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stunt-lads · 6 years

Text

Destiny’s gift;

Cordelia’s gift (but a travel mug tho);

Matt’s gift;

Pitch’s gift; Pitch's sweater;

Deyanira’s gift (from pitch); Deya's bedroom

for extra ambience feel free to listen to this if ya want

fun fact i forgot the word bedpost while writing this :))))

Cordelia, Matt, Destiny, Deyanira and Tyrant are mine

Nox and Jackilyn are @thisgirllovesherfandoms' and im just borrowing them

He never thought he’d see her frazzled, thought the first and last time she let her guard down so much would be after their disastrous fake date. That was until the holidays rolled around.

The first few weeks into December things went okay. Deyanira was her normal self, snarky and catty, the way he liked her if he was being honest with himself.

Jackilyn’s twin sister came to visit a few days before they would both leave to go home. The first time they met her, it was jarring for both Pitch and Jack to meet someone who looked identical to the bubbly and upbeat Jackilyn but was her complete opposite in fashion, personality, and attitude.

Deyanira treated them all to a movie and dinner, insisting on paying since her boss, North, was always incredibly generous with hours and holiday pay when December came around.

Pitch didn’t know why Jackilyn kept asking if Deyanira was going to be alright. She asked, no exaggeration, at least six times over the course of two days. Every time Deyanira insisted she was fine and things were planned and good to go, a fond smile on her face at Jackilyn’s worrying.

A few days after she saw the twins off to the bus station her facade began to crack. Her normally calm demeanor was beginning to wear down as her family called to make more and more plans and make sure things were still ready to go.

Pitch found it fascinating.

When he saw Jack off to the train station a week after Jackilyn and Nox left Deyanira looked about ready to snap. A near constant twitch was in her left eye and she looked like she hadn’t slept in a month.

He knew Destiny was a lot for Deyanira but that couldn’t be the only thing. He decided to figure it out and walked over one morning, knocking on her door, two coffees in hand.

When she opened it she looked exhausted, bags under her eyes, her hair disheveled and her clothes crumpled like she slept in them. Or hadn’t changed out of them for a few days. Grey pajama bottoms and a band logo he didn’t recognize was on her shirt.

He handed a coffee to her without a word and she was tired enough to smile gratefully and sincerely.

“Peppermint?” She asked after taking a sip and he smirked, nodding.

“‘Tis the season after all.” He sipped his own coffee, “I thought caffeine might be better than hot chocolate for you.”

She laughed softly and stepped aside. Welcoming him easily into her home. He walked in, impressed when he saw the setup. Their tree hadn’t been up before Jackilyn left but it was now, and completely decorated too, plus all the gifts were wrapped and perfectly placed underneath it.

“Damn.”

“Yeah.” She mumbled, walking past him and pushing wrapping paper and bows off the couch and ungracefully onto the floor, “My mom’s a stickler for tradition and it has to be perfect.”

She collapsed onto the couch, sighing with exhaustion, he sat beside her staring at the tree, it was nice, not real of course, he doubted a real tree was something Deyanira would buy, but it was decorated completely with the lights strung and ready to be plugged in.

He smiled when he saw some of the decorations, no doubt gifts from Nox, a skeleton here, a coffin there, and a--

“Is that a mouse skull?” He asks and it startles her a little from her doze, she jerks awake and he feels bad, but then she smiles and laughs.

“Yeah, Jackilyn found out I collect bones and found a mouse skull turned into an ornament at a garage sale.” She smiles fondly and he feels his heart race a little, he doesn’t think about why, “It’s normally in my room, but I bring it out around the holidays.”

She groans as she stands, stretching and shuffling into the kitchen, “Well, that’s enough of a break for now, I have to start baking and making food for Christmas.”

“Do you want help?” It’s out of his mouth before he can stop himself, but he doesn’t doubt his decision when she looks at him hopefully, “Jack’s not here and my family doesn’t visit for the holidays, so I’m not doing anything anyways.”

“Honestly that would help a lot.” She pauses and then her familiar smirk is back, “So long as you don’t burn the food.”

He rolls his eyes, barely containing his own smirk, “No promises.”

They mesh well and before long the baking of all the cookies is done, the rest of the wrapping is done, and even the food is prepped for Christmas, what can be prepped anyways, and she looks so relieved and relaxed as they sit together on her couch, watching cheesy monster movies interspersed with Christmas movies.

“So, since you helped, I suppose it’s only polite that I invite you to Christmas dinner.” She says as she picks a new movie off Netflix, “If you don’t have any plans anyways I mean.”

“...Is this going to be as disastrous as our fake date?” He asks and grins at the glare she shoots at him.

“Dunno, buut I doubt it, Destiny is...subdued around our parents.”

He feels like there’s something there, something she doesn’t talk about, but he doesn’t pry, it’s not his place. Not yet anyway, but he files the info away for a later date.

“Well, sure I guess,” He pauses as the opening title begins playing on the tv, “Wait, do I have to wear a Christmas sweater?”

She laughs, “Absolutely. As gaudy as you can actually. It’s something I always do, it irritates my mother and my dad loves them.”

“Perfect, I have a terrible one that I always wear.”

They lapse into a comfortable silence, neither one thinking much as they lean on each other and intertwine their fingers while they watch the movie.

Her family shows up at roughly noon on the 23rd of December. Or...most of her family.

He knows this because he hears a dog barking and it draws his attention enough to open the door.

He sees a beast of a German Shepherd and Deyanira kneeling before it, cooing softly and smiling so genuinely his heart stops for a second. She sees him and he thinks he imagines the way her eyes light up and her smile broadens.

“Pitch!” She sounds so excited and he just smiles awkwardly, raising an eyebrow slightly, “Dad, this is Pitch, he’s a friend.”

Pitch now realizes Destiny is in the hallway as well, with a man he’s never seen before, who reaches a hand out readily to shake his.

Pitch, still in pajamas suddenly feels embarrassed and on display but he composes himself and smiles easily, shaking the man’s hand.

“Pitch, this is my father Matthew Todd.”

“Pleasure to meet you Mr. Todd.” He speaks easily and shakes the man’s hand firmly.

Matthew laughs and it's deep and genuine, “I’m just Matt.”

“You already know Destiny,” Deyanira continues, unperturbed by the fact Pitch is in pajamas -- and he’s sure she’s aware how awkward he feels.

Destiny for her part smiles and gives a polite nod to him, “And this.” Deyanira says, grabbing the sides of the dog’s face and smooshing it lovingly, “Is Tyrant.”

She dissolves into baby talk that has the dog wiggling his whole body with his excited tail wagging. Pitch doesn’t miss the muzzle on the dog, or the spiked collar, and hesitates.

“Is he friendly?” He asks as he kneels beside the dog as well.

“Not at all!” Deyanira says cheerfully and Pitch laughs, but he knows how to deal with dogs and holds his hand out to let the big guy smell him. Tyrant tenses and Pitch is grateful for the barrier between them, but then, just as suddenly as he tensed, he’s relaxed again and pushing his body against Pitch for pets.

Pitch isn’t the only one who is surprised by the mood shift, especially not if Destiny’s soft hum and Deyanira’s gentle gasp are anything to go by. No one says anything aside from Deyanira starting to gush and praise the dog while Pitch stands up.

“Get dressed and come over.” Matt says as they all herd into Deyanira’s apartment, and Pitch nods before going to do just that.

Things go amazingly, Matt is incredibly funny and lighthearted and Destiny loves talking about some of the clients she gets, no names of course, but some of the stories are too good not to share.

Tyrant lets him pet him and scratch behind his ears, and even, much to everyone else’s surprise, lets Pitch play tug-o-war with him on the floor. When he lays down to sleep later, exhausted from playing, he lays at Pitch and Deyanira’s feet.

Pitch feels like he’s home, or rather, like he’s with Jack’s family, and it’s nice.

“Oh, Dey, mother will be arriving tomorrow morning.” Destiny says as they wind down and Pitch considers heading home, the mood shifts suddenly and even Matt seems to shift uncomfortably.

“...Okay.” Is all she says and Pitch files it away with the other comment she had made.

At 10 pm he heads home, with Deyanira seeing him out the door and chewing her lip nervously. He feels a tension set in when she closes the door behind her, standing in the hallway with him, and he eyes her curiously.

“Will you...” She licks her lips and he can feel how vulnerable she is from posture and body language alone, “Please come back tomorrow. Please spend Christmas with m--us.”

It’s a whisper, like she’s conspiring, and he knows how she must feel in that instant and does what he does best.

“I had already planned on it. You invited me earlier in the week and if you think I’m giving up free food, you’re mad.”

Her relief is palpable and he grins when she rolls her eyes, “Leave it to you to just want to come over for the free food.”

“Of course. What else do you think I visit for?” He snarks and then his breath catches in his throat as she hugs him tight.

“Thank you.” She whispers and then she’s gone, back inside her apartment and he’s left blinking in the hallway, heart racing and stomach in knots.

He doesn’t think about the feelings and what they mean as he heads inside his own apartment.

He understood, when she arrived, why Jackilyn had asked if Deya was going to be okay roughly 20 times. He also understood why Destiny and Deyanira both were so tense around their mother.

He didn’t really follow fashion, but he never thought that Cordelia Todd was their mother. It made sense in hindsight, how many people realistically have the last name Todd, and how could Destiny have afforded to travel for the years she did, but he never made the connection until she arrived.

She was...something.

Pitch was already at Deyanira’s place, sharing a coffee with Matt while Destiny and Deyanira tried to find a good Christmas movie for background noise.

The knock was sharp and unexpected, Tyrant leapt to his feet and barked once before racing to the door. Somehow, even with her being albino, Pitch saw the color fully drain from Deyanira’s face.

She stood, her legs shaking a little, and approached the door with purpose. When she opened it, there was no greeting before her mother simply walked inside.

“Honestly Deyanira, couldn’t you answer the door any faster?” Her voice was reprimanding, and Pitch watched as she walked in, barely looking at her other daughter or her husband.

“Where will we be sleeping?”

“My bed.” Deyanira answered in a monotone voice.

“Your bed? Where do you plan on sleeping then?” She asked, rounding on her eldest daughter, “Don’t tell me the couch. That’s no place for a woman to sleep Deyanira.”

Matt cleared his throat before she could continue her tirade, “Delia, dear, meet Pitch, Deyanira’s neighbor. He’ll be joining us for Christmas.”

Pitch smiled, and hoped it wasn’t forced as she turned around to face him, scrutinizing him with narrowed eyes.

“Pitch?” She asked with obvious disdain, “Forgive me, but what kind of name is that?”

“It’s a nickname Mrs. Todd, my full name is often too difficult to pronounce for most people.” His voice must have sounded as snooty as he hoped because both Deyanira and Destiny cracked a smile, he kept a straight face however, as he continued, “My full name is Kozmotis Pitchiner, but Pitch is fine.”

He felt some sort of smug satisfaction when she called him Pitch later in the evening.

Their tradition, that Mrs. Todd is a stickler for, is that they open one gift on Christmas Eve.

So everyone is handed a gift, even Pitch who flounders a bit and sheepishly says “I didn’t grab your gift...” which Deyanira smiles knowingly at and he realizes he walked right into admitting he shopped for her.

“You can bring it in the morning.” She says with a wink and he sighs dramatically. It makes Destiny giggle and Matt smile, but Mrs. Todd narrows her eyes and scoffs softly.

Everyone tears into their gifts with abandon, even Tyrant rips the paper off his, revealing a plastic squeaky hamburger. Immediately he starts squeaking it and carries it around to everyone, showing it off and squeaking it in their faces.

Deyanira opens a gift from her father, a book on ancient embalming practices, and she thanks him profusely before cracking it open immediately.

Matt opens one from Destiny, revealing a nice and comfortable shirt, one that says “I love my daughter” in big letter with “(yes she bought me this t-shirt)” underneath it. He laughs and thanks her, proclaiming he’ll wear it under his sweater tomorrow.

Mrs. Todd also opens one from Destiny, it’s a travel mug and what it says makes her smile fondly, her facade of stern and overbearing cracking just a tiny bit.

“What’s it say, dear?” Matt asks, and Deyanira even looks up from her book.

“Dear Mom, thanks for putting up with a spoiled, ungrateful, messy, bratty child like my sibling. Love your favorite.”

Deyanira throws a pillow at her sister that has them all laughing, even Deyanira herself smiles and shakes her head.

Destiny opens a gift from their mother, she gasps softly as an extremely fuzzy sweater is revealed, it looks expensive, even to Pitch’s untrained eyes, and Destiny leaps off the floor, embracing her mother before putting the sweater on.

It’s big and bulky and Pitch personally thinks it’s hideous but he doesn’t know anything about fashion.

He feels eyes on him and swallows nervously before he opens his gift from Deyanira, it’s small and in a box, and he laughs before opening it.

“Hope it’s not a ring.” Deyanira snorts but she watches him close and he feels his throat close up a little bit when he sees the necklace, nestled softly in fabric padding. It looks like a camera lense, and he smiles taking it out of the box carefully.

Destiny gasps softly and makes an “ooo” sound when she sees it. Tyrant sniffs it, getting dog nose marks on it before losing interest and squeaking his toy again. Pitch puts it on, not making eye contact with Deyanira as Destiny cleans up the wrapping paper.

Matt plays with Tyrant, throwing crumpled and wadded up paper at the dog until he grumbles about it and starts tearing them up smaller. Distracted from his new toy for a moment too long. Destiny snatches it and squeaks it, running around the apartment as Tyrant chases her.

Pitch swallows past the lump in his throat and leans over before whispering a soft “Thank you.”

Deyanira just smiles and whispers just as softly, “You’re welcome.”

Only Mrs. Todd sees the exchange, unbeknownst to the two sitting by each other on the floor.

Pitch leaves shortly after, Deyanira telling him he can’t come back until tomorrow, and he better bring her gift.

He doesn’t stop touching the necklace all through his nightly routine.

He’s up at 7 am. Like every Christmas, but surprisingly he gets a knock on his door at 9.

He opens it in confusion, only to find a distraught Destiny at his door.

“What--”

“Dey won’t come out of her room.” The tone she takes makes him more alert suddenly, coffee mug in his hand held tighter, “She and mother got in an argument after you left last night,” She starts and he immediately sets his mug down, picking up his keys and Deyanira’s gift without thinking about it, “they went to bed angry and now that mom and dad are out of her room she’s locked herself in and I don’t know what to do and I don’t want to bother Jackil--”

But he’s already opening the door to Deyanira and Jackilyn’s apartment.

It smells divine, Matt apparently cooks when stressed because he’s started the preparations for dinner already. Mrs Todd sits on the couch, face blank as she stares at the television and Matt himself is knocking gently on Deyanira’s door.

Tyrant growls from the other side when Matt asks to come in.

Destiny follows Pitch close as he strides across the room to Deyanira’s bedroom door.

Pitch knocks firmly, “Let me in.” His tone leaves no room for argument.

There’s silence before she says, “Only you. I don’t want to see anyone else.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.” They hear the lock click and he moves fast, sliding in and closing the door behind him, easily locking it once more before the others can even attempt to speak.

Tyrant is on the floor by her bed, little more than a black mass in the dim lighting of the room. She is laying on her side, facing away from the door.

His first order of business is walking across the room to the window, he opens the curtains and is nearly blinded by the brightness of the white snow.

Tyrant growls when he approaches the bed and Pitch just shushes him before sitting by Deyanira’s feet.

They sit in silence for a while before he clears his throat.

“So...Let’s start with, good morning and Merry Christmas.”

She scoffs and curls up tighter.

“Listen, I also hate the holidays but you can’t open your gift laying down.” He leans against the bedpost.

Deyanira is quiet and he wonders if she’s ignoring him but then she sighs and sits up, she readjusts and keeps her back to the head of the bed, she smiles when she sees his gaudy sweater.

“What the fuck is that.” She barely holds back a laugh.

“My hideous Christmas sweater.” He says casually, “It even lights up.” He presses the button and sure enough the lights on the tinsley green tree start flashing happily.

“I...Am speechless.”

“There’s a first time for everything.”

They lapse into a silence again and he gently nudges her with his foot. “What happened?”

She sighs and closes her eyes, tilting her head back against the wall, and he sees her vulnerable again like on the elevator, “My mother...I...she wants me to model her fashion again, says I should because how of pretty I am. How I’m ‘wasting my beauty’ working dumb jobs and...”

She trails off and opens her eyes, a blush forming high on her face, “She saw yesterday, when you thanked me, and she thinks...I shouldn’t ‘think about a family’ when I ‘can’t even support myself financially.’”

“...Well it’s a good thing showing gratitude can’t get someone pregnant then or Jackilyn would be a mother by now.”

She laughs, it’s a bark of laughter that’s sudden and startling enough for Tyrant to jump onto the bed and sniff her curiously. They dissolve into laughter and when she’s done and they’ve composed themselves he hands her the gift he’d been holding onto.

“I’m sure you have a sweater already picked out for today,” He says casually as she opens the gift, “But it screamed your name when I saw it so...”

The black sweatshirt is immediately put on when she reads what it says, a grin on her face the entire time.

“Thank you.” She says softly and sincerely.

He smiles before whispering, “Careful, we don’t want you pregnant now do we?”

She laughs and then goes quiet, she moves closer, suddenly in his space and he’s sure she can hear his heart racing in his chest, but instead of saying anything she hugs him again, he pretends not to notice the tears leaking from her eyes as she sniffles against him.

He returns the embrace and they sit like that for a while until Tyrant breaks them up, nuzzling his face in between their arms and demanding hugs as well, slobber covered squeaky toy and all.

They break apart and laugh at the dogs antics and before either one knows what’s happening Deyanira leans forward and kisses him. His mind sort of stops, train of thought derailing in an explosive crash.

She is apparently unfazed, easily standing up and pulling him up with her.

He still hasn’t regained himself by the time she opens the door, Tyrant bolting into the living room, squeaking the toy all the way, and the two of them following after him.

Her eyes are red from crying but no one says anything, opting instead to simply hug her and things are uneasy but calm, Mrs. Todd eyes him closely and he wonders what she’s thinking before Matt asks for his help in the kitchen.

The day seems to flash past and before he knows it, it’s already 11 pm. He’s seated on the floor, back to the couch, with Deyanira sitting behind him on the sofa itself. Sprawled across his lap is Tyrant, squeaky hamburger nearby and assortment of other new toys strewn across the apartment.

Destiny is beside her sister, the two of them playfully arguing over which movie to pick, and Matt and Cordelia, because she had insisted at dinner that he call her that, sat together on the other sofa, occasionally whispering to one another.

He yawned and sighed, moving the dead weight dog off his lap, “Time for me to head to bed. Thank you for having me join you for today.”

They all bid him goodnight and he headed home.

A knock sounded on his apartment door when he was in the middle of brushing his teeth, so with toothbrush in mouth and pajama shirt slung over his shoulder, he didn’t even check to see who it was before opening the door.

Before him stood Cordelia. He felt exposed but she spoke before he could say anything.

“You make my daughter happier than I’ve seen her in a long time. You and her roommate are good for her.”

He blinked owlishly, but she continued, once again before he could speak.

“I don’t know if you two plan to spend the rest of your lives together or just have fun but I approve of whatever you two decide. I just want her happy and healthy and you seem to want the same.” She smiled and gently patted his cheek as he blinked again.

And then she turned and left to go back to Deyanira’s and he was left in the doorway with his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth and his shirt still slung over his shoulder.

When he closed the door he wondered what the hell just happened.

The next couple of days flew past, and before long Deyanira’s family was leaving. They all said their goodbyes and Matt pulled Pitch aside, and suddenly Pitch was apprehensive.

“Listen, I have no idea what your relationship with my Deyanira is, but she seems genuinely happy with you around so whatever it is, you’re doing great.”

Once again, as he rambled on, Pitch couldn’t get a word in edgewise and before he knew it they were gone.

And then it was just the two of them. And Tyrant.

Deyanira had apparently talked to the landlady of the building and she had said so long as the dog doesn’t bark too much she didn’t care if he stayed.

“Guess Jackilyn is getting a dog for Christmas.” Deyanira had laughed when she told Pitch about it.

And then they were sitting on the couch together again, this time with Tyrant at their feet, and their hands again intertwined easily.

“...Are we dating?” He asked suddenly and she turned to look at him curiously.

“Uhhh,” She said elequently, “I mean...Not technically, no...Why? Do you want to be?”

“I...don’t know.” He said turning to look at her curiously as well.

“Oh good, great, perfect, because neither do I.” She was sincere, he could tell, which made him laugh.

“We are a mess.” He whispered before leaning close and kissing her cheek.

“Absolutely.” She laughed, and they cuddled up together again, watching something more geared for Halloween than Christmas, but it didn't matter. They were happy.

#my writing #oc: deyanira todd #oc: destiny todd #oc: cordelia todd #oc: matthew todd #friend oc: jackilyn lantern #friend oc: nox #oc: tyrant #i rlly hope the linebreaks fuckin work #a week and 4k+ words later and its finally done #ty moirail for humoring me

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