Yes, I know this is so very cliché but how could I not write a one shot based on this? I couldn't help myself, okay? Anyways, I hope I didn't completely fail on this and I really really hope ya'll enjoy this. Oh, and I've never written a story with Leaf and Gary having kids so just to clarify:
Savannah – 7 years old
Ella – 4 years old
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this bad and sloppy one shot. (One more to go before I'm done with the Christmas stories! Hopefully I'll get it out before midnight. PRESSURE)
"Ella, be careful!" Leaf warned at the exact moment the girl ran past the tree, successfully bumping into it. Leaf watched as the star wobbled off the top of the tree, the inevitable fate of the glass shape falling and crashing very near.
"Whoa!" Gary said, coming out of nowhere and catching it just as it fell.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Leaf placed a hand over her heart. "Ella! What did I say about running around the decorations? Especially the tree!"
"Sorry, Mommy," the four-year-old said, her hands behind her back as she smiled at her mom sweetly.
"Go play with your sister," Leaf said with a laugh, shaking her head. She heard Ella's feet run up the stairs as she turned around, continuing to bake the cookies in front of her.
"Aren't you going to thank me?" a voice said, coming up behind Leaf.
Turning around, Leaf smiled at her smirking husband. "Close your eyes."
He did as told and Leaf had to stifle a giggle as she got icing from the bowl next to her and put a clump of it on his nose. Opening one eye, Gary pressed his nose against hers, smearing it on hers as well.
"Get lost!" she laughed, shoving against his chest.
Gary smiled, hugging her. "You started it."
"Anyways," she said, pulling away slightly so she could look at her husband's face, "you are doing the thing tonight aren't you?"
He pulled a face. "Do I have to?"
"That depends, do you love me?"
"Well – Ow! Joking, Leaf!"
"Do you love our girls?"
"Sometimes – Leaf, I'm joking!"
"Good, then you'll do it." With a victorious smirk, she twisted out of Gary's embrace, continuing to handle the mess in front of her.
Sighing, Gary walked off, muttering, "The things I do for this family."
Leaf laughed to herself as the timer on the microwave beeped, signaling that the cookies in the oven were done baking. She grabbed an oven-mitten and pulled the hot tray out, setting it on the counter to cool. As she was putting in the next batch, the sound of multiple feet running down the stairs reached her ears.
"Are the cookies done?" her eldest daughter, Savannah asked, skidding to a stop in front of her mom. Seconds later, Ella came running in, slamming into Savannah's back. "Watch it, squirt."
"Nerd!"
"Hey," Leaf said, hands on her lips, "No name calling on Christmas Eve. Got it?"
"Got it."
With a smile, the mom placed her hands on her knees, bending down slightly. "The first batch of cookies is done. They'll be done cooling soon and you'll be able to decorate them. I've got all sorts of icing and decorations too!"
The two girls cheered, high-fiving each other.
"And Santa will like them, right?" Ella asked, looking at her mom with wide, green eyes.
"Of course he will!" Leaf answered, already knowing Santa would just love them.
Nighttime had fallen over the Oak residence as Leaf sat on the couch in a blanket, watching her husband walk out of the living room. With Ella in one arm and Savannah in the other, Gary trekked his way up the stairs to deliver his two girls to their respective bedrooms. As soon as they had carefully placed the cookies on the plate, poured the eggnog into a fancy wine glass, and laid out apples and carrots for Santa and his reindeers, the kids passed out. And that was how Leaf was left downstairs, waiting for Gary to come back in his special costume.
Only five minutes later, said man came down with a scowl on his face, dressed in a Santa costume, beard in hand.
"Put on the beard, Gary," Leaf said, laughing quietly.
"I don't understand why I have to do this every year. The girls are never awake to see it anyway," he muttered, placing the beard around his head.
Leaf reached behind the couch she was occupying, pulling a bag out. "You never know if they'll wake up and hear us and want to check out the noise. They'd be crushed if they knew Santa wasn't actually real."
"I know," Gary answered, taking the sack from Leaf, grabbing some presents and placing them by the gifts that were already under the tree.
"At least Savannah's already seven. Won't be too much longer before she'll figure it out," Leaf pointed out, comforting her husband who was pulling out the last present in the sack. He walked over to the stockings that were hung above the fireplace placing the smaller gifts in their respective stockings.
"Very true," he commented, holding the empty sack. "All done. Can I take this suit off now? It's hot as hell."
Leaf smirked, pulling something from behind her back. "I got you this present though."
Looking at the object in her hands, he had to hold back a laugh. "Aren't you surprising? That's something I'd usually be doing."
"Take it or leave it," she said from her spot on the couch, raising the mistletoe above her head and waving it around.
Chuckling, he grabbed her by the hands, hoisting her up so he could kiss her. As she stood, her arm hit the Christmas tree, making a few ornaments fall off and a somewhat loud sound.
"I'll get those in a minute," she said as her husband's lips grew closer.
"Just try not to be a klutz and wake the girls up." Gary laughed as Leaf hit his shoulder, but still kissed his cheek.
Little did they know, however, two small girls sat on the steps, eyes wide and jaws dropped.
The next morning, Leaf and Gary sat on the couch, coffee mugs in hands as Savannah and Ella ran around the living room, jumping in excitement at seeing the newly delivered presents from Santa.
"Are you girls going to open them or continue running around like little monkeys?" Gary asked, smirking over the rim of his cup.
"I'm not a monkey!" the sisters yelled in unison, tackling their dad.
Gary quickly held the cup above his head, trying to keep the scalding liquid from dumping out. Leaf quickly swiped it away, wanting more than anything to avoid a catastrophe.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry! Now open your presents!" Gary said, laughing.
The two girls squealed, diving under the tree to receive as many presents as possible. They grabbed Santa's presents first and sat in front of their parents, a gift in each of their hands. But as soon as they made a tear in the paper, their smiles vanished.
Leaf's brows furrowed as she sat up slightly. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Ella and Savannah both frowned, looking at each other before looking at their dad.
"Daddy," Ella murmured, her frown deepening.
"What is it, El?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the couch.
Savannah closed her eyes. "Mom's cheating on you!"
Leaf almost dropped both cups that were in her hands. She quickly set them on the table next to her. "What in the world are you girls talking about? Dad knows I'd never do that!"
"Where'd you get that idea?" he asked his daughters, his eyebrows raised.
Ella sniffed. "I saw. . . We saw Mommy kissing Santa Clause."
Both Leaf and Gary's eyes widened in realization. Leaf hadn't been kissing Santa Clause – not even close. She was kissing her own husband, but her two daughters had no idea.
Ella began crying, running into Gary's arms and wiping her tears on his shirt. "I knew it!" she wailed.
Savannah crossed her arms, obviously upset. "Mom, how could you?"
"I can't believe this," Leaf moaned, covering her face with her hands. How were they supposed to get out of this one?
"El, Anna, Mommy didn't cheat on me," Gary said, brushing Ella's tears away as she pouted.
"Then why was she kissing Santa!" Savannah exclaimed, standing up and stomping her foot.
Gary looked at Leaf, shrugging with a desperate look in his eyes.
Making up her mind quickly, Leaf stood up from the couch. "I'll leave this one up to you, husband." With that said, she picked up the two mugs of coffee and ran into the kitchen, successfully throwing Gary under the bus.
"Leaf!" he called out, grinding his teeth in frustration and annoyance. He looked down and was met with the glare of his two daughters.
"Daddy. Why was Mommy kissing Santa Clause?"
Poor Gary. Talk about cliffhanger. I literally have no idea how they can get out of this mess without spilling the beans, so I'm just leaving it to your creative imaginations c; And thank the heavens for Teavana; I got this new tea thing from there and it brews the best tea ever! In your review why don't you type up your favorite gift you got this year? Mine was the complete Ouran anime set. Or all my studio ghibli movies :3
Stay tuned for a CS one shot!
P.S. I know I really suck at one shots, I can never seem to make them even close to 2k words! But I do hope you liked this. Thank you so much and I love you all!
-Imperfect Wonderland