“Merry Christmas, mi luz,” he smiles. Then, a nagging question returns. “If werewolves are real, do you think Santa is, too?”

- - -

Thank you SO much for reading this story; I’d love to hear your thoughts! 🥰

Spanish Translations/Notes: Papá Noel - Santa Claus/Father Christmas Three Kings - the Three Wise Men from the birth story of Jesus; in many places in Spain, they bring gifts to children on January 6 and are celebrated with feasts and festivals niños - kids mi amor - my love mi luz - my light entremeses - Spanish charcuterie board, with foods like sausages, cheeses, pickles

Javi Gutierrez Masterlist

Werewolf Masterlist