Stake outs were the worst thing imaginable.
Stake outs in Glasgow in the middle of December when it was threatening snow was just torture. Their breath was visible inside of the cars as the three of them came up with silly car games to distract themselves from the fact that their toes were possibly black from frost bite. They had played Eye Spy, number plate games, punch for a yellow car and Robbie had spent the last half hour trying to come up with a new game that would involve Christmas some how but also kept them entertained – he was still working on it.
"I really wish criminals would take November to March off," Stuart grumbled from his place in the back seat of the car, his fingertips having lost sensation a while back so his smart phone was lying neglected on the seat beside him.
"Or just the whole year in general?" Robbie counteracted.
"Then we would be without a career," Stuart pointed out. "At least from November to March I could be spending my Christmas somewhere hot like Spain."
"You'd miss the fact that the weather is baltic at Christmas if you went and spent it overseas, my man." Robbie pointed out before reaching out and poking a finger into Jackie's side as she had been quiet for too long.
"What the hell was that for?" She snapped angrily, reaching up to rub her arm and nearly sighing at the slight heat that arised from the minute action.
"I was just checking that hypothermia hadn't kicked in yet and you hadn't died on us. Paperwork would just be too much," Robbie grinned before leaning forward and starting to fiddle with the heating dial again, even though they had long since worked out that the heating did not work in the car they had taken out back at the station. "I just wish this asshole would do something exciting or something. I mean seriously, how long do we – AH!" The end of his sentence was cut off with a shout as one of the back doors opened and revealed the smiling face of Ewan, Stuart's partner.
"You know it's Christmas when Starbucks let out the red cups," he said holding up a tray of four carry out cups, a smile on his face as he climbed into the car and started to hand them out. The aroma of hot chocolate filling up the car immediately and the detectives were all happy for the warmth that hit their fingertips. "I couldn't see my favourite three go cold on a stake out at this time of year."
"Ewan." Robbie said as he took a sip of his drink. "You are our very own Christmas Angel, and I have never been more grateful for a cup of hot chocolate in my life."
Ewan just laughed before tipping his cup up to the rear view mirror, "Spreading the Christmas cheer."
AUTHORS NOTE: It's short. It's sweet. It's ridiculous. It's the first time I have written in eight months so I am so fricking happy right now I could squeal. It's going to be 12 teeny tiny one shots like this just to get me into the swing of it. As always, this is dedicated to my beloved friend Lee who reminded me that my seasonal one shot was well overdue.