A/N: Okay, let's get some things outta the way. This is long, the longest thing I've written in some time that was a single chapter or oneshot. Next, it's Christmas, so it's cliché as Hell. Third, it's also sweet as Hell, I had to take some insulin just to finish it. Now as long as those various things don't scare you away, enjoy, and Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukah/ Whatevs.
December 24th
Timmy Turner stared at the tree currently residing in the mansion's main living room. The large pine tree was decorated in all manner of lights, ornaments, ribbons, and candy canes. Near the top sat a star, as usual for a Christmas tree. Near the top because they had misjudged the height of the tree and the top of it now scraped against the living room ceiling. "I think we're done!" Timmy turned around to face Vicky, who was now asleep on the couch. "Vicky?"
Vicky mumbled something in her sleep, but didn't wake up.
Timmy shook his head and smiled. He'd let her sleep for now, seeing as how she had been the one to decorate most of the tree. Plus it would give him time to do what he had been procrastinating doing: Buying her a Christmas gift.
He sighed now and crossed his arms; mostly at himself. It was the day before Christmas, and he still hadn't gotten something for his girlfriend. "I'm such an idiot..."
"Yeah... mm..." Vicky responded sleepily. She seemed to only be half-awake at the moment. "Is th' tree dun...?"
"Yeah, all set." Timmy walked over to Vicky and leaned in front of her on the couch. "I've got a few things I need to do, so I'm gonna head out for a bit. You're okay here, right?"
Vicky made a clicking sound with her teeth and one of her many spiders came over to sit next to her on the arm of the couch. "Should be fine..."
"Alright, I'll be back in a few hours... hopefully. I'll call you if anything comes up." Timmy leaned closer to kiss Vicky on the cheek, but she turned her head so her lips met his.
"None of that 'on the cheek' stuff. We're not kids here, no point in acting like it." she smirked at him.
"Technically, I'm still a kid." he returned the smirk.
"Your actions betray your words." Vicky turned over to face the back of the couch. "See you when you get back."
Timmy blushed slightly, knowing what it was she was referring to and headed for the front door. He left the house and locked the door behind him, then began walking toward the bus stop. His final destination on this trip would be the mall, but he expected to make a few stops on the way. The first one being the most logical because of it's proximity: Veronica's house.
"...Probably should've called first..." Timmy stood in front of door of the Star residence and knocked on the star-emblazoned door.
"Um! Coming! Just- just gimme a- Darn it!" there was a crashing sound from within the house. "...Nevermind..." Veronica opened the door. She was fully dressed in her usual attire, though she had once again swapped out the skirt for a pair of similarly colored jeans. "Hey Timmy."
"What was that?"
"Magic going awry." Veronica looked down at her feet as a red tint grew across her face.
"Like how...?"
Veronica groaned. "I was trying to levitate stuff and I got distracted... not by your knocking though!" Veronica added in quickly. "I should've shut off the TV before I started. Had a blonde moment." Veronica smiled and scratched her head. "So what brings you here?"
"You busy?"
"Not especially..." Veronica glanced into her house at the shattered planter and dirt on the floor.
"Wanna go to the mall?"
"What for?"
"Christmas shopping." Timmy shrugged.
"Isn't it kinda late to be Christmas shopping? I've already done all of mine..."
"Well I haven't finished mine. I need to get something for Vicky, something special; I need a woman's opinion for this."
"Well... I'm kinda flattered that you'd come to me, but..." Veronica looked back into her house to see one of the maids cleaning up her mess. "I guess I could use some fresh air."
"Great! It's not a date!"
"...Okay? Let me just grab my purse." Veronica giggled at her friend's odd behavior and disappeared into her house. She came back a little over a minute later. "All set!"
"Alright, let's head over to Trixie's next."
"What for?"
"The more the merrier? Unless you wanted to spend all day with just me?" Timmy winked at Veronica and her cheeks pinkened.
"Guess Vicky is rubbing off on you a little. You're becoming a flirt."
"That tends to happen when you spend as much time around someone as I do Vicky."
"Best suppress that around Tootie, Trixie told me that she's been kind of focusing on you again."
"No worries, I know when to hold my tongue."
Timmy and Veronica were on their way to Trixie's house when the very people they were talking about came around the corner.
"Speak of the devils..." Veronica whispered to Timmy and he chuckled.
"Timmy!" Tootie launched herself at Timmy and he coolly sidestepped, causing her to crash into Veronica and knock her over.
Timmy walked over to the two girls sprawled out on the sidewalk and took on the pose of a critic judging a piece of artwork. "Tootie? I didn't know you had a thing for blondes. Won't Trixie be jealous?"
Trixie shoved him in response to this and laughed.
Tootie stood up dizzily and was steadied by Trixie while Timmy helped Veronica up. "You two okay?"
"I'm good." Tootie dusted herself off.
"Ooh... you weren't kidding Timmy, she does hit like a truck." Veronica looked herself over to make sure she was okay. "So what's up Trixie?"
"Tootie and I were heading out for a while, maybe go to the mall or something."
"What an oddly convenient coincidence!" Timmy began. "We're also going to the mall!"
"But Timmy! Won't Vicky get jealous of you going on a date with Veronica?" Tootie was attempting to get back at him for his little joke.
"Oh, it's not a date, Timmy assured me." Veronica backed him up.
"Seriously Dude?! Three girls?!"
Timmy looked over his shoulder to see Chester and AJ approaching. "It's not the harem that it looks like." Timmy replied nonchalantly. "I was gonna go get you guys too."
"Oh yeah right! Me and Chester know how you are you sly devil!" AJ joked. "What these girls see in you, I'll never know..."
"It's probably my lack of a sweater vest."
"No mocking the sweater vest on Christmas Eve!"
"Whatever..." Timmy waved him off. "What were you guys doing?"
"We were headed to your house to see if you had anything planned today." Chester spoke up.
"I do, I'm apparently starting my own harem, if AJ is to be believed."
AJ responded by sticking his tongue out at Timmy.
"Very funny, but seriously, what's the plan?"
"Going to the mall. Wanna come?"
Chester glanced over at Veronica. "Are- are you going Veronica?"
"I might..." Veronica spoke in a slightly flirty tone.
"Well then, it wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to not go."
"Great! Now all we need is a consenting adult to take us and make sure we don't get into trouble."
"Like who? ...Also, why? We're all generally pretty good at staying out of trouble..." AJ inquired.
"Because reasons." Timmy replied as he took out his phone and dialed a number. "It's ringing."
"Thanks for the update." Tootie remarked dryly.
Timmy thought about sticking his tongue out at Tootie, but then realized she might just snatch it with her mouth; she seemed the type to do that, so he instead just shrugged. "Hey Theresa?" Timmy noticed AJ perk up slightly at the mention of the goth/nerd girl. "You busy? Huh? Doing what? ...That's stupid. No, I didn't say you're stupid, I'm saying your actions are stupid. You may be a goth, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the holidays. ...I need someone to supervise us so we can go to the mall... We're all between eleven and twelve, how are we responsible? Come on... If you don't, we're all coming over and jumping on your bed 'til you do. You really wanna test me on this? I think I proved on Halloween that I'm pretty much insane. ...So you'll come?! Great! See you in a few!" Timmy hung up and pocketed his phone. "Theresa's on board... after a few empty threats. Let's go!"
The group of tweens left the popular neighborhood and trekked towards Theresa's house. She had only recently begun acting like a goth and hadn't bothered to explain the reason for the change; Timmy was sure it had something to do with her turning fourteen, but that was just an assumption.
They arrived at her house to find her sitting on her porch. She looked somewhat similar to how she had on Halloween, though she looked a little less... corpse-y. She now had on black jeans that were oddly similar to Vicky's and a dark purple jacket. "Hey Theresa!"
She tried grimacing at Timmy, but his upbeat attitude and smile cracked her facade. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly. "Hey. So I guess I'll be babysitting all of you for today, huh? Don't you have a girlfriend for that?" she looked at Timmy slyly.
"Nah, she's all tired out from-"
"Ah, I see. Wore her out this morning?"
Timmy scratched the back of his head in embarrassment at Theresa's Vicky-like forwardness.
"Ah! Why do you do this to me?! You know my imagination always goes to the worst possible place! Why?!" AJ grabbed his head as if he was experiencing a terrible migraine.
"Actually, she's tired from helping me decorate the Christmas tree."
"Oh, well that's much less naughty... and much more boring. I guess we ought to get this show on the road. Come along children." Theresa added in mockingly.
They made their way to the bus stop and waited patiently for it.
And continued to wait.
"Hey... the buses are running today, aren't they?" Theresa looked back at Timmy, who, despite being younger than her, still felt like the leader of their group. Maybe it was because she followed him unquestioningly on Halloween.
"I... um... yes?"
"You don't know?!" Theresa gaped at him.
"No... I'm sure... uh..."
"Perfect. We'll wait another ten minutes, then I'm going home and back to bed..." Theresa yawned and sat down on the sidewalk.
Just as she did, a city bus came driving up the street and stopped in front of Timmy and his entourage. "All aboard!" the bus driver; who looked more like a ship captain with his odd hat and messy facial hair than a bus driver, yelled at them. He completed his look with an eyepatch.
"Everyone have passes or whatever?" Theresa looked at her various charges.
The group offered several confirmatory comments as they got on the bus.
"Good. One of you can pay for me since I should be resting comfortably in my bed right now..."
"'Kay!" Timmy wasn't about to let Theresa's somewhat sour mood get him down. He took out his wallet to put a dollar in the farebox, but was stopped as AJ beat him to the punch. "Heh. Still trying, eh?"
AJ looked at him, then at Theresa. "...Maybe." he shrugged.
"You might have a chance at proving you're not a robot after all... But the sweater vest has to go."
"When I win her over with it, what do I get?"
"Hm... I'm not really a betting man. Sweeten the deal for me." Timmy sat down with his friends, who all sat behind Theresa as she tried to catch some shuteye on the bus ride.
"What- what do I have that you want? Everything you need you seem to be able to get from the internet or Vicky..."
"Oh! That's it! If I win, you and Chester have to forgive Vicky for everything she's done to the two of you!"
AJ narrowed his eyes at Timmy.
"What? That's a fair bet."
"No it isn't, but I'll accept it if you can offer me something equally sweet in return."
"Like what? Pictures of me and her making out?" Timmy grinned evilly at AJ as he shook his head.
"No! I said sweet! Not... vomit-inducing! Gah!" AJ gagged dramatically.
"Hm... What do you want?"
"You realize that I'll want something you'll probably never agree to?"
"Try me." Timmy replied confidently, he already had a plan to ensure that he won the bet. "Vicky really is rubbing off on me."
"How about... you pay for all of us to go on an all-expense paid trip to Tibecuador?"
"What, everyone's parents too?! That's a bit more excessive than if I win!"
"No no. Just us friends and Vicky, that way we have someone to watch us."
Timmy growled as he thought about it. "...Fine. It's a bet." Timmy shook AJ's hand. "Now push out. I wanna sit next to someone who isn't a hustler."
AJ chuckled as he got out of his seat to allow Timmy to move out of the window seat.
"Hey AJ, c'mere a sec!" Chester called from further back in the bus.
"Coming!"
"Perfect." Timmy thought to himself and moved over to sit next to Theresa. He plopped down in the seat, startling her awake.
Theresa gave him a surprised look before realizing it was just him and stretching. "Okay, I know I owe you big time for saving me from a horrible death, but I will kill you if you do that again."
"Noted. I need another favor."
"Normally I'd say no, but since you're so cute..." Theresa lifted his chin up with her index finger so he met her mildly seductive gaze. "Whaddya need?"
"Alright, I'm starting to think that Cosmo was right and that I just attract the crazy girls." "You know AJ likes you, right?"
Theresa began turning her head to look at AJ.
"Don't look at him, just pretend we're talking about... ponies."
"Ponies?" Theresa looked at him quizzically.
"And friendship. And how magical it is. He'll completely ignore the conversation if we do."
"Okay... well, sure. I like ponies. And friendship. They're... magical." Theresa spoke awkwardly.
"Me too. Now anyway, you know he likes you, right?"
"Well... I've had my suspicions... but like I said before, he's a robot. I can't date a robot." Theresa shrugged as she glanced at AJ again.
"What if he didn't act like a robot? I mean, you must kinda like him, don't you?"
"He's smart, and we have similar interests... If he was less like a robot around me, I might consider it... But he has to ditch that stupid sweater vest, that thing... just, no."
"This is going better than expected." "The reason he acts like a robot around you is because he likes you, he doesn't know how to act... normal... around girls. As for the sweater vest, he thinks girls love it, just tell him how dumb it is. He'll get rid of it." Timmy moved to stand up but was pulled back down by Theresa.
"Why are you doing this? Helping your friend get a girl you barely know?"
"What are friends for? Besides, I know you well enough, and I know that AJ really likes you. What more is there?"
"There's something else. Call it women's intuition, I can tell."
"Perhaps, but nothing you need concern yourself with, thanks for the favor!" Timmy sprang away before Theresa could grab him again.
"What's he up to...?" Theresa returned her attention to the passing scenery and closed her eyes.
Timmy wobbily made his way down the aisle and fell into the seat next to Veronica. "Hope Cupid doesn't think I'm taking his job..."
"Hey." Veronica responded to his sudden appearance. She had seemingly been talking to Trixie and Tootie, who sat behind her, before he arrived.
"What's up?"
"Trixie says she's not going to dance class anymore." Veronica answered.
"Oh? Why not?"
"Um..." Tootie answered for Trixie, but stopped as she blushed beet red.
Trixie put her arm around Tootie and leaned into her. "Much as I like dance class-" she looked at Timmy and Veronica seriously. "I don't. I'd rather spend time with my girlfriend than learning to dance."
Tootie giggled girlishly in Trixie's embrace.
"Looks like these two don't need my help..." Timmy thought to himself. "Which just leaves..."
"You two are so cute!" Veronica squeed at Tootie and Trixie.
"Careful Veronica. Don't want to fangirl out too hard..." Trixie chuckled at her friend.
"I just wish I had what you two do..." Veronica said enviously.
"What about that guy?" Timmy pointed at Chester, who waved when he noticed his friend pointing at him. "I've heard he's single right now, you should totally go after him."
Veronica blushed slightly and looked away as she saw Chester's gaze fall on her. "I don't know... We're so... different. I'm rich, he's poor. I'm popular, he's not. I can cast magic... does he even want someone like me? He's always so nervous around me... especially after what happened the day before Thanksgiving..."
"Girlfriend... that means he's into you!" Timmy joked with her. "Trust me, when someone's nervous around you like he is, it means he likes you. Don't you know anything about relationships?"
"...No..."
"Oh. Er... sorry. But anyway, yeah, Chester thinks you're... uh... what's a good term here... The bee's knees! Yeah!"
Veronica, Trixie, and Tootie all deadpanned at Timmy. "That's not a good term for it."
"Whatevs." Timmy waved the three girls away. "Point is, you should go talk to him. He's too scared that you'll shoot him down to approach you."
"That's just silly. Why would I shoot him down?" Veronica asked confusedly.
"Likely all those things you said earlier."
"Hm. Good point. But when should I tell him? I mean, I don't want to mess it up..."
"So you're not gonna tell him on the bus?"
"No, that's a terrible idea."
"Well... Vicky's throwing a party on Christmas day... and I know Chester will be there... and you're still coming, so...?"
"Isn't that a little cliché?"
"It's a Christmas romance story. Things being cliché is pretty much unavoidable."
"Romance story?" Tootie piped up. "What are you talking about?"
"Eh... nevermind." Timmy turned around to face the front of the bus.
Back at the Mansion...
Vicky cracked her eyes open and stretched. "Oh... that was a nice nap." Noticing an odd pressure on her chest, she tilted her head down to find a pink cat sleeping on her chest. "Oh, hey Wanda." Vicky scratched the oddly-colored cat's head, eliciting a quiet purr. "Alright, I gotta get up."
Wanda didn't budge.
"Come on. I like sleeping all day too, but it's Christmas Eve and- Oh shit!" Vicky sat bolt upright and sent Wanda flying off the couch. "Oh! Sorry."
Wanda huffed and trotted away.
"I said I was sorry!" Vicky called out to Wanda, but she was already gone. "Fine, be that way!" Vicky huffed herself as she stood up and looked at the tree. Beneath it sat a multitude of various gifts for nearly everyone they knew.
What didn't sit below the tree and currently irked her to no end was a gift from her to Timmy. She was sure that somewhere under that tree sat a gift for her from Timmy, so why hadn't she bought him a gift?
"I don't know what to get him..." Vicky whined to the mostly empty house she was in.
Actually she did have one idea for what to get him, but that was... inappropriate. She wanted to wrap herself in just ribbon and wait under the Christmas tree for him, but that would be tough to explain to the party guests. No, she wanted something that she could actually put under the tree, something he could open in front of everyone that proved how much she loved him, just like she was sure he wanted her to do in turn. "I'll save the gift-wrapped me for tomorrow night!" Vicky grinned mischievously as she grabbed her keys.
"Everyone be good while I'm gone!" Vicky called into the house as she shut the door. "I wonder if they took care of the body..."
She was of course talking about Ricky's body. He had made a grave mistake coming over in the first place when Timmy was sick a few weeks back, but being the too nice guy that Timmy was, he had saved her ex only to receive a beating from him. She had saved him though, like she always did.
Not that she was bothered by that fact. She rather enjoyed being Timmy's knight in shining armor. Vicky never was a fan of being a damsel in distress. What bothered her more was how scared she had become when she thought about Timmy getting hurt or worse. She guessed that it must be because of love that she had had such an outpouring of emotions. It was not, however, something she wanted to repeat. While she didn't mind appearing weak in front of Timmy, him getting hurt again was definitely not something she wanted to revisit anytime soon.
Vicky laughed at herself as she got into her car and started it. "Can't believe the Twerp has such an effect on me..."
As she pulled out of the driveway, she wondered where she was even going to go. She guessed that Timmy was probably going to the mall, so that was out. "Guess I'll try Wall 2 Wall mart."
Vicky wasn't a particularly big fan of the store. It was literally the size of a small moon and far too easy to get lost in, but she didn't want Timmy to see her at the mall. He'd ask her why she couldn't give him a ride earlier, then ask her what she was doing... and she didn't want to lie to him... "Ugh... that's his fault too... He's making me... nice."
Vicky sighed as she pulled into the massive parking lot and drove toward the store. Even her sighs were beginning to sound swoony to her.
Halfway through the parking lot, she made a horrifying discovery. The store was closed, which explained the empty parking lot she was currently driving through. "Damn... now I- Ugh..." Vicky banged her head against her car's steering wheel. "Curse my procrastinating ways!" she drove out of the parking lot and got on the highway to drive to the Dimmsdale mall.
At the mall...
"What do you think I should get her?" Timmy looked over at Veronica, who was clearly much more interested in testing her magic powers than listening to him. "Hope they don't go to her head..." "Yo, Veronica?"
Currently, Timmy was alone with her. Chester and AJ had gone off with Theresa to see some clothing store with her, while Trixie and Tootie were off on a date or something. He hadn't really paid much attention to the two lovebirds. All he knew was that they didn't need his matchmaking advice and that Tootie wasn't trying to molest him again, so he was a happy almost-teen. This left him with Veronica, the most normal un-preoccupied friend at his disposal.
Too bad she was still ignoring him.
"Veronica!" Timmy spoke up.
"Hm? Did- did you say something? I was trying to remember how I made the planter levitate at my house..."
"I was asking what you'd want if you had a boyfriend and expected him to get you something for Christmas."
"I dunno. I don't have a boyfriend. And this is Vicky you're shopping for, I suspect that she and I have very different likes and dislikes."
"Hm... she likes animals... maybe I could get her like, five hundred lizards?"
"What?! Why lizards? Why five hundred lizards? Why not a cat or something?"
"We have a cat... two actually."
"Huh. I've never seen them when I've come over... Anyway, a pet isn't a great gift to get someone. It's like, 'here's this thing that'll die unless you take care of it and feed it and clean up after it'. You're basically gifting someone a burden. Maybe try something a little less... labor-intensive?"
"Okay... maybe you could be a little less vague?"
"She's your girlfriend. You would know her better than anyone, wouldn't you?" Veronica finally focused completely on him.
"But what do I get someone who can break every law or rule to get whatever she wants?" Timmy was beginning to sound whiny, but Veronica ignored it.
"Maybe..." Veronica blushed. "Eh... nevermind."
"Why are you blushing? Is it something good?"
"Um... I once heard about a popular thing that couples do where one will dress up as a gift for Christmas for the other one."
"Like a present-shaped costume? All box-shaped and wrapped in paper? That's kinda weird..."
"No, I meant..." veronica's blush deepened to scarlet. "Like... naked? Just a gift ribbon to cover your... do I have to say it?"
"Oh... I gotcha." the blush that formed on Timmy's face now rivaled Veronica's. "I was thinking more... something I can put under the tree. It's not a... bad idea... just..."
"This is... kinda awkward..."
"A bit."
"Well... you could always lie in wait for her... under the tree?"
"Can we stop talking about this now?"
"Good idea."
Timmy and Veronica walked in silence for several minutes.
"Ah... what- what does Vicky like? Name off a few things." Veronica offered her help once more.
"Well..." "What does Vicky like? Torture, intimidation, murder, weapons, spiders definitely, me, ...sex..., I've never seen her wear any jewelery..."
"You have no idea, do you?"
"It's not that! I just... I really don't know what to get her. Oh... this sucks! I bet she knew exactly what to get me and here I am on the day before Christmas like an idiot!" Timmy covered his face with his hands.
"Hey, calm down... we'll think of something. What about all those weapons I've heard about? Maybe you could get her something like that?"
"I thought about that at first, but for one, we're too young to buy any sort of weapons-"
"Not really a problem when you're wealthy like Trixie and I..."
"And two, Vicky has... she seems to have lost interest in all her weapons. I haven't seen her clean or even hold any of them in months."
"Well... how much money do you have?"
"I'll be honest, I've been saving up for a while. Money is no object."
"Well that definitely helps... maybe just some kind of jewelery? Vicky wears jewelery, right?"
"No... I've never seen her wear any jewelery at all... necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings... Nothing."
"How 'bout an engagement ring?" Veronica laughed.
"I'm twelve! Don't ya think I might be a little young for that?"
"Yes."
"Then how about a realistic suggestion?"
"Sorry... I don't really know what someone like Vicky would want... at least we've narrowed it down to jewelery of some sort..."
Timmy and Veronica stopped in front of the jewelery store. "Well..." Timmy began. "Let's see what we can do..."
Tootie and Trixie...
"Are you sure you want to quit dance class? I thought you liked to dance?" Tootie asked as she and Trixie walked through the mall.
"I do... but it's not something I'm in love with."
Tootie blushed again at Trixie's choice of words.
"Plus, I already know most of the dances. It's silly to keep going just so my teacher can prove she's the best dance instructor in Dimmsdale... Oh! Come on!" Trixie grabbed Tootie's hand and pulled her over to a photo booth. "I didn't know they had these at the mall!"
"Photo booths? Most places don't anymore. They were a lot more popular years ago."
"Well...?" Trixie held the curtain open for Tootie.
"You're serious?"
"Sure! It's not like it's a secret that we're together anymore! Let's take some pictures!"
Tootie rolled her eyes and walked into the booth and was quickly followed in by Trixie. She sat down on the bench and Trixie sat down next to her before pressing the button to start. "So what're we-"
"Cheese!" Trixie shouted and the camera flashed.
"H-hey! I wasn't-" the camera flashed again as Tootie blushed. "Darn it! I-" Tootie stopped as Trixie put her arm around her shoulders, causing her blush to deepen.
"Ready this time?" Trixie asked slyly.
The camera flashed again as Tootie looked at Trixie nervously.
"Two more..." Trixie said as she hugged Tootie closer so her cheek was pressing against Tootie's. Tootie's blush deepened even more as the camera flashed again.
"Last one..." Trixie spoke just shy of seductively as she kissed the corner of Tootie's lips and the camera flashed.
By now, Tootie's blush was red enough that she almost felt light-headed... or maybe it was just the situation they were in?
The pictures printed out and Trixie took them. "Shall we go?"
Tootie nodded dumbly at her and Trixie smirked at her.
Chester, AJ, and Theresa...
"Well that was... interesting." AJ spoke as they left the clothing store that Theresa had suggested they visit.
It was a clothing store that clearly appealed to Theresa's sense of style.
"I figured you'd like it. I've got some other clothes that I bought there a few weeks ago, maybe you could... give your opinion on them... if you want." Theresa scratched her nose nervously.
"Oh! Um... if you want me to... I'd like to see you- or them! You and them- I..."
Theresa smirked at AJ's reaction. "Play your cards right, you just might." she winked at AJ, causing him to look away in embarrassment.
"Ugh... can you two get a room? We're in a public place here..." Chester commented on the odd romance blooming before him.
"Sounds like someone's jealous..." Theresa remarked. "Missing Veronica?"
"It's not like it's a secret that I like her." Chester shrugged.
"But she went with Timmy." AJ teased. "You think he might have some ulterior motives there?"
"What? No way. Timmy's cool, he wouldn't do something like that. Besides, you've heard him at school or when we're just hanging out; dude loves that psycho."
"I still don't understand what makes her a psycho; Vicky always seems pretty cool to me..."
"You didn't grow up being babysat by her. She tortured us on a daily basis, made us do her chores, made us dig holes in our yards only to refill them, lied to our parents... the list goes on. I'll admit, she's acting way more friendly than she ever used to, but I'm convinced that the old Vicky is still in there somewhere, just waiting to strike."
"You need to get over all that, dude-" as Chester began speaking, he and his small group didn't notice the very person they were talking about walk by several feet away.
Vicky stopped and hopped into one of the mall's many plant holder things as she noticed Timmy's friends talking about her. "Hm..." she peeked out from between the leaves of a large tropical plant.
"Vicky's definitely a different person. If she weren't why would she give me advice about Veronica? Why would she let us stay in her huge mansion, then give us a ride home? Why would she work so hard to take care of Timmy when he was sick?"
"Great, the dumb one is the one who trusts me..." Vicky thought to herself. "Although... I might be able to work this to my advantage..." Vicky grinned evilly to herself.
"I'm telling you, it's a trick. I'll admit that maybe, maybe Vicky actually likes Timmy, but I bet we're still fair game, just wait 'til she catches us when Timmy isn't around, you'll see." AJ remarked defiantly.
Theresa shook her head disbelievingly at how stubborn AJ was. "You're paranoid."
"You didn't get tortured by Vicky as a kid."
"Fine, whatever. I'm gonna head to the bookstore, I-"
"I'll go with you!" AJ exclaimed excitedly.
"Um... okay... Chester? You wanna come?"
"Pass. You and Robobrain can go have fun 'learning' on Christmas vacation, I'm gonna enjoy the days we get off." Chester waved them off and sat down on the edge of the large planter that was nearby. "I'll wait for you guys here."
"Should've brought something to read, we'll likely be gone awhile."
"I'll think of something." Chester deadpanned at his friends. "Go on your little 'reading date'."
Theresa and AJ walked off toward the bookstore.
"He's gotta ditch that sweater vest if he hopes to date her." Chester shook his head.
"You can say that again." a voice from next to him spoke.
"He's gotta ditch-" Chester opened his eyes and looked to his right to see Vicky sticking her head out from between a couple large plant leaves.
Vicky turned her head to grin at Chester evilly. "Fancy meeting you here."
"V-Vicky?!"
"Yep! Me." Vicky stuck her arm out to grab Chester by his collar and yank him into the foliage with her.
"Ah! I'm sorry! Don't- don't kill me! Or... torture me! Or-" Chester fought back valiantly while Vicky held him at arm's length with little difficulty.
"Quiet down or it'll be your nuts roasting over an open fire this Christmas!"
Chester slapped his hands over his mouth and looked at Vicky fearfully.
"Good. I have your attention. So how's your day going?"
Chester moved his hands away quickly to reply. "Fine." before slapping them back over his mouth.
"Oh? Not great? You haven't told the other blonde how you feel yet, have you?"
"N-no..."
"You should get on that... maybe at the Christmas party tomorrow? That seems like a nice, cliché place to do it. Girls like her love that kinda stuff, y'know?"
Chester visibly relaxed. "Timmy had the same idea, he said I should try at the party..."
"Oh yeah? Guess great minds do think alike... Anyway, I need your help."
"M-my h-help...?"
"Y-yes, y-your h-help." Vicky mocked his nervous stutter. "I've been a bad girlfriend. I haven't gotten Timmy a gift for Christmas yet, so I need help figuring out what to get him. I was gonna ask Baldy, but it seems he still thinks I'm an evil witch... I mean, he's not far off, but it doesn't mean I don't have feelings. But! We're getting off point. You decided to defend me, so I figure that means you'd be the best candidate for helping me figure out what to get for Timmy."
"Wha- I-"
"Let me sweeten our arrangement. By the end of the year, you'll be dating Veronica, how 'bout that?"
Chester took a moment to think about her offer. It was certainly tempting... and he did believe that Vicky wasn't as evil as he once thought. "Y-you'd really help me?"
"Sure! I may be evil, but I do enjoy watching love blossom. So? Whaddya say?"
"Well... alright... You're sure that me and her will be together?"
"Positive." Vicky nodded.
"Okay then. I-"
"Sh!" Vicky covered Chester's mouth with her hand as she watched Timmy and Veronica walk by. Once they were sufficiently far enough away, Vicky took her hand away and breathed a sigh of relief. "Also, this conversation and our actions stay between us. I don't want him to know I was here, or that I waited this long to get him something, got it?"
"My lips are sealed."
"Fantastic." Vicky hopped out of the planter while still holding Chester and placed him on the floor. "So what's the plan?"
"Um... I don't know, really. Timmy gets pretty much everything he wants from you or the internet. But... there's gotta be something he doesn't have that he really wants and we're gonna find it!"
"Good confidence!" Vicky exclaimed as she led the way.
Timmy and Veronica...
"Hey... did you notice that back there?" Timmy looked back near the planter he and Veronica had just passed.
"Notice what?" Veronica looked in the direction that Timmy did.
"Felt like... hm... maybe it was just my imagination."
"You gonna tell me you can sense Vicky?" Veronica giggled at her joke.
"Yes, actually. At first it was something I learned to do because I was terrified of her, but once we started dating... I've really picked up on subtle changes in the air when she's around. It almost feels... heavier, but electrified too. Kinda like when a storm is approaching."
"...I think you're imagining it."
"Well... I am crazy, so maybe you're right." Timmy glanced at the gift bag he was holding. "You think she'll like it?"
"That's the thirteenth time you've asked me! Trust me on this, it's from you, she'll love it."
"I hope so..." Timmy replied in an unsure tone as he looked at the bag again.
"You know what else she might like?" Veronica smiled as she looked at a candy store.
"Well... I know Vicky likes sweets..."
"Then we know what else to get her! C'mon!" Veronica grabbed Timmy's hand and pulled him into the store.
As they entered, the smell of sugary treats nearly overpowered Timmy's nose. Veronica meanwhile inhaled deeply, clearly unaffected by the sickeningly sweet scent. "So... ugh... what are we getting in here?"
"Candy, duh." Veronica responded as she looked at all the various cakes and candies.
"But what exactly? If I borrow you for much longer, Chester's gonna think I'm trying to woo you... or AJ. Actually, mostly just AJ."
"They can think what they like, you asked for my help and you're gonna get it!" Veronica turned her attention to the owner of the store, an old, grandmotherly-looking woman. "Excuse me? Can we get some help over here?"
The old woman looked over at Timmy and Veronica. "Of course Dearie! What can I help you with today?" the woman walked closer until she was in front of the two. "Oh... What a cute couple you two are..."
"Oh, we're not a couple. I'm just helping my friend get something for his girlfriend. Guy doesn't know a thing about buying things for girls."
Timmy laughed mockingly at Veronica. "I can't wait until you and Chester are together so I can point out all of your faults."
"Oh my! Lover's quarrel!" the old woman laughed at the two almost-teens. "Anyhoo, you're shopping for your girlfriend? Any idea what she likes?"
"Sweets."
"You've certainly come to the right place! Maybe we could-"
Timmy looked over at one of the counters. "That." he pointed at a large candy bar sitting on the table that had to be as big as an open binder.
"That one? Are you sure? Much as I like candy and sweets, you're liable to give her Diabetes with that one!"
"Guess we'll have to share it then, won't we?"
"You must really like this girl."
"You don't know the half of it." Veronica responded.
Tootie and Trixie...
"So what should we do now?" Tootie looked at Trixie.
"Whatever you want. This is me taking you out on a date after all. How about-" Trixie stopped as she looked up, then looked at Tootie slyly and grinned.
"How about...?" Tootie turned to look at Trixie. "What's with the grin?"
Trixie gestured upward with her eyes. Tootie followed them to find that they were currently standing beneath a mistletoe and the red tint in her face returned.
Trixie leaned closer to Tootie to try for a kiss, but was stopped as Tootie jumped up and snatched the mistletoe and pocketed it. "How 'bout a rain check?"
Trixie pouted at first, then leaned closer and rubbed her nose on Tootie's a few times. "I'll take it... for now... You going to the Christmas party?"
"Yeah, you know I am."
"How about you and I go together?"
"What? Like a date?"
"Yeah, you can be my date to the party."
"Sure, that'd be nice..."
"And if we should happen to run across a mistletoe or two... well..." Trixie smiled deviously at Tootie.
"Oh, see? They're at it again! What is it about the holidays that makes everyone wanna kiss?"
Trixie glanced at the annoying voice and narrowed her eyes.
"Sounds like someone's a little jealous that they don't have any love in their life! Heehee!"
"Ah! Stop pulling on my cheek!"
Tootie turned away from Trixie to spot AJ and Theresa coming towards them. "Hey, where's everyone else?"
"Ah... let go!" AJ reclaimed his cheek and rubbed at it. "Timmy is off courting Veronica-"
Theresa smacked him upside the head at this comment.
"Ow... and Chester is- Where is Chester?"
"We left him near that big planter-thingy when we went to the bookstore, he's probably still there..."
"Oh great..."
"Well, let's just all go together. Tootie and I are finished doing what we were doing anyway."
"You sure? It kinda looked like you two were in the middle of something when we arrive-"
SMACK
"Ow!"
"AJ, shut it off."
"Fine..." AJ rubbed his head where Theresa had smacked him again.
The now group of four made their way back to where AJ believed Chester would be.
Vicky and Chester...
"'Kay, I'm losing confidence in your abilities to help me find Timmy a good present for Christmas..." "Lucky for me I have a backup plan, but..." Vicky currently sat with Chester on one of the malls many benches.
"You should know what your boyfriend likes. I don't understand how neither of you can possibly know what the other likes..."
"Neither of us? What're you-"
"Er... nothing! I didn't- nope, didn't say anything!" Chester laughed nervously.
"That was convincing... Spill." Vicky spun Chester around to face her.
"Agh... Timmy didn't get you a gift for Christmas yet so he grabbed all of us for a day at the mall then took Veronica to help him figure out what to get you and I wasn't supposed to tell you so please don't tell him!" Chester tired to catch his breath after he finished.
"What an idiot..."
"Why? Because he wants to get you a gift on Christmas?"
"No... well, yes. I wish he knew that he didn't have to get me anything for Christmas. I bet this has been bugging him for a while now..."
"You say that, but here you are doing the exact same thing as him. Looks like you're both idiots..." Chester remarked offhandedly before realizing who it was he was talking to.
"You wanna try that again?" Vicky looked at him with fire in her eyes.
"I'll be quiet now." Chester said sheepishly as he placed his hands over his mouth.
"I think that would be for the best." Vicky held her chin in thought. "What do you get the kid who has everything?"
"Maybe... something simple?"
"Like what?" Vicky leered at Chester.
"I dunno, something that means something to him. Material possessions are nice, but how about something sentimental, y'know?"
"Well thank you Vague-y McVague. What exactly?!"
"Um! Like... a- uh... A locket!" Chester put his hands up in defense.
"A locket? Isn't that like... a 'girl' thing?"
"Kind... of? But it's sentimental... and Timmy likes you a lot... put your picture in it."
Vicky sighed out loud and put her head in her hands. "That's really the best you can do?"
"Can you do any better?" Chester asked in an oddly confident tone.
"Fine. Thanks. You should go and find the others."
"'Kay, good luck."
"Thanks... and don't worry, I'll keep up my end of our deal." Vicky watched Chester leave and made her way to the nearby jewelery store, the same one that Timmy had visited not an hour before.
"Hi, I need something for my boyfriend." Vicky stated quite plainly as she walked up to the counter.
"Um... okay?" the cashier, a young woman probably just out of high school looked at Vicky. She could already tell through some strange instinct that this was not a red-head to be trifled with. "What'd you have in mind?"
"That's a very good question. I need something that'd be special to him, but not particularly flashy." Vicky looked over several pieces in the display case. "Someone suggested a locket, but... I dunno. Does that seem okay to you?"
"Is he the type to wear jewelery?"
"No. God no. He wears pretty much the same outfit everyday... likes the color pink, don't really know why..."
"Your eyes?"
"Hm?"
"Your eyes. They're pink; maybe he wears pink-"
"Oh no. It's not that, he's always worn pink. Pink hat, pink shirt, pink jacket when it gets cold..."
"Really? A kid came in here with a blonde girl earlier today who sounds a lot like your guy... couldn't be though, this kid had to be no more than twelve... No way it could've been your boyfriend..."
"No way..." Vicky said offhandedly as she continued looking at the jewelery in the case.
"Hm... well, we do have lockets here... if you're sure that's what you want to get him."
"I can't really think of anything else to get him..."
"And you said you preferred something not too flashy... how about this one?" the girl behind the counter pointed to a simple oval shaped silver locket on a matching chain. "It's not too flashy and it's not too plain either."
"Well... alright. Now I just need to find a picture to put in it..."
"We can do that here if it makes things easier?"
Vicky eyed the girl behind the counter warily. "And charge me an arm and a leg, right?"
"Um..." the girl glanced toward where Vicky assumed the manager's office was. "Normally, yes. But... since it's Christmas eve... I might be able to waive your fee. If you don't tell my boss." the girl quirked an eyebrow at Vicky.
"Heh... now you're speaking my language..."
Timmy and Veronica...
"That lady was so nice! I can't believe she offered to gift-wrap the candy at no extra charge!" Veronica practically skipped as she ate some chocolate.
"And she gave you some free chocolate."
"I know! Don't you just love when people get into the holiday spirit?"
"Yeah, it's great!"
"So, what should we do next?"
"I suggest we get back to the others, AJ's probably told them we ditched them to go on a date by now..." Timmy passed by Veronica, not realizing at first that she had stopped. When he did, he turned back to look at her. "Something wrong?"
"I... I know it was you..."
"What? What was me?"
"The reason I kept my powers from Halloween and everyone else lost theirs. I don't know how I know, but somehow I do. I've been trying to think of some way to thank you..."
"It- it wasn't me... it was just... I don't know, that's how it happened. I had nothing to do with it..."
"You don't have to be so modest all the time, Timmy. Like I said, I don't know how I know, but I do. You saved us, and you made it so I could keep my magic and help people." Veronica stepped forward and pulled Timmy into a tight embrace, causing them both to blush. "Thank you. I'm sure you already know this, but I'll tell you anyway: Vicky's really lucky to have someone like you..."
Timmy glanced around nervously. "Thanks. I'm glad we're friends."
"Me too." Veronica pulled away. "C'mon, let's go find the others."
The two navigated toward the mall entrance and eventually found the rest of their group.
"About time! We were gonna leave you if you took much longer!" Theresa exclaimed as they approached. "You guys get what you need?"
Timmy held out the two bags containing the gifts for Vicky. "Yup. All set."
"Good, I can go home and get some sleep..."
"You're turning into Vicky..."
"Who's turning into Vicky?"
Timmy turned around to find his favorite red-head standing behind him and looking none too amused. "I- er... g-guys?" Timmy turned around to face his friends only to find that they had all disappeared except for Tootie, who waved at him with a smile.
"Some friends." Vicky remarked as she walked past Timmy. "Want a ride home?"
"Sure!"
"Tootie?"
"Um... okay."
Timmy and Tootie followed Vicky out to her car and got in. "So, getting in some last minute Christmas shopping?" Vicky shot him a knowing look.
"M-maybe..." Timmy responded nervously.
"For who...?"
Timmy frowned and released a sigh. "You... I didn't know what to get you. That's why I took so long, sorry. But! I think you'll like what I got you!" Timmy added in hopefully.
Vicky had chosen not to get a gift bag and kept the already gift-wrapped box in her coat pocket for now. "You know I'll like whatever you get me..." she smiled warmly at Timmy, putting his nervousness at ease.
"Oh God... can you just let me out here? I don't need to see you two being all 'romantic' with each other..."
"Another comment like that and I'm putting you in the trunk." Vicky narrowed her eyes at her sister.
"Idle threats have no effect on me Vicky." Tootie smiled sweetly at her sister.
Vicky groaned at realizing that she just couldn't pull off scary as well as she used to. "Oh well... I guess that's a small price to pay for loving someone like him..." Vicky glanced at Timmy again and smirked.
Arriving back at the house, Vicky tossed the present she got for Timmy under the tree before he came into the living room, then took her coat off and tossed it away as she laid back down on the couch. "Time to be lazy again."
"What did you do that was so exhausting?" Tootie plopped down on the couch next to Vicky, startling her awake.
"I had to look for Timmy in the mall, I'm tired now..."
"Amazing how an eighteen year old who doesn't even work can be so tired after an entire day of lazing around, isn't it Timmy?"
Timmy looked up from placing his gifts for Vicky under the tree. "Uh-uh. I'm not getting involved."
"See how smart my boyfriend is? He knows better than to take even his best friend's side against his girlfriend."
"Pfft. He's just doing that so he can get laid- Ouch!" Tootie grabbed her nose after Vicky flicked it.
"Watch your mouth. I may be nicer, but I'm still your older sister, that kinda talk isn't tolerated."
Tootie stuck her tongue out at Vicky and moved off the couch. "So I see you guys have this place pretty well decorated for the party, huh?"
"Yeah, that was mostly Vicky. We figure it'll be easier to keep it contained to just a few rooms on this floor, don't want people getting lost for days in our house."
"So who's coming?"
"Let's see... Chester, AJ, Theresa, Veronica, your and Vicky's parents, my parents... might... Uh... Trixie... I think that's it..."
"What about me?" Tootie asked sadly.
"I already told you that you could come!"
"I know, I just like to mess with you."
"I suppose it'd be weird if you didn't. How are you and Trixie doing?" Timmy asked slyly.
Tootie blushed once again at the mention of her girlfriend. "F-fine. Y'know, we're taking things slow right now..."
"But?"
"But what? I'm happy that she wants to spend more time with me..."
"Oh? What's this about?" Vicky sat up from her spot on the couch and looked at Timmy and Tootie with renewed interest.
"Um- I- we're... that is- me and Trixie are..."
"Trixie gave up dance classes that she's been going to for the past four years so she could hang out with Tootie more."
Tootie narrowed her eyes at Timmy. "Tell everyone why don't you!"
"I didn't know it was a secret." Timmy shrugged.
"Aw... isn't that sweet... She must really like you, sis! So when's the wedding?"
Tootie's face took on an even darker shade of red at this comment. "Sh-shut up!"
"We're invited, right? Can I be your best man? Timmy can be the maid of honor? How about that?"
This caused Timmy to blush. "I already told you! I'm not wearing a dress!"
Vicky let out a fake-sounding sad sigh. "I tried..."
"You two are easily the strangest couple I've ever known..."
"As if you know so many couples." Vicky rolled her eyes as she stood up to look at the presents under the tree. "Hm? You got two for me?" she looked at Timmy.
Timmy smiled shyly. "I only planned for the one thing... but Veronica insisted that I get you something else... I know we agreed on one thing, but-"
"Ooh! You guys got me something?!" Tootie interrupted as she knelt down and grabbed the gift that Timmy and Vicky bought for her.
"Why wouldn't I get my little sister something?"
"Why wouldn't I get my best friend something?"
Tootie shook the small package gently. "Can I open it?!"
"Sure-"
"Nope." Timmy put his hand over Vicky's mouth. "Wait until tomorrow."
"Aw come on!" Tootie's face fell. "I wanna open it!"
"Too bad." Timmy remarked nonchalantly. "It's only for like... twelve hours. You can wait that long, can't you?"
Tootie sighed in annoyance and placed the present back under the tree and smiled at Timmy. "I guess so... Oh! That reminds me! I got you guys something that isn't a Christmas present!" Tootie walked over next to Timmy and Vicky and reached into her pocket. She pulled out the mistletoe she had snatched earlier and held it out over the two. "How 'bout it?"
Vicky reached up and snatched the mistletoe out of Tootie's hand. "Very funny."
"Hey! C'mon, tradition says you have to kiss under a mistletoe!"
"Hmph." Vicky yanked Timmy over and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "There."
"I've been more intimate with Trixie in public." Tootie deadpanned.
"Good for you. PDAs aren't my thing." Vicky stood up and went over to the couch to recline into it.
"What about my mistletoe?"
"You can have it back when I'm finished with it." Vicky held the little sprig over her head and looked at it. "I've got some plans for this little thing, promises to keep; things like that. I'll give it back after the party's over."
"Fine, I-" Tootie's phone began to ring, breaking her concentration. "Hang on... Hello? Oh, hey Trixie! Sure, I'm not really busy, be over in a few! 'Kay, bye!" Tootie put her phone away. "I gotta go-"
"We heard. You two play nice, now!" Vicky winked at her sister, which Tootie answered with a roll of her eyes.
"I'll see you guys at the party tomorrow."
"I'll walk you out. Wouldn't want you to get lost." Timmy offered.
"Not funny..."
"Who's joking?"
Vicky watched Tootie and Timmy leave the living room and listened until she couldn't hear their steps anymore, then leapt off the couch and grabbed for the large present that Timmy had gotten her.
"Ah!"
Vicky turned around to see Timmy standing in the doorway to the living room and looking at her sternly.
"No..." Timmy stepped forward and grabbed the present away.
Vicky looked like a child who was being accosted by their parent. "Come on..."
"No, wait 'til tomorrow."
"I'm not patient enough to wait!" Vicky whined at him.
"You're just gonna have to..."
Vicky crossed her arms and pouted for a few seconds, then turned to Timmy with an evil smile. "Maybe I could... convince you?" she began creeping across the floor toward Timmy.
"N-no way. We gotta keep up with the tradition... if we don't... it'll be a-anarchy! Chaos even!"
"Nothing's wrong with a little chaos..." Vicky replied sultrily as she pushed Timmy onto the thankfully carpeted floor and crawled on top of him. "So. What am I gonna have to do to convince you to let me open my gift a little early?"
Timmy gulped and glanced around for an escape route.
"Don't bother, I've got you right where I want you." Vicky leaned closer and kissed Timmy, then pulled away. "Plus, now that Tootie's gone, I don't have to hold back with my affections; exciting, isn't it?"
"Okayyoucanhaveit!" Timmy put her present in front of his face to defend himself.
"Ha!" Vicky swatted the present out of his hands so it landed back under the tree. "I'm suddenly not interested in the present..."
"Y-you planned this!"
"Me? Oh... maybe I did... But like I said, now I've got you right where I want you!"
"Don't we have to prepare for the party?"
"Can't fool me. That's already taken care of..." she leaned down again to kiss Timmy, which he returned, albeit half-heartedly. "Mm? Okay. What's up? I'm in the mood and you clearly aren't."
"It's not that..."
"Then what is it?"
"Could we... maybe wait? Just until tomorrow?"
Vicky looked at him confusedly for several seconds, then narrowed her eyes at him. "Okay, something's definitely up. You may not have the same sex drive as me, but you've never turned it down outright."
"I just feel it would be better to wait until after the party to do... that. My parents are gonna be here, your parents are gonna be here..."
"And something like our parents being around has never dissuaded you before... so?"
"It's just... I really want you to like what I got you, I don't want you to think it was rushed, even though it kinda was. I want it to be special."
"...Special? You shouldn't worry about things like that. I already told you, more than once in fact, that I'll love anything you get me. It's the thought that counts, y'know?"
"Well... there's one more thing I got you besides those two gifts... I just hope it gets here in time..."
"Three gifts?!" Vicky laughed. "You're gonna make me look bad at this rate!"
"I-I'm not trying to! We can wait until everyone leaves to open that one if you want." Timmy put his hands up in defense. "But..." Timmy's cheeks pinkened as he tried to find the right words to say. "I want you to know how important you are to me."
"Aw jeez... are you gonna propose?"
"Wha?! N-no! I mean-! One day... you know... but um..."
Vicky rolled her eyes and flipped herself and Timmy over so he was on top of her, then hugged him close. "You're so adorable when you're all flustered!" Vicky got up and tossed Timmy onto the couch, then hopped on next to him and pulled him into her lap. "How 'bout we just watch TV until it's time for bed then?"
"You're sure?"
"Mm... Yeah. I'll screw your brains out tomorrow night." she smiled gleefully at him.
"O-okay..." he was always slightly perturbed by her forwardness when it came to topics that got him blushing like crazy, but Vicky was Vicky. He wouldn't change her for the world.
The next morning...
Timmy awoke and tried to stretch, but such an action was made difficult by the weight currently pinning him to the couch. He opened his eyes and looked down at his chest to find the top of Vicky's head. He must have fallen asleep during their movie marathon and laid down on the couch, and then Vicky followed suit shortly after. She was currently still asleep on his chest and drooling slightly; if the moistness on his shirt was anything to go by. "Hey." Timmy poked at her nose with his free hand. "Wake up, Sunshine."
"Mmph..." Vicky responded by lifting her hand up drowsily and placing it over Timmy's mouth.
"Mm-hm?" Timmy lifted Vicky's hand off his mouth. "Vicky? The Christmas party's today, remember? The one you invited everyone we don't hate to?"
"Ugh... five more minutes..." Vicki moaned out.
Timmy looked at the clock on the wall. "8:00... Hm... alright." He slid down and brought one of the throw pillows with him, then placed Vicky's head on it and laid his down next to hers. "You're seriously rubbing off on me..."
"Y'say that like it'sa bad thing..." Vicky replied sleepily as she pulled Timmy closer.
Timmy yawned and snuggled himself closer to Vicky and closed his eyes. "Five minutes..."
Timmy's eyes shot open to see the creamy-white skin of Vicky's neck. "Oh great..." he turned his head to look at the clock again and found that it was now ten A.M. "Figures... Vicky? We really need to get up."
"Five more... minutes..." she whined out this time.
"You got five minutes two hours ago."
Vicky released an annoyed-sounding breath through her nostrils and released Timmy as she sat up and stretched her arms up over her head. "Fine... I don't see why we have to get up..." Vicki covered her mouth as she yawned. "All we have to do is put out the food and drinks, then let everyone in. Matter of fact, no one's even showing up until at least two!"
"Because it's not good to sleep in all day. Now, go take a shower to wake yourself up." Timmy shooed her away as he checked the tree and the various decorations hung up around the house.
"How 'bout you join me?"
There she was doing it again. It was definitely an enticing offer... more than enticing, even. He hesitated for several seconds as he tried to force out the answer he really didn't want to give her. "That's not fair."
"Never said I'd play fair..."
"Much as I want to... and I really want to... We'll both have to keep our hormones in check... at least until after the party."
"The one time I'd want you to not have self control..." Vicky walked out of the living room and out of view.
Timmy looked at the various gifts under the tree. There was one there for each of their friends, and their parents. Each gift read 'From Timmy and Vicky', that way nobody could question if Vicky really was nicer or not.
Vicky had been the one to get most of the gifts, since Timmy was awful at buying gifts for people. Vicky though, she had a knack for getting people exactly what they wanted. A lucky baseball bat for Chester so he could hopefully change the reputation that his last name carried. Some sort of PDA for AJ that also came with a 3-D printer. Matching necklaces for Tootie and Trixie that could be fit together to form a heart. Vicky had said that it was just a joke to get Tootie flustered, but Timmy didn't buy it, it was something simple that would mean a lot to both of them. As for Veronica, Timmy opted to get her something. He wished her up a spell book, since she had become so focused on learning about her magic, though he once again found himself hoping that she didn't let it go to her head.
As for Timmy's parents, that was easy. An all-expense paid trip to pretty much anywhere that wasn't Dimmsdale usually satisfied them. This time it was to somewhere in Europe. Vicky had told him where, but he had already forgotten what she had said now. Which just left Vicky's parents. She had insisted that she'd take care of their gift, and Timmy left her to it.
Timmy went into the kitchen and made sure the door to the basement was secured, the last thing they needed was for Vicky's 'pets' to show up and scare everyone away. He considered setting out the food and drink, but realized Vicky was right, they could've stay on the couch a while longer. There wasn't actually anything for him to do for another three and a half hours...
Trixie and Tootie
"What exactly are you looking for?" Trixie questioned the raven haired girl who was searching through her closet.
"Something to wear! I can't very well go to this party in my regular clothes!"
"...And why not?"
"Because it's a date! We both need to look presentable!" Tootie said in exasperation as she sat down on the floor.
"First of all, it's not a formal party, I'm sure we can wear whatever we fell like wearing. Second, you're searching through my closet! I don't have anything that'll fit you!" Trixie said with a smile as she went over to lean on Tootie's shoulder.
Tootie sighed. "I guess you're right... Hope they like that gift we got them..."
"The blanket? I'm sure they'll like it, stop worrying about everything that could go wrong..." Trixie moved to sit in front of Tootie. "And just think about all the things that could go right, okay?"
Tootie hummed. "You always know what to say to put me at ease..."
Trixie took Tootie's hands in her own. "And I always know what to do to make you all cute and flustered..." she grinned at Tootie, who was beginning to blush.
Chester
Chester sat in his room in the trailer that he and his Dad lived in. "Sure you don't want to come over Dad?"
"Sorry son, AJ's dad and I are gonna go play golf! Maybe he'll be able to put in a good word for me at his work, then we can move out of the trailer and get a real house!"
"Alright, if you say so." his father had always been a bit of a dreamer, but Chester really did hope that his plan would work out. He picked up his phone and dialed AJ's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey Dude, you're still going to the Christmas party, right?"
"Yep, two o' clock, right?"
"Uh-huh. Don't forget the gift for Timmy and Vicky!"
"I won't forget."
Chester, being that he was still quite poor, couldn't afford to get anything for Timmy and Vicky, so AJ stepped up and got them a gift and put his and Chester's names on it. In truth, he was beginning to feel a little guilty about his mistrust towards Vicky. She clearly made his best friend happy, so he'd try his best to get along with her.
"And be nice to Vicky, hard as I'm sure it'll be for you. Christmas only comes once a year, so now's the time to prove that you're willing to bury the hatchet."
"And if she buries the hatchet in my face?" AJ asked with a chuckle.
"Then you'll probably deserve it." Chester deadpanned back.
Back at the mansion...
Timmy had decided that since he had plenty of time until their guests were to show up, he'd watch some TV. A fairly boring choice of activity, considering the many different rooms in the mansion, and the many different pastimes contained in each. He was about to get up to go check on Vicky when a couple of cool hands placed themselves over his eyes.
"Guess who...?"
"How can you manage to keep your hands so cold after what I assume was a hot shower?"
"...That wasn't a guess."
"Vicky."
"You cheated!" Vicky vaulted over the back of the couch and crashed down onto the seat next to Timmy. Her hair was still damp and she was wearing something different than what Timmy was used to her wearing: Her green t-shirt had been swapped out for a black tank-top, over which she wore an unbuttoned dark green shirt. She did, however, retain her black jeans. "Like the outfit?"
"Long as you don't come down here wearing a Christmas sweater, I'm happy with anything you wear."
"So if I came down wearing full leather bondage gear, that'd be cool?"
"...Okay, so maybe not anything... But I kinda figured we were talking about clothes that it was actually possible that you'd wear."
"Ah, I suppose that's fair enough. Your turn to shower."
"Any hot water left? You were in there for nearly an hour..."
"Who says I had the water on for that long? There are other things I needed to do while I was in the bathroom. A little upkeep for tonight." Vicky quirked an eyebrow at Timmy, but her insinuation was clearly lost on his still(relatively) innocent mind.
"Okay?" Timmy left the living room and navigated his way to their bedroom and the bathroom it was connected to. "Upkeep? What did she mean by that?" Timmy thought for several seconds before shrugging and turning on the hot water.
She kinda figured he wouldn't know what she meant. He was still too young to have much of any hair growing down there; in that respect, one could easily say that she was taking advantage of a minor. She did indeed kiss him all those months ago on that mountain, but she told herself it was a spur of the moment thing. Being so close to dying had clouded her judgment, which wasn't particularly sound to begin with. Still, he could've pushed her away at any time and that would've been that. No more kissing, no more hugging, no more relationship.
Except he didn't. She didn't know what possessed the then eleven year old boy to agree to a relationship, nor did she know what possessed him to tell her that he loved her. She thought it might have been a joke at the time... and maybe it was. Maybe he had just been joking around when he told her those three little words plus her name. But now, so many months later, they were together in their own house. Vicky hugged herself as a warm and content feeling spread throughout her body. She was definitely, unmistakeably, one hundred and ten percent in love with Timmy Turner; the first kid she had ever babysat, the kid she had treated worse then any other, and the first and only one to forgive her without a second thought. Vicky felt dampness at the corners of her eyes and wiped at them.
Just as Timmy walked in.
"Hey Vicky? I-" he stopped short as he noticed her trying to hide her tears and his voice took on a more somber tone. "Everything alright?" Timmy walked over to the couch and sat down next to Vicky.
"Everything's fine! Really, I was just... thinking."
"And now you're crying." Timmy wiped away a tear as it rolled down her cheek. "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing! There's nothing wrong at all... everything's... right, actually."
"I'm... confused. Everything's 'right'? So why are you crying?"
"Because I'm happy. I was thinking about how far we've come from how we used to be... We were at each others throats so often... and it took almost dying for us to realize how important we are to each other. And you saved my life back then... and on Halloween, even though I don't deserve it, don't deserve someone like you-"
"Vicky... I thought you were past that? You don't have to-"
Vicky stuck her hand up in front of him. "Let me finish. I know I don't deserve to be loved, not after how horrible I was to you. And I know that stuff doesn't matter to you, I know that you look past that. And I honestly don't know how you do it; if the roles were reversed... I don't think I'd be strong enough to do the things you've done for me." Vicky took his hand in hers and looked at them for several seconds. "I know you'd give me anything you could and never ask for a thing in return..." she moved her right hand up to caress his face, just like she had done when they were trapped by the avalanche.
Timmy was slightly taken aback by this, sure she was nice to him, downright loving at times... But for her to be so tender with him... "Are you sure everything's alright? You're... not really acting like yourself..."
"Maybe being with you has made me like this... maybe the holiday season is doing it... I dunno... You remember the day we first me?"
Timmy chuckled. "How could I forget? Even then I thought you were pretty... and I wanted us to be friends..."
"And I proved to you how cruel the world was..."
"..."
"Well, anyway... Meeting you... even though we definitely got off on the wrong foot... Meeting you was the best thing that could've happened to me." she looked up at him and smiled; the most beautiful smile Timmy had ever seen.
"I think you know that I feel the same..." before he started dating her, Timmy told himself that the only reason he might be happy to have met Vicky was because he received Cosmo and Wanda thanks to how miserable she made him... But now... That just wasn't the case. He was still happy that Vicky was the reason he got his fairies, sure. But he had found the love of his life in Vicky. And he was sure that people would think that they were an odd couple. He was just as sure that people outside his circle of friends would also say he was too young to know what love was.
And maybe that was true. Maybe he was too young to know about love, know what he was doing, and definitely too young to know what the future held for him and Vicky... Timmy leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. An act that was so simple, yet held so much meaning for the two of them. Vicky had once called it their 'thing', and left it at that. He opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by her finger on his lips.
"You don't have to say it. We both already know..." Vicky leaned forward and cupped Timmy's cheek, then pulled him into a gentle kiss.
It almost didn't feel like a kiss from Vicky. The familiar spark was there, but usually when they kissed, Vicky would take the lead and her kisses were just shy of greedy. Now though, it felt like both of them were kissing for the first time. It felt shy, though not awkward; nervous, yet not clumsy.
A loud knocking sound rang out through the house. Timmy pulled away from Vicky and glanced in the direction of the front door. "You still up for this party?"
"Hah!" Vicky wiped her eyes again and took on a decidedly more confident expression "I was born ready!"
"Glad to see you're yourself again." Timmy smiled as he got off the couch and made for the front door. Vicky got up and went into the kitchen to take out the food and drinks for the party.
"Can hardly call it that with so few guests." Vicky shrugged her shoulders as she set out the food. She didn't really expect too many people to show up anyway. She was surprised to hear that Timmy's parents were showing up, and her parents... Well, they actually cared about her and seemed excited about the prospect... though the only people they'd have to talk to were Timmy's parents.
Timmy answered the door to find Theresa on the front steps looking none too pleased. She was gothed out once again, but she was currently wearing a very un-gothly Christmas sweater that depicted Santa on his sleigh full of presents while it was pulled by his reindeer. The sweater itself was a bright green color. "Not a word."
Timmy, being far too bold for his own good, ignored her command. "Nice sweater."
Theresa sighed as she pushed Timmy out of her way and went into the house. "My grandmother made it for me and my mom insisted I wear it to the party..."
"So why not take it off? I'm not gonna make you wear a sweater you don't want to wear."
"I thought about that... but my mom hid all my shirts on me!" Theresa plopped down on the couch and crossed her arms. "All I've got on under this is a bra..."
Vicky had apparently heard Theresa's plight and took off her own shirt, then tossed it at the girl. "Here." this left Vicki in just a black tank-top, but she didn't seem to care as she set out more drinks for their guests.
"Thanks... Where's the bathroom?"
"You might be better off just changing in here. Otherwise I'll have to be your tour guide through this place." Timmy sat down on the couch.
"What? In front of you?" Theresa offered a playful smirk as she called into the kitchen. "Hey Vicky! Your boyfriend's a perv! He wants to watch me take off my sweater!"
Vicky peeked into the living room from the kitchen and looked back and forth between Timmy and Theresa. "That's not really news." she shrugged and disappeared back into the kitchen.
Theresa looked back at Timmy, who had by now placed his hand over his eyes.
"Happy?"
"Can't believe you'd miss out on a free show."
"I have a girlfriend." Timmy deadpanned. "Free shows aren't exactly unheard of with her."
"Ugh!" Theresa took off the sweater and contemplated tossing it into the nearest fireplace, but decided to just leave it on the couch as she put Vicky's shirt on. "You two have such a great relationship! What the Hell is your secret?!"
"Secret?" Vicky suddenly appeared and vaulted over the back of the couch to land between Timmy and Theresa. "There's no secret. Still trying to figure out Baldy?"
"Baldy?"
"AJ." Timmy took his hand away from his eyes. "Vicky claims she doesn't remember his name, but I think she just loves to see the look on his face when she calls him that."
"Oh. Well... it's not really that. I'm don't wanna just jump into a relationship. But I do wanna know how you two make it work."
"First of all, you should be more spontaneous. You think Timmy and I spent months flirting back and forth before we agreed to a relationship?"
"Well, yeah-"
"Nope. Same day we shared our first kiss, Timmy asked me if I wanted a relationship with him."
"Seriously?! Well... you two must fight a lot, right?"
"Nope." Vicky reclined on the couch and pulled Timmy closer to her.
"How?! How can you two be the perfect couple? This is... I don't even know!"
"Come now... we're not the perfect couple... I mean, there's the age difference-"
"Which neither of you really cares about."
"...True. I think the reason we don't fight is because we met when Timmy was eight and I was fourteen. We fought constantly when we were younger, and it was my fault-"
Timmy cleared his throat loudly.
"He doesn't want me to punish myself for what I did in the past." Vicky pulled Timmy closer and rubbed her cheek on the top of his head. "Anyway, we spent the better part of three years fighting each other on every little thing, I think we might've just... exhausted that part of our brains. We really don't have anything to fight about..."
"How do you settle disagreements then?"
Vicky glanced at Theresa and grinned, while Timmy blushed and looked away.
"Of course..."
"Maybe you should stick to questions that you actually want answers to..."
"No ex-boyfriends or girlfriends ever come into play to shake things up?"
"I'm Timmy's first. My sister had a crush on him for a while, but she gave up and turned to the bosom of another..." Vicky laughed at her joke. "As for me... I've had a couple, but nothing particularly serious. Chip Skylark, this guy named Ricky; an alien..."
"Chip Skylark?"
"Mm-hm. Dated him for a while when he came to Dimmsdale. It didn't work out. But that seems to happen a lot with the guys I date... except for this one!" Vicky ruffled Timmy's hair as another knock was heard at the door. "Be right back." Vicky stood up and left the room.
"I hope I have what you two do one day..." Theresa stood up and stretched and walked over to the TV to turn it on.
"I don't know how likely that is..."
"Thanks for the reassurance."
"Well I'm not gonna lie to you! AJ's a good friend, but he's got a ways to go before he can be listed as 'romantic' or 'sweet'. But I know he really likes you, so..."
"So?"
"Could you maybe give him a shot?" Timmy smiled at Theresa, mostly because he knew it would get to her.
"Ngh... fine." she sat back down at first, then laid down completely.
Timmy got up off the couch and stood over Theresa. "Thanks. And no going to sleep!" Timmy pointed his finger at her.
"No promises." Theresa said with a yawn.
Timmy left the living room and Theresa behind, he wondered what exactly made her so tired whenever he saw her, maybe she just stayed up far too late at night, or maybe she was just similar to Vicky and liked to sleep a lot. As he entered the kitchen, Vicky came in, followed by Chester and AJ.
"Oh Timmy! Look who I found! Our favorite interracial couple!" Vicky had evidently remembered the joke that Tootie had told at their expense some months prior.
Chester smiled and waved her comment off, while AJ gagged at the notion. "Here." AJ looked away as he handed Vicky the present he and Chester had gotten her and Timmy.
"Aw... Thanks Baldy! And thank you, Chester!"
"It's AJ."
"Whatevs!" Vicky took the present and placed it on the counter. "So where's Veronica?" Vicki looked at Chester as Timmy told AJ that Theresa was in the living room.
"She's taking a few extra minutes to get ready or something..." Chester twiddled his thumbs and seemed to be sweating slightly. "I guess she'll be here soon."
"Oh yeah?" Vicky leaned down so she was eye to eye with Chester, who suddenly looked up at her face as he realized he was staring at her chest. "So, you gonna tell her?"
"I don't know... what if I freak her out? What if I freak out? I might stumble over my words... or just clam up... there's so many things that could go wrong!" Chester nearly began to hyperventilate.
"Too bad you're too young to drink, you wouldn't be worried about so many things going wrong with a little alcohol in your system... But just so you know, if you don't tell her how you feel, I will." Vicky leaned away from Chester and left to answer the door amid the sound of more knocking. "No pressure." she called back over her shoulder.
"Yeah... no pressure..." Chester replied somberly as he went into the living room.
Vicky answered the door to find Tootie, Trixie, and her parents. "You guys made it."
"I said we'd be here, so here we are!" Vicky's mother pulled her into a hug as Tootie and Trixie pushed past and went into the house. Her father joined in the hug after a second. "So, how are things?" her mother asked as Vicky led them into the house.
"Good. There's food and stuff in the kitchen, TV's in the living room-"
"Pardon me!" Vicky Dad suddenly went past them into the living room.
"You know your father and his sports... But this gives us a chance to have some girl talk. How are you and Timmy doing?"
"Honestly?"
Her mother nodded.
"Great. Better even; Timmy- He... He makes me want to be a better person. I'm not saying I'm gonna go out and start having peace talks with world leaders or helping the poor, but... I don't know, he makes being nice seem so normal..."
"Oh boy..." Vicky's mother gave her daughter's hand a gentle squeeze. "That's love alright. Sounds like you've fallen pretty hard for this boy..."
"Like I told you, he's the reason that we're even having this conversation. It was his idea to have Thanksgiving at his house so we could make up."
"Remind me to thank him for putting our family back together, then... Oh shoot!"
"What's up?"
"I forgot your presents at the house... Sorry."
"Don't worry about it, we'll get them next time I go over there. So... does dad know...?"
"About you and Timmy? No, I figure it'll only be more complicated the more people know."
"Right..." Vicky sighed out.
"What's the matter?"
"I can't really be close to Timmy with Dad being around and not knowing about 'us'."
"Well... just don't do anything too affectionate, you can handle that, right?"
Vicky crossed her arms and blew a few loose strands of hair out of her face.
"Right?"
"I guess so." Vicky moved to go into the living room when yet another knock came at the door. "Son of a-"
"I'll get it honey, go see your boyfriend." Vicky's mother shooed her away.
"Thanks." Vicky let her mother get the door as she returned to the living room and sat down next to Timmy, which she was only able to accomplish by nudging Tootie away.
"Why do you get to sit next to Timmy?" her sister asked slyly. Vicky knew her sister was just trying to mess with her since their father was in the room.
"Babysitter privileges." from what she could tell, Theresa was trying to get some sleep on the loveseat nearby, and Chester and AJ were trying to teach Vicky's dad how to play video games, likely the best attempt they could think of to avoid having to watch sports programs.
"Who was at the door?" Timmy snuggled just a bit closer to Vicky.
"Dunno. I let my mom get it." she eyed her father warily before leaning closer to Timmy so she could whisper in his ear. "My dad doesn't know about 'us', so... y'know."
"Right, strictly platonic." Timmy looked over the back of the couch as he heard familiar voices talking. His parents and Vicky's mother walked in. "Mom! Dad! You made it!" Timmy leapt over the back of the couch to run over to his parents and embrace them. He might not have the best relationship with them, but there was no reason to worry about such things on the holidays. They were here, and that was enough.
"Merry Christmas Honey!" "Merry Christmas Sport!" his mother and father exclaimed simultaneously.
"I'm so glad that you and Vicky are getting along so well!" Mrs. Turner looked up from hugging her son to talk to Vicky. "Has he been behaving?"
"Of course Mrs. Turner! Timmy's been a little angel, as always!"
Vicky's mother chuckled at her daughter's saccharine facade and impressive acting skills. In truth, Charlotte had a hard time enjoying the Turner's company after she met their son and her daughter told her about them. She thought Timmy was a sweet kid, even more so since he was able to do what she thought impossible in regards to her daughter. She sighed as her thoughts continued to wander. "He deserves a family that cares about him." Sure, his parents were acting like normal parents now, but how long would it last? 'Til the holidays were over? "Oh well..." there was little she could do to help her daughter's boyfriend, anything he needed could and should be provided by Vicky, not her.
After a quick conversation between parents and child, Timmy returned to the couch while Mrs. Turner looked at Charlotte. "I know it may seem irresponsible, but..." Mrs. Turner produced a large bottle of a yellowish, cream-like substance.
"What's that?"
"Eggnog."
"Okay?"
"'Adult' Eggnog."
"Ah." she had heard that despite the fact that Mrs. Turner couldn't garden to save her life, and her cooking was pretty sub-par at best, she knew how to make some very potent eggnog. "What the heck? I could use a drink. Honey? You wanna c'mere a sec?"
Vick stood up from the couch, leaving behind Chester and AJ, who seemed genuinely saddened that their third player was departing. "What's up?"
Char nodded at the bottle that Timmy's mother held.
"Oho! Now it's a party!" Vick followed Timmy's mother and father into the kitchen while Charlotte walked over next to the couch.
"Vicky?"
"Yeah mom?"
"Mrs. Turner..." Charlotte sighed. "We're probably gonna get drunk, just thought I'd apologize beforehand in case I say anything stupid... Or anyone else does, for that matter."
"No worries. I'll call the cops in case you guys get too rowdy." Vicky smiled sweetly at her mother.
"Very funny."
"Who's laughing?"
Charlotte chuckled as she joined her husband in the kitchen.
"Hm... think I might try some of that eggnog I've heard so much about..." Vicky moved to get up, but stopped when her hand was met with some resistance.
"I don't think that's a good idea." Timmy held her hand. "You're too young to drink, and from what I've seen when my parents drink that stuff... It must be pretty potent."
"C'mon... you must be a little curious...?"
"Are you trying to get me drunk Ms. Valentine?"
Vicky blushed at Timmy's usage of her last name. "Me? Get a minor drunk? Come on... I do have some morals..."
Timmy rolled his eyes and yanked Vicky back down on the couch. "You're not gonna get something like that past them anyway right now, might as well wait... though I'd prefer you not having any at all..."
"You need to live a little." Vicky leaned against him and rubbed her cheek on his, not unlike how a cat might show affection for someone.
"I live more than enough as it is. Or did you forget all the crazy stuff we've had to deal with?"
"Hm." Vicky stopped rubbing her cheek against his and thought for several seconds. "Good point. So I'd say you definitely need some booze to calm down."
"What now?" AJ paused the game that he and Chester were playing to look at Vicky.
"Nothing, I'm trying to get my boyfriend drunk."
"Isn't he a little young to-"
"We already covered that, Baldy." Vicky turned back to Timmy. "So?"
"No." Timmy said firmly. "You can do what you want, but I'm not drinking."
"Won't be as much fun if you don't join me..." Vicky said in a childish voice.
"Then I guess you're stuck." Timmy shrugged. It was at this point that the final member of their party walked into the living room.
"Hey guys!" Veronica beamed at everyone, clearly happy to be attending a party with all of her friends on Christmas. Everyone greeted her happily... Except for Chester, who greeted her both happily... and very nervously.
The rest of the party proceeded in much the way that one could expect: Butting heads, bickering, words of friendship and forgiveness, Theresa complaining that they were being too loud, and raucous laughter from the kitchen amid Timmy's and Vicky's parents getting more and more inebriated.
It was about eight at night when Vicki decided to get up and put her plan into action as she walked over to Theresa and poked her side. "Hey, wake up."
"Not sleeping." Theresa mumbled sleepily as she turned over to look at Vicky. "Whaddya want? I'm tired..." she was practically whining at Vicky, which was cute, but she already had a boyfriend, and goth nerds weren't really her type anyway.
Vicky stuck her hand into the front pocket of the shirt she gave Theresa and fumbled around, causing the fourteen year old to blush slightly and give Vicky an odd look. "Usually I prefer people to buy me dinner before we get this far..."
Vicky chuckled at the girl's sense of humor that was oddly similar to her own and pulled her hand back out of the shirt pocket, now holding the mistletoe she had stolen from Tootie. "Now who's the perv?" Vicky dangled the mistletoe in the air for a second and then walked away. Feeling just a little selfish, Vicky zeroed in on her first target and sat next to Timmy.
"What was that about?"
"Had to grab something." Vicky showed him the mistletoe and held it up between them.
"Seriously? A mistletoe? That's so... cliché. That's- it's so... not you..."
"You gonna keep me waiting all night?" Vicky moved closer so that her face was inches from his.
No, he most certainly wasn't. Timmy closed the distance with a kiss, passionate enough to get his point across, quick enough to keep from eliciting the gagging noise-
AJ gagged audibly.
...That he knew AJ would make at seeing them like this. "Jealous!"
"As if. Kissing her would make my lips dissolve!"
Vicky rolled her eyes as Timmy and AJ began to argue and stood up, causing Timmy to look up at her.
"Where ya going?"
Vicky held the mistletoe in the air again. "Promises to keep. Be back in a few." she winked at him and left the living room.
"Where's she going?" AJ asked.
"Probably to make sure Chester tells Veronica how he feels..." Timmy noticed that Theresa was giving AJ a certain look. One Timmy couldn't quite decipher, but had a feeling he knew what she wanted. "I'm gonna... go make sure Tootie and Trixie aren't lost."
"You just wanna watch them make out."
"Whatever, you two behave yourselves."
"No worries Timmy. I'll keep an eye on AJ..." Theresa grinned at AJ mischievously, causing him to gulp nervously.
"I'm sure he'll be fine." Timmy mused to himself as he walked the halls of the mansion. "So much for keeping the party to only the living room and kitchen." Timmy snatched a sprig of mistletoe off a nearby table. "Well, if she wants to get in on the holiday spirit and play matchmaker... I will too!" Part of him was doing this because he was bored, and part of him was doing it because he genuinely wanted his friends to find their own happiness, what better time to do it than Christmas? "Well, there's Valentine's Day too..."
Timmy continued his journey through the comically large house before stopping as he heard familiar girlish giggling while passing by the door to one of the various guest bedrooms. Doing his best to drown out the inevitably perverted thoughts that had entered his mind, Timmy knocked on the door and heard a fair amount of shushing before Trixie spoke up.
"Coming!"
"Vicky would make a joke at that comment." The door opened to reveal a rather confident looking Trixie and a very flustered Tootie.
"Yeah?" Trixie barely contained a giggle.
"I was gonna ask what you two were planning on doing, but I think I have my answer. Here." Timmy tossed the mistletoe at Trixie. "Vicky took Tootie's, so here's a replacement. Goodnight."
"Night Timmy!" Trixie exclaimed excitedly as she closed the door.
"Guess we're having a sleepover now too."
Vicky
She currently stood in one of the house's many hallways, eyes closed, chin in her hand and her arm being supported by the other. A thinking pose, if ever there was one. Her eyes shot open as she snapped her fingers. "I know where they are!" Vicky sprinted down the hallway and made her way to the room she found Chester and Veronica in the day before Thanksgiving. She contemplated knocking, but realized such a notion didn't make much sense for a person like her and walked in.
"Veronica, I- Would you maybe... want to... do something some time?"
As expected, Chester was a nervous, gibbering wreck in front of this girl. Vicky supposed she was cute, but by no means the blonde bombshell that Chester seemed to think she was. Then again, Vicky preferred brunets to blondes. "'Kay, you took too long. Veronica? Chester likes you, like really, really likes you. He's been crazy about you for months and it's starting to get on my nerves that he won't just tell you how he feels, so there ya go."
"That uh... yeah... that pretty much covers it." Chester said as his face turned scarlet.
Veronica offered no response as Vicky tossed them the mistletoe she had taken from Tootie. "Later." she had kept her promise, like she had said she would, if the thump from the room she left was any indication. She guessed it might have been Veronica tackling Chester, but it could've just as easily have been Veronica knocking him out for saying something idiotic.
Timmy
Timmy walked back into the living room to find Theresa and AJ in a much less compromising position than he expected to. Both sat on the couch playing video games. "Hey man, Tootie and Trixie okay?"
"Oh yeah, they're fine." Timmy began searching through the various gifts under the Christmas tree. "Let's see... Aha! Here it is!" Timmy breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the small rectangular present in his hands. He unwrapped it to find a folded up sheet of parchment.
It was a letter from Santa Claus.
Dear Timmy, seeing as how you're currently close to the top of my 'Nice' list, I figured it wouldn't be completely unreasonable to get you the gift you asked for. Enclosed with this letter is your single 'Rule-Free Wish', I don't know what you plan to wish for with it, but I'll trust you to make the wish responsibly.
Santa Claus
Timmy couldn't hide the goofy grin that spread across his face after reading that. A small gold colored coupon looking piece of paper fell out of the letter and into his hand. As expected, it read: Rule-Free Wish, non-transferable, non-refundable, non-negotiable.
"Timmy? What's up?"
AJ's voice snapped Timmy out of his thoughts. "Nothing! Just wanted to open one of the gifts I got." Timmy stood up and ran out of the room to go find Cosmo and Wanda.
"That was weird..." AJ scratched his head.
"You're weird." Theresa shot back.
"We're both weird."
"Fair enough." Theresa nudged AJ's shoulder.
Timmy finally made it to the bedroom and shut the door for added security. "Cosmo? Wanda?"
His fairies poofed into the room. "Merry Christmas Timmy!" both exclaimed.
"Merry Christmas!" Timmy hugged his godparents quickly and pulled away.
"Where's the fire, Sport?" Wanda asked somewhat worriedly.
"No fire, just wanna make this wish before Vicky shows up." Timmy handed Wanda the Rule-Free Wish coupon-thing.
"No muffin this time?"
"I don't think they wanted to give me something like that after last time."
"So-" Wanda readied her wand along with Cosmo. "What's the wish?"
"I wish..."
Vicky
Vicky entered the kitchen to find Timmy's parents passed out on the floor along with her father, while her mother was barely staying in the chair she currently sat in. "Mom?"
"Oh! Hello Honey! I wanna tell you a secret... I'm drunk."
"Uh-huh? Well there are plenty of guest bedrooms here if you don't think you'll be able to drive home..."
"Oh? There are? That's good... this eggn- nog? I don't know..." Charlotte giggled to herself. "It's really strong stuff... Can- can you show me to my room?"
"Sure." Vicky walked over to her mother and offered her shoulder.
"Thanks... you're a good kid." her mother kissed the top of her head, which made Vicky grimace, knowing she probably still had eggnog on her lips.
Vicky contemplated helping her father and Timmy's parents as well, but they seemed to be pretty comfortable, and she wasn't exactly patient with people who were intoxicated. She led her mother through the living room and into one of the mansion's guest bedrooms. "You gonna be alright in here?"
"Ye-yup! I'm five- fine! I'm fine! Goodnight Vicky!"
"'Night Mom." Vicky shut the door and made her way to hers and Timmy's bedroom. She was thoroughly exhausted now and wanted to get some much needed sleep. "Well... after I've had my way with my favorite Twerp...!" she arrived in front of the bedroom door at last and threw it open. "Timmy? You in here?"
Timmy had been laying on the bed, evidently waiting for Vicky to return. "Everything all set out there?"
"Yeah, guess our 'guests' are staying the night."
"Ah, too much drinky?"
"Yep. Lightweights."
"Says the girl who's never had an alcoholic beverage in her life."
"Pfft. Only because you insisted that I don't, party pooper."
"Hmph. Anyway, you ready for your present?"
"They're all still downstairs, aren't they?"
"The third one isn't..."
"Okay...?"
Timmy motioned toward the bathroom and a green cat came out, followed by a pink cat.
"So... You got me cats? Cats that we already have?"
Timmy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Very funny you guys."
The two cats poofed away in a puff of purplish smoke to be replaced by a couple of very fairy godparent-like creatures.
"I'd like you to meet Cosmo and Wanda, my- er... rather, our fairy godparents."
Vicky looked back and forth between Timmy and the fairies several times before her eyes fell on Timmy and stayed there. "Alright. What'd you put in my drink?"
"Heheh... I guess... we've got a fair bit of explaining to do..."
Timmy spoke at length about how Vicky was the reason he got Cosmo and Wanda, the misadventures they had, rules about having fairies, and anything else he could remember. Wanda filled in parts that he forgot, while Cosmo acted as a demonstration for wishes.
Around two in the morning, Vicky stuck out her hand to tell Timmy to stop explaining. Her brain could only handle so much information in one day, and she was now physically and mentally exhausted. "Save it for later..." Vicky crawled into bed and under the covers. Timmy joined her after a few seconds.
"You, Cosmo, and Wanda are the best things to ever happen to me. I wanted you to know that."
"...So... all the bad and unexplainable things that happened to me... was that you too?"
Timmy knew that this conversation was coming, and now it was time to face the music. "Um... yeah... kind of..."
Vicky narrowed her eyes at him. Timmy was sure he was about to receive either a slap, or quite a talking to.
Instead, Vicky flicked him on the nose.
"Ow!"
"You're an idiot..." Vicky snuggled closer and kissed Timmy. "But you're my idiot."
"So... you're happy with your Christmas gift gift?"
"You're all I want for Christmas... But Fairy Godparents? Yeah, I think that's a pretty nice gift too."
A/N2: This is likely the second to last story for the Winter Break series, as I've mentioned. Where I go from here... who knows. But I hope you've all enjoyed this fairly odd ride.(Couldn't resist lame pun.)
