Disclaimer: Everything belongs to their respectful owners. The poem, 'The Bells', is by Edgar Allan Poe.
Hear the sledges with bells-
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!
Fred asked them to come to his house on that weekend, exactly five days before Christmas.
Tadashi thought it was nice, spending time with his friends and enjoying the hot chocolate Heathcliff had made for them, topping it all off with a generous dalop of whip cream and some marshmallows, completely bite size and adorable.
They weren't doing anything much, just talking, recalling back memories when they were still in high school and in their awkward stage, poking each other playfully with embarrassing memories they'd rather forget. He was content just sitting there as his friends talked, joining them a few times to offer a remark or two, laughed when they said something completely ridiculous.
You know, just college students taking a break after the finals.
A two week break they needed very much because for god sakes he thought he was going to die the past weeks. The late nights had taken a toll on him -he almost had sobbing fits in his lab in the middle of the night after feeling the tension of the stress weighing him down like rocks- bags under his eyes was starting to slowly dissappear, and he was sure he had drank coffee that could probably last him for a few months.
Oh, yeah.
This was definitely a praise-like change he needed very much.
The six of them, that included Hiro, were spread out in the kitchen, having it all to themselves to make whatever it was they would like to do when Fred told Heathcliff to take a break for a while. Honey Lemon was busy making dough for her Christmas cookies on the island in the middle of the room, with Gogo helping her take out the earlier batch from the oven as she switched it with those that were still raw.
The warmth of the oven filled the room like a hug. Even if it didn't snow in San Frasokyo, it was still cold to the point that they needed coats to keep themselves warm when they go out, and he was enjoying this while the smell of home-made cookies wafted in the air.
"Oh man," Fred sighed in content as he leaned on the counter, just beside the cookies where Gogo had set them aside to cool. "That smells so good."
She slapped his hand when he made a grab for one, causing him to jerk it back. "Not yet," She gave him a stink eye, positioning the trays side by side. "You can't eat it, it's not ready."
He groaned. "It's just there," He eyed them hungrily. "Can I at least have one?"
She scoffed, setting aside the mittens on the counter. "No."
Tadashi grinned when Fred tried to sneak one the moment Gogo turned her back, but he didn't get the chance to run away with it at once when it burned his fingers.
"Ow!" He exclaimed, tossing the cookie about in his hands. "Hot, hot!" When he saw that Gogo ready to strangle him, he made a dash for it out of the kitchen, laughing as he continued tossing the cookie in his hands.
Chuckling, Tadashi shot her a smirk across the room from where he stood at the other end of the island, decorating one of the cookies that had cooled earlier on. "Don't you want to catch him?"
She rolled her eyes, wiping her hands with a clean towel. "It'll waste my energy," She walked towards his way, and then stood beside him. "The gingerbread man's coming up nice by the way."
He straightened up, grinning proudly. "Thanks," He nudged his brother beside him, who was struggling with the icing pipe. "How are you doing, lil' bro?"
Hiro grunted, flicking the red icing off the back of his hand. "Peachy," He stared at his gingerbread man, a scowl etched at his face. "It looks as if I just reincarnated the Joker."
Gogo patted his head, and withdrew her hand before he had the time to wave it away. "Hey, it's your first time doing it."
"I usually cut the shapes," He pointed to Tadashi with a icing coated finger. "He's the one who usually do all this artsy fartsy stuff when it comes to things like this."
Wasabi cocked an eyebrow from where he sat on the stool beside Honey, handing her the cutter. "You decorated the cookies Cass made?"
Tadashi nodded, moving on to the next gingerbread. "Yep, since Aunt Cass had to do other pastries, Hiro and I had to help her make the cookies and decorate most of them," He squeezed the pipe gently, making eyes for it. "Plus, it's quite enjoyable."
"For you," Hiro snorted, wiping his hands with a kitchen towel. "I prefer cutting."
"Do you want to do this, Hiro?" Honey smiled as she patted the dough. "We can switch."
He perked up, bounding over to the other side of the island. "Oh, thanks Honey," She handed him the cutter while he gave her the icing pipe. Standing beside Tadashi, she started decorating.
Tadashi shook his head, not looking up from his work. "You're spoiling him."
Gogo scoffed, leaning against the island as she crossed her arms, an eyebrow quirked. "As if you're not spoiling him."
"I do not," He shot back. "I make him learn. How is he supposed to learn when he gives up so easily?"
"Hey," Hiro interjected, waving the man shaped cutter threatenedly. "I will learn. Eventually."
Honey elbowed him gently. "Maybe he'll take more time to master it, cause I know some people do."
He glanced up to Hiro, making a face when his little brother shot him a smug grin. "Brat."
"Nah, you love me."
Tadashi snorted in disbelief. "Unbelievable."
Then, the door slammed open, with Fred striding in with a satisfied look on his face, his hands behind his back. "That cookie," He started. "Was magnifique. It burned my tongue-"
"Good." Gogo deadpanned.
"-but, totally worth it," He grinned. "Now, for some traditional Christmas celebration."
Wasabi eyed him cautiously. "What type of traditional Christmas celebration may I ask?"
Fred walked towards Honey, and she stared curiously at him when he smiled cheekily at her. He then showed them what he was hiding behind his back, and Tadashi realised that it was a mistletoe, with two small silver bells tied at the branch. They tinkled when Fred jiggled it above their heads.
"Why do they have bells?" Wasabi questioned.
"Since our group is the special bunch, I think our Christmas should be special too," He raised an eyebrow at Honey, still waiting for her consent.
Giggling, she leaned forward and pecked his lips. "There, now I have to finish this, still a long way to go."
He smiled widely, and then he slid to the side so that he stood behind Tadashi and Gogo. "Now, you two lovebirds."
Tadashi widen his eyes in surprise that he put down the icing pipe, suddenly the heat felt extra hotter on his face. "Uh," He glanced down to Gogo, who looked panicked and flushed as he felt.
"Oh, come on," Fred planted a hand on Gogo's back and pushed her towards Tadashi, stumbling a bit as he caught her arms. "It's Christmas tradition! You're seriously not going to avoid that, do you?"
Tadashi saw the way she glared at their friend, and he couldn't help but noticed how her hands were planted on his chest as she tried to straighten herself, face red with embarrassment.
Huh.
Cute.
She probably felt his stare on her when she looked up, the look of anger smothered a bit when she blinked at him.
He could hear the mistletoe tinkling again above his head. "How lovely," Fred sighed wistfully, but the wicked smile was still stretched on his face.
Wetting his dried lips, Tadashi gave her a lopsided smile. "Hey,"
She pursed her lips, but they tilted up slightly. "Hey." She responded quietly.
Something in that smile quivered his heart strings, and he was hit with the realisation how beautiful she actually was. Despite the hard demeanour she usually portrayed, she was actually timid and big-hearted, giving people help with words that were gentle and full of care. There were times that he would catch himself staring after her when she left the lab, and he always had a smile on his face. And his friends would always poke fun at him, despite the denial he kept throwing at them.
He found himself leaning forward, stopping just a breath away that he could feel her warm breath fanning on his lips. He searched her face, and she had fluttered her eyes close. That was the signal he needed when he pressed their lips gently against one another, and he could feel the breath she realised in relief.
Somewhere in the background as he wrapped his arms around her, there were distant cheers from probably Fred and Wasabi, and gagging sounds from Hiro as Honey laughed with delight. He chuckled breathlessly when Gogo clasped her hands on his neck, pulling him down closer that he had to angle his head a bit, the sound of silver bells were like music on a cold night.
Oh, yeah.
Definitely a praise-like holiday.