@fiercefray and @justmoreocs Present: 12 Days of Crossovers!
“Can’t the threat wait until after Christmas dinner?” Luce asked Duke as he held a box. Stan’s cousin had been hinting for weeks that he had the best present for her for Christmas. Walked around and would get that smile on his face that made her a bit concerned.
He was wearing that smile now. "There's no threat."
"The look on your face says otherwise," she pointed out.
Duke shook his head. "I promise it isn't a threat."
"I'm telling you, you're making your threat face."
He rolled his eyes. "Just open your present, please."
Luce reached out with caution to him. He placed a small brown box with twine tying it closed. She could give him credit that at least it was a beautifully done bow holding it together. She pulled at the string and it came undone with ease. The brown paper top felt like velvet under her fingers as she pulled it off.
What was inside took her breath away.
It was a small portrait of her and her boys: her brother Wilf and her two best friends, Stan and Sy. She sat in the middle with her friends on either side and her brother behind her.
"Duke -"
"I know, I know. It would've been much better if I had all three of you there to actually model for it, but I wanted it to be a surprise. Not to mention getting you all there would be a nightm-"
He was cut off as she slammed into him and wrapped him in her arms. He sighed and mimicked her.
"This is the best present. Thank you."
Duke chuckled. "It isn't. Wait until you see what Stan has. Kind of jealous that I didn't think of it myself."
Luce looked up at him with her doe blue eyes. "This is perfect. It is the only kind of present you can get from the yet to be famous artist, Duke Strong."
"I'm glad you like it," he said. "Now I'll have to ask you to let go of me otherwise you'll kill me. Can't have you making that painting worth more this quick. Though I would be the most handsome corpse Birmingham has ever seen."
Luce let go just enough to whack him lightly on the chest, both of them laughing.
