Merry Christmas

Gibbs heard Tony stirring and turned back from the door. He left it propped open and turned off the air conditioning so they could savor the ocean breeze while it was still early enough.

Tony stretched again, sprawling further across the wide bed, legs splayed invitingly. His dark tan was in sharp contrast to the stark white sheets and with the Santa hat hastily dropped on his head, he looked like a drunken elf making snow angels.

Tony grinned sleepily and finally settled himself, leaning back against the headboard before crooking a finger at Gibbs. “Come sit on my lap.”

***

Harry cleared his throat, making his presence known before snatching the quill Snape was using to finish his article. “Come to bed if you want it back.”

“It’s the middle of the afternoon!”

“It’s Christmas, Severus.” Grinning cheekily, the brat took off, a mess of clothes in his wake.

Snape stormed after him, but then froze in the bedroom doorway. Harry was squirming on the bed as the quill tickled across his soft belly.

Curious and <I>hard</I>, Snape peered down at the elegant black scrawl. He read aloud, “All I want for Christmas is--”

“You!” Harry pulled him down.

***

Lex stared blankly at his cold kingdom below. Metropolis was buried in a sparkling blanket of snow and wiser men had left the city before it was too late.

Clark was so pissed at him.

The phone rang and he peeled his numb fingers from the window.

“Lex, it’s Martha.”

“Hello, Mrs. Kent.”

“Is… Clark there yet?”

“What? No--I—Oh.” Lex blinked in surprise as his boyfriend landed on the penthouse balcony and shook the snow from his hair. “Yes. He’s here.”

“Oh, good,” she sighed. “You boys have a good night. Merry Christmas, Lex.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Kent.”

***

“What are your plans?” Gwen asked Ianto. They both watched Owen and Tosh sway toward the lift together, a twig of mistletoe smashed between them.

“Lisa’s family invited me to dinner.”

Gwen kept her face carefully neutral as she helped him clear away the rest of the party trash. “Oh?”

“You?” he deflected.

“We’re driving up to visit Rhys’ family.” Her phone rang on cue. “And that’s my ride.” She pecked him on the cheek and waved to Jack.

Ianto walked over to Jack and stopped inches away.

“I thought you had dinner plans.”

“I didn’t say I was going.”

***

Jack stomped the snow off his boots and gratefully accepted the mug of hot coffee Daniel handed him.

His fingers were red and chapped from just the few minutes he spent outside trying to start the truck and they burned when he touched the mug. “It won’t start.”

Daniel shrugged, tugging off Jack’s heavy coat.

“Any luck with the radio?” Jack asked.

Daniel nudged Jack down in the chair and took off his boots. “Roads won’t be cleared before tomorrow at the earliest.”

“And at the latest?”

“Spring?”

“Wouldn’t that be a Christmas miracle.”

Daniel led him back to bed.

***

Rodney listened in horror as his niece outted him. “I saw Uncle Rodney kissing Santa Clause!” she wailed.

“That’s just great,” he hissed at John as the girl woke her parents. “This is all your fault!”

“Relax, McKay” John whispered back. “You’re sister’s not stupid. She put us in the same room.”

“With bunk beds!”

“You said Uncle Rodney loves Uncle John,” the girl cried.

John smirked. “In fact, she’s smarter than you, Rodney.”

Rodney’s indignant reply was just a squawk as John shoved him down on the sofa and pulled the beard off for a much better second kiss.

***

“Greggo?” Nick kicked the door shut and dropped his bag on the floor.

“In here.” Greg waved a spatula from the kitchen. “How was your flight?”

“Long.” Nick wrapped his hand around the back of Greg’s neck.

“Mom and Dad?”

“Missed you.”

“Are you hungry?”

“What you got?”

“Leftovers from Catherine’s.” Greg nodded to the bottle of wine and glasses sitting on the counter. “Grab those.”

Greg pulled a heaping plate from the microwave and grabbed a couple of forks. There was a blanket in front of their twinkling tree and they dimmed the lights and spread everything out together.

***

Justin scoops his nephew up in his arms and dumps the bag of groceries in Molly’s. “Something smells good, doesn’t it?” he teases, holding the boy over a hot pan of cookies just set on the counter. He carefully slides one off and sends the boy into the living room with his treat.

“Honey, can you--” his mom gestures at the oven door with her shoulder as she carefully balances another pan while holding the phone to her ear, and Brian leans over from the bar and pops it open for her before handing Justin a glass of wine.

***

Dean noticed the pitiful looking tree in the dumpster of the hotel parking lot, but he didn’t expect it to turn up in their hotel room the next day.

Sam kept turning it on the table, trying to hide its sparse side against the curtains.

“Merry Christmas, Dean.” Sam pointed to the beer and popcorn next to an ancient VCR and then went back to his little origami ornaments made out of hotel stationery.

“What the fuck, dude?”

“I thought we could string popcorn and watch Bullit.”

Dean wrapped his arm around his brother’s neck and squeezed. “Merry Christmas, Sammy.”

***

Jim’s senses were overcome with holiday cheer as he entered. The party was in full swing; garish lights, boisterous guests, and the scent of pine and cinnamon combined to stagger him backwards before he took two steps further. He quickly dialed down to a tolerable level, using regular detective skills to help him find Blair.

He was in the center of a circle of giggling girls, plying him with alcohol and mistletoe.

“Jim!” Blair wiggled loose, his hair stuck around the button of a red silk blouse.

“Hey, Chief.” Jim tossed away the mistletoe behind Blair's ear and kissed him.

***

Robin bounced out of the batmobile, quickly changing and dashing up the stairs to greet Alfred. “Merry Christmas, Alfred!”

“Merry Christmas, Master Tim.”

“Um, Alfred,” he cast a less enthusiastic look back over his shoulder, “I don’t think Bruce is feeling very jolly though.”

“I think his mood will improve, Master Tim, he just needs a moment to get into the spirit.”

Alfred shut the secret door as their surprise guest slipped out of the cave’s shadows.

Nightwing stood quietly beside Batman until, “Dick--”

Dick put a finger to Batman’s lips and slid back his cowl. “Merry Christmas, Bruce.”

***

Their first Christmas in Canada, Fraser can’t keep his hands off Ray.

Ray spent many long weeks alone waiting for Fraser so he ingratiated himself into the community and learned everything he could to stay occupied. Whittling, cooking, knitting, basket weaving. He learned a little from everyone and now he’s making everyone a present with loving care.

Fraser tries to stay away as long as he can, watching from the other side of the cabin, but he’s distracted by Ray’s talented hands and he wraps his arms around Ray’s waist, reaching.

Ray folds his hands around Ben’s and guides him.

Fin