#thinking about eggnog running around the farm

[suitsusboth]

thinking about things ✨

[sseniita]

hero vs domesticity 3

part 1 part 2

The villain took hero all around town, finally ending up in a Christmas night market on a tree farm- he’d been in an absurdly good mood. She tried eggnog for the first time, not a fan, tried fruit cake and spat it out. Villain settled on feeding her chocolate peppermint candies every now and then instead. They found the perfect tree being sold by a plump, bearded man the villain referred to as Santa Claus. Hero would have been charmed if she wasn’t incredibly suspicious about the breaking and entering. They stopped at many stalls, most of which met a gawking hero pointing and exclaiming her interest. Villain took good note- after a while of patrolling around looking at all the festive oddities, the villain excused himself with an excuse the hero didn’t quite catch, they were supposed to meet back in around 15 minutes so she continued browsing around the stalls until a woman caught her attention. 

“Where’d that handsome boyfriend you were with go?” The woman yelled, she seemed kind enough, middle aged with puffy blond curls, Hero and Villain previously looked at the poinsettias and other plants she was selling. The hero approached her stall. 

“Oh, um. He went to go do something, he’s gonna meet me near the entrance” she answered. The crowds present when they got there had died down and all that was left were scattered couples and people seemingly on first dates, perhaps the villain didn’t notice it, but he was getting touchy, linking their arms and leaning close to tell her something. It seems this lady had gotten the wrong idea. 

“Oh! Actually! He’s not my boyfriend!” She quickly corrected herself. 

“No?” the woman seemed genuinely shocked. 

“Uh no. He’s um. A friend? Almost.” 

“Almost?”

“Sort of.” 

The woman tutted, nodding her head with disapproval. “Well that just won’t do.” She pointed back to a couple of clusters of plants tied together by bows hanging by hooks on her stall. “Get one of those and boom! You gotta start the engines running somehow.”

Hero must’ve looked confused enough so she didn’t have to ask what that meant.

“Mistletoe.” The woman said.

“Beg your pardon?” Hero felt insulted.

“The tradition? I can’t believe it! No wonder you two haven’t gotten together. You have no romantic bone in your body!” 

The hero was already red from the cold, but it was kept hidden underneath the scarf that came up to her nose. She was more than sure everyone could see it now though. She didn’t like the villain that way… did she? For the first time she considered all the subconscious heart shaped sourdoughs and mysterious, dreamy man paintings. The realisation came crashing into her and she felt she might vomit at the thought that the villain might feel the same way. She was ready to deny her feelings and run away from the woman but before her body could move, her heart did. 

“You think he likes me…?” she asked, practically whispering, twiddling her thumbs enclosed in knitted mittens. The woman smiled, glad the hero was finally catching on. 

“Yes. In fact I think anyone could see that.” The hero was filled with determination out of nowhere. It’s as if THE hero she once was came out again, manifesting itself as the confidence she’d been lacking and the power she held dormant. She practically lit up the entire stall. 

“What's the mistletoe toe have to do with that?” 

“You hang ‘em up. When two people find each other under it at the same time they gotta give each other a kiss.” Hero’s confidence quickly disappeared as she began nervously giggling. 

“Oh no no no. I can’t do that. It's a bit forward, I think.”  

“Forward? You two were practically making out when he was feeding you mints.” 

“Oh! I think that’s him! Gotta go ma’am.” She began scurrying away before she turned back halfway. She pulled out the change in her pants pocket and handed it to her. “Thank you.” The lady laughed, rolling her eyes.

“The only thanks I’ll accept is if you two come hand in hand next time.” She began to close her stall, “Which I bet won’t be too far from now” She smirked. The hero didn’t think she could get any redder. She smiled at the lady and paced back to the villain. He greeted her with a smile and she swooned. “Made a friend?” He asked. 

“Not exactly. I did learn a thing or two.” she teased. 

“Oh? Like what?” 

“Um…” hero was at a loss for words. “Girl stuff?” 

The villain laughed as he put his hand on her back leading her out of the market. 

The villain could barely see the hero's face but he could see she was red like the poinsettias they were looking at. She took short and quick steps, scared to fall on the ice. It was humbling and charming to see Hero, a retired weapon of mass destruction, drowning in a scarf and scared of falling on the ice. He lent her a tight hand as they walked over a particularly icy spot and the hero froze. 

“What’s wrong?” 

The hero could die. Right there hanging on the arched entryway gate was the fated mistletoe. Hero could have sworn it wasn’t there before, and the kids running back to the direction of the Poinsettia Lady’s stall were very suspicious. The villain traced the hero's sight to the hanging promise of doom. At such a bold and daring chance, he smiled. Something grew in him that he knew was there all along. This time, he welcomed it and it fueled him with something more than just friendship. 

“Oh, I see. You learned about mistletoes.” He teased. The hero stayed silent, gripping onto the villain's arm, fear of falling still very much present, in more ways than just one. 

“Hero, come on. We have to get to the car somehow.” He pulled the hero, just the slightest bit.

“But we’re-” the hero’s slow and careful steps followed. 

“Not anymore.” 

“We could-” 

“It’s the sacrifice we must take, hero.” 

“It’s just-” 

“They’re closing” he sang, pulling her closer and closer towards him and the mistletoe. Finally, there they were. Villain had managed to snake an arm around her waist, holding her close to get a clear view of her big, brown eyes, now shining red, yellow, and green, reflecting the Christmas lights overhead. “Hero?”

The hero said nothing, almost entirely being held up by the villain’s arm around her. He leaned in, their noses almost touching. “Is this ok?” he whispered. Hero had long stopped working, her legs became jelly and her heart raced so fast she was light headed. He slowly raised his other hand to pull down her scarf and very carefully cupped her cheek. 

The hero felt her head might pop right off, so she hoped it wouldn’t, closed her eyes, and nodded quickly. First she heard the villain’s soft laugh, secondly, she smelled the villain’s familiar cologne, and finally she felt on her cheek the most chaste, soft, sweetest and hero’s first ever kiss.

part 4

[ladamedusoif]

Fuzzy socks (Joel Miller)

A Merry Fic-Mas - December 9

Characters: Joel Miller, Ellie Williams. References to Stargazer F!Reader from Starry Night.

Warnings: None; set in Jackson post-events of part one/S1; references to Christmas but secular; some swearing because Ellie

Summary: The best gifts are homemade.

Word count: 893

Part of A Merry Fic-Mas: A Holiday Fic Calendar - click for masterlist.

Follow @ladameecrit for my writing updates!

With thanks to @agentjackdaniels for inspiration for Joel’s gift, and to @sin-djarin for their beautiful little story and post about Joel making footprints in flour for Sarah, which inspired his memories.

For a long time Joel just didn’t think about the holidays. It was easy not to, living the life he did for all those years. They were best ignored when you were surviving on raids and scavenging missions, or just trying to make it through another day at the QZ.

Jackson forced him to think about the season again, with its illuminated tree and programme of community festivities marking the winter holidays. Ellie’s excitement was both a useful distraction and a painful reminder of an absence that could never be wholly filled.

He insisted he didn’t want gifts, that first year, but he did call to your door the day before Christmas Eve, somewhat sheepish and asking for help in getting something for Ellie.

“She deserves a gift on Christmas morning,” he’d explained. You gave him an old set of maps of the heavens - you’d manage with your atlas, knowing the night sky over Jackson well enough by now.

“She’ll know what to do, but send her my way if she’s got any questions.”

He held the maps in his gloved hands and thanked you quietly, a smile on his face but eyes shining with tears.

This year, Joel has carved and painted a little wooden sheep as his gift. The wooden base is painted to resemble the surface of the moon, and the sheep’s woolly coat is dotted with tiny painted stars.

He wraps it in faded green tissue paper and places it by the fireplace in the living room before going to bed on Christmas Eve. Ellie was way beyond believing in strange men climbing down chimneys, but it just seemed like the right place to leave a gift.

When sleep finds him, he dreams of happier holidays, of flour scattered on the floor and boot patterns stomped through, of laughter, of stockings and eggnog and old movies watched together on the couch.

Ellie’s knock rouses him the next morning. “Merry fuckin’ Christmas, Joel!”

He sits up and hears her thudding down the stairs, reaching for his jeans and his shirt and sweater before dressing and coming down to join her.

She’s already sitting on the sofa holding the little green-wrapped gift from him, positively bouncing with anticipation. There’s a strange, unfamiliar look in her eyes, and Joel worries what she’s got in store.

“You can open your gift, Ellie.”

She shakes her head. “You gotta open yours, too.”

Joel quirks his eyebrows in surprise. “Mine? But I don’t want any gifts. Said it last year, didn’t I?”

Ellie shrugs, turning her gift over in her hands. “You don’t want it, I’ll take it. Just open it, will ya?”

He looks down at the fireplace where a small brown paper package is tied up with string and his name inscribed on it. He takes it and sits beside her on the couch.

“You first.”

Ellie rolls her eyes and opens her gift, falling around the place laughing when she realises what it is. “A fuckin’ sheep in a sheep farm on the moon? This is awesome!”

Joel smiles, enjoying how something so small can make her so happy. Ellie nods at the parcel in his hands and he notes that she seems a little nervous, now.

“Your turn.”

The parcel is soft, pliable. When he carefully undoes the string and folds back the paper, he is astonished at its contents.

A pair of fuzzy, woollen socks, evidently hand knitted, and made up of multicoloured stripes of yarn. Joel runs his thick fingers over the soft material and turns to her.

“Where’d you get these?”

Ellie shrugs. “Made ‘em.”

He can’t hide his astonishment. “You made ’em? You made me socks? You?”

She looks indignant. “Yeah, me! Fuckin’ rude.”

Joel turns the socks over. They’re a little rough and ready in their construction, but warmer than anything he’s had in years. And he cannot quite believe that Ellie made these.

For a moment the image of Ellie, knitting needles in hand, threatens to make him laugh. He restrains himself.

“But…how?”

She shrugs and mentions your name. “A while back I was over at her house lookin’ at the sky and I said I wanted to make you something. And we talked and I said you were always wearin’ two pairs of socks cos yours are all fucked up, and she said could I knit, and I said no because what fuckin’ good is that, and she said it was a lot of good and -”

Joel chuckles. “But where’d you get the yarn?”

“Here and there. She gave me some, got some from Maria, couple of people around town. That’s why they’re all weird colours and shit.”

“They’re perfect, El. And she taught you how to do this?”

Ellie nods. “Yup. And next I’m gonna make a whole sweater.”

He feels a surge of pride in his chest at the determined way she sets her next goal. She’ll do it, too.

“Well, let’s hope I get that sheep farm on the moon, huh? You’re gonna need a lot of wool, all these knittin’ plans you’re makin’.”

She grins. “Ain’t no stopping me, man.”

[thebubblesareevil]

Life on the farm Pt 3 Christmas on the farm

It took some convincing but Danny manages to drag a promise out of Ma and Pa not to tell Clark about his half dead status when they tell him to stop by. As they said he showed up within the day. He was a little awkward around Danny most of the time. Giving him these weird looks but he warmed up to him before the end of dinner. (Ma explains Danny has a heart defect that causes his heart to beat slower than normal, her fingers crossed behind her back, brothers shoulder be allowed their secrets after all)

Danny gets real excited when Clark starts to talk about the resident superhero, who just so happened to be an alien, and how he’d even met him a few times. They end the night on a happy note although Danny breaths a sigh of relief when he leaves. The guy just felt weird. He knew there wasn’t much he couldn’t take in a fight, but Clark made his instincts rear up. Danny shook it off, after all he’s only human, he doesn’t even have any ghost hunting equipment.

Time passes, the Kent farm gets a reputation for having the scariest haunted hay ride around (take that Carter!) that one earned Danny his very own apple pie. Danny ate the whole thing it one sitting with a huge grin. Thanksgiving what quite the affair. Danny dressed up in Clark’s old suit which barely fit him and grinned as Clark introduced his spitfire of a wife. Danny and Lois get along immediately, she’s a bit nosey but she tells the most embarrassing stories about Clark in the big city. Not long after thanksgiving a little green puppy showed up in the fields playing with the cows. Pa brought it in only for it to pounce on Danny who laughs yelling “CUJO!?!? How the heck did you find me?!” Cujo joins the farm, playing with the cows and chasing the chickens living his best afterlife. The farm is isolated so no one questions it, and then Christmas happened.

During Thanksgiving dinner Clark and the Kents made plans for Lois and Clark to come Christmas Eve morning so they could help with everything and stay the night. That was before they had a tiny green dog to worry about.

Danny did everything to try to get cujo to stay in the ghost zone, and he thought it worked. They greeted the couple and all was going well. Clark was doing dishes when he heard Danny’s heart rate spike and he nearly dropped a plate, scared he was having a heart attack. He turned around only to see Danny staring out the window as he turned back to see what he was looking at Danny yelled how he needed help getting ma and pa’s gift from the shop. It should be done by now but he doesn’t have a license and would Clark be willing to drive him, like right now, before the store closed.

Clark is confused but figures it’s because it’s Danny’s first Christmas with the family and he’s just nervous but as they are headed out the door Danny immediately shuts the door, turns around and yells oops I forgot I already picked up their gift, wanna see it it’s upstairs. Things go on like that for about 30 min before Danny just collapses in a chair and Clark pats him on the shoulder and says “I know” Danny pops up and shouts “you know! But ma said?!”

Clark laughs “don’t worry about it, they’re really bad at hiding gifts each year, they try to be sneaky but dad in particular isn’t very subtle after a few cups of eggnog. I can never find them, but I always know when they made it into the house.” Danny just stares for a minute before laughing “yeah, you’re right” the two of them share a good laugh before lois walks in with a VERY familiar green puppy in her arms and says “I think someone went a little overboard on the christmas decorating this year.” Clark’s staring because that dog doesn’t have a heart beat wtf. Danny has dropped his head into his hands and groans and Pa runs in, grabs Cujo and yells “I caught him Martha!”

Clark just continues to stare and asks “is anyone going to explain the dead dog?” Danny looks up

“Who said he was dead?” Clark stares at Danny, Danny stares at Clark, Lois glances between the two of them before shouting “For fucks sake he’s you brother, Danny I don’t know what you’ve got going on with glowing green, apparently dead dog, but Clark is an alien.” Clark shouts “Lois!” She gives him a LOOK and says “he’s you’re brother, eventually he was gonna find your space ship in the attic.” Clark concedes because Lois is usually right about these things and looks back at Danny “I think it’s your turn now” meanwhile Danny, who was a little star struck because his new brother is an alien from SPACE, shakes out of his shock and picks up cujo and says very nonchalantly “Oh yeah, I’m dead.” Both Clark and Lois stare before Lois responds.

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting that.”

[mouthfulloftoothpasterry]

Much more cowboyrry x y/n Pleaseeee I’m obsessed

Okay I got you besfran 🫡

I’ve already made it clear but her family is just so obsessed with him

Like they could call over to invite him over for dinner or something and not bother to tell Y/n (mainly because they knew she would already be coming over, or that Harry told her)

And when they were “sneaking around” I feel like her family kind of knew. There is no hiding who is up in the middle of them night when you live in an old farm house with doors that squeal like a teapot everytime you open it

And they could catch the little pecks and the hand holding but never say anything to their faces

But definitely talk about it behind their backs

But let’s talk about cowboy dad Harry…

Like we know Edward, we love him

But what about their second baby?

I’m thinking it’s gonna be a girl

Maybe some cute name like Hazel or Fern

And once Edward was around one they would start trying again because they missed when he was a tiny, chunky baby and still had that newborn scent and was always asleep in their arms

And it takes a couple months but he finally knocks her up again

Omg he would be so happy when they found out it was a girl, over the moon excited

Already setting up her nursery and building a crib and painting if purple because they were going for a lavender and sage green for her nursery colors

Harry would run out and get tiny little cowgirl boots that had purple accents on them 🥺

Ugh he would be so so cuddly during her pregnancy

And both pregnancy’s were equally as exciting and special but there was something different about this one now that they had Edward

he was always cuddling up with her bump and trying to talk to it in his baby gibberish ☹️

Harry would be so so happy

Like he’s always tending to her every need and want even if she doesn’t want him to but during her pregnancies he’s a little more… extra with it

Going into dad mode now when she doesn’t feels good, constantly checking in and asking her questions “want me to fluff your pillow? I’ll go move Eddy to his bed if you want me to? Do you need another blanket? Need the fan on?”

He would never give himself a moment of rest but when he was finally done for the day he would fall asleep cuddled up with her bump every night after rubbing it and talking to it for as long as he would keep his eyes open

I just know the man is obsessed with pregnancy sex… let me just 😞😞

Feeling her bump and seeing her bump just does so much for him because he put that baby in her

And he would take every opportunity he got, even if he was tired from a long day of working in the heat he would still agree to lazy sex in the bat, or the shower, or something quick to get them both off in bed

And I just know he’s such a tit man (even if you don’t have much, it’s okay 🙏) especially during pregnancy when they are extra sensitive and big ugh

Just giving them a little squeeze whenever he can, but also being gentle because he doesn’t want to hurt her, resting his head on them and using them as pillows because he wants to cuddle and they are there for a reason, so why not? (which he likes to think is for him but they are obviously not)

And I could see her being so annoyed with him during the pregnancy

Maybe she’s in the kitchen, making a peach cobbler for dessert after dinner and he’s like “the oven is too hot, you don’t need to be around that.” Or when she’s outside playing with Eddy he’s like “did you check the temperature? Get inside, please. You two can go play in his playroom.”

Omg and what if she’s a Christmas baby 🥺

They would be sitting on the couch together, Edward cuddled up between then, drinking some hot chocolate or eggnog, frosty the snowman rubbing on the tv with the movie and the lights from the Christmas tree being the only things to light the whole house

And they are both multiple chapters into parenting books on baby girls or baby name books their parents or anyone in their family passed down to them now that it was there turn to make babies

STOP WAITTT

I could imagine Harry’s side of the family so obsessed with y/n so it’s all balanced out

And they would come over all the time during her pregnancy, measuring her belly and keeping a log

Coming over at least every week so they could document each week of her pregnancy with measurements of the bump, photos from ultrasounds, photos of the soon to be family of four, her symptoms, her cravings, what had gone on that week, updates on what they were doing in the nursery, new little things they bought for her,all of the details

And they would gift it to the family on Christmas, and now they know why they were always measuring the bump, asking so many questions, taking so many photos

And it would bring them both to tears and once they got a moment of peace they would flip through it together and see her bump grow from when she was only a month and a half from a day or two before she gave birth

Omg what if she was born on Christmas or Christmas Eve (we could be twins, mine is the 23rd 🤞) 🥺

Stop they would be so excited like “best Christmas gift ever!!” But be so sad bc Edward couldn’t have a proper Christmas bc they were stuck in the hospital for a day with his new sister☹️ but at least he was young so he wouldn’t really know the difference

And they would scurry out of there as quick as possible if she was born on the 24th so they could go to their family’s Christmas’s

And everyone would be so so excited

And they would be so so tired but trading off with naps and things like that so the next day they would be ready to wake up with Eddy and give him the Christmas he deserves 🥺

[wannabe-fic-writer]

All Over Again - Chapter 7

Summary: What was lost can be found.

Warning: 18+ Smut, Language, Violence.

Ch. 6

Here’s to hoping everyone has a wonderful Christmas. I know this one’ll be different for most of us if not all, I’m here to chat for any reason, and enjoy the chapter 🎄✨💚❤

Fluffy white falls just outside the window. The wide surrounding field covered in the crystalized ice. Not a single bird is in sight, but just at the forest edge, is a deer. 

Going from pushing its nose through the snow, it suddenly looks up. If the compound weren’t so far away, you’d guess it was looking at you. 

“Hey, staring out the window isn’t going to get that garland up so chop chop.”

Frown in place, you shove your hand into the box at your feet,“ can’t you like, hire people for this.”

“That’d just make me look like some rich asshole.” Silence passes and Tony’s jaw drops at the look on your face.“ I’m not an asshole Y/Ln.”

“Not as much as before anyway.” Both yours and Tony’s eyes pan to the new presence. Pepper slides a hand across her husband’s back,“ I still love you though.” She kisses his cheek and goes over to help Maria hang mistletoe. 

You stick your tongue out at Tony playfully, then turn back to hanging the garland.

With Mister Stark’s annual Christmas party now being on the 23rd(there’s no way he’s not spending Christmas Eve and Christmas with his daughter), the team is decorating the compound. There are already a bunch of inflatable decorations outside along with lights, according to Tony, things aren’t done until the inside is just as festive as the out. 

Stepping off the ladder, you pick it and the box up, moving over to the next window so Sam and Bucky can place stickers on the one you just left. 

Just before you can get back up your phone buzzes a few times and you pull it out. A smile splitting across your face at the message from Lena, and then dropping at it’s contents. 

Obviously you’d invited her to the party, it’s the best excuse you had to see her so soon after having just left. Except now she’s telling you she won’t be able to make it, something came up at work. You sigh and tell her it’s perfectly fine and to have a happy holiday. 

The second message has a curiouser frown on your face and you spin around.

Eyes landing at the kitchen doorway where Natasha quirks a brow with a little smirk and nods backwards. 

Scanning the common room, as if looking for who she’s actually talking to, you find no one else around you. The playful roll of her eyes and nod tells you she’s talking about you.

You set the garland and tape down and head over. Natasha back steps into the kitchen once you reach her. 

“What’s with the clandestine meeting Miss Romanoff?” 

The redhead chuckles, back facing you while her hands move in front of her,“ I just wanted you to try this. If it sucks then I probably shouldn’t serve it at the party tonight.”

Before you can ask what she’s talking about, she’s already holding a glass towards you. It’s chilly to the touch and the second you raise it to your face you can smell the mixture of cream and bourbon. 

Natasha watches you as you take the first sip, your tongue running along your lips to rid them of the excess cream. Golden green eyes trail the lines of your eyes, cheek, jaw, and back up the other side. 

“Maybe a little lighter on the bourbon,” you chuckle, finishing the drink,“ and that’s coming from me.”

Finally focusing on your eyes, Natasha smiles a little,“ where’s the fun in that.”

You raised your eyebrows,“ don’t tell me you’re trying to get everyone drunk Tash, that’s not gonna end well for us you know.” 

When you see Natasha’s eyes widen you get a little worried. Her smile drops and her jaw slacks. She’s about to say something but shakes her head instead,“ yeah you’re right. I’ll fix it.” She turns back to the bowl of eggnog in silence. 

You don’t get the chance to ask what she means as Wanda calls your name, sliding to a stop at the door and leaning in to look at you,“ mind helping me decorate the tree?”

“Uh, yeah, yeah.” You pull a smile as you turn to face her,“ come on.” 

As you walk out, Wanda throws herself on to your back, arms circling your shoulders.

“Your girlfriend coming to the party?” She asks.

Once again you sigh,“ no. She has some business at work she can’t hold off.”

With her being behind you, you can’t see the giddy look on her face,“ is she seriously your girlfriend?”

Honestly you hadn’t even noticed that you didn’t deny it,“ what, no I- Wanda you know she’s not.”

Your best friend jumps from your back with an agreeing statement and the two of you start hanging ornaments on the tree. As you work you talk about the same stuff you usually do: everything and nothing. She’s really excited about Christmas, after spending the last two with Clint’s family you figure the excitement of seeing the kids has rubbed off on her. It always did you. 

Whenever you and Natasha went to the farm for the holiday their childlike innocence and excitement brought an insane amount of joy to your hearts. You can’t count the number of times you and Natasha had daydreamt about your own children bringing you that joy. 

That’s not exactly how things have gone now though. And you’re starting to feel a lot less upset over it. 

By the time all the decorations are up and the place is Stark approved, it’s late enough to get changed. You keep your outfit simple, burgundy sweater and black pants fitting to you exactly how you like. Last thing you want is to be uncomfortable for the hours that this party will last. 

“Is-is that my sweater?” 

Your gaze snaps up from your shoes to Wanda at your door, you chuckle,“ one: you look great,” her velvet green of the shoulder dress compliments the woman’s eyes and fair skin tone beautifully,“ two: this is my sweater that you stole. I simply stole it back.” 

Wanda’s eyes roll, knowing you’re right, as you leave out.

From the sounds of things, a number of people have shown up already, all of them made known as you step into the common room once again. 

Familiar faces scatter the room: Happy, Rhodey, Carol, the Guardians, the King and Princess of Wakanda, and a SHIELD recruit team lead by Coulson. Alongside the people who were here before.

“Does Stark ever not invite investors?” The younger woman leans over to ask.

Chuckling, you lead her towards the bar,“ they aren’t investors. They’re a team, like us.”

She nods, leaning against the bar,“ are we the only teams?” 

“I have no idea. SHIELD made a lot of quiet moves back in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some other teams.”

Wanda can’t help but agree. She was never under SHIELD but she figures things are a lot alike under the Avengers themselves, or Cap at least. 

Frowning, you finally focus on the bar, that's unattended. Natasha’s usually back there, messing around and avoiding having to socialize for the most part. 

“Alright, what’re you having Miss Maximoff?” You ask, rounding the bar and leaning on the top, eyes set on Wanda.

She looks at the wall of liquor with a raised brow, that is until you start to notice the overwhelmed look. 

You wave your hand,“ don’t worry I’ll fix you up somethin nice.”

With new intrigue, Wanda watches you fix her a drink. As you’re distracted someone eases into the stool beside Wanda and the younger woman’s eyes widen.

“One vodka and cranb-” The drink in your hand jostles as you stop abruptly.

You can’t begin to describe the pure joy that spreads through you at the sight of her. So much joy in fact that you don’t even stop yourself from setting the drink down and rounding the bar to her. Lena quickly accepts the hug you offer, a bright smile of her own spreading. 

It’s not missed on anyone how equally happy she is to see you or the way she buries her face in your neck or how your hold on her tightens.

As Wanda watches with a broad smile, across the room Natasha frowns. 

Despite what she’d told you in the gym weeks ago, something stirs inside her.

She finds herself thinking. Alongside a sudden rush of memories: your arms around her almost exactly like that, your lips secretly pressing to her neck before you pull away. Just as your hug with Lena breaks, Natasha finds herself wondering if you’d secretly kissed the CEO’s neck. 

You have to bite your lip to stop the smitten smile from growing. Once your thoughts calm, you go back around the bar,“ anything I can get you?”

A thought flicker’s through her mind that has her face turning bright red,“ my usual if you have it.”

With a nod and mock salute, you get to work making her a glass of red wine. 

“Miss Luthor,” Tony approaches the bar, champagne in hand as he leans on her other side,“ you  come all the way out here for our sweet little Y/n?”

The drink you’d just made damn near drops from your hand and you snort, holding back a laugh. Sweet little Y/n? You wouldn’t exactly describe yourself as that. 

Silver green eyes look at you, a smile on her lips,“ she’s worth the slight jet lag.”

Her comment makes you smile and you lean forward just a little, your fingers brushing. 

“Y/Ln workin the bar!” The groups eyes fall on the two men walking up, Sam leaning at the very end of the bar and Bucky stopping beside him.“ This either really good or really bad.”

Smirking at the man, you pick up the drink mixer and set to making something he couldn’t possibly deny. Pouring a combination of juices and liquor together, you cap it and shake, then pouring the mix over ice and sliding it to Sam. 

His eyes narrow at you as he lifts the glass. Those brown eyes quickly widening,“ oh I’m going to need another one.”

That’s how you find yourself tending the bar for majority of the night, Lena and Wanda maintaining their positions there with you. While your team does hang around the area a lot, they make sure to step away every so often. 

Still though you end up being teased not long after. Having known you for years, the team. . . your family can tell how you feel about Lena with ease. The amount of attention you pay to her, the smile on your lips, the questions you answer, and your reactions to everything she says. 

“I- no, that never happened. I think I’d remember if I fell off a stage!” You tell everyone as they laugh at the story Lena’s telling. 

Maybe you’d gotten a little too drunk at karaoke night with the superfriends, maybe not. According to Lena, you and Winn serenaded the friends and you tripped off stage. Either way you can’t remember.  

“With the number of shots Winn and Mon-El gave you I don’t you remember anything at all.” She laughs. 

You open your mouth to argue but truthfully, she’s most likely right. Sighing in defeat, you lean on crossed arms on the bar,“ at least tell me the serenade was good.”

“It was perfect.” 

A long gaze holds between you two, small smiles on your lips. 

The thought hits you suddenly: you haven’t had a moment alone with Lena yet. As much as you love seeing her get along with your family, you’d really like a minute with her. So you nod to Wanda who’s quick to mouth ‘tell her’ to you.

You sigh and shake your head, a quiet part of you contemplating it, then turning to Lena,“ hey, you mind stepping away with me for a moment?”

The CEO is quick to nod, her hand slipping into the one you offer her. And you definitely feel eyes on you as you walk off with her. 

Your heart speeds up in your chest as her hand remains in hers. 

“Where, pray tell, are you taking me?” She asks, keeping her voice quiet even though no one is around. 

Pursing your lips, a sheepish smile forms,“ honestly I’m not sure I just wanted to talk.”

Her eyebrows raise a little,“ what about?” She asks with a slightly tilted head.

“Oh, uh I-” Mentally you curse yourself. 

How is it that you can take down HYDRA goons, Cartel bosses, and enhanced persons with natural ease? Yet talking to Lena makes you feel like some lovestruck child. You’ve interrogated men the size of trucks but can’t seem to ask this beauty a simple set of questions.

Stopping, she rests a hand on your forearm,“ Y/n, you can tell me anything, really.”

You can’t help but free fall into the comfort and reassurance of those green eyes. Mouth dry all of a sudden, you clear your throat and swallow,“ I guess, you know, I was wondering a-about you and James.” When her hand slips from you, you hasten to clear it up,“ I’m sorry, you don’t have to reply to that, I-”

“We used to date.” Lena speaks, gaze trained on her shoes,“ though, that ended a while ago.” 

Hearing that makes that thought in your head a little louder. Out of all the things stopping you from telling Lena how you feel, her possibly being with James is no longer one of them. 

You nod. After a bit of hesitance, you grab her hand, the warmth spreading up your arm, across your chest, and straight to your heart. Looking at your smile, makes Lena smile as well. You desperately want to keep that expression on her face so you opt to change the subject. 

“I’m really glad you made it.”

The two of you turn to keep walking, Lena good naturedly bumping her shoulder against yours,“ I would’ve regretted not coming. And your company is much better than the work I left behind.”

You grimace,“ I can’t say I hope it wasn’t important cause I know it was but-”

“You’re more important.” 

Just like before you halt, right foot skidding to a stop beside your left, as your hand tightens around Lena’s. Honesty swirls in green orbs and you can’t pretend you haven’t already fallen in love with her. 

Merely a few months and she’s captured your heart. Is that not something a person has the right to know? You’ve entrusted her with such a precious part of you and the chances of her breaking it are high. What you don’t know is how much higher the chances of her cherishing are. But you resolve that you’re willing to risk almost anything to find out.

“Lena, there’s-” god why are you tearing up, why is it suddenly a little harder to breathe. If there’s any chance of you telling her it can’t be here. 

So you take her to the one safe space you’ve always had at the compound. Lena follows, curiously silent as you tow her to the elevator and ride it up to the second highest floor. A set of stairs take you to your final destination.

The second the brisk New York air hits you inhale, it’s thin sure but it does wonders to calming you. After two, deep, steadying breaths, you fully face the brunette woman. E/c bores into green as you say a silent prayer that this doesn’t implode around you.

“You are in no way obligated to reply to this nor reciprocate, unless of course you feel so inclined.” She frowns at your words and you continue,“ I like you. I mean I love you. And not in the way that I love Winn or Kara or Wanda, I- I want to be with you Lena. You are so goddamn brilliant and caring. Your will to give and help without receiving so much as a nod of recognition is so inspiring.”

When tears shine in Lena’s eyes you understand why you’d teared up moments ago. Emotions like these can be so beautifully overwhelming. Something felt so strongly can only be expressed in a number of ways and tears just so happens to be one of those ways. 

Reaching up, you brush the stray tear from her rosy cheek, feeling the cold skin under the pad of your thumb,“ I don’t know much about how the universe works but falling for you feels inevitable.”

“Y/n,” Lena’s hand cups yours over her cheek, both your hearts are pounding, beating the same rhythm for the same reasons,“ I-” you inhale,“ I love you too.” Your exhale fans across the CEO’s red lips right before they crash onto yours.

A tidal wave of happiness washes over you. The warmth of her hand, of her body against yours, it pales in comparison to the heat that her lips bring. Heads tilt in the slightest to allow for a deeper kiss, a longer exchange of emotions and passion. 

God if you didn’t have to breathe you’d hold her there forever. 

Funnily enough, just as quickly as you pull away, you’re falling back in. Lena’s fingers now gliding gently into the hairs at your nape as yours grip her waist. 

Whatever reasons you’d come up with opposing this have long since vanished, seemingly taken away with the rush of wind past you. The fact that you denied yourself the pleasure of this for so long in baffling. 

Faces flushed from the cold and this very moment, you and Lena pull apart. Winter’s air makes it just a little harder to catch your breaths. Cold and warm air mixes in the space between you as your foreheads rest against each other. 

Both of you need a minute. Not necessarily to process, no this moment is very much real and you both know it. The silence, this pause, it’s needed so as to prolong it. Despite the flurry of snow and wind, you both have to stay in this moment for as long as possible. 

If this were a movie, this scene is exactly what every watcher would be waiting for. The crescendo that draws the two lovers together. The rising of their friendship and the climax of what’s to come. 

“I love you,” you whisper into the silence.

Lena smiles, a full, euphoric grin splits across her face.“ I love you too.” 

How could she not? The way you came into her life, well, the way she stepped into yours honestly, was entirely unexpected. Clicking with you in the way she had was equally as special as it was common. 

Lena’s had a number of partners, multiple people who she could formulate and execute an idea with. Something about you though, working with you, brainstorming and creating, it felt like so much more than just the project. Her zeal for her career was never lost. You coming along though, it was as if a power core had been struck by lightning. All that was, now amplified in the best way possible. 

Out of everyone in the banquet hall that night she found you. Whatever it was(definitely your reply to Mister Richards routine flirting) drew her in and everything you are, who you are, kept her there. And she’s so incredibly glad she stayed. 

The woman curses herself when a shiver wracks her body. 

Your soft hands run up and down her arms, warming them and raising goosebumps all at the same time,“ come on, let’s not freeze to death.” You tease.

“I’d hate for that to happen before we’ve even been on date.” She teases back.

Both of you shudder when the warmth inside the building engulfs you, but you’d been outside a little longer than you should’ve. The heating works but you need a faster relief. 

So you guide her through the halls to your room. You walk in, the door closing slowly as Lena follows, her eyes taking in the space. 

Truthfully it’s not exactly what she expected. While it’s not like the room is a mess or anything, Lena can tell that this is definitely where you spend majority of your time.

Not only is it obvious that you’ve brought your work in here a number of times(little gadgets and small tools splayed across the surface of your desk and dresser), there’s a trash can full of snack wrappers and water bottles, and an article or two of clothing on the floor.

“Sorry about the mess,” you say, quick to tidy everything up,“ me and Wanda had a sleepover last night and I hadn’t had the chance to clean up yet.”

With a nod she walks over to the desk, fingers running over the weapon parts there, some glowing and some not,“ for a moment there I thought you were a mess.” She says.

Laughing, you look back at her,“ I’m the most orderly mess you’ll ever find.” 

“I’m sure of it.” 

You make quick work of fishing another sweater from your closet. The soft knitted material equally as cute as it is comfortable. With a smile you hand it to Lena and a blush resurfaces as she thanks you. 

A part of you, a very very big part, wants to stay in here with Lena for the rest of the night. But your team is still here and there is still a party going on. 

“Guess we should head back, last thing we want is a bunch of Avengers and government agents thinking something happened to us.” You say, holding a hand out.

Lena slips hers into yours, fingers lacing together with ease as she stands. 

In a moment you can’t resist, you face her, and lean down to plant yet another kiss on her lips. The feeling is quickly becoming intoxicating, a drug you’ll gladly give yourself to, no questions.

With that kiss, you leave out, her hand still in yours. A fact Wanda notices almost instantly. 

Your best friend smiles at you brightly as you approach and you shake your head,“ don’t say it.”

She lays a hand on your shoulder, lips pursed in a ‘sorry not sorry’ kind of way,“ I told you so.”

“I know I know.” You roll your eyes good naturedly,“ I should’ve listened to the all knowing Wanda Maximoff.”

The younger woman chuckles, smile turning genuine and serious,“ you deserve this.”

You nod and shortly hug her, a little kiss pressed to her hair. 

“And now I have to tell Kara.” She slides from her seat, phone suddenly in her hand, and fingers flying across the screen.

“Wait-” Lena frowns.

“Since when do you and Kara t-”

Wanda throws a dismissive hand up as she steps away,“ I need someone to talk to about this. Obviously.” 

Your mouth opens, unspoken words falling short as you sigh. You shouldn’t have expected anything less from the two women.“ I have a feeling those two aren’t going to let either of us hear the end of this.” 

Kara and Wanda had to watch from the sidelines as you and Lena pined after each other and now that you’re taking steps towards something more serious they can finally speak to both yours and Lena’s obliviousness. 

“I agree.” Her hand squeezes yours,“ it’ll be worth it though.” 

Just as you had Wanda, with a different love behind it, you kiss Lena’s head. Only for the CEO to quickly kiss your cheek. 

She’s not usually one for PDA but this, with you, it’s new and she’s loving it. A few out of character kisses is the least she could do. And they certainly happen a few more times through the night, a little more frequently as the crowd dwindles down.

Eventually it’s down to your team, Pepper, Rhodey, Maria, and Lena. All of you take up a spot on the common room couches. Most of the guys are nursing beers, Lena, Pepper, and Natasha sipping from wine glasses, and the rest of you drinking water. 

As tradition had been set, each of you have one singular present in your laps. Since it’s likely you all won’t be together Christmas Eve or day, you decided years ago to do Secret Santa and open the presents together the night before. 

Sam is currently gushing over the gun you’d made him. After he saw you using the first model during a mission he begged for one, with your added power effects of course. At the time you told him no but decided it’d make a good gift.

“Don’t say I never gave you nothin.” You tease him. 

He presses a hand to his heart, wide brown eyes staring at you gratefully,“ you’re the best.” 

You shrug, leaning back into the couch, arm brushing Lena’s,“ I know.”

Next up was Natasha. The small box in her lap had more than a few of you curious. 

She shifts in her seat, not a fan of all the attention on her. The quicker she opens it, the quicker you all look away. Her fingers tear the wrapping paper away and she freezes at whatever’s underneath. 

Literally everyone else freezes the second Bruce stands from his spot beside her and kneels. He grabs the gift from her lap, a small velvet box sitting in his hand, as the other grabs Natasha. 

“Nat.” The name leaves his lips nervously, his smile matching,“ I know things between us seemed, unrealistic, in the beginning. It seemed everything was against us all at once. But we were given another chance two years ago and I’ve fallen more in love with you every second that’s passed since.” 

Quiet sniffles come from a number of people in the room but you can’t bring yourself to look away from Natasha. A blank expression sits on your face and not a soul can tell what you’re thinking. And honestly it’s far too much in your head to even begin to answer that if asked. 

“Will you, Natasha Romanoff, do me the honor of becoming my wife?” 

Bruce’s question seems to pull the ex-assassin from whatever reverie she’s in. Green, teary eyes, rise from her lap. Moving right past Banner and landing on you.

A gentle squeeze to your hand grabs your attention and your gaze shifts, flicking from Natasha to Lena. Lighter green eyes stare back, full of concern and wonder, a soft unspoken question of ‘are you okay’ in them. 

The corner of your lips tug up in the slightest and you nod, then looking back to Natasha and Bruce. Oddly enough, the redhead is still looking at you. A small, genuine, smile on your lips makes her eyes widen unnoticeably to anyone else.

Just as you, a whirlwind of thoughts are in Natasha’s head, all focusing on you and the brunette man in front of her. She finally looks down to him. 

Bruce’s nervous smile and loving brown eyes sends her heart fluttering in a familiar way. Despite the confusion in her head, Natasha nods,“ yes.” 

Gleefully, the ring is taken out and slid onto her finger. Once again her gaze flicks to you but back just as quickly. Bruce kisses her and you look away from the passionate moment, even as everyone else cheers. 

A round of congratulations circles the group. While you contribute to it, your thoughts still run wild. 

It seems you and Lena aren’t the only ones stepping into a more serious relationship. Natasha and Bruce are now engaged.

Merry Fucking Christmas!

* * * * * *

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[herstarburststories]

Merry... Birthday?

Pairing: Dean Winchester x reader

Summary: You love christmas, but Dean doesn’t. Yet, he might make an exception for your birthday this year.

A/N: This one goes for @negans-lucille-tblr​ ‘s secret fic exchange. My secret Santa was @katymacsupernatural​. Hey, honey! I hope you enjoy this and happy birthday! You deserve double presents, so here’s mine. All mistakes are mine!

Divider by @talesmaniac89 !

You loved Christmas.

It was probably a nostalgic longing for your long gone urban life. Just in the same way you’d still catch yourself looking through the news for election results or feel your stomach twist if you didn’t eat homemade food at least twice a week. You were dead to the government and certainly spent more on the road than in a home. Besides, you had met up with God enough times to know him. All the encounters and screaming and unapologetic abandonment should make you want to throw any baby Jesus against a wall or even climb on a Christmas tree just to shout about all the hoaxes so perfectly molded in patterns through our brains like braids.

Yet, something about you loved christmas. 

The pretty lights always shining, it didn’t matter where you go. For once, all the city-- everything would be entirely made of light. Their incandescent glow always companishing each person, either it was in an once treacherous alley or only to make the kids' grin bigger as they watched them among the busy streets with wide eyed gazes. The confusion in the kitchen that often ended up with huffs bursting into chuckles between the smell of meals that were too much and would make a room for leftovers for the rest of the week. How everything seemed to be made only of happiness, and nothing could ever cut through those water; all the knives were suddenly swords for kids to play and no white gun. In Christmas, a house became a kingdom for every heart. Everything was good and felt through the skin to the bone, like a single glimpse, a hidden day of what would be paradise.

That was how you were raised, at least. The Winchesters didn’t share the same mindset, no. While you grew up with decorating the tree, they were hiding bodies in the dim light. Leftovers were all through their whole year, and Christmas was described as good or not with one single criteria: snow streets. They had to take one? Annoying date. They didn’t and there was eggnog? Bearable Jesus’s birthday.

Yet, you attempted to make the bunker the more festive possible: buying a bunch of christmas lights, cookies’ ingredients and even a small nativity scene. Your attempts to enjoy the date’s niciities ended up with Sam breaking his arm after crashing on the ground because you insisted on him putting the lights in a place higher than his age, not to mention the burned cookies that looked more like tiny monsters than gingerbread men.

Your parents used to make this look so much easier.

Although the youngest Winchester understood a little more about the concept of holidays, a believer in the good until the very end, his brother didn’t share the idea. You couldn’t say you were surprised. Dean just had two barely normal christmas in his life: one when he was dying and one with Lisa and Ben. Both situations made it to his heart only to shatter from the inside.

‘’Baby Jesus?’’ Dean snorted, shaking his head at the sight of you adjusting the weird little dolls in the nativity. He placed another ruined cook in his mouth, speaking with his mouth full next: ‘’We have the son of Lucifer, guess that counts.’’

‘’Don’t say that once Jack gets home.’’ You rolled your eyes, turning to face the oldest Winchester with your hands on your hips. How could he eat that? You couldn’t even make it a bite and Sam only had half of those. ‘’And stop eating those. They are burned.’’

‘’I’ve had worse.’’ He remarked, adding another cookie to his mouth. You grimaced, wondering for a brief moment how your boyfriend could be simultaneously the guy who saved the world and a man with the taste of a five years old.

‘’Yeah. But I’m the one who has to hear you whining about your bellyache later.’’

‘’I don’t whine--’’ You arched your eyebrows at his statement, making Dean huff in agreement. ‘’That was once and because of Sam’s weird ass vegan bacon.’’

‘’You acted like you were dying.’’

‘’My tongue was!’’

‘’So get this.’’ Sam’s voice interrupted your childish argument, catching the attention of both hunters like a shiny object did to a cat. ‘’Apparently we got an earlier christmas gift.’’

‘’What is it?’’ You asked, approaching the table.

‘’Three teenagers disappeared in the forest, all personal objects left behind.’’ Sam explained as Dean scratched out his neck to glance at his brother’s computer screen. Nothing like a case in Colorado. ‘’The authorities think it’s a serial killer. But one of the girls, Kayla Wodson, said she saw a weird, skinny giant take her friends.’’

‘’Ho ho ho and three bodies.’’ Dean clapped his hands together with a wry curve of lips. ‘’Alright. Let’s hit the road-- Wait, wait, wait. Where do you think you are going?’’

You were standing beside Dean while Sam raised to his feet, ready to pack his bags. Dean, nonetheless, was quicker than his brother, soon putting himself in front of Sammy; hands protectively standing in front of the youngest’s chest to keep him from moving any further.

He shook his head with a scoff. ‘’Dude, come on.’’

‘’Not happening, Sammy. You got a broken arm.’’ You mumbled a sorry along Dean’s big brother speech, to which Sam replied with a comprehensive smile. ‘’Y/N and I take care of it.’’

‘’He’s right. Must be the first time in his life, but he is.’’ Dean turned his head, furrowing his eyebrows at you ‘’Don’t worry. It’s just a wendigo anyway. ‘’

‘’Okay. Just…’’

‘’Don’t forget the fireblazer. As if your brother would miss an opportunity to use it.’’ You scrunched up your noise, causing a chortle out of Sam while Dean commented something about grabbing the specific instrument and walked away. ‘’Maybe you could call Eileen. Ask her to help you to back some christmas cookies.’’

Sammy shook his head at your wiggling brows. ‘’That doesn’t sound as sexy for me as it does for you.’’

Dean Winchester was good with numbers.

Not the urban numerical sense of the deal, of course. He almost didn’t make it in sixth grade with useless geometry and all that, and he still used his fingers to count when he had to deal with an equation. No, his good and quick way with numbers was easier, intrinsic to his head.

How many years since mom died? Seventeen. How many people did he have to save? All of them. How many years had he left? Less than he once owned.

Hunter math was simpler, and was all he really needed since he was four years old, running from the fire with his baby brother in his arms-- which brought him to the second section of his particular geometry: birthdays and death anniversaries. Dean never, ever forgot any special date. Those were his own holidays, the only worth celebrating and remembering. His wishes, grief, and cherishment were reserved for the people he loved, not some celestial assholes who saw his life like a book.

Therefore, his mind went on a golden rush for your day as soon as the Wendigo hunt took more than you both expected. You wouldn't be able to make it home before your birthday, which would be ending shortly, a matter of two or three hours. His inner engineers were useful tonight, in his vision, useful enough to make those sappy movies jealous. While you were washing some guts and leaves away, Dean went to the nearest convenience store. His long arms nesting a bunch of stuff he never dared to touch in years. The cashier with drowsy eyes and escarlet Santa hat seemed bored with his shopping, probably because she saw an uncountable amount of people buying the same things over and over. He couldn’t blame her for the suburban exhaustion. If anything, it was a small comfort for his war orbs to see and be a part of a scene so mundane.

He hustled back to the dive motel room, singing in relief to himself once he stepped in and heard you singing Christmas Tree Farm while the water rushed in. He grimaced at himself for recognizing that Taylor Swift song. How couldn’t he? That woman was 80% of all you heard everyday. Man, he was whipped.

Tilting his head back in reality, he started organizing in clumsy manners of putting everything in place for you. His bruised hands touching so carefully the fragile ornaments to make the motel room with grubby walls and weird black stan on the floor that only seemed to grow a little more like you.

You, the woman who put up with him, who laughed at his stupid jokes, and who watched Scooby Doo, all snuggled up to him every friday. You, the woman who switched from AC/DC to Taylor Swift and then Eric Clapton. You, the one who understood his job and helped him to wash off some of the blood on his hand and never got scared of how red the water could get. You, the girl who rolled her eyes at his first attempt of flirting and now stole his french fries and kissed his lips as if he was worth being delicate with. You, his breathing, his true holiday, his only act of faith besides Sammy.

Dean pressed his teeth against his bottom lip, looking up and down his little manual work. Part of him said it was ridiculous, he surely would make a lot of fun of Sam if he did that to a chick. Yet, mostly he was proud. He wanted you to like it. It wasn’t even near to what you deserved, but it was a piece of it. It was what the Winchester could give you, and that would be hopefully, enough.

While Dean was caught in the crossroad of judging and admiring his surprise, you left the shower with a towel wrapped around your head and lips mumbling Cocaine. Your feet glued to the ground once you witnessed what was in front of you: the room was decorated with christmas lights, a tiny plastic tree on the table, right beside a pie with candle on the top and two cup of what smelled like hot cocoa.

‘’Dean…’’ Your tender tone brought him back from his traineck thoughts as he turned around to glance at you. You chortled in astonishment as he raised his eyes and said surprise! ‘’What’s this?’’

‘’Well, it’s your birthday.’’ He shrugged, scooting closer to you with a smirk. Dean smoothly wrapped his arms around your waist, yours instantly resting around his neck. ‘’In my defense, they just had christmas stuff. Blame your parents for having you close to Jesus’ special day.’’

‘’Christmas stuff include pie and not cake?’’ Your brows knitted together, a heartwarming smile on your lips as you watched his expression marked by multicolored little lights. He smelled like something was a blaze, and you knew that was for standing too close to the candle and not for burning a body this time. Small changes.

He scoffed humorously. ‘’You like pie better anyway.’’ He nodded at the carnival-like situation around you two. Dean Winchester wasn’t the kind of man who got insecure, but you could catch a perk of brand nervous hesitation as his green eyes shot you an anxious glance. ‘’Did you like it?’’

‘’I loved it.’’ You pulled cheeks dimpled with joy that was kissed by Dean’s own smiling lips. The kiss was so gentle, it was his own palpable light hearted emotion. You being happy in his arms. It had been so long since he felt he could be enough, he could make someone happy. But you were right there. As you pulled away, another short kiss was given between playful words: ‘’That’s what I call a christmas miracle.’’

‘’Shush.’’ He leaned in and pecked your lips. As Dean pulled back, he couldn’t help but watch around with the pride of Hubris. His glance went back to you, a lopsided grin on his face. God, you loved that smile. You loved that man. ‘’So I added some whiskey to the hot cocoa. We could drink some, eat the pie, and see if those lights make a good improvise rope. What do you tell me?’’

All you could do was kiss him again.

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[n0wornever]

Writer In The Dark - Luke Patterson x Reader

can you do a Luke x reader where the reader is scared of the dark ? maybe he doesn't know until he scares her in the garage studio when it's dark or something like that ?

The winter holidays were in full swing at the Molina household. Although Halloween had just ended, Ray had already created homemade eggnog and strung lights across the porch outside. The last big thing that the family needed was their fresh Christmas tree. 

“Y/N, grab the door?” 

“Yeah, I got it.” 

The girl shuffled over to the main entrance of the house, propping the door open with a wooden wedge. She moved over to the side of the yard as she watched her brother and uncle lug in the bound tree on their shoulders. Her body started to shiver from the near negative temperatures. Y/N brought her gloved hands to her cheeks, rubbing them for warmth. 

The rest of the family piled in and Y/N scurried behind them, shutting the door behind her. She started the long awaited task of taking off all of her winter gear. She slipped out of her gloves, laying them flat above the coat rack on the top shelve. She then untied her boots and threw them to the side. She finally unzipped her coat and hung it up next to Julie’s. She took a deep breath in and walked across the room in her fuzzy socks to meet her family who was already standing around the tree in the living room as the boys released it from its wrapping. 

Ray had originally only recruited Y/N’s brother to help do some heavy lifting, but he eventually ended up asking her to tag along as well so that should help with decision making. Knowing Julie and her father, they would have sat out in the that farm for hours. Plus, she had an eye for design that had been missing since Grace passed away.

Y/N happily obliged. She loved hanging out with her family, and she really treasured the relationship she’d built with Julie. It also meant that she got whatever great food her mother would wander over with afterward to support them after all their hard work. 

Ray looked over at the tree, smiling as her reached over to wrap his arm around Julie’s shoulders. His joyful gaze was interrupted by a passing thought, his eyes moving over to Y/N.

“I totally forgot the ornaments in the garage, Y/N could you go get those for me please?” 

The girl tried to hold back her groaning. Instead, she plastered on a smile and nodded, moving back over to the front door to retie her boots. She glanced outside the door, seeing the pitch blackness in front of her. 

The nighttime had never been her favorite her entire life. Its presence heightened the general anxiety that swam through her body on a daily basis. Although she was nearly 17 at this point, she slept with a nightlight every night and carried a small flashlight on her keyring, just in case. She pulled her coat on and walked past her family in the living room to get to the back door. She opened it and turned her flashlight on so it was shone forward toward the garage. 

As she stepped outside, she was met by the soft whispers of the wind whipping around her. She tried to turn on the porch light, but it flickered before burning out completely. She tried to refocus on her goal, to grab the boxes from the garage and sprint back in as soon as possible. Through her narrow view of the light, Y/N grabbed the door handle and pulled it open.

Her eyes betrayed her immediately, landing on a dark shadow in the corner of the room. She turned her body completely around, closing her eyes for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to turn around and refocus on that corner. Instead, she was met by a tall figure almost close enough to be on top of her.

“Hey Y/N!”

She didn’t even get a chance to look at whoever was in front of her before screaming. She ran back to the door and flipped on the room light. It was then that she saw Luke standing in the garage, dumbfounded with a lazy smile stuck on his face. Her chest still heaving, she walked backwards letting her back hit the wall.

“Hello to you too...” 

He said this with a smirk, but she didn’t laugh. Instead she held back tears as her hands started to shake. It took Luke a moment to realize she wasn’t amused before walking over to her. He reached out his hand to grab hers.

“Y/N, are you okay.”

“NO!” 

She yelled louder than intended, he jumped back a bit and let go of her hand. He gave her space for a moment, watching her fidgeted with her arms. When she finally looked back up at him, she gave him a shy smile as she held her wrist in the opposite arm.

“Luke, I’m sorry. I just, my anxiety acts up in the dark. I am learning to control it but you just caught me SO off guard...”

He shook his head, coming back in closer to her. She released her hand and he took the opportunity to grab it in his. 

“Don’t apologize. I’m sorry that I snuck up on you like that.” Luke squeezed their palms together. 

“So, what were you looking for?” 

She jumped in place, the decorations, she had forgotten about those. She started running toward the side of the room, grabbing the box in her hands. 

“These! We’re decorating the tree tonight!”

Luke’s eyes fell, and she immediately regretted what she said. He wouldn’t get a proper Christmas this year. The thought made Y/N’s heart physically hurt in her chest. She clutched the box close to her, meeting his eyes again.

“Wanna come in? The boys might not be able to see you quite yet, but you can at least hang out with Julie and I and being around all of Ray’s terrible Christmas singing?” 

Luke’s usual bright smiled started cascading across his face as he looked at her. 

“I’d like that a lot actually.” 

She started walking toward the door but stopped just short of the frame. She turned to Luke with a smirk and returned her gaze with an eyebrow raised. 

“What?”

“Just try to stay in lit areas of the house, okay?”

He laughed at her request, touching her shoulder lightly. 

“I think I can do that,” He said as he pressed a kiss to her head.

Luke followed her lead, walking into the living room to join the family. Julie looked quickly from Y/N to Luke before she stopped at Luke. Y/N turned around to see what she was staring at, and she was met by the glossy eyes of the hard-headed guitarist. 

She kept the looks short to avoid questions from Ray, but the slight glimpse she got of Luke made her heart burst. His eyes were always locked on her, as she moved her hips back and forth to the festive music in the background or lifting Carlos into the air to reach a higher spot on the tree.

Later that night after everything was set, Ray had taken Carlos up to bed, and her brother took Julie over to Flynn’s, they finally had a moment alone. Luke walked behind her to move back to the garage for the night. Before he did her grabbed onto her waist and whispered into her ear.

“Thank you,” 

He pressed a soft kiss to her temple. She turned face him, and pressed their lips together quickly before she let him disappear out the back door

.

.

.

.

Tag list: @xplrreylo @lovesanimals, @anythingandeverythingfandom, @crybabyddl, @oswin05, @themaddies-obx, @lukeys-giggle, @bumbleberry-pie @kiss-themoongoodbye  @marinettepotterandplagg, @lolychu, @bathtimejish, @dasexydevitt13 @musicconversedance, @txrii  @bestdressedandstressed @daisiesforlacey  @epikskool  @bookfrog247 @carleywhittaker @princessvader15 @rudysbay @spooky-season-bitch  @kcd15  @whatever-happens-imma-stand-tall​

[elsanna-shenanigans]

December Contest Submission #16: The Twelve Days of Yule

Words: ca. 1,000 Setting: modern AU Lemon: lime Content: language, alludes to religious trauma, Christianity-bashing

*

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me — an entire fucking evergreen tree. That’s Elsa for you, though. She doesn’t joke around with holiday shit. This is our first holiday season as a couple, and the first one I’m ever personally celebrating, so we’re making sure to check off Elsa’s entire list of important traditions.

So today, she drove me to a Christmas tree farm, and now my car smells so strongly of pine, I might never have to buy an air freshener again. All in all, a worthwhile trip.

Wait — when do the “days of Christmas” actually start? You would think the first day would be on the holiday itself, but who the fuck would celebrate for twelve more days starting on Christmas when all of society starts shoving the holiday down our throats before we can even get to Thanksgiving? Well, I don’t know, my sweet little diary, but in this particular case, we’re talking about today, December 12th (which I realize now I probably should’ve put at the top of this page). Oh! Twelve days of Christmas, starting on the twelfth… We might be onto something there!

Anyway, Elsa and I set up the new tree in our apartment and let me just say… It was exhausting work. We got it all decorated though.

We did mostly the old pagan stuff — the pinecones, berries, and strings of popcorn garland — not the excessive modern stuff the Christians added when they hijacked the holiday.

That was my only compromise with Elsa, that we try to celebrate Yule instead of Christmas. Neither of us are religious anyway, so she was fine with making sure we focus on the secular things only, none of the Jesus stuff. And Elsa said no problem, she knows how I feel about all that after my coming out— well, you already know that particular tale, diary.

Anyway, Elsa’s very thoughtful like that. She’s literally the sweetest person I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to see what else we do together!

* * *

Dec. 19

Okay, I know I skipped a few days. You know me; I’ve always been shit at keeping a diary. But I have news! I was researching the pagan holiday of Yule a bit more since we’re going all in, and apparently there’s twelve days of YULE. Which is probably where they stole the idea for the Christmas song, ugh. It never ends. But isn’t that sweet? Except, it does not start on the twelfth. It starts on the solstice, the twenty-first. So we already kind of fucked that one up, but we’re just gonna roll with it.

The days you missed were pretty neat. The 13th, the second day of “Christmas/Yule,” my true love gave to me… two mistletoe! Cheesy perhaps, but we put one up near our apartment’s front door, and one above our bed. I’ve been enjoying that gift even more than the lingering fresh pine scent that day one had to offer.

Day three, Elsa brought home three poinsettia plants which we’ve scattered around the kitchen and living room space. They’re really lovely to look at — I might try to paint one before I inevitably kill them all.

Next, we both had a really busy day at work but she bought us four different drinks to try - classic eggnog, peppermint mocha eggnog, gingerbread flavored cocoa mix, and a little peppermint vodka to mix in hot chocolate. That night we tried the regular eggnog and I really liked it, but she hated it! Ha, more for me, I guess!

On the fifth day, she was running out of ideas so we watched five videos of different people making Yule log cakes. We might still try that ourselves, they looked fun! And yummy….

The sixth day was Friday, so after work we spent six hours going around town to different holiday things, including a horse-drawn carriage ride around the town park! We even had to give them a little velvet pouch of coins for admission like it was the olden days. It was so much fun, very romantic, and we got in very late. And even though we were exhausted, when we got home, she — oh, well, I’d better keep this PG, who knows who might be reading it!

(Btw, if anyone is reading this, stop? What the fuck is wrong with you?)

God, my hand is cramping - I’ll cut to the chase. Yesterday was day seven and we binged seven holiday movies all day. It was a great time!

And today, Elsa was really second-guessing this whole thing. I reassured her that nothing had to be perfect, just being with her was all I needed to have a good holiday season. And then she kissed me eight times in a row and took me out to brunch for chocolate pancakes. God, I love her.

* * *

Dec. 21

Happy Yule! Is it happy? Merry Yule? Blessed Yule! Yeah, that’s it! Or, as I saw online once: Bitchin Yule!

Yesterday was our ‘ninth day of Yule’ and even though it was a Monday, Elsa made it special by meeting me home after work with nine holiday stuffed animals. They were these cute little beanie babies! My favorites were the polar bear and the reindeer. And the little penguin! We definitely did not play with them for an hour like dolls, because we are grown ups. That’d be silly!

Today, we decided to take off from work to celebrate our solstice holiday. We’ll still have the regular Christmas days off too, but today we decided our twelve days of Yule would end at number ten with a big fancy dinner. It’s been really fun, kind of picking and choosing things to incorporate into our own holiday season together. Other people’s traditional things are great, but we’ve found that making new traditions together is way more meaningful!

Elsa gave me a box of ten fancy chocolates for the tenth and final day of our little game, and god I wish I could say I still had some left this evening, but it would seem my self control worsens by the hour. We spent the majority of the day baking cookies and drinking our special drinks.

Well, we did completely burn one batch of the cookies when I pulled Elsa into the bedroom — you can’t blame me! I was trying to thank her for all of her incredibly sweet presents! I know next year we’re going to switch and I’m going to bathe her in gifts for ten days, but I had to let her know how much I appreciated her — I had to show her, and we just got a bit carried away… We’ve been together for nine months and I only just found Elsa’s sensitive spot under her jaw. I mean, the sound of her moans-

Wow, uh… heh, sorry diary, but I have to go. I think it’s time for some dessert, if you know what I mean. Which of course you do, because you’re basically me.

See you next year, on the twelfth!

Very Bitchin Yule, Anna

[believingispowerfulmagic]

The Christmas Cottage II: A Magical Christmas (Part I - The Proposal)

A/N: Here's a sequel to my Advent story last year – The Christmas Cottage. I hope to have the rest up before the end of the year (all seven days of them) so we'll see how it goes!

I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend and that you get everything you wanted and then some.

-Mac

Christmas music played through the conference room as their small staff enjoyed a buffet set up on the tables pushed against the walls. They milled about the room, chatting happily as they celebrated the holiday season together. Some wore silly sweaters while others had chosen to don silly hats to enhance the festive mood that filled the space. Happiness swelled inside Regina as she sipped at her eggnog, pleased that the party was going so well.

"Hey," Robin said, coming to stand next to her. "Do you want to make our speech now? It's getting late and everyone will want to head home soon."

She glanced at the windows and was surprised to see how dark it had gotten. With the first day of winter so close, she knew it didn't mean it was late but it was almost time to get home. Regina was looking forward to getting home to the cozy cottage she and Robin shared, changing into comfortable clothes and curling next to the fire with him.

"That sounds like a good idea," she said, lowering the music as Robin called for everyone's attention.

As their staff quieted down and turned to face them, Robin wrapped his arm around Regina and held her close. "On behalf of Regina and myself, we want to thank you for all the hard work you've done. We know it's not easy getting a new foundation off the ground and that we wouldn't be as far as we are without all of you. So thank you."

They all applauded, cheering Robin and Regina. When they quieted again, Regina continued. "We know that this is the last day we all will be together until after the New Year as most of you are taking some much deserved time off to enjoy the holidays with your families and friends. So we want to wish you a happy holidays and a happy New Year. Rest up, celebrate with your loved ones and we'll all be ready to hit the ground running in January."

"But before you do that, a toast to all of you and all the good work we've done and all the good work we will do," Robin said, raising his cup.

Regina raised hers as well. "And may you all have a joyful holiday season and a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year."

"Cheers," he finished. Everyone echoed it and they all tapped cups before finishing their drinks.

They all cleaned up together and soon the office closed for the weekend. Robin and Regina climbed into his car, waiting for it to warm up as she continued to buzz from the party. "That went well," she said.

"It did," he agreed. "I'm glad they all had fun. They deserved it."

"We would not be where we are with them," she replied, nodding.

As heat filled the car, Robin pulled out of their spot and turned onto the road to head home. She leaned back, smiling. "I can't believe we actually pulled it off. That we went from talking about it in Granny's kitchen to actually having our own foundation within a year."

"It's mostly because of you," he said. "You took the ball and ran with it. We wouldn't be where we are without your hard work and dedication."

"Don't sell yourself short. You've been a great leader. Everyone's rallied around you," she told him. Robin had managed to gain the respect of the community in a short amount of time and worked hard to build relationships with the agencies they would need to partner with the most. He had a natural charm and charisma that drew people in and the passion he held for their work kept them close.

He reached out and took her hand. "We're a great team."

She nodded, giving his hand a squeeze. "We are."

Robin pulled his hand back as he turned onto their street. Several houses lined both sides of the street, all of them decorated for Christmas. The street was lit up in multicolored lights and drivers were greeted by a myriad of holiday figures from Frosty the Snowman to Santa Claus himself. It bolstered Regina's spirit and she smiled as she admired each display yet again.

"We're home," he announced, pulling into their driveway. Regina's spirits soared even more and she smiled at the house they had called theirs for almost a year.

After years of not being able to decorate in New York, she had gone all out in decorating their house this year. She and Robin hung up many strands of lights along the porch as well in the windows and around the evergreen trees on their property. They also put out different lawn decorations, mostly reindeer, while Robin had managed to get a light-up Santa's sleigh on their roof. Illuminated candy canes lined their front walk, completing the Christmas look outside.

"Admiring our handiwork yet again?" Robin asked teasingly as he turned off the car.

She nodded, unbuckling herself. "I just love it. It's so good to see it, especially after what I used to let pass as decorating for Christmas back in New York."

He reached over and cupped her cheek. "I told you - don't live with your regrets. You're taking the time to enjoy life now so do that."

"Right," she said, leaning over the center console to give him a quick kiss. "Let's head inside."

They climbed out of the car and entered their house through the side door located in the kitchen. Regina flipped on the lights before crossing to the foyer, setting her bag down and taking off her coat. She shivered from the chill in the air and looked at Robin. "Can you check the thermostat?"

"Looking now but we are home earlier than usual," he reminded her. "I don't think it's set to turn on just yet."

"Can you override it?" she asked, rubbing her arms.

He nodded, pressing some buttons before closing the lid. "It should kick on in a few minutes. And I'll light a fire too."

"Sounds good," she said, kissing his cheek as she walked past him. "I'm heading up to change."

"I'll be right behind you," he replied, taking off his own coat.

Regina changed into an oversized sweater and comfy pants, washing the makeup off her face as Robin also dressed in comfortable clothes. They soon lay on the couch, the fire crackling in their fireplace while they wrapped themselves up in a blanket. Mugs of hot chocolate sat on their coffee table and Robin put on a Christmas movie for them to watch.

She curled around him, resting her head on his chest. Next to the TV was their Christmas tree and it also was a step up from the one she had shared with Daniel. Robin and Regina had gone to the tree farm at the start of December and picked out their first tree together. Once they had gotten it home, they decorated it with items they had purchased the day before as well as family ornaments recovered from Leo's attic and Granny's attic. It was the tree she had always wanted and now could finally have.

"Are you watching the movie or the tree?" Robin asked her, combing his fingers through her hair.

"Both," she replied. "You?"

He kissed her forehead. "I'm mostly watching you. You have this small but beautiful smile every time you look at the tree."

"I'm just so glad to have it," she said. "It's my first real Christmas tree in a long time."

"Mine too," he replied. She glanced up at him and he shrugged. "Kinda hard to fit a full-length Christmas tree in a tent. We often had to make do with whatever we could get. One year, we placed a bow on a rock and called it a tree."

She frowned, picturing it in her mind. "That sounds a bit sad."

He shrugged. "We made the most of it and had a happy Christmas. I guess it's all how you look at it and how you approach it. I mean, if we had to have a small tree this year, would you have been disappointed?"

"Probably not," she admitted. "Just as long as we were truly celebrating and not just momentarily slowing down long enough to exchange presents like Daniel and I did."

"Christmas is definitely a state of mind," he replied, smiling before hugging her closer to him.

She cuddled against him. "Yes, it is. And I'm glad I found it again."

"Me too," he replied, resting his cheek against her hair. They laid there, wrapped around each other as they continued to watch Christmas movies.

Regina couldn't think of a better way to spend a Friday night.

Continue reading on FFN, AO3 or Wattpad

[shes-an-oddbird]

Christmas at River’s End Mall

Summary -  A Christmas AU in which everyone navigates their seasonal jobs, relationships and Christmas spirit, or lack there of, through woven together tales inspired by holiday prompts.

Chapter 6 - Christmas Tree

Summary -   Jemma and Daisy search for a Christmas tree last minute and Jemma tells Daisy about their new house guest.

Prompt - Christmas Tree Relationship - Jemma & Daisy POV - Jemma

Jemma knows the last few boxes are just a little messier than usual and the ribbons slightly askew but she’s in a rush to finish the last of the gifts and clock out. It’s quiet in the mall. The natural day light from the skylights had been replaced with softer moonlight and the harsh fluorescent fixtures cast shadows she doesn’t recall seeing during the day. Gates have been lowered on stores, the only patrons are mall staff and most of them are on their way out too. She cleans up her space quickly; brushing the scraps of her conversations with Fitz into the bin beneath her workspace and making sure all the gifts are secure before pushing her stool under the table and rushing to the stairs.

She’s supposed to meet Daisy so they can finally get their Christmas tree. It’s the first chance they’d had even well into December. Her labs kept her busy and Daisy seemed to work non-stop this time of year. She dedicated her days to volunteering at the mall and that left her freelance cyber security work to be done at all hours of the night.

But someone was covering her labs tonight and Daisy managed to squeeze out a little time in schedule, so this evening they were going to have a Christmas themed girls’ night and decorate their tree, bake cookies, down eggnog and maybe binge a couple of holiday movies.

Jemma was hoping it would put Daisy in a good mood because she had some news that her friend was going to be less than excited about.

She hurried down the steps to the North Pole where a few volunteers were finishing clean up. Daisy is leaning against a table while Daniel, the new volunteer Daisy claims to be the biggest dork, creates neat stacks with piles and piles of envelops.

“You’ve never seen Elf?” She asks him in disbelief.

“No.” He confirms.

“What about A Christmas Carol.”

“Of course.”

“The Muppet version?”

“Um, no.”

“The Grinch?”

“The original.” He says positively.

“Okay, have you watched any movies made after 1990?”

“Not many.”

“Jemma help, he’s never seen Home Alone.”

Jemma knows that while Daisy is chipper and teasing this may truly be causing her distress. “I’m surprised she’s even speaking to you, our first Christmas as roommates I think we had a 48-hour movie marathon of every holiday movie I hadn’t seen.”

“My family only ever watched classics when I was a kid, I may have seen some of these but if I did, I don’t remember them well.” He reasons.

“So watch them again, mix it up.”

He shrugs. “I guess, I just don’t like watching movies alone.”

Daisy huffs, “Well I’m making a list – “

“and checking it twice?” He interrupts her and she shoves his shoulder.

“I’m making a list of must-see Christmas movies and you’re watching them, I’ll watch them with you if I have too, no one should be deprived of watching a grown ass adult’s belief in Santa be restored ten or twelve times in a row.”

“I do hope you’re making this list later because if we don’t get going, they’ll be all closed up soon.” Jemma hates to pull Daisy away from her fun but she’s eager to get their tree.

“Where are you guys off to?”

“We’ve got to get our Christmas tree.”

“Do you need any help?”

“Thanks but we’re good, Bobbi forced Hunter to stay late and help us, might as well put him to work.”

“Fair enough, see you tomorrow?” Daisy nods and they wave goodbye. They walk in silence towards the front entrance of the mall, pulling on their coats and gloves. Jemma adjusts her wool hat so that it covers her ears and checks to see if Daisy is ready to go only to find her looking back in the direction they came from.

Jemma smirks and doesn’t bother to try to hide her amusement. Daisy turns back to her, preparing to pull on her own hat and jumps when she sees she has been caught. “What?” She asks, her cheeks rosy like they’ve already stepped out in the cold.

“Nothing, you’re right though, he’s kind of a dork, sweet though, it was nice of him to offer his help.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

They hurry outside and across the dark parking lot towards the tree lot. There are a few snow-covered cars nearby and Jemma spots Hunter loading a fluffy tree into the bed of a large red truck. As they get closer Jemma can see that the tree farm has been picked over and what is left seems to consist of a few unnecessarily large trees, a few puny ones and the rest look as though they are already on their last limbs.

“Oh dear.” Jemma’s heart sinks and she glances worriedly at Daisy.

“Wow.” Her friend runs her hand over a branch of the nearest tree and several bristles fall to the ground. “Not much to choose from is there, guess it’s my own fault, I should have made time sooner.”

Jemma frowns. Daisy’s attempt to brush off her disappointment is obvious, at least to her. Her friend loved Christmas and putting up the tree was one of her favorite traditions. She had several beautiful ornaments; May and Coulson and even Bobbi had taken to giving her one every year. Just recently she had started to do the same. She always took such care when hanging them.

“I’m sure we will find the perfect one, let’s look around.” Jemma loops her arm through Daisy’s and pulls her along.

The healthy little ones were too small to support Daisy’s vast collection of decorations and the large ones would eat up the small living room of their apartment, but they look and look again for the right one.

“Hello loves,” Hunter steps up behind them, throwing an arm around each of their shoulders. “Bout time you showed up.”

“Hey, you didn’t save us a decent tree, did you?” Daisy asks.

Hunter takes a step back, “you know Bobbi might have mentioned something about that.”

Jemma feels a surge of hope, “so you’ve got one for us?”

“Afraid not.”

“Hunter!”

“Hey, you ever try to deny a tree to someone this time a year, one woman nearly took my head off when I told her the one for you was off limits, this,” he gestures to the scarce lot of trees, “is all you’ve got to choose from.”

Jemma shares an unsure look with Daisy. She wasn’t about to go without a Christmas tree. “Maybe we could get a big one, we can just push the couch aside, we hardly ever use it anyways.”

“Works for me, I get better commission on the big ones and better tips by the way.” They both shoot Hunter a look and he raises hands up in defeat. “Just let me know when you’re ready.” He says and makes a hasty disappearance.

Daisy sighs. “What do you think, we can make it work right?”

Oh damn. She was hoping not to have to bring this up yet. “Actually, we will be needing the couch, very soon actually.”

“Wait why?”

“Remember my cousin Deke?”

“The one with the creepy crush on me?”

Jemma cringes. “Yes well, his parents are flying out to spend Christmas with my parents and he was going to go too, until he heard I was planning to stay here and he thought I should have some family around for Christmas so – “

“Oh, don’t say it.”

“He’s kind of going to be staying with us.”

“Jemma!”

“I’m sorry, if I didn’t take him in, I would have never heard the end of it and he’s been better right, since you had that talk with him.”

“Yeah, but it’s still awkward.”

Jemma was actually quite fond of Deke. He shared her love of science and had a good heart. He was just a bit awkward, not unlike herself. That said it was uncomfortable to be in a room with someone you knew liked you and that was unfair to ask Daisy to do. “Let me call my mom, if I explain – “

“No, it’s okay, he’s really not bad company and I can’t throw him out at Christmas that would be cruel, even for me, besides, I know he’s your favorite cousin.” Daisy stops, maybe to re consider her words, Jemma thinks. “But if I see one lemon Jemma – “

“He’s on the street I swear, favorite or not.”

Daisy laughs and Jemma feels better knowing she’s not actually mad at her. Still she wants to make it up to her. An unexpected house guest was not in their Christmas plans. “Let’s get the big tree, I think I can squeeze an air mattress into my room.”

“We don’t have too.”

“We should, we never have enough room for all the ornaments anyways, this way we will.”

“Really?” Daisy asks hopefully and she nods insistently. Her eyes light up. “Alright, which one?”

“How about this one?” Jemma points to a vibrant green one that towers over the pair.

“I like this one.” Daisy points to a slight smaller one, the bristles are a bit browner but it would be a better size for the apartment.

“Are you sure, this one looks healthier.”

“Come on, I bet you could nurse it back to health and I’m afraid no one else will take it.”

Jemma doesn’t question Daisy’s attachment to the misfit tree. It wouldn’t be the first time she picked something that was a little different or a little odd. “It will be beautiful.”

[unholyromanoff]

Oh Christmas Tree

                    It was the first Christmas after The Decimation, the team parting ways and the world-changing forever. The last few months had been absolute hell for Natasha, whose own grief of their greatest failure weighed her down like the rocks Thanos had once trapped her under. Steve noticed this too. How little sleep she got, how there seemed to be more and more empty vodka bottles laying around, how she’d spend hours at a time in the gym. They had spent the years by each other's sides, always having the other persons six, and he knew at this moment she needed him most. He tried to be there as much as possible for her while simultaneously dealing with the global aftermath of half of the universe turning to dust.        

  That was when the cold front set in and snow began to fall, blanketing the city in a fresh cover of white. Natasha normally loved the snow, seeing she grew up in Russia, but now she couldn’t care less. That was when Steve knew something had to be done, something to cheer her up because he feared he might lose her forever. That’s how he decided to get a Christmas tree.

          Early that morning he quietly slipped out of bed as though not to wake Natasha, who lay sleeping next to him, got ready and headed to the garage of the compound. Not being able to take his motorcycle he opted for one of Tony’s many cars. “Sorry Tony” he muttered as he started the car, Tony had absolutely hated when people touched his stuff, especially cars. 

          He got to the tree farm and eventually picked out a nice six-foot evergreen. Tall but not too tall, he thought to himself. He tied it to the top of the car and was off back to the compound. He pulled up the snowy driveway to find Natasha, outside, staring at him, hands on her hips.

“What the hell is that?” She gestured towards the tree.

“Well uh... you see... I knew you were feeling down especially with the holidays coming up so I thought I’d cheer you up and get us a Christmas tree”

         Natasha let out a laugh, the first real one in a long time, and Steve smiled at her. It felt so nice to hear that laugh again. It was one of the many reasons he had fallen in love with her in the first place. She was so guarded to everyone around her, never showing her true self unless she really trusted the person. After the events of the accords and her going back to her family in Russia, he realized how much he needed her in his life and how he would do anything to keep her there. She had opened herself up to him and for the first time in a very long time, he saw who she truly was, not who she made up for the world to see. Those two years he spent on the run with her by his side was some of the best and worst times of their lives. Sure, they were fugitives and had to move around frequently. But they also helped a lot of people behind the scenes that needed it. He remembered coming back to the apartment they had shared in the very humid city of Jakarta that previous summer to see her with platinum blonde hair that was cut down to her chin. “Red hair is too noticeable” she had said when he questioned her about it. He didn’t really know how he felt about it at first because it was so different than what he was used to but now as he looked at her, smiling, he realized he had come to love it.

       He was snapped out of his thoughts by her voice, “Steve I think you’re gonna need help with that.”

“Yeah probably”, he chuckled.

          Together they had managed to undo the tree from the top of the car and carry it into the living room of the compound, where Natasha had been spending most of her time. They set it down in a perfect corner right by several couches and a TV. Natasha had dug through some old storage to find the ornaments and other Christmas items and sorted them out for her and Steve to decorate the tree with.

“You know what would be perfect right now?” She mused.

“What’s that?” Steve looked at her quizzically.

“EGGNOG!”

“That’s actually a really good idea, Nat, I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t forget the rum! It’s better spiked!”

       He came back five minutes later from the kitchen with two glasses of spiked eggnog, handing one to Natasha. “Cheers!” The glasses clung together before they both drank. The eggnog mixed with the rum caused a warm feeling to rush all through Natasha. Happiness.

          They spent that whole afternoon together, decorating the Christmas tree and surrounding areas with a bunch of lights and ornaments while listening to cheesy Christmas music. For the first time in a long time, it just felt like they were a normal couple. The guilt and weight over Natasha’s head disappeared between laughter and kisses. It was as though they had not faced a mad Titan who turned half the universe to dust less than six months ago. A home. Family. Stability. Everything Steve had wanted with his life, and to his surprise, Natasha had wanted it too. They had eventually finished decorating, turning on all the lights strung throughout the room and on the tree, both smiling and happy. As Christmas music played quietly Steve put his arms around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder, taking in his scent and all that was around them.

“Hey, Nat..” She turned around to face Steve, taking his hands in hers.  

“Yes, Steve..” Her emerald green eyes reflected into his crystal clear turquoise ones.

“Lookup, we’re under the mistletoe”

Natasha smiled at him, “Guess we should kiss shouldn’t we?”

“yeah we should”         

Steve took his free hand and grazed her cheek lightly before holding her chin up and lightly pressing his lips to hers. He always loved kissing her. She tasted like eggnog and mint and he never wanted to let go. Natasha threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. He obliged and they stood like that for several moments, wrapped in their embrace. They moved in harmony, like they always did, both on and off the battlefield. It was Natasha who broke the kiss, sighing.

“You know a girl gotta breathe sometimes, right?” She whispered

“Yeah I know, but I really like kissing you.”       

        Natasha pressed her forehead to his, arms around his neck, and they both started to sway slightly to the music they had put on earlier. The Christmas tree, now fully decorated illuminated the room, a reminder to both of them that even in the darkest of moments there will always be the little things to light your way and give you hope for a better time. They stood like that for a while, wrapped in each-others embrace swaying to the Christmas music that played, ignoring the time passing by and the darkening of the sky outside the compound. It was just the two of them against all odds. Steve kissed the top of Natasha’s head, inhaling her scent, “I love you, Nat”

“I love you too Steve.”

“Do you think everything will be okay?” she asked quietly, as she buried her head in his chest. 

“Yeah, I think it will.”

[queertazsecretsanta]

A gift for @nekosd43, created by @all-made-of-stardust!

You gave me a great challenge, as I've never written Taagnus before!  I actually really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you enjoy reading it!  Happy Candlenights!

The dish that Magnus crafted is based on this recipe I found online: https://damndelicious.net/2015/01/30/bacon-ranch-cheese-ball/

~~

Oddly enough, it was Davenport who suggested the Secret Star King.

This cycle was by far not the first one where they’d celebrated Candlenights alone on the Starblaster, decorating a bush Merle had cultivated the months before, singing a few songs, and enjoying each others company.  But up until now any gifts they exchanged were small, and somewhat superficial, as at that point being with each other mattered more than any material goods.

That ideal still stood when they arrived on Loven, a softer tranquil farming world filled with kind people and quiet nights.  The Light had landed in the mountains to the east, and upon a short journey over and up, the crew found a small colony of monks living cozily in the cold.  They were surprised to see strangers, but quite friendly.  And after Davenport did some quick negotiations, they happily produced the Light, with no argument.  The crew was ecstatic.

“Please,” one of the monks said.  “You seem like decent people.  Will you stay in our world for Candlenights?”

The whole crew fell silent.

“Candlenights?” Davenport asked, not wanting to misunderstand.

“It’s this world’s holiday festival.  We’d be delighted if you would join us.”

Someone else celebrated Candlenights.

“We’d be happy to,” Davenport answered.

So here they were, a few days later, gathered in the city hall of one of the larger cities in the world (though it really wasn’t that populated).  Around them, many people worked to decorate with festive fun, while the crew drank Fantasy Eggnog and relaxed.

“I’ve been thinking,” Davenport announced.  “If we’re going to be here during proper Candlenights, we should celebrate it properly too.”

“What do you mean?” Lucretia said, taking a sip of her eggnog.  It left a layer of nutmeg on her lip.

“We have a whole world to explore.  Why not try and come up with an interesting gift to a random person?”

He grinned.

“Why not a Secret Star King?”

Taako, who up until this point had been lazing back, relishing the breeziness that the mission had underwent, jolted forward with a start.

“Random person, did you say?” he asked.  He wasn’t sure he much cared for the idea.  On one hand, he could get Lup, and that’d be easy.  He could get Barry, or Lucretia, and it would be challenging, but interesting.

Or he could get Magnus.  And that was a problem.

Magnus, who had been sitting forward eagerly, tried his best not to shrink back at the idea.  He’d know what to get Merle, or Davenport.  Hell, he’d most definitely know what to get Lup.

Or he could pull Taako's name.  And that was a problem.

*****

Davenport seemed to be set in his decision, and not thirty minutes later he returned to the table with his captain’s hat upturned in his hand.

“Go on!” he goaded, smiling.

Taako hesitated.

“What if we get our own name?” he joked, stalling for time as the others reached in.  “We pamper ourselves?”

Davenport shook his head.

“You simply redraw.”

“I was afraid of that,” Taako muttered as he pulled a card. He peeked at it through barely closed eyes.

Magnus.

Damnit.

He glanced over at Magnus, who was staring at his own card. The man had a damn good poker face. He had a good face in general, actually.

Magnus looked up, caught him staring, and flashed him a toothy grin.

"I know what I'm doing!" he declared.

Taako had half a mind to get Merle to cast Zone of Truth.

Instead, he retreated to another room, closed the door, and slid to the floor. He clutched the card tightly between his fingers, rereading the name over and over again, like it would disappear if he tried hard enough.

Magnus.

The name itself was evocative of the man it belonged to. Bold, strong, courageous, fearless. Taako remembered when he first saw him - the goofus was taking bets on how much beer he could chug before finally being beaten in a fight. A lot of beer, apparently, because even when he was swaying on his feet he held his own and knocked the lights out of the other guy - a bully, Taako knew, which made him endeared to Magnus in a way he couldn't quite describe. And it wasn't the brute strength, the high constitution modifier, or even his muscles (though the muscles were a nice bonus) that made Taako do a double take. It was his bravado - the fact that he stood up to a bad guy, and won. It was something Taako would never be able to do. Lup, maybe. Definitely. But not Taako. No, Taako wasn't worth much in a fight, and he wasn't worth much in Magnus' eyes either. He was an idiot wizard who conjured party tricks. Magnus deserved someone leagues better. Courage and strong will. Hospitality - now that was something Taako never seemed to be able to give.

But he'd be damned if he didn't make the perfect gift for Magnus. The big guy deserved that much at least.

Besides - maybe this would be a chance to show Magnus how he felt. He sure as hell wasn't going to say it in words. Maybe not a confession - a simple gesture would suffice. He knew he would never gain anything from it anyway.

*****

Magnus found a quiet corner by a fireplace, and he sat down heavily on a chair. He looked at the paper once more and sighed, running a hand down his face.

Taako.

The name had always meant warm feelings for Magnus.  Watching the wizard practice his spells like they were nothing. Watching him laugh and joke with Lup, watching him love. Magnus knew Taako was capable of far more than the elf ever gave himself credit for, and Magnus had always supported him.

Said support had landed him squarely in the friendzone, and he didn't mind it - it meant he could still be close. Still be with him. Gods knew Taako wasn't going to go for someone like him. He deserved finesse. Beauty. Someone who could love him.  Like Magnus did.

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. It had been this way for cycles now, he had lost track. But now, he held a potential key to everything. Maybe Taako would never reciprocate anything. Magnus was fine with that. But maybe he could make something that made Taako happy. That showed him what he meant to him. He wasn't going to get anything out of it but a nice smile, but gods that smile would be nice.

****

This plane was built around sturdy buildings that weathered many a storm.  So Taako knew he could find somewhere with the right tools to make the perfect gift.

He had decided on creating a model version of the Starblaster.  And he refused to use transmutation to do it - no, this was going to be done by hand, and it was going to be done right.

Problem was, he didn't know how to do it.

In the main town where they had settled, Taako asked around and found a carpenter named Rosemary, who had built several of the town’s homes and had contributed to the architecture of the city hall.  Magnus would like her, and she seemed very eager to please.

She gave him a place to work, all the tools and supplies he could imagine.

“If you need anything, just holler!” she said, before shutting the door and leaving him to it.  He looked down at the workbench.

Fuck.

He had no idea where to start.

*****

The food served here was warm, hearty, and delicious, made from the freshest ingredients and by the best of hands.  So immediately Magnus knew what he was going to give Taako.

He asked around and found a chef named Bill, a kind man, who was willing to lend out his kitchen to Magnus and provide food to cook with.

“Anything for a lover’s gift!” he said with a wink.

“No, it’s not - ” But he was already gone.  Magnus sighed and looked around at the kitchen.  An oven, a fantasy fridge, a knife block, cutting boards - everything he needed.

Shit.

He had no idea where to start.

*****

The Secret Star King swap was about a week away, but to Taako it might as well have been tomorrow.  He cut wood, sanded it down, measured twice, cut once, and at the end of the day found himself with a broken piece of oak and a dowel that was way too big.

He was sighing into his hands, ready to try again, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Not going well, Ko?”

He turned to find Lup, observing his disheveled attempts.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.  “Shouldn’t you be working on your own gift?”

She waved a hand.

“Oh, mine’s simple.”

“Who’d you get?”

“Now, do you think I would tell you that?  What if I got your name, hmm?”

Taako rolled his eyes.

“Let’s hope you got something good for me then.”

He turned back to his monstrosity and let out a long breath.

“Gods know I’m not doing so hot.”

“Magnus?”

Taako tensed, then just as quickly let it go.  Figures she would guess it in one - she wasn’t an idiot.

“Yeah,” he admitted.  “Stupid thing won’t piece together, though.”

“You know you could easily use magic, right?”

“Yeah, thanks, I didn’t know that,” he said, sarcasm dripping.

“So why the extra effort?” Lup asked innocently.

“I, uh - ”  He stammered.  “Just wanna make something nice for him, y’know?”

Lup was standing with a hand on her hip, judging him.

“Uh-huh.”

“He, uh - ” Fuck.  “He..he deserves it.”

Lup shook her head, clucking her tongue.

“Oh, you’ve got it bad,” she chuckled.

Taako blanched.

“No!” he protested.  “No, it’s just a gift, I don’t want - I never - ”

“Taako?  My sweet brother whom I love very much?”

Taako gulped.

“Yeah?”

Lup reached out and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t lie to me, kay?”

It was a downright threat, and Taako stared at the floor, laughing nervously.

“Yeah, okay, find, maybe I do love the huggable idiot,” he admitted under his breath.  “But you can’t tell anyone, you got that?  Especially not Lucy, gods I can’t have her writing this shit in her books.”

Lup smirked.

“Your secret’s safe with me.”  She tightened her grip.  “If you tell him at the gift swap.”

Taako tried to reel back, but her grip was like a vice.

“Lup, you know I can’t - ”

“Hmm, then I guess I can tell Davenport to call the whole thing off.  No more Candlenights, because my dork of a brother refused to confess to his - ”

“Lulu, please.”

“ - and gods know the others would be heartbroken and - ”

“Okay, okay, fine!”

She was still smirking, but she loosened her grip and stepped back.

“That’s better.”

Taako massaged his shoulder where her fingers had dug into his skin.

“You’re a right piece of work, you know that sis?”

She grinned.

“I know.”

And she walked out of the room.

*****

Magnus didn’t cook.

Sure, he knew basic meals, picked up on a few things from Taako.  But he didn’t have the same touch Taako always carried.  Give him a wild rabbit to skin and stick in stew any day.  But the dishes Taako made were more than boring old stew.  And Taako deserved more than just stew.

He didn’t think it could be that hard.  Lup did it all the time, and she wasn’t a transmutation specialist.  She had just learned from the best - why couldn’t Magnus do the same?

He experimented around with ingredients.  Got some prime cuts of beef and lamb from the farmers outside the main city.  Spices he borrow from a few kind merchants - they were new and alien, but he figured they couldn’t be that far from those that Taako usually cooked with.  Mashed potatoes - now that he could do.

He thought.

Not wanting to officially cook the dish until the day of the gift swap, Magnus attempted smaller micro-dishes - taste samplers.  His first attempt had gone...sour was the literal phrase. He didn’t know what he’d done wrong.  Second attempt wielded a sad lumpy mess of limp carrots and overly-salted potatoes.

He was in the middle of trying something else - grilling lamb cuts - when Lup popped her head into the kitchen, startling Magnus.  He accidentally knocked the lamb into the fire, and he scrambled to turn off the heat in time.

Lup laughed as he recovered the now charred remains of the lamb.  It was a moot point anyway - the meat had been dull, grey, and dry from the start.

“Not going well?” Lup asked, looking over his large shoulder.

Magnus sighed.

“You two always make it look so easy!” he complained.

Lup patted him sympathetically.

“Didn’t know this is what you wanted to do with the cycle.  I thought you’d be out exploring the plane with Davenport.”

“It’s not for the cycle.  It’s for Candlenights.”

Lup raised her eyebrows.

“Oh?” She stepped around him, sniffing at the meat.  “So you got Taako’s name?”

Magnus looked shocked.

“N - no!  I mean - this could be for anybody!  Lucretia likes lamb, doesn’t she, maybe it’s for her!”

“Mmm-hmm.”  She picked up a carrot, examining it.  “You know, this is an awful lot of effort for just a silly old gift.  Why not just make him rabbit stew?  You know we all love that.”

Magnus shifted slightly, staring at the counter and fiddling with the burner controls.

“I think - well, assuming it is Taako, which I’m not saying it is - I think he, uh...deserves something better than rabbit stew, y’know?”

Lup’s eyes widened slowly, and a smile crept onto her face.

“Oh.  Oh, Magnus.”

“What?”

“Nothing!” she said, so quickly Magnus almost didn’t recognize the coyness in her tone.  She stepped around the counter, tracing her fingers along the ingredients he’d picked out.  She picked up a spare clove of garlic and twirled it expertly in her hand.

“He likes bacon,” she hinted.  “Just in case it is his name that you got.”

She waltzed out of the room, tossing the garlic over her shoulder.  Magnus caught it awkwardly, and stared back down at the stovetop.

******

It was two days until the gift swap, and things were not going well.

Taako had struggled to bite down the magic in his fingers, and he'd earned several splinters and a sore thumb from missing the nail with the hammer. He was gonna do this right goddamnit.

But all he had managed to do was carve some maple in the rough form of a ship. He had hacked away at it to make the interior hollow, and he wasn't even close to the proper shape. In fact, it looked somehow worse than the Starblaster had on the bad cycles, where it had taken some hits.

As he attempted to shear the top of the hull, the knife slipped, and he cut a deep gash in his finger.

"Ow, ow, fuck, stupid piece of -"

"You okay?"

He looked up, still clutching his bleeding finger. Magnus was standing in the doorway, looking concerned.

"Hey, big guy!!" Taako flung out his body, trying to cover the table behind him. The blood speckled the canvas cloth underneath. "Yeah, I'm fine, nothing to -"

Magnus was already running over to him, grabbing his hurt hand and gently bringing it up to him.

"What happened? Slip the blade?" he asked, already pulling out a spare bandage because of course he had spare bandages in his pockets, Merle wasn't always around to heal everything, and Magnus never wanted to see anyone hurt. The thought made Taako's heart swell a bit.

"Yeah, yeah," he admitted. "I'm fine though, really, I'm -"

He hissed sharply as Magnus tugged the bandage taught. Okay, maybe it was a bit worse than he thought. But Magnus was taking care of it. Like he always took care of everyone. Of Taako.

"Thanks," Taako said quietly.

"Of course!" Of course.  "Lup sent me over here to check on ya. So, what are you working on?"

He looked over Taako's shoulder and spotted the shitty wooden ship.

"Oh, cool!" Magnus declared, picking it up. "You're making Davenport the Starblaster?"

Taako let out a breath. He was gonna kill his sister.

"Yeah, totally making it for him!" Taako lied through his teeth.

"Having a shit time with it too," he murmured.

"You want me to show you some tips?"

Taako almost laughed. Yeah, have Magnus teach Taako how to make his own gift.

He shrugged. "Why not?"

He stepped forward while Magnus smiled at him, eager as ever. Taako's heart skipped a little at his dopey grin.

"Okay, so first off, you need to sand down the wood before you even start carving it, otherwise the blade will get caught in the bark."

Taako picked up the wood and the tools, ready to try again. He followed what Magnus was saying, smiling slightly.

"Alright, now you've gotta use the big chisel to carve away the big bits."

Taako looked down. There were several tools, all looking like chisels, all similar sizes.

He picked one up.

"No, the other one."

Another.

"The other one."

He moved to pick one up, and suddenly Magnus' hand was on his, guiding him to the right one.

"That one," he said softly.

Taako realized Magnus was standing right behind him, almost embracing him, his tall figure a good foot higher than Taako's. He led Taako's hand firmly but gently over to the wood and showed him how to knock away the excess pieces. His hands cupped Taako's, occasionally squeezing down, helping him with the finer details. Magnus' words continued above him, spouting instructions, but Taako was content to just listen to his deep voice. He found himself leaning backwards, ever so slightly, into Magnus' tall frame, and he closed his eyes, just for a second, breathing him in. Imagining if this could be real.

"Taako, are you -"

Magnus stiffened, aware of where Taako was, and Taako backpedaled, pushing himself up and away, but he was caught between the table and Magnus' arms. He spun, extricating his hands and holding them close to his chest as he stared up at Magnus. He was staring right back, so close. Taako could feel his breath, almost taste his lips.

Magnus was the first one to snap out of it, shoving himself backwards, blinking hard.

"Yeah, so, does that help?" he asked, his voice even. Of course it was. Nothing phased Magnus, not even his best friend making bedroom eyes at him after he practically spooned him.

"Yeah, my man, thanks for the tips!" Taako said, his voice squeaking slightly. Damnit, pull yourself together.

"Welcome." Magnus offered a smile. "Can't wait to see the final product, I bet Dav's gonna love it!"

He turned and left before Taako could get in another word, leaving Taako in a lurch. Why did he do that, what the hell was he thinking. He's not interested. He doesn't want you.

He sucked in a breath. He was going to absolutely murder his sister.

******

Taako stormed into his bedroom, but Lup was already there, leaning back on her bunk and reading a book.

"How'd it go?" she purred.

"You absolute bastard," he grumbled. "That was all your idea!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, putting the book down and examining her nails. "I just figured you needed some help, you poor thing."

Taako fumed, sitting with a dramatic thump onto his own bunk.

"You're just trying to torture me," he groaned. "Your own brother!"

"I don't see what's wrong with having Magnus help you with your present. He doesn't need to know it's for him."

Taako pointed an accusatory finger at her.

"You know very well that's not what I'm upset about."

Lup smirked.

"I told you you needed to confess by the Secret Star King. I was just... speeding up the process."

"Making things worse is what you did."

He sighed and fell back onto his pillow, a hand to his forehead. He saw Lup roll her eyes.

"Tell you what," she offered, sliding off her bunk to kneel next to his. "I know for a fact that Magnus needs help with his gift."

"What's he doing, baking a pie for Lucretia or something?"

"Something like that."

Taako sat up.

"Sis, I was joking."

"And I'm not. He's struggling so much with the cooking and I know you wouldn't want to poison poor Lucretia…"

Taako shook his head, laughing.

"Man, we are all out of our league, aren't we?"

"Well I'm not," Lup said, beaming. "I'm having a fantastic time with my gift. But you two idiots could use some help."

She stood and returned to her book.

"Just don't go fainting into the oven, alright?"

Taako grabbed his best hat and stuck his tongue out at her. She replied in turn, then buried her head in her book again.

****

Magnus was burning the food. The smoke was very quickly filling the whole room, and he was coughing, trying to figure out what was going wrong. He struggled for the off switch on the stove, and he didn't notice Taako until he dove for it, before swiftly covering the charred mess in the pan with its lid. He panted, then looked over at Magnus, who was slumped against a bar stool, still coughing somewhat.

Damnit. You were so close and now he's here, witness to your failure.

"Hey, Taako," he said weakly, as the elf tried to wave most of the smoke out the window. "Lup send you?"

"My sister was under the impression that you needed some help."

He eyed the disaster on the stove and scooped it up, taking it to the open air to cool off. Magnus was still upset, but he pulled himself up quickly. He couldn't let Taako see him like this.

“Yeah, well, I mean - ” he stammered, staring down at the food.  Not at Taako.

“Listen, my man, it takes some practice.  But it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it.”

“Easy for you to say,” Magnus sighed as he sank down into his seat.  “Here I am, trying to make the perfect dish, and you - ”

“Perfect dish?  For Lucretia?”

Magnus gaze shot up to Taako.  Oh thank fuck, Lup must have bought the lie after all.

“Maggie, you know that woman will eat anything you make her, she loves your stuff.”

“I know!” Magnus said carefully.  “I just...wanted her to have something nicer.”

“Hmm,” Taako mused as he examined the remains of the mess in his hands.  “Was this bacon?”

Shit.

“Um, it was?  I was trying something out with cheese, and...”

He gestured to the wreck.  Taako smirked before dumping the whole thing into the garbage.

“Okay, if you’re going to be working with cheese, like making it fancy, you can’t just melt it over any old pan.”

He cleared a space on the counter and opened the fantasy fridge behind him, peering inside.

“What sort of flavors were you thinking?” he asked as he rummaged around.

Magnus tried to come up with something that wouldn’t clue Taako into the ruse.

“Uh...barebeque?”

Taako slammed the door and turned, glaring at him.

“Magnus, I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”

He dropped a block of cream cheese into Magnus’ stunned hands.

“It’s simple – whip this up with a bit of cheddar and...”

He perused the shelves before grabbing a bottle and tossing it to Magnus.  He caught it awkwardly, still staring at Taako.

“Worcestershire.”

“I, um...” Magnus examined the bottle.  “How do you pronounce this again?”

Taako laughed.

“Look, Magnus, I can’t hold your hand through this.  So I’m giving you a head start.  Fly free little bird.  Can’t wait to see if Lucy likes it.”

Magnus took him in.  He was leaning casually on the counter, smiling, but his foot was tapping in the nervous tick Magnus knew meant he was nervous.  He shouldn’t know that, it meant Taako had become everything in his mind, but that was the truth.  He knew Taako better than the elf probably thought he did, and all he wanted to do was prove to him that he could give him something amazing.  Something incredible and delicious.

His fingers tightened on the bottle.  If Taako said it would taste good, he would make it.

“Alright, Taako.  Thanks.”

“No problem, kemosabe, any time.”

His foot was still tapping, and Magnus looked at him curiously.  Taako didn’t have any reason to be nervous.  He always knew his way around the kitchen.

“I’ll try it out today.”  Magnus turned back to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of ranch dressing.  “What about this?”

Taako’s eyes widened and he made a small noise that Magnus couldn’t really get a read on.

“Maggie, that’s up to you to decide.”

He pushed himself up, and now his fingers were tapping the same rhythm.  Magnus just didn’t get it.  He put the bottle down gently as Taako backed out of the room.

“Good luck!”

He was gone before Magnus could respond.  He stared down at the ingredients in his hands.

He didn’t think Taako had actually given him any cooking tips.

******

Taako sucked in a deep breath the moment he left the kitchen.  What the hell was he thinking, giving Magnus the stuff to make one of his favorite dishes?  And why in the ever loving fuck did Magnus know exactly what ingredient (the stupid ranch dressing) would make the whole thing perfect?

“He doesn’t care, he doesn’t care, why would he care so much?” he muttered as he half-ran down the hall.

He ran headlong into Lup, and suddenly there was paper flying everywhere, Lup cursing as she knelt to try and pick it all up.

“Goddamnit, Ko, I spent all morning on this, and now you’ve gone and - ”

Taako took a second look at the paper.  It wasn’t blank, there was writing all over it.  Lup was holding what looked like an empty cover.

“Lup, what is - ”

He snatched a piece out of the air and read it over.

- was some of the best fun I’ve had in ages.  Your smile was so lovely, and your laugh made me feel – 

Lup grabbed the paper back from him, almost ripping it in half.  She was blushing.

“None of your business, is what it is.”

He eyed the cover that she was shoving all the papers back into.

“Is this for Lucretia?”

Lup didn’t answer.  She collected the final pieces before shutting the cover forcefully and standing up.

“Oh ho ho, you are not in love with - ”

“Taako, I’m gonna make you a deal - ”

She shoved a finger in his face.

“I won’t say shit about your thing for Magnus if you don’t say shit about this.”

Taako was still shocked.

“Wait.  If you got Lucretia’s name, then why the hell did you say Magnus was cooking for her?”

Lup closed her eyes and cursed.

“Lulu,” he chided.  “He pulled my name didn’t he?”

She stared at the ground.

“Maybe,” she grumbled.

“Oh no,” Taako realized.  “I just told him how to make the perfect dish for me.  Oh, god, Lup, this is going to backfire horribly, you can’t let this happen.”

“Last time I checked,” Lup said, pulling the journal closer to her.  “It wasn’t any of my business.”

She shoved past him, shouldering him hard, leaving him to think.

Magnus knew what Taako wanted.  He was going to make him exactly what he wanted.  And Taako was supposed to sit there and take it like it wasn’t the most pathetic thing to happen to him.

The gift swap was tomorrow.

He groaned and headed back to the workshop.

He had a ship to finish.

******

The morning came beautifully.  There was a layer of fresh snow on the ground, the Candlenights bush was alight, and everyone around them was celebrating.

Davenport had polished up the Starblaster’s living room with a small bush of its own, and everyone had their gifts ready.

As Taako expected, Lup gave Lucretia a journal full of stories they had shared.  Lucretia had turned beet red, and so had Lup.  Merle gave Barry a new pair of somewhat patchworked blue jeans he had made himself, and Barry gave the dwarf a Candlenights pumpkin he had tried to grow in a greenhouse.  It was deflated, and sad-looking, but Merle loved it anyway.  Davenport smiled cheerfully as he gave Lup a simple sweater with the IPRE logo, that he said he had knitted himself.

It was Magnus’ turn to present his gift, and he produced a large plate surrounded by buttery crackers.  In its center there was a giant cheeseball, covered in herbs and bacon.  Taako could smell the ranch from across the room, and his mouth watered just looking at it.  Magnus had outdone himself, and Taako had no idea why.  Why was he worth so much?  He shouldn’t have ever helped Magnus.  He should have just – 

“Taako?”

Davenport was trying to get his attention.

“Taako, it’s your gift next, right?”

“Yeah.  Coming right up.”

He left the room and returned with the Starblaster model in his hands.

He was particularly proud of himself, actually.  The beautifully sculpted hull was painted the shining silver of the real thing.  The cockpit was sleek and smooth.  The thing even had the name etched into its side, carefully done by fucking hand (and his fingers still hurt from doing it).  But it was done, and it was pretty, and from one look at Magnus Taako could tell he loved it.  Taako’s heart swelled up to just look at the big guy’s expression.

“Taako!” he gasped.  “Taako, that’s incredible!”

Taako smiled sheepishly as he set the thing down on the table.

“Thanks.  I wanted to make sure it looked good for - ”

“Davenport, that’s gotta be the best present ever!”

“Wait, what?”

Magnus turned to Davenport, who looked shocked too, but Lucretia was shaking her head.

“No, I had Davenport’s name.  Magnus, that ship’s for you.”

Magnus stared at Taako.

“For me?”

Taako was gaping at him.

“Wait, wait.  You think I made this for Davenport?”

“You were so focused on it, you were so passionate!  You must have loved Davenport so much and I didn’t want to - ”

“Davenport?  Davenport?  Excuse me, why the ever loving fuck would I be in love with Davenport - no offense Dav - ”

The gnome shrugged.

“Davenport?!”

“I didn’t think it was for me!”

“You idiot, of course it was for you!”

“Why did you put so much effort into something that I would - ”

“Okay, back up, Taako’s not answering that question, you should be answering mine, which is why the hell did you put so much effort into my gift?”

Magnus blinked at him.

“Lup said it was your favorite.”

“Lup said?!”

Taako whirled on his sister, flipping her off with both hands.  She saluted him, and he turned back to Magnus.

“Magnus, you nearly killed yourself in that kitchen.  Why didn’t you make your rabbit stew?  You know I would have been happy with that.”

Magnus looked saddened.

“I wanted it to be special.  For you.”

Taako took the words hard.

“What, so now you’re taking pity on me?” he spat.  He didn’t need this.  This extra effort.  “It’s bad enough seeing me by myself all the time, you had to go and embellish it?”

Magnus was shaking his head, but Taako wasn’t having any of it.

“You’re such an idiot, Mags, a real prize.  It’s already hard enough having to see you dance around with people on the different planes.  Dancing with people who weren’t me.  Now you gotta go and remind me that I’m just a pity project to you, someone you feel bad for.”

Magnus was staring at him.

“People who weren’t...you?” he asked, confused.

“Here we go,” Lup stage whispered to the rest of the crew.  Taako could have sworn he heard money being exchanged, but he didn’t care.

“Yeah, Maggie!” he yelled.  “Not me!  Because you’ll never dance with me, no matter how much I want it.  You wanna know why I put so much into this hunk of junk?  Because you deserve the best, Magnus Burnsides.  You wanna know why I know that?  Because I love your stupid face too much, and I’ll never give you second best, even if all you’ll do is bake me a pity cake and serve it with a smile.”

Magnus was dumbstruck.  Lup was smirking.  And Taako was panting hard, his braid unraveling at the end, his fists balled up tight.

“Look,” he spit out, storming over to the plate with Magnus’ cheese ball and scooping it up, almost spitefully.  “I’m going to enjoy this in the comfort of my own room.  You win, Lup.”

He flipped her off again, pointedly ignoring Merle and Davenport eating popcorn by the window.  His asshole of a sister must have handed it out.  Fine, whatever.

“Show’s over people,” he muttered.

“...I have a stupid face?” were the only words he heard from Magnus before Taako slammed the door behind him.

******

The worst part about all of it was that the food was exceptionally good.  Magnus had outdone himself, always and forever, like he always would, and it made Taako even more pissed.  Because of course Magnus would go all out.  Of course he would devote all this time and energy and effort into making Taako the perfect dish because the dumb idiot never wanted anyone to feel left out.  He felt bad for Taako, seeing him on his own.

“Whose fault is it that I’m alone in the first place, huh?” Taako muttered spitefully as he took another bite.  He didn’t mean it.  He didn’t blame Magnus - he blamed himself.  But that wasn’t Taako’s area of expertise, so he threw the ball back in Magnus’ court because having an imaginary scapegoat for your own problems is better than confronting them yourself.

There was a tentative knock on the door.  Taako groaned, setting aside the food delicately (he still wanted to eat more) as he forced himself to his feet and stormed over to the door.

“Lup, I swear to god, Fantasy Jesus, Jeffandrew, and literally everyone in the Celestial Plane that I am gonna - ”

He wrenched the door open, ready with a string of curses.  But it wasn’t Lup.  It was Magnus.

“Hi,” he said timidly.

Taako moved to close the door, but Magnus stuck his foot out and caught it.

“Please,” he offered, desperation in his voice.  “I just wanna talk.”

Taako rolled his eyes and sighed loudly, throwing his hands up in the air as he walked back to his bunk and the plate of delicious food.  He threw himself onto the bed and waved a hand dramatically, inviting Magnus to enter.

“Not much to talk about, my man,” he said, pointedly ignoring Magnus’ puppy dog eyes.  The whole thing reeked of the adoration that Magnus usually poured into things.  Selfless loser.

“I didn’t mean any of what you said back there.  I promise.”

Taako took another spiteful bite.  God it was good.

“Listen, you’re the team lover.  We’ve all heard the stories, we know each other.  It’s been, what, fifteen cycles?  Twenty?  The idea that you wanna care for all of us isn’t anything new, Mags.  I get it.”

“Taako, I do care about you, just like everyone else, but I - ”

“That’s all I gotta hear, Maggie.” Taako finished his food, savoring the last taste of bacon on his tongue.  Magnus was struggling for words.

“The Starblaster,” he said slowly.  Taako knew he meant the model ship Taako had slaved over, as much as he wanted him to be talking about the one they were in.  If only so they didn’t. Have. To talk. About this.  “Why were you so focused on it?”

Taako curled his legs up to his chest and looked out the window, away from Magnus.

“I told you why,” he said dully, almost under his breath.

“I guess I don’t...you’re always so bold, Taako, I...I never knew you’d want me.”

Taako recoiled further and closed his eyes.

“Yeah, well.”

Why wasn’t Magnus leaving?  Things would be so much better if he just wasn’t there.

“Taako.”

Magnus’ hand was on Taako’s, and he wanted to leap back, hissing, because no one touched him except Lup, at least not like this, not when he was vulnerable and messy and dear god why did Magnus have to look like that?

His eyes were big and watery, there was a hesitant smile on his lips, and he looked cute, the absolute fucker.   He was making Taako’s heart skip three beats at a time, and it wasn’t fair.

“What do you care anyway?!” Taako snapped, shoving himself up from the bed and marching to the door.  Magnus’ hand hovered midair where it had been touching Taako’s skin moments before.  “We’ve both played our hands, made our beds.  Now I’ve gotta lie in mine, and you in yours, and we’ll move on!”

He yanked open the door and pointed firmly at the hall outside.

Magnus looked heartbroken, and it made Taako furious.

“Why do you have to look like that!” he cried.  “It’s bad enough you look down on me - ”

Magnus stood suddenly.

“Taako, no - ”

“ - and now Taako’s gone and opened his big mouth and said shit you were never meant to hear and I - ”

Magnus was in front of him, towering over him with his big frame and muscles that could hug Taako so warmly and goddamnit.

“Taako, I love you, okay?” Magnus shouted.

“Yeah!  That’s exactly the problem!”

Magnus shook his head and grasped Taako’s shoulders, and as much as he wanted to shove them off and run the other way, he found himself rooted to the spot.

“Taako, I don’t pity you!  I don’t want you to feel good, or have nice things, or be cared for because I’m obligated to!  I want perfection for you, Taako, because I love you!”

Taako opened his mouth for a retort and stopped short, one finger raised in retaliation.

“You - you’re saying that you specially cooked a meal - ”

“Yes.”

“And did all this work - ”

“Yes.”

“And asked my fucking sister to help you - ”

Magnus stuttered.  “I d - didn’t exactly ask her - ”

“Oh, shut up you lovable idiot.”

Taako threw himself forward and kissed Magnus with as much as he could muster in the span of three seconds, before he pulled back, his hands still gently grasping Magnus’ shirt.  Magnus looked surprised, and immediately Taako tried to push himself away.

“Never should’ve...stupid, I’m so fucking stupid...I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m - ”

He didn’t realize what was happening until Magnus’ lips were on his, and they were kissing again, longer and deeper.  Taako felt the door close quietly behind him before Magnus had lifted him into the air, pressing him against the door and wow, it felt like flying kissing this man, this big stupid lug who cared too damn much for his own good.

In a breath that he almost didn’t want to take, he looked at Magnus, at his soft eyes and dorky smile.

“I fucked up,” he whispered.  “I didn’t know - ”

“You’re forgiven,” Magnus said softly, kissing him gently on the cheek.

“That bacon was really fucking good.”

“I know.”  He was kissing his neck now, oh my god he was kissing his neck.

“How much do you think the team lost on the bets?” he asked, trying and failing to distract himself from Magnus’ strong arms and his careful fingers.

“Bet they didn’t expect this,” Magnus breathed into his ear, and Taako stopped talking then, because even if this was a fluke, a one off, Magnus’ pity going to the extreme -

But it wasn’t.  He felt that, somewhere inside of him.  Magnus had a tiny ship and Taako had a licked-clean plate to prove it. This wasn’t going to go away.

Somewhere down the hall, Lup listened in on the bedroom and beamed as she collected her winnings from everyone around her.

Next to her, Lucretia started a new page in her books.

[altissiavibritannia]

Moolouch Xmas Special

This is a separate chapter from the official fanfic of my Moolouch fanfic. I decided to add some of my Moolouch fic on here, so here’s something that is Xmasy. I know Xmas was yesterday, but I was spending time with my mema at that time being. So here’s my late Xmas gift to y’all. Lelouch is a cowboy throughout Moolouch and Gaara is his old friend that he barely remembers. This is a Gaara x Suzaku x Lelouch moment.

“Morning Lelouch, want to help me make fresh eggnog?” he asked softly in his ear.

The black haired cowboy yawned and mooed in agreement. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he stretched. Fixing his hair and fur, before polishing his black horns. Suzaku smiled as he left to go wake up the person responsible for Lelouch’s transformation.

Long purple lush hair flowed down to the floor. He looked like a male version of Rupunzel. Suzaku walked up to his bedside to tap his shoulder.

“What do you want?” he grumbled, still asleep.

“Just wake up Gaara...it’s Xmas morning. Besides we’ll be packed with guests for the Xmas party.” Suzaku sighed.

He opened his ruby red eyes and just glared at him. The White Knight just glared right back. Sighing in defeat as he did know that it was his turn to host the party. He started living here with them for half a year now and barely did his part. He usually was too busy keeping Geass Farms up and running.

“Fine...as host of the Xmas Party, I’ll get outfits ready first...I’m almost done with them.” Gaara groaned.

“That’s the spirit. Me and Lelouch will be making the eggnog while we wait. Rolo has the cooking taken care of, he and Lelouch prepared it last night...well most of it.” Suzaku chirped with a blush on his cheeks.

“For his boyfriend and farmer, you tend to be even more lovey dovey than normal. Has my geass power gotten to you?” Gaara scuffedly asked.

“Well I guess all geass power isn’t that bad...still this is his punishment for all that he’s done after all~!” Suzaku singsonged.

“What about me?! Why am I a English Lop?! Who’s idea was this?!” Rolo complained, tripping over an ear.

Crashing sounds could be heard from the kitchen. Rolo was turned into a English Lop bunniboi half a month ago and he was still half asleep when Gaara used his geass on him. The mastermind behind that was Nunnally.

Pots and pans clanged against each other as they fell to the floor. Rolo was making such a big mess in the kitchen. Making Suzaku think. Was wasn’t he turned into a half animal like the rest? It didn’t make sense. Him, C.C., Gaara’s workers and Gaara himself wasn’t turned. Yet Geass wasn’t effective on C.C., but did some did? 

C.C. did after all keeps her distance away from Gaara as possible. Yet somehow Lelouch was able to give Gaara and a few others geass without forming contracts or having Code in general. Unless his geass got that powerful enough to allow him to do it.

“Here Rolo, let me help.” Lelouch offered, his Xmas themed cowbell rang.

“Thanks Big Brother, but what about your pectorals? Aren’t you full?” he asked, picking up a dirty frying pan.

“Yeah, well I’ve been through much worse. I may be full of milk like how I am every morning and evening, but I can handle the pain for a bit longer. Right now Suzaku is waking up Gaara.” Lelouch chuckled.

Gaara got out of bed as Suzaku walked to the kitchen to help. He had a lot of brushing to do. His hair was getting longer as time flies by, he then saw the male student outfit in his basket. Furrowing a brow as he held up the shirt. Frowning as he dropped it back into the basket, he put on his usual outfit. Gaara’s fashion looked like he jumped out of a pop singer poster.

Well he is a pop singer, but he quit his boy band once they used him for his geass. He removed their half animal traits once he found out why they wanted him as their lead singer. They wanted to be popular on looks alone and not anything else. Gaara was a great singer, but got driven into madness once he lost his best friend Lelouch when he was sent here. 

He’s been turning others into animals with his geass power ever since he’s received it when Lelouch used his on him to be a distraction to keep Suzaku at bay. That was how Haunted Badboyz transformed into Aniboyz. Aniboyz vanished once the band broke up. Now he’s in charge of Geass Farms. He turned the rest of Aniboyz into his livestock once they begged for him to come back.

Lelouch then found out after he and Suzaku ended up as new employees of Geass Farms. He then offered to become a pop singer for his new band if he was up to it. Lelouch has always wanted to be in one ever since childhood, before his mother’s death. Gaara liked this new Lelouch that he’s made, Lelouch loved his new self too. Helps him out on relaxing, even though he ends up horny at the same time.

“Ready Lulu? Or should I say Merrymoo?” Suzaku asked in a teasing manner.

Lelouch’s cheeks flushed and his black soft cow ears lowered. His black cow tail swayed in embarrassment. He was wearing his Santa cowboy costume that Gaara made for him last month. He got it for a birthday present. The red short turtle tank top outlined in white faux fur, to the red and white faux furred short shorts. It suited him, he was even wearing the matching gloves and thigh high socks. 

His bell was festive as well. Gold and silver bells with mistletoe themed bell. He wore a Santa hat and boots to make it look like he was the Santa of bovine. His horns shone in the sunlight as the sun was still rising. They poked through the fabric of his hat, well there was holes cut into it to make room for them. Rolo blushed as he looked so cute as a cowboy, he was jealous that he’s one and not like him, a bunniboi. 

Rolo grabbed a bucket from one of the cupboard near the fridge. This is the only thing he can’t drop without tripping over his knee-length rabbit ears. He then hands it to Suzaku, who places it before Lelouch on the counter. Sighing as he then grabbed a carton of eggs and heavy cream from the fridge. He then searched through the spices for the nutmeg and cinnamon and of course, sugar. 

They looked at each other and then at Rolo. Lelouch looked down at the empty bucket and then his milk filled pecs. Suzaku noticed how down in the dumps Rolo was now. It’s always has been him who got to milk Lelouch and nobody else. Now he saw the problem, everyone that knows of their love life and new jobs at Geass Farms were interested in learning something new. Lelouch then knew what Suzaku was thinking just by looking back at him.

“Go ahead Lulu, he’s never tried it before. He deserves to learn how in case I’m too busy.” Suzaku whispered.

Lelouch’s eyes full of love and understanding as he nodded.

“No that’s brown sugar...where is it?” Rolo sighed as he fiddled around in the pantry, searching for sugar.

Lelouch bumped his hip lightly against Rolo’s hip. His bells ringing as he did so, this caught Rolo off guard. He yelped as he tripped over his ears again and then, boofpt! Flour flew everywhere, making it look like it snowed indoors. Suzaku was laughing at how cute this was to see them together. A whirring sound could be heard. It was Nunnally, she had finally woken up.

“What’s all of the racket about Suzaku?” she asked.

“Well good morning Nunna, your brothers are goofing off is all. Also Merry Xmas Nunnally, want to help me or Gaara out, while these two make the eggnog?” Suzaku smiled softly.

“Sure thing, I need something to do anyways. Oh is the eggnog made with my brother’s milk again?” she asked with a cute mew. 

“Indeed it is, it’s nice to have fresh milk on hand without bothering to go grocery shopping.” The White Knight chuckled.

Lelouch’s cheeks flushed again as he heard their conversation. Rolo’s eyes widen as he spotted Lelouch’s stomach. It wasn’t flat and smooth like always anymore. It was a bit more lumpy than normal. Lelouch placed a finger over his lips and winked. Rolo started to tear up as he knew what was happening and why he hasn’t told anyone yet. He was four months pregnant. 

Nodding as he understood now why his older adoptive brother has been acting the way he has, it was due to him being pregnant.It also explains the extra milk over the past three months. It’s an unexpected Xmas present for everyone, including Suzaku. But what would his reaction about this all might be?

Lelouch winced in pain as his pectorals filled up more with milk. His shirt was getting even more tighter by the nanosecond. Even though the fabric was meant to withstand it after his pectorals got full, it wasn’t meant for leakage or with extra filled pecs. Rolo dusts the flour off of himself and then took his hand.

Lelouch pulled him up and dusts the flour off of himself as well. Now would be a good time for some relief or else Gaara might get pissed if he ended up with Mastitis or see his seamstership ruined. It took Gaara a week to get the outfit done, he loves to sew by hand. Once they were both done dusting the flour off themselves, Lelouch leaned over the bucket.

Rolo seemed nervous, because this’ll be his first time milking his older brother. Lelouch then carefully took off his bells and top. His nipples leaked a tiny bit of breast milk from the softest touch. He’s used to this by now, he then gently grabbed his tiny hands. He placed them onto his pectorals, shivered a bit from how it felt good.

“It’ll be ok Rolo, I’m here to help through the process. J-Just be gentle...alright? Ready?” he asked.

“B-But I don’t know t-the r-” he was cutoff by Gaara taking a snapshot of them.

They both blushed as they spotted him. “G-Gaara!!” they stuttered in perfect unison.

“Sorry, but this is what Milly wants. She’s coming by for the party after all.” The Emo Vampire Of Pop shrugged, holding the camera.

“Really? Even after what happened...?” Lelouch asked his ears perked.

“Yeah, of course she forgave you, Your Majesty.” Gaara chuckled as he liked how cute the 99th Emperor of Britannia was.

Lelouch blushed again as he forgot that he’s still the Emperor of Britannia. His older brother Schneizel gave him the throne after finding out why he was Zero and why he has murdered their father and remurdered his mother. He hasn’t been arrested again or anything, but he wanted to see how well he would do as the new Emperor. He didn’t want to have the throne like the rest of his siblings, yet someone had to be Emperor or else everything would go into ruins or chaotic.

He forgot that he even invited his family over to the party. Sighing as he knew that Zero Requiem would be no more, now that he’s busy fixing Britannia and trying to gain other nations trust while help fix their cities and such that was destroyed. He wanted the Zero Requiem, but this is fine too. Also he doesn’t want his unborn children to end up going down a dark path like how he has. 

Shaking his head to clear it as he then rubbed Rolo’s hands against his pectorals. Rolo caught on and started to message them. Moaning softly as he let him message his painfully full chest. Once he was done, he had to lean over the counter again. He taught his little brother how to milk him. Nodding again as he then grabbed his nipples to relieve him of his load.

“M-Mooooooooooooooo~!” Lelouch mooed in glee.

“W-Wow this is amazing! I’ve never knew how fun this could be!” Rolo laughed.

“Sounds like Rolo’s having a blast. I wonder if he wishes to change his animal or not. Yet I do love how cute and fluffy he can be the way he is.” Suzaku softly chuckled as he eavesdrops on them, speaking to himself.

Squishy, squish, thick, thack. Lelouch was swaying his tail in glee as Rolo got the hang of it within a matter of seconds. Milking him in a good rhythm and not rushing things. His milk sploshing into the bucket as he moaned in pleasure. Blushing per usual as he loved it. Mooing and moaning as this made Rolo blush. His moos were so cute that he wanted to hear them more often.

Once the bucket was full, Lelouch grabbed another one. They then looked back at the doorway to the kitchen as they heard a knock. It was Rivalz, he had a few tins of butter cookies with him. Seems like guests were arriving earlier than expecting. He then smiled with a blush on his cheeks as the scent of Lelouch’s milk drifted under his nostrils.

“Need help?” he asked, swaying his mouse tail.

“Yeah that’ll be great. Mind separating the yolks from the whites?” Lelouch pointed to the eggs.

“Sure thing Merrymoo. Oops...I mean Your Majesty.” Rivals apologized as he bowed.

“No worries, we’re friends after all. On top of that it’s Xmas, so no need to be sooooooooooooo formal!” Lelouch mooed.

Rolo shrugged with a sheepish smile. “S-Sorry...” he apologized.

“It’s fine. Just warn me when you’re going back to milking me. Scared the crap out of me.” he chuckled.

“You two are so adorable together, even though it’s milking time for Lelouch.” Rivalz complimented.

They both blush as Rolo’s hands continued in a steady pace. Rivalz chuckled as he then placed down the cookies to start cracking some eggs and placing the yolks into a glass bowl. Lelouch and Rolo sighed in unison as they then gone back about their business. They then filled the last bucket, so it can be used for the eggnog. Lelouch then sighed in relief as he had some left over in case he needed it for something else. 

“Well I’ll be back...I need to take a shower now.” he said, putting back on his top, hat and bells.

“Yeah sure, thanks for the milk Big Brother!” Rolo chirped.

“You’re welcome, did you like the experience?” he asked, glowing.

“Yeah...it was fun. Let’s do that again someday.” Rolo smiled.

“Somebody’s jealous~!” Suzaku singsonged.

Rolo blushed as Lelouch furrowed a brow. “S-Shut up! So what if I want to swap traits with my Big Brother someday for a day or two experience!” 

Lelouch’s eyes widened as he was shocked on how he felt all this time after being turned into an English Lop bunniboi. Blushing himself as he wondered what it’s like to swap animal traits for a bit for a break, for once. Gaara’s geass was capable of turn others into anything he’d like but objects and take it away at anytime he felt like it. Yet was he able to swap looks? This made everyone grin as the idea got the best of them.

Gaara was petting the Scottish Fold Nunnally. “Thank you for helping me out. The more help, the merrier.” 

“No problem. Do you have a family Gaara??” she asked, purring.

“Used to, I’m the last one of the Ootori family. They either died from illness or died during the Black Rebellion...even my baby sister Maggie died before she could ever enter kindergarten...” Gaara sniffled.

“I’m sorry...I didn’t know...is this another reason why you turned me the way you did...?” Lelouch asked, his tail wrapped around his legs and ears drooped.

He was out of his shower and was now wearing his cowboy version of his royal outfit. His royal rope draped from his shoulders like a cape or blanket. He had a cowbell made to match his outfit. He was used to his new look. He then sat down next to him, to help out on sewing the outfits. Gaara looked away as he stopped sewing.

“No...it’s not your fault Your Moojesty...terrorists that wasn’t part of the Black Knights took the advantage of the Black Rebellion...naming themselves as Black Knights, but their attire was different and didn’t match the real ones...they murdered everyone, but me. I pretended to be dead as they were killing everyone in sight at the family reunion...”

“Oh...I’m very sorry that happened to you. Were they part of your family or people who had a grudge against your family?”

“No to them both...they were stealing jewelry and expensive items that they could get their claws on...they attacked any rich family that they came in contact with...my family just happened to be on their list...”

“I see...are they still out there? I kind of forgot that the Ootori’s were a family of knights that served our family for generations...being sent during that year that day had made me forget...”

“It’s fine...I got my revenge sooner than I thought...Someone recognized me and then found out that I survived. One day I was surrounded by them and well...that’s when you came in that Sutherland...I ducked for cover when you fired...it’s more of a I hate you, forgive you, and thank you really.”

Ruby red to violet orbs. Lelouch didn’t know that he had saved him from death while shooting random people and such while running away from Suzaku again during a mission. Before his own Knightmare Frame was shipped along side the Guren. All he remembered was that he was trying escape and tear things up again like how they first met during the beginning of the Black Rebellion. Now that it’s over and that he’s Emperor, he has nothing else to do but to fix everything that he’s done.

Tears formed in Gaara’s ruby eyes and he then tackled the Emperor and started to sob. His purple and red coyote ears flopped over and tail tucked. Lelouch smiled warmly as he hugged him and starts to pet him, comforting him. As he cried, he felt his small baby bump and furrowed a brow. Yet he didn’t care at the moment, he felt lonesome for being the last member of his family.

“Merry Furmas Everybody~!” a cheerful voice announced.

Everyone turned their attention to the voice and knew right away that it was Milly. Rivalz ran out of the kitchen with waterfalls for tears as he tried to glomp her. She sidestepped as he missed and landed right onto the Spruce tree. Some of the decor on it was messed up from him landing into it. He groaned in pain as the needled leaves of it poked him. They laughed as they knew how silly these two were together. It was Two Out Of Three Stooges. All they needed was a third to make the collection complete.Yet either Suzaku or the Emperor himself could be the third one if they felt like it.

Rolo came walking in and dragged Rivalz back into the kitchen to help him finish making the eggnog. Rivalz just let him, tears still falling as he was being dragged by the tail. Milly then wagged her husky tail when they left for the kitchen. She then bowed before Lelouch, before holding out a present that she dug out of one of the many bags that were filled with them. She was the git go girl, she wore a pink Mrs. Clause outfit with four Santa bags full of presents. She loved to shower others with affection even if it was gifts.

He waved a hand at her as he then had her place the presents under the tree for now. Gaara then stood back up when he was done crying for his loss for his dear family. He was the second tallest out of them all. Yet Gino and Jeremiah had him beat by 4 inches in height. Yet he was still tall for his age.

“Anyone else coming Milly?” he asked.

“No, Your Majesty. Just us old student council and new, aside from the old and the new Knights of the Round.” she answered.

“Milly it’s Xmas, so no need for formalities. It’s annoying half the time...” Lelouch groaned, scrunching up his nose.

“Sorry, force of habit. Yet it’s quite catchy~!” she chirped.

“Sorry if I’m late Yo-”

“Shut up! He wants a break from hearing it!” they shouted in unison.

The teal haired general held out a finger with his mouth agape, but then nodded and closed it. Sighs as he then walked over to him. He then saw the champagne in his hands wrapped with a big golden bow. He directed him to the kitchen so it can be saved for later. The two chatted about making a treaty with Area 5, since they’re on the list to give back the name and rights list. It was simply the roll of the dice to figure out which countries or Areas that are capable to have everything returned to them without having a constant war with them. 

Soon enough Kallen showed up wearing her old Black Knights uniform and was followed in by Kaname Ohgi and his wife Villetta. Villetta was about 6 months pregnant when they arrived. Lelouch invited them as well. Only a few former Black Knights were invited, so only them came. He also wanted to congratulate them for their family that they were starting. Villetta saw his baby bump and smiled. She didn’t say a word.

She knew that he wanted to tell everyone himself once the party started. Ohgi helped her into a seat before walking into the kitchen to help. Villetta gasped as she felt the baby kick again. Chuckling as she let Nunnally feel for herself. The two chatted about how things in life were going and whatnot. Nothing but girl talk. Kallen sighed as she felt left out, yet was guilty of kissing the Emperor. They didn’t know that he was gay until he kissed Suzaku on national television once crowned Emperor.

Everyone was shocked at first and was disgusted, but as life and time went on, they got used to it. Soon there were transgender, lesbians, gays, genderfluid, and every other sexuality. His love for Suzaku has changed the way the world worked. He even made laws for everybody to feel equal in both Japan (after giving their name and right back) and Britannia. Soon everybody was happy, there was no more name calling on the Japanese and no more war between the two countries.

Lelouch has changed Britannia for the better. He even fixed the laws of Britannia by removing the ones that existed generations ago. Yet not everyone wanted to change after losing power and being claimed as an Area. Some of them were very excited about the new Emperor of Britannia. They praised his name and is now on a waiting list for negotiations for a war truce and to have everything returned to them. They accept this new world that he’s offering. They even allowed Gaara to use his geass on whomever wanted to be turned into something in his image.

They wanted to have a balance of everything now that the Black Rebellion has died down and the Black Knights are nevermore. Unless if he wanted the Black Knights to be still in his services to help out. Yet Suzaku had told him to make new Knights for the greater good instead of having his Zero Requiem pull through. Since they’re lovers it was the only reasonable thing to do after all. If the Zero Requiem ever did come into effect, it’ll break Suzaku’s heart to murder yet another person that he has feelings for and not in a friendship matter.

Lelouch is the only lover he’s ever had his first kiss with and everything. Since he killed Euphemia  out of pure jealousy aside from moving his plan forward for Nunnally’s sake. Then there’s Gaara, a loyal knight without anyone to love him. Yet they don’t know that he’s been crushing on His Majesty after finding out who he was throughout the whole thing. Suzaku may be an airhead as the Knight of Zero, but he knew something was up for three whole months. Yet still doesn’t even know what his reasons are for missing a bunch of meetings with Area 5. 

They waited a bit longer for the rest of what’s left of the old student council to Ashford Academy and the new. Same thing with what’s left of the old Knights of the Round with a few new members. It took Gino and Anya to get used to Emperor Lelouch. Even though he did end up murdering his family’s parents after all. But the past is the past and yet they’re shocked on how much better of an Emperor he could really be. Gaara was a new member to bother the student council and the Knights of the Round. 

Lelouch dubbed him as the Knight of Eight a few days ago. He was also the new president of the student council, since Rivalz was taking his position for granted. Nunnally was now in high school and was announced as the vice president of the student council. Rivalz was graduating a few months from now and wasn’t going to finish off the year. He’s following Milly’s footsteps, but instead as a baker. He gotten into baking after learning from Rolo and Lelouch (before he became the 99th Emperor of Britannia).

“ Luv are you coming out or not? For my baby sister and the new 10th seat of the Round, you’re such a scaredy cat.” Gino called at the doorway.

“Ngh...” was the answer from the doorway.  

“Wait, Gino you never told us that you have a baby sister. How is she the new seat of 10?” Suzaku asked.

“I’m the one who put her in the spot. After Luciano died during the Black Rebellion, her power as a soldier has brought her as far as to that of a Knight. She’s Nunnally’s Knight, though she’s very timid.” Lelouch chuckled.

“Luv is just a nickname that I’ve given here over the years. She’s at least 3 years younger than me. Her real name is Lovisia Weinberg.” Gino explained.

“He told me everything there is to know about her. She’s been hiding in the air force of the Britannian Forces, but moved her out once the Black Rebellion started. Since then she’s been training by herself in the Homeland. She surpassed everyone in her troop. So I had Nunna pick out her Knight. Lovisia came and yet she asked me to make her into a Knight of the Round. So I did, she chose to replace Luciano’s spot. So I approved it.” Lelouch shrugged.

“Lovisia it’s ok, no need to hide now. Nobody’s going to hurt you. Isn’t it your job to protect Her Highness?” Gino asked.

Light blond hair and icy blue eyes looked through the doorway. She was an exact image of her older brother, but with lighter and thinner traits. Yet there was a Kanji on the right side of her forehead that read ‘Hate’ in pink. Suzaku furrowed a brow on why that’s there. Gino held up his hand as he knew what he was thinking. He then walked over to her and pushed her out into view. Lovisia was growling as he did so, then it all became clear. Hate as in Demon that hates everyone. She didn’t have pupils of any kind. Her eyes were outlined with thick red mascara and eye shadow. 

She looked like a pissed off Tanuki. Yet Tanuki’s masks are black, not red. Something up was going on with her appearance alone. Then again Red Panda’s had a redish brown mask, but not a scarlet red. Gino sighed as he then looked at Lelouch. Lelouch knew what he wanted, her bottle. Nodding as he pointed at the painting of Nunnally and him during the time when they were kids. He walked over to the painting and moved it out of the way. There was a safe behind it, he dialed the password. A small click and the a creaking sound came from the safe. There inside was items so valuable that they were put in it, aside from cold hard cash.

There on top of the cash was a blue glass bottle. Looked like a liquor bottle. Suzaku was baffled by the safe behind the painting and the bottle itself. But on the big glass bottle was Aztec markings in gold. He couldn’t believe his eyes as Anya closed the safe and put the painting back in place, as Gino walked over with the bottle. He the popped the cork, allowing his baby sister to use her mystical powers. To his shock and the rest of the guests there saw the liquid rise out of the bottle without anything attached.

The liquid turned out to be blood. Everyone, but the ones who know of her powers covered their noses. It smelt rotten as if it sat in there for years without being thrown out in the trash. Lovisia had this power to control blood ever since birth. She had murdered their parents after being born, leaving them as orphans. Her eyes then stared at Suzaku intensely, forcing fear into his heart. The blood then slashed at his Knight of Zero uniform. Suzaku yelped as it cut through his skin a bit. Hot blood trinkled down, but didn’t hit the floor. But floated in the air, he then screamed in pain as he felt his own body float in the air.

Lelouch looked worried, but couldn’t move. The blood whip had gotten him to, but barely.She was a Deadman, a rare being who can control their blood and someone else’s as long as their blood is mixed in. This was her Branch of Sin. The Dragon was now awoken. She was known as the Dragon Reaper. Many other nicknames could define her without her real name. Emperor Lelouch calls her Death’s Pet Dragon. Gino then quickly closed the bottle once she drained Suzaku of a bit of blood to keep the blood in her bottle fresh.

Suzaku dropped at once and was panting. “Are you out of your mind for choosing her?! I could’ve died!”

“B-But...”  “Enough Suzaku, you weren’t man enough to protect my baby sister. So Lovisia is the best we’ve got!”

“....Fine...but don’t let that monster get near me...”

“That’s my sister buster, sure she’s a Deadman, but don’t blame her for the beast that lives in her very body! She’s got more blood than the average human being! It’s due to the Blood Beast, A Dragon that sleeps inside of her!”

Gino grabbed the bleeding Suzaku up off the ground, teeth bared. Lelouch groaned in pain and tears dropped to the floor. They stopped and looked at him. Suzaku brushed Gino off of him as he hurried over, despite the pain coming from his side. He then looked down where Lelouch’s hands were guarding. He was breathing heavily as he looked up at him. Villetta gasped as she was worried too. Gaara stopped her and shook his head. Rolo heard the commotion, he too had tears in his eyes. They fear for the worst for the pregnant Emperor.

“What’s going on?! Somebody say something! What’s wrong with my boy-” Suzaku was cutoff by Lelouch placing a hand onto his cheek.

“I was about to announce this to everyone, when they were here...and now that they’re all gathered...I-I’m pregnant...with your twin boys...” he smiled sadly.

“Step aside Sir Kururugi...if I don’t fix my mistake, I can’t forgive myself...” Lovisia spoke sternly.

“No! Not what you just did to us! Get out!” he hissed.

“Let her, His Majesty might end up dying and miscarry or die with them! She doesn’t just kill with her Branch of Sin, but revive or heal!” Gino corrected him.

“I’ll be alright Suza...” Lelouch coughed as his body started to feel cold.

Hot tears spilled from his eyes as he kissed his hand, before letting Lovisia do her job. Lovisia walked over and cut her hands with the pocket knife on her thigh. She then apologize to her Emperor before slicing him in the stomach. Blood poured everywhere, but floated in the air. Lelouch’s now lifeless body floated into the air. Gino reopened the bottle for the blood in it to join. He and Anya cut themselves to help out. Suzaku sighed as he shoved his fingers into his fresh wound, screaming. Tears still dropping from his cheeks from the pain in his heart. He didn’t want to lose another love of his life, not ever again.

Trusting a total stranger with a Branch of Sin that is rarely born into the world.Yet if she could save him and the future heirs to the Britannian Throne, then he had no choice, but to trust Gino’s words. Gaara smiled as he joined in on the action. Once there was enough blood in the air, Lovisia’s eyes glowed. Soon her body ripped into ribbons, allowing the dragon inside to escape her body. The dragon was scarlet red like the makeup around Lovisia’s eyes, but had blue and golden patterns of Aztec markings along her body.

The dragon’s icy blue eyes looked at Lelouch’s freshly dead body along with the twins inside of him still. A mighty roar of sorrow and anger as she started to tear up herself. She was sorry for hurting a friend of her host. Soon the blood in the air formed the shape of a Peony flower. Suzaku was amazed on what this dragon can do, soon the flower glowed and then got shoved into Lelouch’s body at once! The blood from the people willing to help heal and revive the Emperor of Britannia alongside his unborn twins, has been cleansed and made to his blood type.

Once the glowing stopped, the dragon was gone. Lovisia was now lying in Gino’s arms. The bottle of blood was empty and laid on it’s side on the floor. Suzaku rushed over, his wound healed. He caught Lelouch’s unconscious body. He winced from being a bit weak. To everyone’s shock who didn’t part take in the blood to blood ritual with Lovisia, they saw a miracle happen. Lelouch’s stomach was now a lot bigger than what it was supposed to be. The dragon’s magic had made him close to labor than restoring him back to normal.

Suzaku blinked as he then yelped as he fell towards the ground. Rolo gasped as he then activated his geass, saving the both of them. Once five minutes was up, Lelouch was standing up and awake. Blinking as he felt the sudden weight in his stomach. Blushing on how fast the twins had grown in so little time, as if he was carrying unborn vampires. He then gave Lovisia a look as he then figured out what the cause behind it was from. He then grunts in pain again, Lovisia smiled in her sleep. She didn’t only speed up the development, but the deadline for the twins.

“Welp, His Majesty is in labor...” Jeremiah chuckled nervously.

“What did she do to me?! They weren’t due until somewhere in June!Argh!!!” Lelouch screamed in pain.

His water has broke, now that Lovisia has done her magic with her Branch of Sin. Suzaku laughed as he was starting to like Lovisia. Her and Lelouch planned this ahead of time, for their Xmas present to him. Sure he had planned the Zero Requiem with him, but changed once he got pregnant by him. So all in all that plan got out the window. It was now time for this new plan to take action. Zero’s Heirs is now the name of the plan. He carried his now Emperor in labor to his slumber chambers. Everyone went back to the party. Nunnally smiled as they didn’t need the Zero Requiem to begin with. Spilling a shit load of blood once again wouldn’t change the world, but make it worse.

Gaara then started to carve the ham and turkey in Suzaku’s place once the time for dinner rolled by. They enjoyed the feast as Suzaku and Sayako were helping Lelouch bring two new lives into the world. Rolo was happy to have two nephews into his life. He even got used to being Nunnally’s newest older brother when they met during the Black Rebellion. Everyone stopped partying once they saw Sayako walk in with a big smile on her face. The birth of two new princes was a success. Everyone was allowed to visit the new parents. 

“So...what do you think of my Xmas present to you dear?” he asked.

“It’s wonder, I love them!” The White Knight sniffled as tears dripped down once more, this time with joy.

“So what are you going to new the new princes?” Gaara asked.

Lelouch smiled and looked down at his two breastfeeding children and then back at them and the father. Suzaku then changed his expression on the spot. Since nobody, but a few knew about his secret pregnancy, he had no idea. Yet he ended up crying like a baffling idiot like always. He shrugged as he then looked back at Lelouch. Maybe he had an idea what to name their two newborn sons. They did both had a bit of brown in their luscious black locks. The one with more black in his hair was the oldest out of the two. Suzaku’s rabbit tail wagged, yet his antlers kind of shed off when he was being “attacked” by Lovisia.

Even though that was the distracting of their plan to shock Suzaku. Gaara was a part of it too. He then winked at them as he then popped the cork to the champagne bottle. The cork landed perfectly into a bowl in the kitchen. He then started pouring glasses for everyone who wanted to try it. Sure some of them were still minors, but he gave them juice or pop instead. Suzaku thanked them all and for Lelouch’s best Xmas gift ever.

“Since daddy doesn’t have names for them, I guess we’ll name the oldest; Maleficent. And the youngest either Lelouch Jr., Suzaku the Second, or possibly Shiba. What do you think?” Lelouch asked.

“Maleficent and Shiba sounds wonderful. We can name the next batch after us if you don’t mind.” Suzaku chuckled.

“To the birth of our newly born Prince Maleficent and Prince Shiba!” Jeremiah cheered.

“To the new royals of the New Britannia!” they all cheered.

“Well we need birth certificates for them though.” Suzaku whispered.

“I already got you covered. Maleficent Nyx Kururugi Britannia and Shiba Love Kururugi Britannia.” Sayako chuckled as she held out the certificates.

Suzaku blinked as he then saw the handwriting and then smiled. Seems like his Emperor had them covered all this time. He then felt Lelouch gently tap him on the shoulder. He asked Sayako to hand him his son Shiba. He looked down at Shiba with a smile, he looked into his purple and green orbs.

“Welcome to the world my wittle baby Shiba. Daddy loves you very much~!” he whispered before kissing his messy brown and black locks.

Shiba sneezed and then cooed.

“Awwwwwwwwwwwwwe~!” everyone said in unison.

“Let’s open up some presents! Plus...maybe have an unexpected baby shower for me, even though I’m not pregnant anymore!” Lelouch ordered with a giggle as he burps Maleficent.

“Does this still count?” he asked in secret to Villetta.

She nods as she congratulates him again. They then brought the party near their bedroom. Once they ate until stuffed, presents opened. Lelouch yawned. He was exhausted from this fast forwarded pregnancy and from very early child birth. Suzaku chuckled and smiled. He then kissed Gaara straight on the lips, catching him off guard. Gaara blushed as he then kissed him back and then they both kissed Lelouch on the forehead. Gaara took Maleficent from Lelouch, so he can rest. Everyone then went to their guestrooms in the palace. Nobody was driving home tonight from partying too hard. Suzaku followed Gaara and Sayako to the baby room that they’ve made ahead of time.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Shiba fussed.

“Shhhhhh! Daddy’s here, so is Papa Gaara!” Suzaku cried out, rocking Shiba gently.

Maleficent was fussing too, but Gaara held a mirror to use his geass on himself again to swap his animal traits.

“I got them Suzaku. Just rest with Lulu. Also thanks for accepting me in this family.” Gaara smiled as he was now a cowboy like Lelouch and breastfed Maleficent again.

“You’re welcome, but how can you do it?” he asked.

The Animal Spirit Geass user looked at him with his left eye now engraved by his geass. His geass was now as powerful as Lelouch’s. His sky blue eyes with the upside-down geass marked eyes was filled with happiness. He then put back on his ruby eye contacts. He then burped Maleficent and changed his diaper. He then cleaned his hands before changing back into his usual coyote look. Holding Suzaku’s son again as he rocked him gently.

“Well you see...I’ve maxed out my geass while living here with you. I can swap traits with myself and others if I desire to, but every time I use my geass, I end up with a small headache. Plus Shiba needs his first diaper change.” he explained.

“Dang...” Suzaku sighed as he sniffed Shiba’s butt and then coughs.

“Dang boy, already?!” he exclaimed as he changed his poopy diaper.

“Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, Blood is spilling from your brain, Zombies gnaw you like a plumb, Piercing Cries and you will succumb, Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, You will never breathe again.” Gaara sang to Maleficent.

Maleficent giggled and sucked on his big toe.

“Why are you singing songs about death to him for?! What if it gets to his head once he grows up?! We don’t need another Zero!” Suzaku protested as he tries his best to avoid Shiba’s whiz. 

“Don’t worry he won’t end up like his mother. Besides his name just screams vampire to me. Suffer, Suffer, Scream in Pain, Shove your enemies guts down the drain, Werewolves howl like a bunch of cawing ravens, Ghouls gather around you like a sick haven, Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, You will never see the light of day again.”

“Wow...gee hopefully it doesn’t give them nightmares.” 

“They won’t, this is a lullaby that my mother used to sing to me.”

“Really? Please sing, they seem to like it.” he picked up the now clean Shiba off of the changing table, throwing the dirty diapers into the coffin shaped trashcan.

“Every well...Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, Witches will have your body burned by flame, Mummies beetles swarm and squirm, Imps will have you squashed by the feet of a pachyderm, Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, You will never move again.”

“Wait...why is this nothing but a song about death? Is it them that’s dying or other people or is it both?”

“Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, Your heart can’t take the strain, Lamias will constrict you into dust, Sirens caw until their lungs bust, Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, You will never hear again.”

“Hello?! Answer me! Why is this song about nothing but...death...?” Suzaku yawned himself, putting Shiba into the crib.

“Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, You won’t remember your name, Tombstones of grey, Yet here you lay, Suffer, Suffer, Scream in pain, You can never go insane.”  Gaara finished as he puts Maleficent next to Shiba.

He then smiles as he lifts the sleeping Suzaku off of the floor and carries him to their room. Hopping in bed next to him as he then kisses him and Lelouch on the forehead. ‘Goodnight my dears.’ he thought, before falling asleep himself.  

      A/N: I don’t own Hotel Transylvanian or the song Suffer, Suffer, Scream in Pain for the movie. But I do own this version of the song, since I figured it needed more added to it, so I did it for them. I also don’t own Deadman Wonderland, I just decided to add some reference from the anime/manga to make Lovisia Weinberg my oc little sister for Gino. I hope you like my two day late Snoggletog gift to y’all. Merry Two Day Late Snoggletog! Yes I’m a HTTYD fan, so what?! But anyways I hope you liked it as much as I have writing it! I might write more in the future for Code Geass! I’ll also be working on these ocs and the au for this fandom! So Maleficent and Shiba designs and such will be uploaded later on in the near future!  

[avengerscompound]

Recovery

Recovery: A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Bucky Barnes x Steve Rogers

Word Count:  2375

Warnings:  Angst, some foreplay and mentions of sex, grief, ptsd

Synopsis:  Five months since the death of Daisy, Bucky has pulled away from Steve unable to come to terms with his feelings of responsibility for her death. Steve and Wanda pull together to bring him around for the holidays.

A/N:  Follow up to Finding Home.

Recovery

They’d settled in Canada.  Canada didn’t sign the Sokovia accords.  They also had places remote enough that they could be alone, but they were still connected to the world enough that if something were to happen … well, they’d be there ready to defend the world like they’d always done in the past.

Wanda had come with them.  They’d told her it was fine, they could handle it.  She didn’t like the idea of them being alone and not having any way to deal with the kid’s abilities.  Also, she hated being on the run alone.  She’d spent her life with someone constantly by her side.  Now he was gone, she was lost and she needed the consistency of other people she knew and trusted.  Steve had always understood her, so she stayed by his side.

Steve was slowly moving on from his grief at the loss of Daisy.  He was used to being the strong one.  It was what he did.  Having the kids helped.  They needed him.  Having Bucky helped more.  He kept telling himself this was what she wanted.  Since the day they’d met she just wanted to get Bucky back to him, and now she had.  So he was going to appreciate her sacrifice.  

Bucky was struggling more.  It was strange.  He couldn’t shake the feeling that her death was just one more person’s blood on his hands.  Yet now she’d freed him from the soldier, he found himself being happy more and more.  Happy like he was back when Steve was just a little guy and he hadn’t been sent off to war.  Anytime that happened his grief swallowed him even deeper.  The thought of his happiness being solely due to the fact the woman he loved died felt impossible to live with.

As the seasons changed and Christmas approached Steve became single-minded about making it a good one.  This was his family now.  He wanted to start making happy memories for them.  He needed it.  For himself.  For all of them.

He started by taking everyone shopping.  He knew it was risky, but they all bundled up and driven the two hours it took to get to any sort of shops.  They had limited funds but were able to buy decorations and gifts.  Sarah fussed constantly.  She wasn’t used to being around so many minds and she hadn’t worked out how to block them out.  

They bought supplies to help get them through the winter too.  Making sure they had all the things needed for a proper Christmas dinner.  

When they got home Steve went and cut down a small pine tree.  First checking to make sure nothing had made their home in it.  He set it up in the living room and he and Wanda decorated it together.  

Jamie and Sarah became obsessed with the tree.   Sarah, much like her brother had physically developed very fast.  At five months old she was crawling around and pulling herself up on things.  She babbled constantly.  Steve erected a small fence around it to keep them away from the gifts, but the two toddlers would stand and stare and reach their hands in trying to grab the colorful baubles and brightly wrapped presents.  

Wanda gave them a pack of colorful magnets depicting various farm animals to distract them.  The two would toddle around the house finding things that would stick on.  Yes to the fridge.  No to the wall.  Yes to a lamp.  No to the couch.  No to one daddy.  Yes to the other.  

The discovery that magnets stuck to only one person in the house became the most interesting game of all.  Anytime Bucky sat down a little body or two would toddle over and start sticking them to him.  He’d sit and let them create their scenes and when they were done he’d flex the plates on his arm and they’d all go flying causing Jamie and Sarah to squeal with delight and go gather them back up again.  

“That looks like fun,”  Steve said, finding the three playing together on the couch.  He sat down and put his arm around Bucky.  

Bucky’s face fell.  He’d allowed himself time to be happy again.

“Daddy’s sad,”  Jamie said, climbing into Bucky’s lap.  He touched his hands on his head.  

Steve picked Jamie up.  “We don’t change people’s feelings, remember?”  He said.

Jamie grumbled and wriggled out of Steve’s arms.  Climbing back into Bucky’s lap and resting his head against Bucky’s chest.  Steve leaned over and ran his hand through the little boy’s hair.  

“She would want you to be happy, Buck,”  Steve said. “She’d want these moments for you.”

“She’d want to be alive,”  Bucky said, looking away from Steve.

“She knew the risk.  Everyone told her.  She wanted you to be happy.  She wanted us to be happy.  It’s not your fault she made that choice.”  Steve said.  Sarah had started tugging at his leg and he lifted her up and held her on his knee.  

“Yeah, but if I just …”  

“No buts, Buck.  It’s what she wanted.  She died for it.  You could at least allow it to happen when it does.  You don’t always have to be happy, but let yourself be happy when you are.”

Sarah was tugging impatiently at Steve’s shirt.

“Sawa wans a boddle.”  Jamie said, interrupting the conversation.

Steve looked down at his daughter.  “Is that what you want, little miss?”  

“Ba ba ba ba.”  She babbled.  

Steve got up, brushing his hand through Bucky’s hair as he did.  “I love you, pal.  I know I don’t say it much.  At least not in those words.  But I do.  I want to make this work, but I need you to want it too.”

Bucky let his head fall back over the end of the couch.  The door opened and Wanda stepped through accompanied by an icy blast of air.  “It’s started snowing.”  She said, stamping her feet and shrugging off her coat.  

Bucky turned to looked at her and Jamie stood in his lap and clambered up to his shoulder.  “Daddy’s sad.”  He said, making a pick me up gesture to Wanda.  “Fix him.”

She came over and lifted him.  “You know not to fix him with here.”  She said tapping Jamie on the forehead.  “You should fix him with here.”  She tapped his chest above his heart.

“You fix him,”  Jamie said.

Wanda laughed and sat down next to Bucky.  He lifted Jamie from Wanda’s arms and the little boy snuggled down into his chest again, his hand patting over his heart.

“Sorry,”  Bucky said.

“There’s no need to be.”  Wanda fiddled with her fingers.  “James, you know I knew Daisy too.  She and Steve were the first people to trust me on the Avengers.”

“Yeah.  But she didn’t…”

Wanda cut him off.  “I know her loss is worse for you.  I’m not trying to take it away from you.”  She said.  She started moving her fingers the glowing red light of her powers flickering across them.  Jamie shifted in Bucky’s lap to watch.  “One reason she trusted me was, she knew we shared a similar journey.  I was a child when I chose to go to Hydra.  So full of hate.  I had my brother.  Pietro.  We were tortured together to make us special.  They harnessed our anger and our fear and made it this.”  The light in her hand grew bigger and she snuffed it out.  Jamie grabbed her hand and started pulling on it to try and get the light back.  She ruffled his hair.  “She didn’t go to Hydra willingly, but her life was much the same.  Only she didn’t have a brother.  She had you.  You kept her alive and sane.  You made it so she never totally gave herself to Hydra.”

“I know all that,”  Bucky grumbled.  “Does this story have a point?”

“When Pietro and I saw the path our hate was taking us on, we joined the Avengers to undo it.  Pietro sacrificed himself to save Clint and a child.  I still don’t understand why that happened.  He was shot.  Yet he moved faster than bullets.   How does that happen?”  She shook her head like she was trying to clear it.  “That’s not the point.  The point is; is that it did happen.  I had always had Pietro.  Here.”  She touched her chest above her heart.  “And here.”  She touched her forehead.   “Much like you and Daisy.  When I lost him I felt it.  It was like my heart was torn out.  I still feel it to this day.”

“How do you live with that?”  Bucky asked.

“Because I have to.  It’s not always easy, but what choice do I have?  I can’t let my misery consume me.  And neither can you.  You’re a parent, and you have someone alive right here who loves you so much he has been carrying it with him for a century.  Are you really going to let your grief take you away from him again?  When the loss you mourn is for someone who gave you to him.”

Steve stepped back into the lounge feeding Sarah.  She was reclined back in his arms and beginning to drift off to sleep.   “Did you have a good walk, Wanda?”  He asked.

“I did, thank you.  Did you want me to take, Sarah?”  

Steve shook his head.  “I’ve got her.   I was thinking we should make eggnog tonight, maybe teach Jamie how to make s'mores.”  

“I have never made s’mores either.  I would love to learn.”  Wanda said, smiling.

“What do ya think, Buck?  Then maybe Jamie can leave cookies and milk out for Santa.”  Steve said.  

Bucky smiled.  “Yeah, that sounds great, pal.”  He looked down at Jamie and ruffled his hair.  “You should have a nap, little guy.”

“Not tired,”  Jamie grumbled rubbing his eyes.  

“Yes, you are.  Come on.”  Bucky stood up and started heading to the bedroom.

“No.”  Jamie pushed.  Bucky wavered for a moment and Wanda jumped to her feet.

“Hey, no using your abilities on your dad. Undo it.”  She said.

“No!”  Jamie cried.

“Undo it, right now,”  Wanda said, narrowing her eyes.  

Bucky suddenly shook his head and turned to Wanda.  “Damn.  He’s a little scary sometimes.”  

Wanda laughed but it was a nervous, uncomfortable laugh.  “He’ll be okay.  We can do this.”

“Thank you, Wanda.  And for before.”  Bucky said.

“Anytime, James.”

That night they spent together.  This weird mismatched family.   They toasted marshmallows on the open fire and turned them into s’mores.  Bucky made the eggnog, and Wanda made a dinner that was as close to a traditional Sokovian Christmas meal as she could.  Roast duck and spiced, potato dumplings, beef rolls on sauerkraut, bread, herb and ham balls in roast onion white sauce.

After dinner, they stayed up talking and singing songs together.  Bucky let himself actually feel true contentment for the first time since he signed up to join the army in 1942.  Right at this moment, he was safe and Steve was too.  He was himself.  He was a parent.  All the things he had dreamed of but never thought would ever come to fruition had happened.  He’d just been too deep in grief to appreciate it.

Steve and Bucky got the kids to sleep and said their goodnights to Wanda.  Steve started removing his clothes, getting ready for bed.  Bucky came up behind him, wrapping his arms around Steve.  He kissed him under the ear, grazing his teeth over his throat.  

Steve hummed and leaned back into Bucky.  Their mouths met, Bucky dominated Steve.  He’d been keeping himself from Steve for too long and he wanted Steve to know how much he wanted him and needed him.  His hands slid down into the waistband of Steve’s pants.  He stroked up and down the line of his Adonis’ belt and down to his inner thigh.

Steve pulled away, breaking their kiss.  “Buck.  Are you sure?  We haven’t…”

Bucky let Steve go and they turned to face each other.  He cupped Steve’s jaw and stroked his thumb along it.  “I’m sorry, Stevie.  I’m sorry I’ve left you alone to just care for us.  That you haven’t had a chance to grieve because you’ve just had to be the strong one.  I’m going to be here now.  I want us to be …”  He trailed off, not knowing how to end.

“Us?”  Steve asked.

Bucky nodded and Steve pulled him into a kiss, pressing his body tightly against Bucky’s.  They started to shed each other’s clothes as they moved towards the bed.  When they reached the mattress they just fell together, hands stroking, clawing and gripping at each other.  Their mouths battled.  The feelings that Bucky had been suppressing out of guilt and that Steve had been holding back to give him time all coming out at once.  Lust and love and passion.  Their complete need for each other.  

That night they made love three times.  Not concerned with the early start they had, or the fact that Sarah was likely to wake them at 2 AM. They just were unable to keep their hands off each other once they started.  Eventually, they fell asleep completely wrapped around each other.  They slept soundly until dawn.  The first time that had happened for either of them since 1945.  

They were awoken at sunrise by Jamie jumping on the bed and tapping them.  “Daddies.  Santa’s been.  You gotta wake up.”  

Bucky and Steve opened their eyes and looked around blearily.  “Did Sarah actually sleep through the night?”  Bucky asked.

“It’s a Christmas miracle.”  Steve laughed, rolling out of bed.  He grabbed his pajama pants from the ground and pulled them on.  “Okay, Jamie.  Let’s go get your sister and see what Santa brought you.”  He said picking Jamie up off the bed.  He grabbed Bucky’s boxers from the floor and tossed them at him.

“Love you, Buck.”

“Love you too, Stevie.”  Bucky laughed.  

“Me too?”  Jamie said pouting.  

Bucky sat up and pulled his boxers on.  “Of course I do, champ.  Love you to bits.”

Steve kissed his son on the head and headed to the kid’s bedroom.   “Daddy’s happy now,”  Jamie said, looking up at Steve.

“He’s getting there, buddy.  He’s getting there.”

[adamwatchesmovies]

My Dad is Scrooge (2014)

With a title as awful as My Dad is Scrooge, this film will turn away all but two kinds of movie-watchers: those who enjoy watching bad movies, and those who were cast in this Canadian production. You hear the premise. You think this movie will be wacky and hilarious but the only laughs come at the audience’s expense.

Oliver (Christian Kerr) and his sister June (Eva Greig) are distraught. Their parents have separated and all signs point towards an upcoming divorce. Mom is organizing a children’s play - an adaptation of A Christmas Carol - but dad’s holiday spirit has turned to coal. EB (Brian Cook) is ready to cancel the whole thing. He even forecloses on the Woodsley Farm days before Christmas. When the Woodsley’s talking barn animals come to Oliver and June for help, they put together a ruse that'll convince EB to change his ways.

Yep. It’s about a pair of kids who - with the help of their talking animal friends - trick their dad into believing he’s the “real-world” equivalent of Ebenezer Scrooge (“EB”, get it?). How can the animals talk? Through Santa Claus' off-screen magic. How can an elderly couple with such animal prodigies be going broke? That question’s never answered because this movie must’ve been written in a day, on a napkin, while Keith Cooper was half-drunk on spiked eggnog. This story makes NO SENSE. The animals - which include pigs, lamas, rabbits, dogs, and a grumpy goat voiced by Bonnie Wright - can drive, operate electronics, read, open locked doors, and do all sorts of non-animal things as long as they’re off-screen.

This film SHOULD be unintentionally amusing. Oliver is plagued by the weakest quartet of movie bullies you’ve ever seen. At one point, they walk up to his house so they can show him - all the way from the sidewalk - a picture they drew (presumably of him) so they can laugh. That plan had phases and it sucks more than Oliver’s tactic to convince his “uncle” that he died in his sleep and is now a ghost, doomed to roam the Earth until EB changes his ways. The man’s running around town “scaring” people for three days straight. It’s a wonder he isn’t dead - for real - by the end of the movie.

Needless to say, the dialogue is horrible and the special effects worse. Half the time, the animals look like they were digitally inserted they’re so still. When they talk, the lip-synch is either completely off or obviously done via computer by a junior special effects technician.

You could criticize this film into the new year. The kids’ mom is planning this theatrical production of A Christmas Carol (what are the odds, am I right?) and for some reason, it’s being judged by this snooty drama class gay stereotype of a man. Of course, it winds up getting a standing ovation, just so the movie can stick it to him. In their pitch to Oliver and June, the barnyard animals bring a copy of A Christmas Carol. You can tell it was rented from the library, with some kind of note on the cover the director didn’t want us to see… which is why it’s covered up by a tiny piece of colored paper. Even if the loonies in charge had the money to properly bring their vision to life, it wouldn't have mattered because storytelling basics are missed. Over and over, Oliver and some animal will conspire while EB is in the same room as them. They don’t even bother to whisper but he never hears anything.

This movie is dumb. It thinks you’re dumb too. Why else could it assume you'd miss the glaring errors in every single scene? It’s continuously bad, and never the same way twice, but instead of becoming hilarious, it’s draining. At 87 minutes, it's a chore to sit through. At least it looks as though the crew had a semi-good time based on the bloopers/outtakes we see during the end credits - an excellent way to draw attention away from the names of the people responsible for this shoddy Christmas. (December 26, 2020)