A Little Christmas Magic
"Is there a weather warlock in the city? Cause I swear I haven't seen this much snow here in a life time," Gendry wasn't surprised this came before even a good morning from Zira as she entered the kitchen.
"You're meant to say Merry Christmas," Etain commented with out looking up from the orange she was pealing as she sat cross legged on the large kitchen table.
"Right, yeah, Merry Christmas," Zira replied as she helped herself to coffee.
"Merry Christmas," Gendry, Etain and Casper replied in unintentional unison. He couldn't help but smile at it, but then he'd been wearing a smile more or less constantly since he'd woken up. It was perhaps his favourite day of the year. A day of magic that had nothing to do with powers. Although they could help add a little to it.
"Where's the kiddo?" Zira came to lean against the massive range cooker next to where Gendry, in his Christmas apron, was juggling a dozen different pots. The others hadn't offered to help. Not out of any laziness or selfishness but learned experience that if they turned it usually ended in people running into each other and something getting broken. Instead they'd helped before the cooking started. Zira had helped with the shopping, while Capser and Etain had done a lot on the prep. They'd each added a dish, prepped and waiting to be warmed or cooked, from their home winter celebrations. It made for quite the eclectic spread.
"You've missed her, but she'll be back later with Abi," Gendry replied, another smile spreading across his features as he thought about the two young girls. Their first Christmas together knowing what they were to each other.
---
"And I was like 'dude, literally all I had to do was follow your foot prints from the scene'. I don't think it understood the concept of snow," Ava finished with a laugh, her arm linked through Clara's as they trudged up the long snow covered drive way to Gendry's house. It has snowed on and off through out Christmas Eve, and through the night it appeared. But the day was turning clear and crisp, patches of blue appearing between the clouds. The perfect Christmas Day weather if ever she saw it.
Gwaine couldn't keep the smile from his face. He missed spending Christmas with his parents and uncle of course, but Christmas at Gendry's was always something special. Each year he was always filled with that bubbling joy, that child like anticipate of what was to come. This year that seemed amplified because he'd get to share it with more friends, get to watch them experience it for the first time. He was especially excited to see Andromeda experience it. Some how the Stormtower siblings had managed to keep a lid on what to expect which to him made it even more exciting. He loved the good kind of surprises. Thinking about it, he turned to grin at Andromeda.
"I hope you're ready for a little chaos," Finn whispered to Odette with a chuckle. It was the good kind of chaos through. The kind filled with warmth and laughter and five different conversations going on at once.
Gwaine took off, jogging the last few meters to the front door to ring the bell. The large oak doors had a massive wreath hanging on it, with red berries mixed in with the green foliage. It split in half as the doors swung open for them, revealing the warmth of the entry hall. He wasn't surprised to find it empty of people. There was, however, empty coat stands placed near the fire place waiting for their coats and a line of slippers warming in front of the fire. A silent invitation of swap them for their snow covered footwear.
"Numpties, I tell you," Clara declared with a laugh of her own. She was rather giddy for another Christmas at Gendry's as they were all more than spoiled any time that they'd been previously. Plus, there was something about seeing Casper again that often made her get those excited sort of butterflies since the party. Time spent with him felt all the more real, more important. She had a passing thought that made her smirk as leaned in conspiratorially closer to Ava then so she could speak in a hushed voice. "I do wonder if Gendry's put out some mistletoe that you might get stuck under with one of the loverboys, hmm?"
Andromeda found it charming just how alight Gwaine seemed to be with the day's spirit and the incumbent festivities. That saying of beaming like a kid on Christmas morning had never seemed so fitting as just now. "I don't think I've ever seen you quite so excited, you know."
Ash, Ember, and Nathan walked alongside Maxwell, and Cullen, with the men becoming deeply engaged in a debate over whether or not mince meat pies were aptly named or not. Nathan even chimed in as an American, though more to gently stoke the flames of Maxwell and Cullen's respective passions on the subject. Ash and Ember were laughing at the antics all the while.
"Oh, I think not expecting at least a little chaos from this group would be a mistake on my part," Odette pointed out in reply, giving Finn's arm a gentle squeeze. "Although what sort of chaos that will be? Well, I've also learned not to anticipate it."
Bo and Theo brought up the rear of the nephilim troupe, and as they were nearing the door Bo took the opportunity to nudge the younger man. "I do hope you're not down in the mouth over their impending nuptials," he whispered.
Theo's brow furrowed at the notion before scoffing faintly. "Hardly. I couldn't argue against it even if I wanted to--which I don't. They're perfect for each other." He gestured to his own face then. "This is just what I look like, if you hadn't noticed."
Bo chuckled. "Point taken."
As the doors opened, the newcomers to the festivities looked on in a mix of awe and amusement. Christmas magic was the spirit of the day, to be sure. They all shuffled in, shedding off their outer layers and boots as they gratefully adjusted to the warmth of the house.
Clara called out down the entryway corridor with a budding grin. "Yoohoo! We're here to loot the place, in case anyone cared!"
"Oh, if anyone gets stuck under the mistletoe tonight it won't be me," she said with a conspiratorial hushed tone of her own, bumping her hip against Clara's. She could feel a blush rise to her cheeks at Clara's suggestion though, and found herself stealing a glance back over her shoulder.
"Just you wait," Gwaine replied, looping an arm round Andromeda's shoulder. "I was about to say by the end of the day you'll understand but maybe you'll just think me mad,"
"Hmmm," Finn hummed in agreement. "You make a fair point there. And throwing Gendry into that mix, well, I'm not sure I even know what sort of chaos that might bring,"
-
"You can try," came an echoing reply back from one of the corridors. Ava gasped, instantly recognising the voice. She turned to see a petite vampire strolling into the entry hall. "Etain!" slippers forgotten, she practically tackled the other woman with a hug. "I didn't know you were here,"
"What are you talking about, I live here now," Etain replied in a matter of fact sounding jest. She of course had forbidden the others from telling that she was back in the city.
Ava let out a rather joyful sounding laugh. This Christmas really was shaping up to be an especially good one. "Everyone, this is Etain," she said, turning back to introduce her to the group.
"And I'm Casper," Casper introduced himself as he by passed the two women, messing Ava's hair as he went. "What you lot just standing around here for?" He put his arm round Clara's shoulder and started stirring her back towards the kitchen. "You'll miss everything if you hang out here all day," and then just to Clara he added, "Merry Christmas by the way,"
-
"Oh my gods they've multiplied," Zira commented as the group of nephilim entered the large kitchen. "I swear there was only four of them last time," Ignoring her, Gendry hurried over to greet his guests with a beaming smile and a wooden spoon still in one hand. "Merry Christmas!"
