#brifirefly

Thackery Earwicket really wanted to enjoy Christmas. Alice’s enthusiasm in particular had been contagious and as the days drew closer, the hare was finding himself getting more and more into the holiday spirit. Mally, unfortunately, was not.

The mouse was acting like something Alice called a Screw-uuuge. Thackery thought he was acting like a great many things he didn’t feel it appropriate to say in front of the little blonde singer.  Everything seemed like a joke to the mouse and the constant humbuggery was starting to get to normally cheerful hare.

It was hard to enjoy the holidays when your boyfriend wasn’t.

It was making it hard for Thackery to even produce a smile as he and Alice decorated the band house for their upcoming Christmas party. Mally was laid across one of the couches in the corner, not so much as lifting a muscle to help. He was flipping through the channels, frowning every time he landed on a holiday special.  Thackery glanced back at him, sighed, and lifted the leafy décor from the box and nearly put it in his mouth out of mindless disappointment.

“Thackery!” Alice shouted from the corner, nearly making him drop the plant. “You can’t eat that! That’s mistletoe! It’s poisonous.”

“You’re hanging poisonous plants?” Mally drawled, attention grabbed by Alice’s shout.

“It’s tradition.” She insisted. “If two people get caught under the mistletoe, they have to kiss.”

“Kiss, huh?” Mally echoed.

“Yes.” Alice said, turning her attention back to Thackery. “We’ll need the ladder to hang that. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Thackery shifted the plant between his hands as he watched her leave, ignoring the mouse who was trying to sneak up on him.

“If we’re under that, you have to kiss me.” Mally said, draping himself against his back.  Thackery could hear the smirk in his voice.

“Don’t pretend to be finally interested.” He snapped.

“Oh but this is interesting. Reindeer, fat guys in suits, all that’s stupid. But this…” Mally reached around, taking Thackery’s hand and raising the plant above them.  He grabbed the hare’s chin and slanted his mouth over his lips but Thackery could protest, kissing him until they were both breathless. “This is a tradition I can get behind.”

Thackery took in the cocky twist to the mouse’s smile and frowned. “Of course you’d like this.”

“Come on, one more…”