My first contribution to the 2014 Red Cricket Holiday Bash! Happy holidays, fellow Red Cricketeers! :D

Prompt: Watching a Christmas classic together

Characters: Ruby Lucas, Archie Hopper, Pongo

.o.O.o.O.o.

"Erm, Ruby, I thought you said 'Christmas classic'...?"

Archie settled down on the couch with the bowl of popcorn in one hand and the movie of the night in the other, reading the back of the DVD-cover with a puzzled but distinctly amused frown.

"I must admit I expected 'It's a wonderful life', or 'Home alone', or 'White Christmas' or something. Maybe that colourised version of 'Holiday Inn' Snow gave you for Christmas last year. But how is this a -"

"Hey!" With a mock-scowl Ruby snatched the DVD-case from his hand and moved over to the TV to pop the movie into the player. "It is a Christmas classic, what are you talking about... it takes place on Christmas Eve, they make a big point of that!"

She pointed at him with the DVD-case, mock-scowl still in place but quickly faltering, a happy smile fighting to break through, then with a flick of her wrist she threw the DVD-case at him; he caught it easily but almost up-ended the bowl of popcorn in the process. Pongo was there in a flash helping his laughing master tidy up by eating the popcorn that had spilled onto the floor, wolfing down every popped treat he could find with undisguised eagerness. Ruby climbed over both the scurrying dog and her boyfriend's legs and plopped onto the couch with a happy giggle. Archie tossed the DVD-case onto the coffee table and lifted his arm to let her snuggle up close before pulling the heavy red afghan Granny had knitted over them both.

Ruby nuzzled closer, taking a deep breath and smiling at the familiar and loved scent of him. Archie tightened his grip on her a little, kissing her hair, and for a while they just sat there, cuddling, feeling the stress of the day fade away.

"Thank you for watching this movie with me, Archie." Ruby's voice was more serious now, almost shy. "It may not be the most obvious Christmas movie, I admit, but I watch it every year…" She shrugged, not lifting her head to look him in the eye. "It's just one of those weird Christmas traditions, y'know? It's not Christmas without watching -"

"Oh, hang on."

Archie squirmed and Ruby yelped in surprise as she felt his hand move under the blanket. He chuckled; a warm, pleasant sound that made her toes curl, but when he lifted his hand to show her what he'd been after - the remote control - she gave his chest a playful slap.

"Doctor Hopper, you tease, you!"

He just grinned, obviously pleased with himself, and turned on the movie. But then he hesitated, obviously reluctant to toss the remote onto the coffee table in the same haphazard way he had tossed the DVD-case, but equally reluctant to disrupt the cosy snuggle they had going... then settled on tucking the remote into the gap between the couch pillows. Ruby giggled and teasingly told him she had always wanted a solution oriented sort of guy which earned her a chuckle and a kiss.

Settling the bowl more securely in his lap - easily reached by Ruby, hopefully not so easily reached by the hopeful dog on the floor - Archie helped himself to a handful of popcorn. The last of the teaser trailers ended and the opening credits started rolling.

"Alright, then," he said, voice playful and teasing. "Let's see if this 'Christmas classic' of yours is any good."

Ruby smirked and stole a few flakes of popcorn from his hand. "Yippee-kay-yay…"