#so what you get is very obviously homemade snowmen

[kkking]

last year art again: Misumi's christmas main menu quote illustrated cuz i thought triangular summer troupe snowmen were super cute u///u

perfect who doesn't wanna let go of wintry vibes just because december's over^^b

(adding the quote screenshot and translation as a bonus)

"Look, look, I made snowmen~! There's Tenma, Yuki, Muku, Kazu, Kumon, and me!"

[starstruckkittensweets]

December 19th - Sweet as Sugar Cookies

Pairing: Levi x Reader Words: 1.4k 

A/N: This is probably one of the most self-indulgent pieces I’ve ever done...but oh well. I’ll own up to it! My dream in life is to be able to bake with Levi Ackerman, and I’m proud of it. Hope you guys enjoy! 

On the sixth “date” of Christmas...

“There we go! All done!”

You slid the oversized oven mitts off your hands and dropped them onto the kitchen table. Sitting in front of you on the table was a tray of freshly baked sugar cookies. But they weren’t just any sugar cookies—oh no, these were the special Christmastime Pillsbury cookies. Staring back at you were little snowmen and reindeer faces. They were so adorable you almost felt bad for eating them up.

You lifted one to your mouth—and ended up dropping it right back onto the tray with a shriek. Oh yeah, you forgot you had just taken them out of the oven. Way to go, idiot.

“You alright?”

You turned toward the doorway at the sudden familiar voice. Levi raised an eyebrow at you, cradling your sore hand close to your chest. One glance at the tray on the table told him all he needed to know.

“Did you burn yourself again?”

Your face flushed with heat. “N-no—”

Levi was in front of you at once, grabbing your hand and pulling it up to his face. You winced as he inspected the tips of your fingers, which were already starting to throb with pain.

“Hm… Doesn’t look too serious.” He sighed heavily before pressing a soft kiss to your fingers, slightly soothing the pain. “That’s what you get for making those shit cookies.”

Despite the initial warmth that flooded your chest at his affectionate gesture, you fixed your eyes in a glare at him. “They are not shit cookies!”

“Tch, of course they are. If they’re store bought, they’re shit. Especially if you have to heat them up in an oven in the first place.”

You puffed out your cheeks in annoyance. Although you loved him with every fiber of your being, you had to admit, Levi could get on your nerves so damn easily. He was a perfectionist at heart—probably a side effect of being a clean freak—and he made his opinions very well-known. This was especially true whenever it came to cooking and baking. Luckily, for the majority of your relationship, your cooking seemed to satisfy him. But only if it was fresh and homemade—he was very picky about that.

“That’s how they’re made! I can’t help it.”

“Mhm, sure.”

With a huff, you yanked your hand away from his and held it against your chest. You didn’t miss the flash of hurt that crossed his features when you pulled away.

“Alright, then. What would you do instead?”

His eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“Since this is obviously the wrong way to make sugar cookies,” you drawled, motioning to the tray behind you, “how would you do it? Go on, enlighten me.”

He stared at you for a few more seconds, taking in your expression. Your eyes were bright and challenging, your lips pursed in a tight line. Your jaw was set and your shoulders were tense. You were ready for a fight, ready to be proven wrong. You were convinced your opinions were superior, and you were daring him to question that.

Well, if that was the case, he was all too happy to indulge.

“First off,” he said, walking further into the kitchen, “you need to make the dough. And no, not the packaged shit you always use,” he added as you followed him into the kitchen. “I mean real dough—the kind you make at home.”

Without another word, he began grabbing ingredients from the fridge and the cupboards: flour, eggs, baking powder, you name it. He grabbed another bowl from the top shelf before mixing the ingredients into it—but not before running his hands under the sink for a quick wash. You watched him with an open mouth, your eyes wide with awe.

It wasn’t as though you didn’t think he could cook. You knew from many years of living with him that he knew his way around the kitchen. But he preferred to make complete meals and main dishes for dinner. He was never one for baking, no matter how much you had asked him in the past. The baking was always left up to you.

Well, until now, apparently.

You watched him from the table as he began his work, popping some of the slightly cooled Pillsbury cookies into your mouth. You watched as he mixed the dough and set it out on the counter, sprinkling it with flour before rolling it out. His movements were fluid, precise, and simply beautiful. If he didn’t already work at the office with Erwin, you were certain he’d make a living off of being a professional chef or baker.

When the dough was cut and wrapped up in plastic wrap, he placed it in the fridge and shut the door. After cleaning his hands from the excess flour and scraps of dough, he made his way back to the table, where you were eagerly waiting for his return.

“I didn’t know you could bake cookies,” you said almost teasingly through a mouthful of cookie. “Who are you, and what have you done with my boyfriend?”

He rolled his eyes, sinking down in the chair next to you. “I know how to do it, brat. I just don’t do it that often.”

“Oh, I see.” You leaned over in your seat, batting your eyelashes at him. “Keeping secrets from me, huh?”

“Tch, as if. I don’t have to. You’re too oblivious to figure them out anyway.”

“Hey! I am not!”

Before you knew it, two hours had passed, and Levi took the chilled dough from the fridge. But as he began to spread it out on the counter, you tapped him on the shoulder. With huge eyes, you held out a few of your Christmas cookie cutters, all in the shape of snowmen, Christmas trees, lights, and presents.

“Can we use these? Please?”

He rolled his eyes. How could he refuse you when you started begging?

So the two of you set to work on cutting the dough in all different sorts of shapes. Levi left the cutting to you, while he continued to roll up the leftover scraps of dough. The two of you made a good team, nudging each other with your elbows and sending bashful smiles to one another.

“So,” you began, cutting up another Christmas tree cookie, “who taught you how to make these? I mean, you don’t even need a recipe sheet!” Whenever you decided to cook or bake, you had to have the instructions in front of you.

He shrugged his shoulders, casting his eyes downward. “It was just something my mom used to do. Over the years I picked up on it.”

Your shocked expression melted into one of absolute warmth and affection. Of course he learned something as pure as this from Kuchel. The woman was an absolute sweetheart, and she was always thrilled whenever you and Levi came over to visit her. Thankfully, she had taken a liking to you right away, going on and on about how Levi had finally found the perfect girl.

“Aw, that’s so sweet!” He rolled his eyes as you nudged his arm with your elbow. “So this is her recipe?”

“Pretty much. Unless we’ve fucked up already.”

“Ah, I don’t think we have. I trust you, Levi.” You reached up and kissed his cheek, savoring the softness of his skin beneath your lips.

Finally, when the cookies were out of the oven, the two of you set to decorating them with icing at the table. The packaged Pillsbury cookies were left on the corner, nearly forgotten completely as you two were set on coloring the homemade sugar cookies.

Currently, you were working on drawing a face on one of the snowmen cookies. You snuck a peek at Levi and the cookie he was working on—and you smiled when you saw him dot the tiny little Christmas tree cookie with specks of red.

You sighed, sinking back into your seat as you stole one of the undecorated cookies and bit into it. The taste of sugar flooded your tongue, warm and soothing and simply delicious. Much better than the ones sitting at the end of the table.

“Well, Levi, I guess you’ve proven me wrong. These are superior… But I guess I have Kuchel to thank for that, since it’s her recipe.”

He rolled his eyes before standing up from his seat. Wordlessly, he made his way over to you, perching himself behind your chair. His hands grasped your shoulders gently as he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek.

“I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear that,” he said with a smirk. You blushed furiously as he wrapped his arms around your neck, nuzzling the top of your head and pulling you into his chest. “And I’m glad you like them, brat.”

You only smiled as he kissed your head again, the soft taste of sugar still bathing your tongue.

[midlifebeybladecrisis]

Merry, Merry, Merry

Secret Santa Gift for @ferrofen

This was really fun to write. I hope it doesn’t show I haven’t actually seen Tithi’s season but I still really liked writing him and Yu together! And of course Tsubasa showed up too because I cannot physically write Yu without him.

The amount of begging Yu had to do to score this trip should not be understated. Tsubasa was insistent on being a stick of the mud despite the looming presence of the holidays on the horizon.  An endless stream of questions met Yu’s request that Tithi spend Christmas with them. What about Tithi’s parents? His family? Would they be alright with him coming to another country to celebrate Christmas? Tsubasa should know already those questions aren’t ones to be answered lightly. Yu and Tithi were similar, they kept those secret answers close to their hearts. The past is the past, it has nothing to do with Christmas. Tsubasa was firm; it just wasn’t relastic for Tithi to visit over the holidays. Maybe another time which was Tsubasa speak for never.

Yu, as usual, did not take no for an answer. He was relentless in his pursuit of the fabled yes. He would follow Tsubasa to work, something he hated doing, and complain while Tsubasa was trying to get things done. No door could keep Yu from his goal, no receptionist glaring at him for running through her waiting room could deter him. 

He won in the end, he always wins in the end. He was glad his predictions were as flawless as always, he’d started his crusade in early Spring with the knowledge it would take a few months to break Tsubasa down. Tithi never doubted Yu’s reassurances the trip would happen no matter what. When Yu called Tithi with the good news he was more smug than excited, Tsbuasa had lost once again and Yu had snatched another victory. To be expected, of course, Yu was just that good.

The visit so far had gone excellent in Yu’s very informed opinion. Tsubasa refused to drive to the airport on his super cool motorcycle so they had to take a cab which dampened the ride there. The ride back was all excitement and merriment. Yu and Tithi had run at each other at breakneck speeds and collided in a long, warm hug. Upon seeing Tsubasa hovering to the side Tithi had grabbed Yu’s hand in fear.

“Don’t worry, Tsubasa won’t bite, I’ve trained him well!” This earned a glare from Tsubasa but it was well worth it. Tithi loosened up but still didn’t let go of Yu’s hand. 

Throughout the visit he slowly began to warm up to Tsubasa. He stilled like Yu better because who wouldn’t like Yu better? Still, Yu was a little relived Tithi was getting along with Tsubasa. They were both very important to him and if they hadn’t liked each other he wouldn’t have known what to do. Before he met Gingka and the others that wouldn’t have mattered much to him but now other people’s feelings factor into his calculations. Kenta taught him that. 

Speaking of Kenta, he had changed since the whole legendary blader affair wrapped up. Ryuga was a topic they didn’t talk about together, it was something forbidden much like the question of what Yu did before the survival challenge was forbidden between him and Tsubasa. Kenta was still Yu’s best friend. That was one thing that would never change. 

Yu, Tithi, and Kenta spent some time together doing Christmas things like baking cookies at Kenta’s house. The kitchen at Tsubasa and Yu’s apartment didn’t have near enough room or the right equipment to make proper holiday cookies. Tithi happily slapped the dough on the stick pan, Yu measured everything perfectly, and Kenta used the cookie cutter to make snowmen and christmas trees. Sadly, despite two geniuses working on them, the cookies came out completely charred (“Just like my soul”, Kenta had said). They had to call in Madoka to help them make proper ones.

Yu took Tithi to Tsubasa’s work and they sang him Christmas carols. He didn’t appreciate them near enough because he was trying to work or some nonsense like that. When Tsubasa kicked them out they went home and diligently decorated the apartment. They might have broken a few ornaments and the tree might have fell over a few times but nevermind any of that. The important thing is the apartment ended up looking plenty festive. There was never any doubt after all, they are geniuses. This is just a sample of the things that occupied their time in the weeks leading up to Christmas. 

Which brings the story back to the now. The forecast had been threatening snow all month. Tithi has never seen snow so Yu wished with all his heart it would snow. Over the night before Christmas Eve his wish was granted. 

Tsubasa stopped Yu before he ran out of the apartment in nothing but his pajamas. Now, they’re going through the motions of morning, much to Yu’s chagrin. Tithi seems to be bursting out the seams too in his own shy way. Despite spending a handful of weeks around Tsubasa he still hasn’t completely collapsed his walls. Yu takes smug pride in Tithi mumbling a few words to Tsubasa about breakfast. 

Typically, Tsubasa and Yu get into a fight while washing the breakfast dishes.

“You’re so boring! Come out and play with us!” Yu is angrily scrubbing a plate while Tithi stares at him from the kitchen table. Tsubasa is dutifully drying the plates and returning them to their proper place.

“I have work to do.” Tsubasa does not spare a glance at Yu as he dries the cup in his hands.

“It’s Christmas Eve!” Yu shoves the soaking wet plate into Tsubasa’s already full hands.

“Yu,” Tsubasa says, attempting to juggle the various dishes in his hands, “You can have fun without me.”

“Obviously! I have fun without you all the time I just thought you’d want to hang out with us but clearly not!” Yu takes out his anger on the last plate, scrubbing it so hard it was in danger of losing its coating.

“You’ll have a better time without me.” Tsubasa sounds like he’s trying disengage. He probably feels embarrassed fighting in front of Tithi but Yu himself doesn’t feel a hint of shame. If Tsubasa feels so bad he should just give in and come to the park with them.

“I’m done,” Yu says while pushing the last plate into Tsubasa’s still too full hands.

“Get on your coat, you’ll catch a cold if you go out lik-”

“You’re not my dad Tsubasa!” Yu yells, hopping off his stool with an angry thump. “If you were, you’d be a lousy one!” 

Yu grabs Tithi’s hand and leads him into his room. They don’t say much as Yu helps Tithi wrap himself up in various goats and scarves. 

“Will we build a snowman?” Tithi asks as they finish.

“The biggest snowman in the world,” Yu agrees and takes Tithi’s hand once more. Tsubasa is sitting at the dinner table with his laptop open. He is typing furiously, probably about something really important, more important than spending time with two stupid kids on Christmas Eve.

He looks up from his work when the two stupid kids pass by him. 

“Yu-” Tsubasa starts but he makes a face instead of finishing his thought, like he’s eaten a lemon or something. Yu doesn’t like that face, do they look that weird all bundled up in their winter clothes? 

“Going to apologize?” Yu asks, “Because I don’t want an apology, I want you to play in the snow with us. Tithi wants that too, right Tithi?” Tithi nods vigorously instead of an answer. He squeezes Yu’s hand in support which brings a light smile onto Yu’s face despite trying to look stern. 

Tsbuasa hesitates before closing his laptop. “Give me a second.” 

Yu has won once again as Tsubasa walks to his room to get properly dressed. He turns to Tithi with a wide smile on his face to find a mirror of it on Tithi’s. 

Tithi is all wide eyes and mouth gaping when they walk out of the apartment building. The world is powdered white. Snow is clumped to the side of the sidewalk, someone already has gone and shoveled it, and there was people out bundled up in thick winter clothes. They don’t stop to play in the snow just yet but carefully make their way to a park nearby. 

The first thing they do upon reaching the park is run head first into a pile of snow. They being Yu and Tithi, Tsbuasa is still too dull to do anything but hover on the edge of the park with his glove clad hands in his pockets.

Yu pulls Tithi out of the pile of snow, “Hey, lay down here.” He points to an unspoiled spot of snow. Tithi obeys silently, not bothering to shake off the snow that’s already accumulated on his coat. Yu falls down next to him, arms outspread. 

“Watch me,” Yu instructs as he makes a snow angel. Tithi follows suit dutifully. 

“Tsubasa! Come help us up!” Yu calls when the angels have been properly winged. 

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t just stand there, help us!” 

Tsbusa begrudgingly helps both Tithi and Yu off the ground resulting in pristine snow angels. 

They spend the lion’s share of the afternoon throwing snow balls at each other. Yu and Tithi team up to destroy Tsubasa multiple times. They make a snowman, then they make another. An army of snowmen each representing one of their friends. By the time they leave the park they are covered in white and shivering with cold. 

When they get home they slosh off their heavy, snow laden clothes. Tsubasa makes hot chocolate without having to be asked. Giant white marshmallows float the the top of their mugs and Yu and Tithi sit shoulder to shoulder on the couch wrapped in a blanket.

They whisper about the next day, the fun they will have unwrapping presents and spending time with everyone. There will be a little homemade beyblade tournament Yu swears he is going to win. Tithi giggles into his hot chocolate at that declaration. They fell asleep with their drained mugs on the floor beneath them and their heads on each other’s shoulders. 

The last thing Tithi says before drifting off is, “Thank you for inviting me.”

And the last thing Yu says in return, “Always.” 

Tsubasa eventually wakes them up for dinner and the happy chatter continues once more. Merry Christmas, their body language says as they frost cookies, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas. That night they dream of sugar plums, of dancing fairies, and of snow angels. 

[coeurdastronaute]

Essays in Existentialism: Christmas, Day 26

What about a Stud Christmas!? Who is with me!? :D

Previously on Xmas Day 25

“You’re so damn gorgeous,” Lexa shook her head. “I’m offended. It’s a problem. I can’t believe you’re allowed to look like this. It should be illegal.”

Clarke shook her head and blushed as Lexa helped her out of the car and into the waiting throws of the photographers at the annual Christmas party. There had been a few changes made in the past years though, from the first that Clarke attended, though the thing that remained the same was her ridiculous girlfriend.

“You clean up pretty nice yourself.”

“Do you know how hard it was for me to find a Christmas sweater like this, with no pom-poms?”

“I can’t even imagine,” Clarke chuckled.

She was funny. No one else would really know that, but Clarke did. She liked Lexa’s suave and forceful side. She liked that she could look at her from across the room and be completely flustered by the intensity of her gaze. She liked Lexa’s determination and stoicism and strength. She was hardworking and often dry, she was a nerd and she was not one for much talking to people who weren’t intimate friends.

They pair made their way toward the door, pausing for the pictures, like the perfect little couple that everyone mocked them for being. They were loved and admired and goals.

Even in a stupid sweater, Lexa was perfect. She collar of her button up stuck out from the sweater with snowmen on it. She was that small smirk and she was holding on her girlfriend’s hip and showing her off proudly.

“I’m so excited we get to see the animals,” Clarke grinned as she was led inside the zoo entrance that was decked out in Christmas decor.

The idea came when Lexa visited Clarke’s class on day as she waited to take her to lunch. She sat in the back and observed and listened, and was absolutely taken by the tiny creatures who were rapt with her girlfriend. And she remembered how much fun she had at Clarke’s faculty Christmas party. And thus, she convinced her dad, which was not much of a battle, for as much as he loved the annual ritzy party, he was oddly relieved to not be as haunted by the ghost of his wife at every turn. This was new, and once again, he understood how his daughter was growing.

Schools from three different neighborhoods were invited, with kids from Children’s Hospital, for an entire night at the zoo and Christmas spectacular. All with homemade, ugly sweaters, all very eager for presents and cake and the animals.

“Wow, Lex, you did an amazing job,” Clarke gasped as she surveyed the area. It was a wonderland, and so much louder and more alive than the previous parties.

“I just suggested it,” she shrugged. “My dad went with it.”

“Still, I know you had a lot to do with it.”

“I just wanted to see the penguins.”

With that deflection of praise, Clarke gave up, instead, electing to squeeze Lexa’s hip as they walked into the wonderland.

A large tree sat in the middle of the large space that housed the nucleus of the party. The lights gracefully swirled around it, while various sizes of ornaments sparkled and shined. Kids ran around and guests were generally cheery, pausing only for a moment to wish them a happy holiday.

At one point, before they made it into the zoo itself, Lexa was pulled into some coloring contest with some little ones, obviously coloring outside the lines, despite her best efforts. At another, Clarke hugged Anya as they perused the monkey cage and waited for their dates to catch up to them.

“Hey, Clarke,” Aden finally appeared, hurrying to catch up with familiar faces.

“Hey! How’s it going?” she greeted him warmly, hugging him as quick as she could. ���Man, you’re seriously growing. I saw you two weeks ago and now you’re at least six inches taller than that.”

“Dad’s afraid I’m not going to stop growing.”

“I am too.”

“You look like your dad so much,” Anya shook her head and snorted. “It’s ridiculous.”

“He takes credit for that too,” Aden rolled his eyes and tossed the messy mop of hair away from his eyes. “Did you see the polar bears? The hippos were eating entire watermelons. Mom used to bring us to the zoo for the hippos.”

“I didn’t know that,” Clarke smiled slightly as she caught Lexa across the crowded room.

“Oh yeah,” the youngest continued. “She loved them the most. We’d sit in the little room under the water and watch and eat lunch.”

“That’s really nice.”

“Yeah, it’s something.”

“You spend too much time with your sister,” Clarke teased. “Care to show  girl around the grizzly bears?”

Aden was tall, like his father and sister, and still growing. He had Alex’s square jaw and brutish features as opposed to Lexa’s slender, graceful ones, but there was something so very genetically similar between them all, that Clarke didn’t know how to articulate how very close they all were.

But when he extended his elbow for her, and he had this glint in his eyes and a handsome face, so she knew, like his sister, he was going to be absolute trouble. But, like Lexa, she took his arm anyway.

As much as Lexa hated the routine, she was infinitely appreciative that Clarke understood her duties. A party like this, even fun and lighthearted in comparison to the stuffy, elegant Christmas parties of before, still meant mingling. It meant that she had to mingle, still, even after stepping back, and it meant that Clarke had to be lovely and charming, which was never a stated fact, but a role that she just took well enough.

But eventually, Lena felt she’d done enough, and she caught sight of Clarke disappearing with Aden and Anya to have fun, and Lexa decided to join after the third  or fourth boring conversation and question about how she was doing and where she was looking to move next. With no answers, she thought it was a good time to disappear.

All she had to do was follow the sound of laughter and joy and Clarke. Lexa could feel Clarke, or at least that was what she thought.

“Let the kids look,” Clarke laughed, tugging Aden as a gaggle of kids pressed close to the hippo exhibit. “You’re too big.”

“So this is what you guys do?” Lexa interrupted.

The two were holding large trays of food and watching the hippo family swim around and chomp on little gourds. Clarke and Aden shared a look and nodded after looking at Lexa.

“Don’t judge us. These little mac’n’cheese balls are amazing,” Clarke protested. “Want one?”

Different groups of kids trailed in as the group hung in the back eating the food and laughing as they enjoyed the holiday. And it was the same as any other party they’d been to growing up, but with animals.

“I want to go see the zebras again,” Clarke asked.

“I’m going to find dad,” Aden rolled his eyes. “She made us sit there for like twenty minutes and all they did was sit there and sleep.”

“I’m also not going back to the zebras,” Anya stood and stretched. “Time to call the babysitter.”

“Looks like you’re stuck with me,” Lexa offered, holding out her hand to drag her girlfriend.

There were lights everywhere, there were Christmas decorations and little trees and lots of kids having a good time, running around with presents and eating lots of goodies. The general feeling was that of happiness and even the animals seemed to feel it. They got their own presents and goodies, playing with new toys and getting special treats.

“I like them the best,” Clarke shrugged. “They’re a good animal.”

“I like the elephants,” Lexa decided. “Aden likes the hippos. Thanks for going with him. I think they remind him of mom.”

“Yeah, he’s a good kid.”

Lexa wasn’t sure why, but Clarke hugged her bicep and kissed her shoulder through her sweater as they meandered around and leaned against a railing, surveying the animals below in their enclosure.

“My mom used to bring us to the zoo every city we went to,” Lexa explained as they watched. “We’d go with Dad on business, and she’d sneak us out. She loved the fish. And she wasn’t perfect. Do you know that it took me a long time to learn that? But damn, would she have loved you.”

“You think?”

“Oh man yeah,” she chuckled and ate a little more cotton candy. “She was convinced whoever would put up with me was a saint.”

“She was pretty close.”

“I’m just really glad you’re around.”

“Me too,” Clarke smiled and kissed her girlfriend’s cheek. “Thank you for inviting all these kids. It was really nice of you.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Okay.”

Lexa smiled to herself and she was king of the world.

“I got you something.”

“It’s not Christmas morning yet,” Clarke scolded. “And I swear, if you went beyond our limit--”

“It cost a quarter,” Lexa silenced her, pulling a gumball out of her pocket and cracking it to reveal a necklace with a unicorn on it. “I’m not sure where the unicorn exhibit is, but I thought you’d like it.”

“Now this is some jewellry I can get behind. Thank you.”

“I suppose now is a good time to give you one of your presents as well.”

“Am I going to get mad?”

“You can’t get mad in front of zebras. They’re sensitive,” Lexa taunted and dug in her pocket before unfolding a piece of paper. “It just feels like a good time.”

“So I won’t yell in front of the zebras.”

“Yeah,” she grinned. “So I stayed within our limit. Well, with that unicorn necklace I went over by a quarter. But this was something I did for both of us, but for you, too.”

“If you bought a zebra, I swear, Lex,” Clarke huffed and smiled.

“It’s a donation to the after school art program the city is trying to get started, in your name. Well, our name,” Lexa explained. “I figured you couldn’t be mad for this.”

“You donated… that’s a lot of zeros.”

“Yeah, I figured you’d like that. Since I can’t buy us a house or a boat.”

“We don’t need a boat.”

“We do. We haven’t had boat sex.”

“Not in front of the zebras.”

“I reckon there’d be a few more zeros to have sex in front of the zebras.”

“Lexa,” Clarke warned though her face was still staring at the papers and starting to smile. “Thank you. This is… this is perfect.”

“Merry--” arms choked the rest of the words in her throat. “Christmas.”

Lexa stumbled slightly but still hugged back, right there in front of the zebras.

Xmas Day 27