#poly! reader

"Hey, let’s go!" Eddie shouted with a grin while you let out a whoop before collapsing against the panel you still had to fit back in place. Eddie finished stringing up the last of the lights in the skinnier-than-preferred hallway. When he finished, he started to climb down the ladder again, hollering as he went, "That work for you, Volt? Not sure what else we can do to fix the stage lights if it didn’t."

"Checking the switch now. Standby!" Volt’s voice sounded back from the Breaker Box’s main room, which currently still seemed dark from what little you could see of it at the end of the hallway. 

There was the clicking of Volt’s boots as he walked backstage, followed by a sizzle of electricity and a clang as the stage lights were flipped on. Once again, the lights overhead flickered, but still remained in tact, causing you and Eddie to grin at each other. From the end of the hallway, the Breaker Box finally lit up, its lights flickering in time with the others before settling.

Volt’s voice sounded relieved when he spoke again. "Ah, a few old bulbs, but we have replacements. Other than that, we are a go! Nicely done, you two!" 

"The miracles of replacing a fuse and getting a new extension cord," you said. You pushed yourself up onto your knees with a grunt and carefully replaced the panel you had removed. Then you bumped the cabinet shut with a hip as you gathered up your tools and the old bits you had replaced so they could get properly tossed rather than end up back in the equipment closet. The exact reason this mess has happened in the first place.

"That and the rest of the backed-up electrical work," Eddie grumbled, but his scolding gaze at you was teasing. He walked over and helped you up, then started taking the equipment from you. 

"Hey, we’re getting there," you said. You quickly pressed your lips to his cheek as he leaned in to unwrap the old extension cord from around your shoulders and neck. "One task at a time."

Eddie hummed appreciatively and returned the kiss. "As long as this show goes well and you, me, and Volt spend the rest of the night in peace and in front of Telly, I can’t complain. Go help him out with the bulbs, yeah? I’ll be out in a sec."

"Not before I watch those pieces go into the trash where they belong," you replied. You crossed your arms and leaned against the cabinet, snickering as Eddie made a show of walking to the far end of the hall and tossing the trash into the trash chute there. "Alright, fine, off I go. See you in a minute."

"In a minute," Eddie echoed back. He gave you a little wave before rolling up his sleeves and getting to work cleaning up the aftermath of his and your handiwork.

Meanwhile, you strolled back into the Breaker Box showroom, which was decorated charmingly simple for the holidays. Small yellow-white Christmas lights were hung and twinkling around the perimeter of the room, keeping the bar’s signature low lighting but with a more festive touch. Garlands hung from the bar counter and a charming bowl of complimentary peppermints was put out next to the tip jar. The tables where customers could sit and drink and enjoy the show were provided a little extra lighting via fake candles—which would be to the disgrace of Scandalabra if he decided to show up… not that Eddie, Volt, or you particularly cared—wrapped in simple holly adornments. In a far corner of the room, near the bar’s main entrance, a Christmas tree was done up all pretty and topped with a custom Breaker Box topper as its "star".

Speaking of stars, Volt was strutting around the stage up front, fiddling with the curtains and making sure the onstage sign’s limited-time red-and-green LEDs were behaving properly. Ever the showman, he was dressed in what would be his holiday garb for the next few nights leading up to Christmas, a deep pine green suit with a red tie and red overcoat somehow staying put while hanging draped over his shoulders. After a playful argument between the two of you ending with the threat of you not giving him any kisses for a whole week, you had managed to convince him out of the general winter theme he was originally planning on doing. 

"Ah, there you are, live wire," Volt purred upon catching sight of you. He finished adjusting the sign to make sure it hung just so before spinning on his heel to hop offstage and make his way toward you. "How does it look from over there?"

"Pretty," you replied with a nod as you took in the space. "Christmas-festive but if we pop out the red and green stuff again after Christmas, we could shift into New Year’s-festive pretty easily. I really like the little twinkly lights."

Volt hummed in approval as he met you in the center of the room, although it was hard to tell, with the way his hooded eyes were taking you in, whether that hum was for the room or yourself. He moved closer, slipping behind you and slotting you between his arms. 

"Careful," you warned, arching away from him a bit. "I’m nasty from crawling around on the floor. You’ll get your clothes gross."

Volt reacted with only mild amusement, smirking. He leaned in to press his face so close to your ear that you could feel his lips brush against your skin, hear the faint crackle of electricity in his hair and voice, when he spoke again. "Oh, live wire, I can handle a bit of grease just fine, I assure you."

Not only was there the crackle of electricity, but a humid tension grew around you, like that before a lightning storm in summer. Seemingly sourced from the lips against your ear and the fingertips pressing into your hips, a gentle shockwave wracked your body, causing the hair on your arms to rise and a shiver to pass through you. A swirling spike of heat jumping down your spine to curl in your lower stomach quickly followed.

When the strange—albeit very welcomed, when it came to Volt—series of sensations faded, you let out a shaky breath as you shook your head to clear it. Volt just chuckled against you, the sound vibrating low in his chest. You gave him a light swat on the arm for the teasing before clearing your throat. 

Pointing toward the rounded bulbs bordering the stage, a few of the lights remaining unlit or flickering like they were close to going out altogether, you mumbled, "So. Think that's a bulb issue or something bigger?"

Volt sighed a sing-songy sound against your ear, sending another soft prickle of electricity down your spine. "Luckily, I watched those ones fizzle out a couple nights ago. Fairly certain it’s just the bulbs. Want to hear my idea?"

"Of course." Since Volt seemed so adamant to hold you, griminess be damned, you let yourself relax into his arms. 

He happily pulled you closer, finally flush with his chest against your back, with one arm while the other pointed out a few key bulbs. "I think every third and fourth bulb we replace with red or green. Adding some Christmas flair but much easier to switch back than if we do the entire thing."

"Fun," you chirped back. "Let’s get it done!"

You clapped your hands together and started stepping away from Volt again, who let you go this time in favor of strolling after you as you walked for the stage. Once close enough, he swiftly hopped up onstage before you could to offer his arm, giving you a gentlemanly bow before pulling you up next to him. As you two headed backstage to snag the bulbs for the stage, Eddie’s grumbling sounded from the hallway as he walked in with the ladder.

"Damn hallway," you heard him mutter. "Who makes hallways that small anyway?"

You and Volt shared amused smiles before picking up a box of lights each and walked back out onto stage.

"Need help getting the ladder up?" You set your box carefully down on the stage next to Volt’s and popped the lids off. One of white and one of red and green bulbs. 

"I got it," Eddie grunted as he began the ladder’s ascent onstage. He leaned the ladder up against it before crouching below and lifting it by its bottom half. The ladder wobbled as it tilted forward.

Volt was the one to catch the other end pull it up onto the stage as Eddie pushed. He kindly chided, "You always do. Doesn’t mean you have to dislocate a shoulder in the process, spark plug."

Eddie annoyedly clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, but you caught the glimpse of a smile before he joined you and Volt onstage. "Let’s get this finished, yeah? Doors open in a hour. Who’s doing what?" 

"Do we wanna do red and green on both top and bottom, or just the top row?" You asked. You stepped to the edge of the stage to look up the bulbs overhead, keeping tabs on which bulbs would need replacements. "Looks like the top row is the one with the burnt out bulb issues."

Volt waved a meek hand upward, feigning weakness. "Just… so far away…"

You snorted and moved to help Eddie get the ladder opened and stood up. "Up I go, I guess. You do the bottom row then."

"I guess that makes me the ladder-watcher and bulb distributor then," Eddie said. He stomped the ladder’s lock in place and planted a sturdy boot on the bottom most step for good measure. He waggled the ladder a bit to confirm its steadiness, then gave you a beckoning hand once he was happy with the result. "Get on up there."

Volt went to turn off the stage lights before jumping back down offstage while you climbed up. With you, Eddie, and Volt divvying out the tasks between you, the flight replacement went smooth and quick, nothing but the occasional chatting and blatant flirting to disturb it. Thanks to your reputation preceding you, Eddie helped guide you safely down the ladder with hands hovering near your lower back in case you slipped. 

All that was left to do was get the mic set up and turning the low pre-show music on. Volt offered to handle those with a shooing wave toward you and you moved to help, instead sending you off with Eddie to grab some celebratory drinks. Then it was Eddie shooing you, with a smooch and a wink, off to the table in the center-front position of the bar— Your designated table, it had quickly become upon meeting your two boys, perfectly placed in front of the stage. As Eddie made drinks for your trio, you begrudgingly went to sit down. Begrudgingly became oh so welcomingly as you sank into your seat with a sigh, the pressure of hours of hard work finally easing off your feet and joints. 

"See, we’re not the only ones who need a break," Eddie’s voice sounded from above. 

Your eyes, which you hadn’t realized even flickered closed, fluttered back open to see him standing above you, drinks and a basket of chips balanced in his hands. He handed the snacks and your drink off to you before getting settled into his own seat next to you. 

"Maybe," you admitted, "but I’m not the one spreading myself thin every single day. Speaking of, Bev has been having a hard time with her bar. Maybe you could get some help from her bartending from time to time?"

Instead of replying, Eddie picked up a chip and shoved it toward your face with a smirk. "Stop think. Eat chip. Enjoy self."

You snickered and caught the chip in your teeth, yanking it from his fingers like a dog with a chew toy. As you popped it the rest of the way into your mouth, jazzy instrumental Christmas music tuned in from the bar’s main speakers. You sunk farther down into your seat and took a sip of your drink, swaying slightly. "Ooh, thats nice."

Eddie took a drink from his own glass before nodding. "Better than some of the stuff Holly likes to play." 

"Oi, be nice."

"Just an observation!" 

"And hello, beautifuls." Volt waltzed over and settled into the seat on your other side, smoothly sliding his drink over to himself to take a sip. Then he reached his drink-chilled hand to run a finger down your cheek as he glanced sweetly between Eddie and you. "My oh so exhausted beauties."

You leaned your head into his hand. One of Eddie’s hands found its way to your shoulder nearest to him and started gently massaging the stiffness there. 

"Honestly, not super tired," you murmured, letting your eyes closed as you soaked up the attention. "Feet hurt, but I think I’m just not super used to crawling around on the floor for large portions of the day. It was fun though!" 

Eddie let out a low hum of agreement. "Better shoes might help."

You shot a playful glare his way before digging into the bar snacks, Volt following your lead. "Well, Christmas isn’t too far away, so there. I do feel a little… sticky… though. Can’t imagine how I look. Do we think I have time to run and catch a shower?"

"If it’s looks you're worried about," Volt crooned, leaning close into your space, "you look as lovely as the day I met you. You’re welcome to use the bathroom here to freshen up a bit if you like, though."

You smiled into the kiss he pressed against your jaw. "Not saying much, considering I stumbled in here in pajamas that day, but I’ll take it."

Eddie, sunk back in his seat and nursing his drink, stretched his legs out with a groan. Then he kicked one up to lay across your lap, effectively trapping you in place between your men. "Shower later. Then we can fall asleep to the oldest, worst holiday movie we can find."

"Ooh," Volt sounded, "that does sound nice. The showering part, especially, if we're all involved."

With comfortable pressure closing in on both sides and the soft Christmas music and lights convincing you further, it wasn’t too hard to sway you. It wasn’t like you would be trying to impress anyone at the Breaker Box anyway. The only men you had in mind at the moment were sitting right next to you and already perfectly pleased with you just by your being around.