A/N: Ok, first things first. This is the first fanfiction I've written in longer than I'm willing to admit, so I apologize if it's clunky. I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing and what better way than with the cutest ship out there right now? :)

So, thank you if you take the time to read this and any reviews (constructive criticism is welcomed, but try to take it easy on me, please) would make my day. Even if no one reads, I'll probably finish it out because this story has been knocking around in my head for a few weeks now.

Disclaimer: I do not own GMW. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfic about it.

"Riles, come on," Maya groaned, shivering. "It's freezing!" She tugged her red peacoat tighter around her shoulders, shooting an annoyed frown at her best friend.

Riley Matthews, her very best friend in the entire world, who was currently staring into a bakery window with heart eyes, nearly drooling over the cookies and cakes visible through the frosted glass. Riley seemed not to hear her.

"Riley!" Maya moved until she was between Riley and the window, trying to recapture her attention. This failed, because Maya had never grown taller than five feet (and three quarters of an inch, thank you very much) but Riley had shot up in high school to a statuesque five foot eight. Maya reached up and snapped her fingers in Riley's face.

"Huh? Oh," Riley grinned sheepishly, coming back to earth and looking down at her friend. "Sorry, Maya. You know I can't resist all the pretty Christmas cookies and cupcakes and-"

"Riley, your mother owns a bakery. Have you forgotten? You can get all those pretty little cookies, for free, anytime you want. Can we please get back to business?" Maya rubbed her gloved hands on her pink cheeks, trying to force some warmth back into her body. She wasn't having much luck.

Riley finally turned her attention from the bakery back to the sidewalk they were standing on. It was Christmastime in New York, and nothing was more beautiful. The light dusting of snow on the trees, the pops of color in the crowds of people donning their winter coats, hastily trying to finish their Christmas shopping. The girls were doing the same, only a few things left to buy. Riley had all of her shopping done weeks ago, of course. Maya was the procrastinator, as usual. She had worked her way down her list throughout the day, and was almost done. But the sun was losing steam, casting a weak, late afternoon glow on the city. And it was freezing. Beautiful, yes. But freezing.

They started walking again, which was made slightly difficult due to the sheer volume of people walking with and against them. They were quiet for a few minutes until Riley spoke up.

"What are you getting for Josh?"

"Oh, uh…" Maya trailed off into a cough that did absolutely nothing to convince her friend. After a moment of trying to pull something out of her ass, she sighed. "I have no idea."

Riley's eyebrows shot up as she shot a sideways look at Maya. "What do you mean? You do know Christmas is in, like, five days, right?"

"WHAT?!" Maya exclaimed, grabbing the sides of her face as she sarcastically dropped her mouth open. "Oh my god, Riley, is that why there are lights and snowflakes and Christmas trees and little gingerbread men everywhere?" She clutched at her heart, feigning gasping for breath. "Oh, thank goodness you told me. I would never have figured it out."

"Har har," Riley rolled her eyes, a small smile on her lips. "Nice try, but deflection doesn't work with me. You really have no idea what to get him?"

Maya sighed. Take her back to middle school, hell, even high school, and tell her that one day she'll have gift-giving anxiety over finding the perfect present for her boyfriend and she would've laughed. Maya Hart? Perpetually too cool for school, doesn't care about anything Maya Hart, stressing over what gift to give to a boy? No way. But add in that the boyfriend in question is, in fact, Uncle Boing himself, Riley's uncle Josh, and her answer may be slightly different.

They had started dating almost exactly a year prior, around Christmastime of Riley and Maya's sophomore year in college at NYU. Josh had graduated a year earlier and gotten a job with a large media company in the city. Maya still wasn't entirely sure what exactly he did, but she knew he was good at it. They had run into each other for Christmas dinner with the Matthews, and things were different this time. She had long outgrown her childish crush she'd had in middle school, and had even had a couple somewhat serious boyfriends, so she no longer acted like a crazy person around him. Apparently, he'd found that intriguing and had asked her out a few days later. The rest, as they say, is history.

"No," she finally replied, defeated. "I really have absolutely no idea."

"Okay, let's try an easier one and we'll work our way back to Josh."

Maya smiled at Riley. The eternal optimist. Of course she had a plan. It really was too bad her plan was already doomed.

"The only person left on my list is Lucas, who I also don't know what to buy."

"Ooh, what'd you get me?"

"Right," Maya snorted. "Like I'm going to tell y-"

"You there!" Maya was interrupted by Santa Claus. Or, rather, a stocky man in his thirties dressed as Santa, holding a microphone. A cameraman was behind him, filming the encounter. He had placed himself directly in front of the two girls, halting their search. He let out a hearty 'ho-ho-ho' and turned to face Maya. "What's your name, young lady?"

"Young lady?" She scoffed. She knew she was short, but at some point she expected people to instinctively know her age range, like they did with Riley. "What's YOUR name, old man?"

"Kris Kringle," the man deadpanned, dropping his Santa persona. Then he broke out into a dazzling smile. "We're from WQNB Channel 7 News, and we're out here today trying to grant Christmas wishes. So, what's your name?"

She hesitated, casting a wary glance at Riley, who shrugged in response. "Maya."

"Oh-ho-ho, Maya!" He slipped back into his role. "What would you like for Christmas?"

Maya pondered for a second. "I'd like to know what to get my boyfriend and my best guy friend for Christmas, because it's almost here and I'm at a total loss."

"Oh, boy, that is a tough one. But I may be able to help you."

"Really?" Maya's eyes widened. "How?"

"Is your boyfriend a sports fan?"

"Um, sort of," Maya chewed her lip. Josh liked basketball, sometimes college football, but she wouldn't call him a fanatic. Lucas, on the other hand… "Yeah, yeah he likes sports."

"Here's the deal Maya," Santa squared his stance, pulling out an index card from his pocket. "If you can answer this sports trivia question correctly, I'll give you two tickets to the New York Giants' last home game of this season. Think you can do it?"

Maya feigned nervousness. Lucas was going to school for journalism, specifically sports journalism. He was constantly watching ESPN and other sports shows, and as his roommate, Maya too was pretty up to date with the sports world. But she didn't want to give away too much confidence.

She smiled innocently. "I can try!"

"Alright, here we go. Maya, can you tell me what number is on the jersey of the Giants' star wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr?"

Maya tried not to laugh in this guy's face. Was he serious? That had to be the easiest sports trivia question she could've possibly gotten. She wondered if he was taking it easy on her because she was a girl, and had to tamp down her urge to get defensive. This was her chance to win tickets to see her favorite football team, right here in New York. She really hoped this wasn't a hoax.

"Maya?" The man questioned, holding the microphone in front of her face. "Do you have an answer for us?"

Maya hesitated another few seconds before breaking into a brilliant smile. "Odell Beckham Jr is my favorite player. You could've at least tried to challenge me. But to answer your question, he wears the number thirteen."

The news anchor was visibly surprised by her confident answer, before collecting himself and returning her smile.

"Congratulations, Maya!" He reached into his pocket again and this time pulled out an envelope, handing it to her. "You girls have a merry Christmas! Ho-ho-hoooo!"

As the anchor and cameraman walked away, Maya looked at Riley incredulously.

"Can you believe that just happened?!" Maya couldn't hide her excitement as she pulled the tickets out of the envelope and inspected them. They looked legitimate. And they were really, really good seats.

"Huh," Riley looked down at the tickets over Maya's shoulder. "I guess Christmas miracles do happen, Maya. Now you have something to give to Josh!"

Maya made a face. "I'm not sure Josh would want to go to a football game in the middle of winter. He's not even that big of a football fan." Maya looked down at the tickets again and something jumped out at her. She gasped. "Riley, the Giants' last game of the season is against the Cowboys."

"Do you know what this means?" Riley squealed.

"Well, I do," Maya said bluntly. "I'm just frankly a bit surprised that you do, too."

"Scratch Lucas off your Christmas list, Maya," Riley singsonged, smiling smugly. Wait, smugly? Maya peered into her friend's face… Yep, that was definitely a superior, smug look. But why?

"Aww, do I get a lump of coal this year?" Lucas Friar's voice startled Riley and Maya as they both whirled around. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, a sweet smile lighting up his handsome features. He had been a cute kid in middle and high school, but the manhood that came along with college suited him very well. The black heavy coat he wore didn't do much to hide his impressive physique, a result of a disciplined gym regimen. His light brown hair was sticking up in odd places, presumably from the chilly wind that whipped through the city occasionally. Maya hastily shoved the tickets into her coat pocket, trying to look innocent.

"Lucas," she attempted to sound nonchalant, but cringed upon hearing the high-pitched tone of her own voice. "What are you doing here?"

Another familiar voice piped up as Farkle Minkus stepped out from behind Lucas. He had grown quite tall, one of the few people Riley had to look up to, but he was still slender and was easily hidden by Lucas. "Just some last minute shopping, like you guys."

Riley's face softened the second she saw Farkle, reaching out and pulling him into a hug. She pulled back and pecked him sweetly on the lips, and they were lost in each other's eyes for a moment until Lucas cleared his throat. He looked at Maya, green eyes twinkling.

"So why am I not on your Christmas list, Maya? I put up with your singing-"

"I am a great singer,"

"-your art supplies and clothes all over the apartment-"

"I'm creative! Creative people are messy."

"-and your snoring-"

"I do NOT snore!"

"Oh you most certainly do," Lucas was chuckling now. He could never resist a chance to push her buttons. Riley shot Maya an apologetic look.

"You do, Peaches." Maya raised an eyebrow at Riley, who quickly added, "But it's the cutest snoring in the whole entire world!"

"And you can't even buy me a Christmas present?" Lucas finally finished his question, his eyes and mouth turned down in an adorable, though fake, pout. Maya narrowed her eyes at him.

"Nice try, Huckleberry, but you're gonna have to do better than that. And for the record, no," She turned her glare into a wide smile, batting her eyes at him. "I didn't buy you anything."

Lucas held his hand to his heart, casting his eyes to the ground, looking every bit the part of a sad puppy.

"I see.. how little our friendship means to you, Maya." He sighed, looking down at one of the bags he was holding. "I guess I should take this present back to the store…"

"Wait wait wait!" Riley jumped between the two, throwing her hands out.

"Riley, I'm not really going to take her present back-"

"I know, I know!" Riley spoke quickly and urgently, looking at each of them in turn. "But I just realized that we're not all going to be together on Christmas morning."

Lucas and Maya shared a look of raised eyebrows. Maya put her hand on Riley's shoulder, using the soft voice she reserved for when Riley needed to be talked down from something.

"What are you getting at, Honey?"

Riley stood up straight, clasping her hands in front of herself and beaming around at all of them. "We need to have a Christmas party." She spoke matter-of-factly, a giddy look of excitement taking over her features. "Where we can all give each other our gifts at the same time, just like a family."

Maya, Lucas and Farkle looked at each other in turn, each making a 'not bad' face and nodding.

"Okay," said Farkle, wrapping an arm around Riley's waist and pulling her closer to him. "When? We're cutting it a little close already. Christmas is in five days."

"Tomorrow!" Riley slapped her hand lightly against Farkle's chest, and Maya could see the wheels turning in her head. Oh, boy. This day was about to get a lot longer. The sun was beginning to set now, and the temperature would drop significantly, and quickly. "At Maya and Lucas's apartment, of course."

"Of course," Lucas snorted. "Well, if we're hosting a party, then we need to clean. Desperately."

"Okay," Riley stood up straight again. She pointed to Lucas and Farkle. "You two should head back there now and start cleaning. Maya and I will stay and pick up all the supplies we need."

Lucas saluted Riley sarcastically. "Yes ma'am."

Maya groaned. "What supplies do we need? We have an apartment, beer, there's a pizza place right down the road-"

"Maya!" Riley sounded shocked. "It's a Christmas party. You need Christmas decorations… and a tree!"

Riley gave Farkle a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing Maya's forearm and beginning to drag her down the street away from the boys. Maya looked back helplessly as Farkle and Lucas just grinned at her, waving.

"Pick up some dinner, too!" Maya shouted back at the boys, hoping they had heard her. "This better not take too long, Riles," she huffed, falling into step beside her. "I'm starving."

A few hours later, the four friends were gathered around the coffee table in the living room. Pizza boxes sat empty on the table as they all leaned back into their seats, their hands resting on their full stomachs. Maya sighed contentedly, picking up her phone to text Josh.

M: So Riley decided to plan a Christmas party.. tomorrow.. at my apartment. Help

She set her phone down to wait for his reply. Josh worked a lot, and was very easily distracted. It would probably take a while for him to get back to her.

"So," she said, breaking their food coma silence. "Now what?"

"Well," Riley began, but she was interrupted by a yawn. She looked at the clock. "Oh my gosh, Farkle, it's already eight-thirty."

"Someone call the bedtime police," Lucas deadpanned, glancing at his phone. Maya giggled.

"Better get Farkle home and put him on the charger before his battery dies," she joked. Lucas met her eyes and they snickered, wholly amused that their twenty-one year old friends still went to sleep well before midnight, every night.

"Hey," Farkle protested, standing up and stretching. "I'm a real boy!"

"Sure, Farkle," Maya replied, glancing at her phone. Nothing yet. "We've all seen your birth certificate.."

"Fake!" Lucas fake coughed, sending Maya and himself into a new fit of giggles.

"Okay," Riley yawned again, following her boyfriend's lead and standing up. "You're both clearly delirious and could use some sleep too. I'll be back bright and early to help put up these decorations," she gestured to the boxed fake Christmas tree and several bags surrounding it on the floor.

"Bright and early? Why bright and early?" Lucas looked alarmed. "It's Christmas break, can't you at least wait until it's bright and, oh I don't know, noon?"

Riley rolled her eyes as Farkle helped her into her coat. "We still have a lot to do tomorrow to get ready for the party, Lucas. So no, I'll be here in the morning-"

"-with coffee." Maya interjected. "And breakfast from Topanga's." Riley smiled back at her.

"With coffee and breakfast. And we'll get this show on the road!" She pumped her fist. Maya and Lucas laughed again as Farkle looked at Riley lovingly. Riley pointed a finger at them. "So don't stay up late. I will make you regret it."

"We know," Lucas and Maya responded earnestly and in unison.

Riley blew them both kisses as she led Farkle out of the living room and to the kitchen, where their front door was located. When they heard the door slam shut, Maya stood up slowly and stretched her arms over her head, an unexpected yawn escaping her lips. Lucas looked up at her from his seat on the couch, eyebrows raised.

"Are you actually tired right now?" He asked, surprised.

Maya shrugged in response. "Riley wore me out today. She ran me all over the city trying to help me get my shopping done."

"And did you?"

"Yeah, mostly…" Maya trailed off, biting her lip in concern. She still had nothing to give to Josh. As if on cue, her phone buzzed on the table.

J: Lol, typical Riley. Did you guys have a good day?

Maya quickly typed back a response.

M: Yeah, it was ok. Got almost all my shopping done

Josh must've been taking a break because his answer came swiftly.

J: Almost? Who do you have left?

Maya hesitated. She was at the end of her rope trying to find the perfect gift for Josh. She wished she could just ask him…

A lightbulb turned on in her head.

M: You. You're the hardest person to buy for. Please, have mercy and just tell me something to buy you!

He took his time replying this time. After waiting a few minutes, Maya sighed and set her phone back on the table, turning around and heading to her room. She changed out of her skinny jeans and sweater, pulling on her favorite red flannel pajama pants and a black tank top before heading back to the living room and plopping onto the couch next to Lucas. She checked her phone. No new messages. She sighed.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asked, slight concern on his features.

"Nothing," she replied, playing with the ends of her hair. "I just don't know what to get Josh for Christmas. And I'm running out of time."

"That's all?" Lucas scoffed. "Maya, he's a guy."

Maya blinked. "And?"

Lucas sighed theatrically. "And it's pretty easy to figure out what any guy wants, for any gift, ever." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, grinning cheekily.

Maya laughed, playfully nudging his shoulder with her own. Before she could reply, her phone buzzed again.

J: Maya, I really don't need anything for Christmas. And before you start to argue, I mean it. There's nothing you could get me, that I need, that I don't already have. Plus, I have you. And that's the best gift of all.

Maya smiled, feeling like a weight lifted off her shoulders. Her euphoric moment was ruined when Lucas made a fake vomiting sound next to her ear. He had read the text over her shoulder.

"Ugh, give me a break," Lucas said, standing up and heading over to their TV. "You don't really fall for that crap, do you?"

"It's not crap," Maya replied indignantly, though a light blush crept across her cheekbones. "He's sweet."

"Uh-huh," He crouched down next to their shelf of DVDs. "Anyway, what movie do you want to watch?"

"I don't care," Maya replied, sending a heart eyes emoji back to

Josh.

"Okay," Lucas pulled out a DVD. "The Expendables it is, then."

"No, wait," She threw out her hands as if to physically stop Lucas from across the room. He grinned at her and held up the movie in his hands. She returned the smile, reading the title.

"Pitch Perfect 2. How'd you know?"

"You have the soundtrack on repeat most of the time," Lucas replied, putting the movie into the DVD player and resuming his spot next to her on the couch. "Plus, I heard you trying to beatbox in the shower."

Maya gave him a playful shove, laughing. They settled in to watch the movie. Maya curled up on her side, propping her head up with her hand. Lucas alternated between checking sports news on his phone and watching the movie, all the while listening to Maya sing along to every song.

But they were both more tired than they were willing to admit, and neither one made it to the end of the movie, nor to their respective bedrooms. They fell asleep on the couch, Maya's arm now under her head and Lucas's head against Maya's thigh. Her free arm was resting between his shoulder blades, and one of his arms was wrapped around her shins. The other was stretched above him, behind her back, fingers tangled in her messy blonde waves. To a stranger, they looked like the perfect couple, their breathing even and their expressions peaceful.

But that was just Lucas and Maya.