This is a part of my one-shot book about Raiden called: Ceraunophile. You can find the whole book on these platforms: FanFiction, AO3, Wattpad, or Quotev.
Mortal Kombat belongs to its respectful owners.
Ceraunophile 🌩 Masterlist
The first days of December always left you in a cheerful mood no matter your age. The spell winter cast upon you on your first-ever Christmas as a child had yet to be broken. There was simply something about this time that pumped your spirit with happiness regardless of your emotional disposition.
As a child, you resembled a dog with two tails, as your parents jokingly put it. The prospect of a few weeks off school, and the promise of free presents would conjure immeasurable anticipation. This heavenly feeling could only be crushed by being gifted something that was totally not what you wished for.
The godly meal would make up for the disappointment though. There was just something magical about eating with family and close relatives at one, big table packed with delicious dishes. The baked sweets were always to die for, you particularly favoured those chocolate-flavoured mini loaves of bread only your cousin could bake correctly.
It. Was. Just. Perfect. In. Any. Sense!
As an adult, the Christmas spirit had been with you ever since the Black Friday sales ended and December started.
Your boyfriend thought differently, for him, it was just a day like any other.
So imagine his surprise when he had the time to visit you short of the 23rd of December. You have established quite an energized atmosphere on your lonesome. Raiden manifested himself right behind your doorstep, with much less of a 'bang' (as you called it), he wouldn't want to upset your neighbours again. It would reflect poorly on you, and if it required a small change on his end, Raiden would gladly adhere to it.
There was more warmth clashing against his skin, and the walls were painted in a soft glow. Candles littered your whole abode, their scent reminded Raiden of pine trees, and the soft, consonant music reverberated against its walls. Passing into your living room, he stood and took a second to investigate the strange assortment of new furniture.
The room had taken on the colours of dark green and red, may it be a tablecloth, or blanket. Stickers of snowflakes adorned your windows, and a small snowman statue was on its sill. The door was kept open, an evergreen wreath with a profound red ribbon on top of it.
But his eyes became enthralled by something else in the room entirely. In the far-off corner sat a magnificent tree, unlike anything he had ever seen. It wasn't comparable to any other tree found in the wild, no, this one was decorated from top to bottom.
Balls of gold, silver, and any other colour imaginable were fitted upon the many branches, reflecting and glittering like stars on a cloudless night. Raiden's fingers skimmed against the tinsel, it was soft and sparkly, like the rest of the tree.
The static image on the TV changed, and with it, the music. He didn't think much differently of it, until he heard you from the kitchen.
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
His feet carried him on his own, out of the living room and closer to you.
I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
With silent steps, he carefully manoeuvred his bulky self through your thin doorframes, and noticed your person in the kitchen.
More than you could ever know
His presence went unnoticed as he regarded you with soft eyes. Singing... AND baking? Could explain the yeasty aroma wafting through the apartment. Anyways, your dulcet voice was magical on normal days but now, sweetened by the song, it was enchanting.
All I want for Christmas iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis youuuuuuuuuu.
At the end of the sentence you turned to him, gaze full of love and, oh, he might as well be lost. Your obvious affection had him paralyzed with happiness and a sort of peace of mind that mortals expected of heaven. Rooted to the ground, he would very well let himself fall into blissful limbo until you stepped in front of him, swift as a deer, and he jolted awake at your touch.
Then he heard the music pick up into a jolly beat to dance to, and that was exactly what you had in mind when one of your hands made it around his waist and steered him into a sway. Your singing completely went out of his mind, Raiden was slow to catch up, eyes frantically darting from where your hands were joined, to your glowing face.
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need (and I)
Don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking there upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy with a toy on Christmas Day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
All I want for Christmas is you
And you twirled and twirled and twirled unendingly until the shapes around you faded into unrefined shapes. But it was all the same to the Thunder Gods, whose gaze never wavered from your expression, even if everything around him blurred.
Oh, I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow (and I)
I'm just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it to the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
Oh, baby, all I want for Christmas is you
You laughed in uncompromised joy as Raiden brought even more swing to your combined movements, the pure intensity bringing a smile to him as well. He would never tire of it, of the happiness you made him feel. And be proud of the happiness he made you feel.
Oh-oh, all the lights are shining so brightly everywhere (so brightly, baby)
And the sound of children's laughter fills the air (oh, oh, yeah)
And everyone is singing (oh, yeah)
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa, won't you bring me the one I really need? (Yeah, oh)
Won't you please bring my baby to me?
Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just wanna see my baby standing right outside my door
Oh, I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Oh, baby, all I want for Christmas is you
Love was a fickle thing, but it became so tangible with you that not one doubt of its existence ever crossed his mind when it came to you. It made him feel impossibly secure in your relationship, and became a great source of comfort.
All I want for Christmas is you, baby
All I want for Christmas is you, baby
All I want for Christmas is you, baby
All I want for Christmas (all I really want) is you, baby
All I want (I want) for Christmas (all I really want) is you, baby
You stopped spinning, and within the next second, jumped on him like an overeager puppy. And he caught you barely, but with notable ease before crushing your mouths together. Had your eyes not closed in the act, you would have noticed how the god's eyes opened wide in surprise, before he'd successfully gathered his bearings and reciprocated.
Kissing to your heart's content, when tongues began to get involved it got heated fairly quickly. And you were of two minds if you should take it to the bedroom when-
You gasped in panic as you tore your mouth from their entanglement, "MY PIE!"
The noise killed whatever sexual tension was building between you two when you scampered off his arms and ran back into the kitchen, hastily putting on the oven mitts to take out the pie you had so inconveniently forgotten about.
A stream of scorching steam rose up to your head as you opened the oven door, eyes closing in the wake of its heat before it passed. You stuck your tongue out in concentration, you didn't fancy getting burnt because of carelessness as you were more sensitive to heat than others.
Once out and check over, you put it onto a wooden cut board to cool down. Crisis avoided, it still looked in great shape. Shrugging off your mitts, you shifted your attention back to your lover, who remained quiet as ever.
"Heh," you smiled, "I am sorry to have jumped your bones like that."
Raiden cocked his head cutely (with his hat especially), and it brought forth another smile from you, "My love?" he asked.
"Ah, it's nothing," you waved dismissively in front of your face, grinning like a mad woman, "I am just so happy."
At that, his lips also stretched contentedly. Seeing you joyous also made him buoyant. Though judging by the stiffness prevalent in his nether region, your little stunt has pulled quite the reaction from him. Not that he'd feel any shame because of his desire for you. On the contrary, it wouldn't sit right with him not to feel that kind of want for you.
"And why is that, my love?"
Your grin widened impossibly, your childish side sneaking out, "It's Christmas!"
The holiday didn't resonate with him on any level, and you gasped in horror, "You don't know what CHRISTMAS is?!"
Taken back, he replied slowly, "I-I am not familiar with it."
You gasped again, and a hand flew to grab your chest in a dramatic display of anguish. Raiden had never celebrated Christmas before! The holiday was very dear to you and some small part of you was shocked at how your lover lacked any of that magical experience it could offer.
The short-lived pang in the heart ceased and made way for resolve to take its place.
You were going to change that! It wasn't too late. Christmas was tomorrow and although you had already counted on his presence during this important holiday, its importance has now been taken to a whole other level. Your lips pursed, and ideas swirled behind your eyes as you kept glancing between him and the cake.
"The cake might need some time to cool down but - can I offer you a piece of it once it does?"
His hesitation discouraged you a bit. You knew it was outside of his menu, but you REALLY wanted him to have a taste. Mostly for his feedback but also as a way to integrate him into the festivities.
Baby steps [Y/N], baby steps.
Your mind was already working on other ways to butter him up. Movies to watch, goodies to bake, songs to listen to, other activities...
This was about to become the best Christmas you ever had.
Never mind the holiday itself, this had to be the best morning ever.
So a little backstory. Yesterday, after finding out Raiden had absolutely no clue about your favourite holiday in this life, well, hmm, let's just say, there was no way you would let him go to the Sky Temple after that.
And that was why you ended up waking up next to a very (almost) nude Thunder God. Who were you kidding, you practically were his blanket as you laid on top of his bulky frame. It wasn't the first time you've ended up using him as your personal pillow but this was overkill.
Your lower back was killing you because it ended up arching a bit during sleep, but listening to your lover's heartbeat was just so sleep-inducing that you actually didn't seem to mind the ache. But enough was enough, the Christmas spirit was calling you out of bed and into action.
You had set a goal for yourself, and you would see it through.
Raiden said to you in that baritone voice of his, and it had you quivering. How he could make your body weak with simple mere words never ceased to amaze you. Sometimes it got you wondering if he even knew just how sexy he sounded when relaxed.
"G'morning," you grumbled drowsily against his pecs, it would be considered a wonder if he'd heard you at all.
"Was your sleep restful?"
You knew why he asked. Nightmares frequented your dreams as of late, leaving you presuming why that was, but none the wiser. If he was sleeping over, then he would be the one to comfort you and assure you of your safety. The way he would trap you in his arms once you've calmed down was simply the best; like a warm cocoon of pure comfort.
Having him watching over you didn't decrease their frequency, but it improved your mental capability of dealing with them - or learning to deal with them. It would have been much easier if they were unrelated, but they almost always seemed to be about Raiden, the fallen Elder God Shinnok, and the Jinsei.
By now it wasn't difficult to imagine what this Shinnok's intentions were - to poison the Jinsei with some magic or whatnot. He was giving you mad Quan Chi vibes. The only thing you knew about this Elder God was his defeat by Johnny, and his amulet, an amulet similar to Raiden's.
You have, however, never taken it up with your lover because it was most likely nothing and he had so much on his plate already. They were just dreams after all?
Anyways, coming out of your headspace, you nodded demurely to his thoughtful question, smooching your lips against his pecs as a reward. Something cheesy threatened to escape your mouth but it never came.
You got up, and he let you out without a fight. Scampering off, you went to open the curtains and the absolutely mesmerizing sight of white blinded you for a second. A new layer of snow had fallen and covered the entire area around your block in white fluffiness.
This was going to be an amazing day!
Not only because it was Christmas Eve, but because you get to share it with the one you love.
For so long, it was celebrated solely with your family, but this time, you decided to have a significantly smaller attendance. Not that you wouldn't want to introduce your boyfriend (feels strange to say that) to your parents, but you decided it was for the best to get Raiden acclimated to such events first, so he could have a good time the next year with your family.
Slipping off into the living room in your pyjama, you put on a playlist of slow, relaxing songs to get you comfortably into the day. Raiden was waiting for you on the couch, gloriously naked except for his fundoshi. You passed him his tea before taking up a seat next to him, blowing on your own tea.
You were the first to break the silence.
"Soooo, Raiden..." your eyes tried their best to stare at his face and not wander off where they weren't supposed to, "I am honestly surprised that you've stayed for the
"My brother was adamant that I remain with you at least for a day."
"Oh..." A forlorn sound escaped you before you hastily slipped on your tea, and the god quickly caught up with his reasoning.
"Please don't think I do not enjoy being in your presence merely because my duty keeps me away from you. My time with you might be limited, but to me, every second feels like a gift. Sleeping beside you is like a balm to my soul and a haven for the vulnerable parts of my being. Your happiness invigorates me so much that I've never felt the need to meditate in the Jinsei for longer than to heal my wounds. Truly, being bestowed with your love is the greatest blessing of my immortal existence."
How he could tell that all without stuttering was beyond you, but well, when he put it that way, to doubt him left you feeling incredibly foolish. A blush spread across your features nevertheless, and you missed how the god eyed it as it went lower.
Wasn't it getting kind of hot in here? Must be the tea. Of course it would be the tea you dumbass!
Ah, and here were the intrusive thoughts only for the special occasions when you were especially embarrassed. Your silence seemed to amuse your lover further, who wasn't as inconspicuous as he might believe.
The best thing about it was that the day was just getting started, and you already wished the end wouldn't come in a couple of hours. No time for sad thoughts!
And so the day started, with the pair of you going from one activity to another. Baking, kissing, dancing, eating, some more kissing, cuddling, watching some television, then more kissing (his lips were just so irresistible, especially tinged with a layer of frosting).
By the time you settled back to where you started, on the sofa, the fair share of activities had worn you out quite a bit, and you decided to take a break. Most preferably with you tucked onto Raiden's front while you watch the Little Lord Fauntleroy.
Gosh, you LOVED that movie! Even after all this time, rewatching never grew on your nerves. It was as much part of your ritual to watch it every year during the delightful winter holidays. You simply couldn't go without.
Raiden, although clearly not a fan of any sort of modern entertainment, seemed to react positively to this movie. It wasn't much, but it was enough to dispel any silly worries you'd had before suggesting it. It simply killed your vibe when you couldn't enjoy something with another person, didn't matter whether it was something as inconsequential as a song or film.
People liked to exclude you because of your personal preferences all the time during high school, and you never wished that for another person. It was simply a horrendous feeling, to be left out.
This was to be a time of unbridled joy, relentless warmth and relaxation.
And you wanted his first Christmas to be as memorable as it had been for you at the tender age of 5.
When the movie was approaching its end, your last idea also died with it, but you were too wrapped up in stopping those heartfelt tears as you watched how the movie concluded with the whole family and estate joining in on a marvellous Christmas Dinner. How could that not bring a few tears to your eyes?
Especially when the scene interlaced with memories of your own family gatherings. Swishing your fingers under your eyes removed any evidence that you had been getting overly emotional- when was your last period?
You couldn't downplay the jolt of surprise when you heard your lover rumble close to your head. The word sinful and baritone ascended to a new level when they were whispered directly into your ear way.
Just lost in my head babe.
You turned into him, faces a few inches apart, "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"
He had since learnt not to act on your impulsive need to reflect a question with a question when you avoided telling him the truth from the get-go, and resorted to speaking facts, "I felt your mind wander, and wondered if you'd be open to sharing."
After a moment of pause, for no particular reason other than to gather your words, you replied, "I've just wondered if I had done a good job of introducing Christmas to you... and I miss my family."
"I was under the impression that his holiday went on for another day?"
The white-blueish glow in his orbs receded like a dimming of a candle, or maybe that was just a trick of the light, but he looked incredibly soft, "Then I don't see a problem, my love. As long as I have you by my side, whatever activity, whatever the occasion, whatever time spent with you is already a win for me."
What did you do in your past life to deserve a man- god like him?
Unworthy as you were in the face of his overwhelming love for you, the need to kiss him senseless you could hardly contain, and so you lunged at him with impressive precision the second time in two days, trapping his mouth into a salsa of tongues and passion.
Thunder God Raiden was right, but not in the way he imagined: Christmas has yet to end, and the night still remained young for you to tangle in the sheets with the passion of star-crossed lovers; to be forever consumed in the ardour of the other.
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