#think of how feral we'd all go if the boys were in reindeer jammies together

[taste-thewaste]

Reindeer Games (Madderton fic)

Hiya, friends! The inspiration for this fic came from a number of places! This is a fill for an anon ask I received for fluff prompt #25- “why don’t you take a picture? It’ll last longer.” Second, it’s very much inspired by an idea that my lovely friend @ilikeyouxactually came up with and batted around with me, which was inspired wholly by an adorable picture of Richard in a pair of footie pajamas (which I can’t find at the moment lol). Thank you Jess, and thank you anon! This is fluff on top of fluff, so i hope you all enjoy. Also it’s long af, 1300 words.

Also, I feel like this would’ve been more fun posted around Christmastime but since Taron posted himself with Santa today, who am I to say it’s not Christmastime now? Have a holly jolly Christmas, Madderton friends!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was nothing in the world like Christmastime in London, Richard was convinced. Snow blanketed the city, coated the street benches, made everything quieter. Strings of twinkling Christmas lights covered every surface, it seemed, hung suspended from street posts and lit up the dark, early evening sky. His hand, covered in fuzzy wool gloves, held Taron’s, their fingers intertwined. 

He snuck a peek at T’s face, his hair hidden by the stocking cap pulled over his head and an oversized scarf wound tightly around his neck. His nose and cheeks were pink from the cold, flushed and adorable, but his eyes were what made Richard’s heart trip. He watched as they lit up with wonder at the snow and the lights, almost child-like in their innocence and simple happiness. 

Richard couldn’t help it as he stopped short, stopping Taron as well. Taron looked at him with confusion in his eyes until Richard tugged him, gently, close to his body by his scarf and kissed him softly. “My beautiful boy,” he whispered, and bit down just so on Taron’s lower lip. Taron’s face flushed deeper, and a tiny whine came from the back of his throat.

“Richie…” Taron whispered, pushing his hips into Richard and pressing his body against him.

Richard smiled into Taron’s mouth, and kissed him quickly on the cheek. “Later, bubs. Remember why we’re even out tonight?”

Taron sighed, rolled his eyes and pouted, annoyed at the fact that he couldn’t continue to kiss his boyfriend underneath the snowy London sky. “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ten minutes later they found themselves in a brightly lit, garishly decorated department store, shopping for last-minute gifts. They’d pushed off their Christmas shopping as late as Richard would allow it, a week before the holiday, and then he’d dragged Taron off to search for gifts. 

Taron was off hunting for the perfect present for his younger sisters, while Richard scanned the aisles for something for his mum. She was impossible to buy for, she never gave him any idea what she wanted, and he’d gotten her that robe for Mother’s Day and...

“Oh. my. God.”

Richard heard Taron’s voice drift from the next aisle over, and he paused, his fingers touching a pair of slippers. It was Taron’s eager voice, his excited voice, and Richard knew from experience that this would be interesting, to say the least. If not a little frightening.

“Oh. My GOD.” Taron’s exclamation the second time around was followed by what Richard could only ruefully call a giggle. Richard sighed. 

“Oi, love. What on earth are ya doin’?” Richard called, pitching his voice so that it traveled over to the next aisle. 

There was the sound of scurrying footsteps, and then Taron burst into Richard’s aisle, a gleeful smile on his face. “Would you look at these?” he asked excitedly, holding up a pair of pajamas enthusiastically in Richard’s face. 

They weren’t just any pajamas, however. Taron was clutching a brown pair of footie pajamas, designed to make whatever poor sap had to wear them look like a reindeer. The hood that flapped from the shoulders had a pair of bright red antlers sticking out of the top with eyes and a red nose like Rudolph. The belly of the pajamas was a lighter brown than the rest of it, and the they ended at the bottom in slippered feet made to look like animal paws. Richard’s jaw dropped. 

“It’s a onesie!” Taron crowed, and Richard looked at him like he’d gone insane. 

“It has antlers, for Christ’s sake,” Richard muttered, and Taron nodded enthusiastically. 

“Yeah! And look at the bum!” Taron flipped it around, revealing a tiny tail right over the seat of the pajamas. “They’re so cute! We have to get them.” 

“Taron David Egerton. No.”

“Rich--”

“NO. There’s no way you’re getting to me wear those. I’m a grown man!” 

“Darling, you’d look positively adorable. We would look positively adorable. Please?” Taron stared at him happily, looking like a tiny, eager puppy. His eyes held the same look of childish wonder that they’d held earlier, and Richard felt his heart start caving. Keep it together, Madden, he wants to dress you up like a reindeer.

“Oh, it’s we now? Now we’re going to match?” Richard asked, crossing his arms stubbornly. 

“Yes! They have both of our sizes. It’ll be lovely. Please, Richie? Please? Just something fun for our first Christmas together?” Taron’s lower lip stuck out, just slightly, in a maddeningly adorable pout that Richard was no match for. He sighed wearily and closed his eyes. 

“Fine. But so help me God, we wear them at home, alone, and no one sees, alright?” Richard said, pointing his finger at Taron sternly. 

“Yes, yes, of course. God, I’m bloody excited,” he said cheerfully, rushing over to the next aisle to comb through the stack and collect the other size he needed. 

“Did you find presents for your sisters?” Richard asked, joining him the next aisle over, having decided on the slippers for his Mum. 

“What? Oh, right. I forgot all about them when I saw these,” he said, holding up the matching onesies. 

Richard sighed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next week flew by, and before they knew it, it was Christmas Eve. Richard had promised Taron they could wear the pajamas on the night before Christmas, but he had secretly hoped that he’d forget about it. 

He’d hoped for this, despite knowing that Taron’s mind was like a steel trap, especially for things he was excited about. 

Sure enough, as soon as the family was gone, he thrust Richard’s pajamas into his hands excitedly and said, “Go! Change!” 

Richard sighed, grumbled, and went to their bedroom, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. He stripped off his jeans and sweater, feeling particularly vulnerable for some reason as he approached the brown footie pajamas in nothing but his underwear. He wriggled into them, shoved his arms into the sleeves, and zipped himself up the middle. With trepidation, he turned and faced himself in the full-length mirror, wiggling his toes around in the sweaty booties. 

“Bloody hell.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Richard shuffled into the living room, his antlered head hung low, and only looked up when he heard the unmistakable sound of Taron’s giggle. He was standing by their Christmas tree, decked out in the same onesie as Richard, his hands clasped together in glee. 

“I hate you,” Richard said, but there wasn’t an ounce of truth to it, the hardened front he was trying to put on betrayed by the small, sweet smile on his face. 

“You are the cutest fucking thing I’ve ever seen,” Taron said, slipping his arms around Richard’s waist and drawing him close. He kissed him, softly, sweetly, his eyes closed and a smile on his lips when he pulled away. His long eyelashes fanned his cheeks and Richard’s heart fluttered. He laid his head on Taron’s shoulder gently. 

“I love you,” he murmured into the soft fuzz of Taron’s onesie. 

“Back at ya, darlin’,” Taron said. “I made you a drink, figured you might like one since you’re forced to wear this.” 

He handed over the Manhattan he’d made him, and as Richard sipped it he noticed Taron staring at him frankly. 

“Why don’t you take a picture? It’ll last longer,” Richard said with a smirk, setting his drink down on the table and playfully wiggling his makeshift tail in Taron’s direction. 

“Okay,” Taron said with his own grin, and suddenly his arm was around Richard, pulling him close, and his phone was in the other hand, snapping a quick selfie that was reminiscent of their Carpool Karaoke shenanigans. Richard’s face was open in surprise, and Taron’s grin was spread from ear-to-ear. 

“T, I told you no one can see us in these!” Richard cried. 

“Hey, you told me to take a picture! Besides, you look fucking adorable. They’re going to go mad over this.” 

“They? Who’s they?” Richard asked suspiciously as Taron tapped away on his phone. 

“Our adoring fans, of course,” Taron said, wiggling his eyebrows as he clicked ‘post’ on his Instagram. “Think of the ideas it’ll give them.” 

Richard sighed, but, as usual, was unable to be mad. How could he be mad at his boyfriend when he was this adorable little reindeer? 

Bollocks.