Author's Note:
This was supposed to be a short, cute little fic but it turned into something a little more and a little longer.
The shopping had been rather easy - John had never been more thankful for having two young children with predicable tastes - and by the time they had both managed to sneak into the living room and put all of the presents under the tree, he was more than ready to sleep. He and Sherlock had snuggled back into bed by one in the morning and he was thankful to have somebody to snuggle against with the snow on the ground outside. Granted, they couldn't sleep long because the moment the kids woke up they were bombarded.
Amy threw their bedroom door open, running happily and climbing up on to the bed eagerly. "Up! Papa, Dada's Christmas ands we has to open presents!" She moved to situation herself on John's chest, her foot wedged between John's side and Sherlock's chest. "Wakes up! Presents!" She jumped a bit, making her Dada groan as she held his head still, grinning as his eyes opened.
Sherlock had been waiting a few months now to give John the present he had come up with. He didn't remember falling asleep but now he was being woken up by their daughter. She was eager of course. He smiled at little Sandi, waking up easier than John did. Sleep wasn't nearly important to him as it was his husband. "Hey Baby Girl. Is Thomas ready too? We can't open presents without him."
Thomas had heard Amy run down the stairs. She was probably jumping up and down on Daddy and Dad right now. He grinned a little at the thought and made his way downstairs. He still enjoyed Christmas but he was a little too old to be jumping on his parents. He had just turned nine after all.
John groaned and twisted slightly on the bed, blinking as he tried to wake up. Sherlock was already talking, the man was perfect after all, and he was struggling to even get his thoughts going. "Right. Yeah, presents," he said as he finally turned his head and pressed it against the top of Sherlock's with a sigh. It was six in the morning, a fact not lost on him, and he wanted to sleep. The best part of the day would be when the kids went upstairs to eagerly play with their new gifts and he would get to exchange presents with his husband.
Amy looked over at Sherlock and nodded her head. "Yes, Papa. He's is in the livings room a'cause he's is too old to jumps on you. He saided that." She nodded and slid off of John, then off the bed with a grin as she made her way to the living room. "'Mas!" She squealed and ran to him, wrapping her arms around his lower legs and giving him a hug. "'Mas, I gots you a present. Is you excited to opens it?"
Sherlock smirked a bit as he turned his attention to John. "You can take a nap later Love." The smirk got bigger. "You always do." He gave his husband a quick kiss on the lips. "Come on, we should probably get up before Amy sends Thomas in to pounce on us next."
Thomas smiled at Amy. "Of course I am Sis! I bet it will be the best present out of all of the ones I get." He glanced into their parent's room. "Dad! Daddy! Come on already!"
That made John chuckle a bit as he sat up, rubbing at his eyes. They had planned the night before, already in their pajamas, so all he had to do was drag his feet into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. "Oi, you two, put all the presents in piles for everybody." A joke, really, because John and Sherlock each had two for the morning, one from each of the kids, and their children had enough to fill the bloody flat twice over. He turned his attention back to their coffee pot with a small yawn.
"Okay Dada!" Amy pulled away from Thomas and started taking all of her brother's presents and inspecting them. "'Mas, Santa gived you a lot of presents this this year," she declared as she started putting everything in his pile. "Me toos," she whispered in awe as she looked at all of the brightly wrapped gifts with her name on them.
Sherlock followed John out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. He preferred tea over coffee, so he started the kettle. Better make enough for little Sandi, she had become quite the tea fanatic since October. He got out two cups, one smaller than his. They had gotten the children quite a few gifts this year. More than last year, that was for sure.
Thomas didn't believe in Santa anymore but no need to ruin it for Amy. "It is because we were both so good this year. We get lots toys for it." He nodded at that and began helping his sister make piles for everyone.
John turned to lean against the counter, smiling at his husband as he listened to the kids in the living room. "I am nervous to give you my gift this year," he said softly, head tilted slightly to the side. "Just one thing but when I saw it...I thought of you right away." It was utterly simple, plain, and something he had told himself he would never give as a present but he couldn't help it.
Amy nodded in agreement. They had been good all year, taking their naps and all that. Thomas had always done his homework and she had always picked up her side of the room when requested. "I hopes I gotted a fairy this year a'cause my fairy ball still doesn't haves one," she explained softly.
Sherlock arched his brows. "It isn't a fruitcake or one of those ridiculous Christmas sweaters, is it?" He gave John a smirk and turned his attention back to the kettle when it started whistling. He prepared two cups and began drinking his tea almost immediately afterward, despite how hot it was.
Thomas had made Amy's present at school in art class. She would probably like it and he thought it had turned out rather well. "I got something for you too Sis. I made it myself." He smiled, rather proud of himself.
"Oh, God no." John laughed and poured himself a cup of coffee, taking a drink himself as he studied his husband. "It is something you'll definitely like, though. I have been married to you for a bit so I think I know what to buy you." A pause as he lowered his cup. "You don't think my Christmas sweaters are ridiculous, do you?"
Amy turned to her brother with wide eyes. "I mades your present myselfs, too! Papa helped me-" She cut herself off instantly, eyes narrowed as she giggled. "Nice try, 'Mas, I isn't gonna tell you what your present is." Her feet shifted slightly on the floor and she looked toward the kitchen impatiently.
"All Christmas sweaters are ridiculous. Especially if they come from my mother." Sherlock frowned at that. His mother was getting worse but still hanging on. No time to think about that when everyone was happy right now. He glanced out to the living room. "I think Baby Girl is getting impatient Love." He managed a bit of smirk and he took another sip of his tea.
Thomas grinned at Amy and looked into the kitchen as well. "Dad! Daddy!" He was getting eager to open presents. There were so many and he wanted to rip them all open right away.
John tensed before nodding, clearing his throat and picking up Amy's small mug in his free hand. "All right, all right," he said as he walked into the living room with a grin. "Calm down, you too. Santa's presents will still be here if Sherlock and I have a nice conversation in the kitchen." He handed the small mug of tea over to their daughter and then looked at Thomas. "Would you like anything to drink? I can go make you some hot apple cider if you fancy that this morning."
Amy took her tea with a giggle, sipping at it as she looked up at her Papa. "'S breakfast tea. In the blue tin," she declared as she took another sip and made herself comfortable on the floor next to all of her presents. "'S my favoritest kind too, Papa! This is the best Christsmas ever."
Sherlock followed John once more and took a seat in his chair. Hamish jumped up on his lap, did a few circles and then laid down. He continued to sip the tea and began petting the cat with his free hand. He had never been excited for Christmas like most children were. It had just been another day for him growing up.
Thomas shook his head. He wanted to open the presents now. Getting something to drink would take longer. He sat down on the floor next to his pile of presents. He looked up at his parents expectantly.
John sat down in his own seat, cradling his cup of coffee with a smile. "Alright. Miss Amy, that purple present is from Papa and I so you can open that. Thomas, the same with the silver one." They had gotten each of them a single matching present, a simple scarf made of their favorite colors. Amy's had been simple, pink and purple. Thomas' had been a bit more difficult but he settled on a dark blue and black, the color of Sherlock's scarf and coat.
Amy glanced at her brother before opening her present, grinning happily at it and instantly wrapping it around her neck. "Dada, Papa! I loves it!" She buried her face in the soft fabric, inhaling and glancing at her brother. "Does you loves it 'Mas?"
Sherlock sat quietly, drinking his tea and petting Hamish. He watched the children as they began opening their presents. Scarves didn't seem like something children would like but little Sandi seemed to love hers.
Thomas opened the wrapped gift excitedly, ripping through the paper quickly. A scarf like Daddy's! Cool! He grinned at Amy and nodded. It was nice and soft. At least he wasn't at school. No one here to call him a sissy for liking a scarf.
The rest of the presents for the kids were simple. Amy had gotten a stuffed fairy, a bunch of things with dogs, and a new fairy movie. Thomas had gotten more Lego's to add on to the set they had bought him, some action figures, and a purple button-up shirt that looked too much like Sherlock's to even consider not buying. "Santa was very nice this year since we have two very well-behaved kids," John said as he reached his bare foot out and rested it on top of his husband's.
Amy looked at Thomas before shifting on her feet, handing over a square present to him. It was a hand-drawn picture of the two of them that Sherlock had helped her put in a frame. "Here, 'Mas," she said with a small blush. "I mades this for you."
Sherlock continued to watch in silence. He set his cup on the table next to him once it was empty. Hamish was purring loudly in his lap, as he resumed petting the feline. Good. The children liked their gifts. He looked over to John and smiled.
Thomas tore through his presents so quickly he barely really registered what anything was. He grinned as he took Amy's gift and opened that one with care he hadn't shown the others. "Sissy Poo, I love it!" He held out a present for her, shaped like a box and jingled if shaken. Inside was a handmade wind chime. In the center of the chimes was a fairy, with smaller chimes hanging from the wings. The fairy was a hard cardboard but painted pink. He had been made fun of for almost a month straight at school for making it bit he didn't care.
John watched the two of them exchange gifts, moving without shame toward his husband's chair. He sat on the side with ease, wrapping his arms around his husband's shoulders and pulling him a bit closer. "Good job, love," he whispered as he placed a soft kiss in his husband's hair. "You did a wonderful job helping me shop for everything."
Amy stared at the present for a moment before slowly opening it. The moment she saw it she stood, breathless, staring at her older brother. "'Mas," she whispered as she held it up. Her eyes were bright as she studied the wind chime. "You's is the bestest older brother ever." She gently set the gift down and moved to embrace her brother, burying her face in his lower stomach.
Sherlock smirked and shrugged. "I did a wonderful job because I am perfect and amazing." The smirk got bigger as he returned the hug.
Thomas beamed proudly and returned the hug. He knew Amy would love it and seeing her reaction was worth the month of torment he had endured at school.
"Oh, here we go," John whispered with a soft smile as he pressed his nose against the top of his husband's head. "Yes, of course you are, dear. And it was all of that, that magically rubbed off when we went shopping. I am so proud of you." He giggled and closed his eyes as he relaxed against Sherlock.
"And's nows we can plays with our new toys all day," Amy said softly as she shifted on her feet to look at their pile of new things. "A'cause I has some puppy toys and fairy toys and we cans puts together your Lego's and then plays together all day. Cans we plays together all day?"
Sherlock laughed and shrugged. "I can't help it I was born that way." The smirk returned as he continued to hold onto John, looking over his husband's shoulder as he watched the children.
Thomas nodded. "Sure Sis! Do you want me to hang the wind chime up or just hang it from the end of the bed?" He started gathering up their stuff, stacking boxes in his arms and a bit over his head. He had to lean to one side to see around the bundle in his Arms.
John chuckled and watched their children as well. They had gotten lucky that the two of them hardly fought and that Thomas was an utterly perfect older brother. "It looks like we will get a chance to do our gift exchange rather soon," he whispered as his hand gently massaged Sherlock's shoulder.
Amy smiled and took the remaining boxes so Thomas wouldn't have to do all of the work. "Can we's hang it aboves my bed? 'S not windy or anythings but I wants to look at it every day and shows it off to everybody." She grinned happily as she picked up the wind chime and admired it again before slowly starting to head upstairs.
Sherlock nodded a bit. He was a little nervous about the gift. He had planned it ever since something John had said during the honeymoon. Would his husband even like it? Or just think it was a stupid gift?
Thomas walked up the stairs slowly and carefully to their room. He set the boxes down on his bed and turned to face Amy. "Do you want me to hang it up now Sis?"
It was now or never, John figured. "I am bloody nervous," he said with a laugh. They were both nervous though, weren't they? That was a first between them on Christmas. Hell, their first Christmas together they had both been just finishing up with Moriarty and had simply shagged each other until they couldn't move. "How 'bout I get yours and you get mine and we meet back out here?" He placed a kiss on his husband's temple and moved toward the bedroom with ease. The box had been simply wrapped, dark blue paper, and he carried it back to the living room.
Amy nodded eagerly, gently setting the small bit of boxes she'd carried down and holding the wind chime up with a smile. "'Cepts it won't be windy up heres, is that's okay?" She asked curiously as she looked up at Thomas.
Sherlock nodded, got up and went to the fireplace. John never really used it. He reached behind the skull and pulled out a square package. It was light and easy to carry. He was terrible at wrapping gifts, so Mrs. Hudson had done it for him. It was normal Christmas colors, green with a bright red bow it. Hamish had taken over his chair so he sat down on the couch.
Thomas nodded with a smile. "Of course it is! When it gets warm again we can open a window so a breeze comes through, okay?" He smiled again, stood on Amy's bed and hung the wind chime on a hook in the ceiling.
John smirked at his husband sitting on the couch, moving to sit beside him with the bigger box on his lap. Actually sitting next to Sherlock with his gift was making him beyond nervous and he was fairly sure he was shaking just a bit. At least he could pass that off on the coffee for the morning. "Right," he said with a sigh, forcing his body to relax. "How about you open yours first?" He licked his lips with a smile and gently moved the box over to rest on his husband's lap. It was an antique violin, one that Sherlock could play, and he'd had each of the kids write their full names on a piece of paper and had them engraved in the wood. His own was there, too. The moment he had seen it, though, he knew he had to buy it for his husband.
Amy watched her older brother with a bit of a smile before she looked at her present to her brother. "Does yous wants to hang up your drawing?" She asked softly as she picked up the framed piece of paper and smiled a bit at it. "I feels bad a'cause your present to me is better than mine."
Sherlock took the gift and analyzed it for a moment before opening it with care. He raised his eyebrows in surprise but smiled. This must have been expensive. Jesus. His gift felt inadequate now. He wanted to tell his husband it was too much but didn't. "John, it is wonderful. Thank you." He hesitantly handed over the gift for his husband. It was a CD he had made. Not one of those stupid mixed tapes. Well, it did have their wedding song as the beginning track but the rest was just him talking really. On their honeymoon John had mentioned that a recording of what he had just said had been made so everyone could hear it. Although, it wasn't something he really expected his husband to share. He had gone through every conversation mentally with John, where they had just snuggled and talked. He recorded all the moments he had been able to come up with that surprised John. At the end was him simply reminding his husband that he loves him. God. This was stupid. John was going to hate it, he just knew it.
Thomas shook his head a little. "I am going to put it on the night stand so I can look at it anytime I want. Your gift is better Sis. You drew it and framed it. It's perfect!"
John watched his husband with a soft smile, leaning to the side and placed a soft kiss on Sherlock's cheek. "Anything for you," he stated as he turned and slowly opened his own present. A CD. For a moment he just stared at it before everything dawned on him. Their honeymoon he had said that he simply wanted a recording of Sherlock talking to him, of all the little moments they shared. Now it was in his hands. "Oh my God," he whispered, breathless as a smile spread across his face. Now his present felt horridly tacky. This was homemade, personal...and he had spent money. "Sherlock, my God..." He looked at his husband and laughed. "You are perfect. This is...I love you," he said as he turned and wrapped his arms tightly around the man's shoulders.
"Our presents is equal then," Amy determined with a nod. "A'cause we both mades them for each other and didnt's spend no moneys." She moved forward and hugged him again, clearly not able to get enough of her older brother.
Sherlock gave a rare modest shrug. "It was nothing really Love. I am glad you like it." He had been worries his had been too stupid and sentimental after opening his husband's wonderful present.
Thomas smiled and returned Amy's hug. "What do you want to do first Sis? Lego's or play with toys?"
"It isn't nothing," John said happily as he grinned at the CD again, much like a child on Christmas. "It is beautiful. You put so much thought into and had to think back a-and..." He turned Sherlock's head and gently met his husband's lips, letting his tongue move into the man's mouth effortlessly.
That was a huge option as Amy turned to look at everything in front of them, bottom lip tugged between her teeth as she tried to think about everything. "I, uh, I doesn't knows," she whispered in shock as she scratched the back of her neck and sighed. "Um...you doesn't wants to play with girly toys and I doesn't want to ruin your Lego's."
Sherlock was about to reply when John kissed him. He smiled, wrapped his arms around his husband and returned the kiss. Well, John certainly liked the present then. Good. Very good indeed.
Thomas smiled as he thought for a moment. "Want me to teach you how to put Lego's together? It is easy really. You just match the pieces in the picture and put them together." He sat down on the floor, opened a box and showed her.