Hello everyone! A belated Merry Christmas to you all!

I started this little project as a holiday post last year, and I forgot all about it. I stumbled across it again while working on my other fic, Into the Flame, also featuring Raeger, so I decided to finish and post. I hope you enjoy!

Christmas one shot: Maya (Annie/Minori) and Raeger each have a special evening planned for their first Christmas together. Shameless smut, complete with lemon. (RaegerxAnnie/Minori)

Under the Mistletoe

Christmas in Oak Tree Town was arguably one of the prettiest nights of the year.

Every villager did their part in composing the picturesque image. Shops were adorned with lights of every size, pattern, and colour, every tree was decorated so that no branch was bare, and wreaths and ribbons splattered every post and pole. The very air felt lighter on Christmas eve, as if everyone had collectively agreed to save all of their cheerfulness for this one night.

Admittedly, Raeger used to hate Christmas.

It wasn't the holiday itself exactly. Everyone was always nice around Christmas, and it brought in a lot of business to the restaurant. Raeger occasionally got annoyed with the constant, low hum of Christmas carols- where were they even coming from, anyway? -but it was hardly enough to ruin his mood that time of year. No, Raeger's issues were a bit more… personal, than that.

To say that he had a rough childhood would, to some, be an understatement. To him, it was just his life. His mother was never around, though that was no fault of her own. Raeger's father left them when he was only a young boy, and his mother found herself burdened with the financial stability of not only herself and her son, but also her aging father. She worked constantly- days, nights, weekends, whatever shifts she could pick up while her father operated a failing diner. Raeger sometimes forgot what his mother looked like, and the thought made his heart hurt.

Christmas was no exception to the rule. Employees who worked Christmas were paid double time, and too many customers craved a Christmas meal out for his grandfather to justify closing. That meant that Raeger, even as a young boy, spent the day alone in his room.

That didn't change as he grew. When he was old enough to work, Raeger took on some of the weight of his family's finances. He held three jobs throughout high school, juggling all that he could to give his mother a break. She hardly took one, but he had to try.

Once he took over the restaurant, well, his grandfather was right about staying open.

It wasn't all bad, really. Raeger dated a lot, but he usually wasn't tied down for the holidays, so it wasn't like he was disappointing anyone. At least until this year.

"Merry Christmas, Raeger!"

His head shot up as Corona shuffled up next to him, slipping on the freshly frozen ice. Raeger laughed, raising his hand in greeting, and also in case she fell.

"Merry Christmas," he returned, shifting the bag in his hand to the ground. It was quite heavy, and his shoulder was beginning to ache. "Where's Gunther?"

"At home," Corona huffed, her breath coming out in a thick fog. Her teeth chattered as she tried to collect herself. "We're only just starting to decorate the tree."

"Only now?" Raeger gasped dramatically, clutching his chest in horror. "Corona! How could you?!"

The carpenter's wife rolled her eyes at him, knowing full-well that he and Maya hadn't put theirs up until that morning.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this festive," she commented slyly, unable to contain the endearing quirk of her lips. Raeger laughed, glancing down at himself as if just noticing his outfit.

He was in full Santa Claus gear: red velvet pants and coat, cinched at the waist with a thick, black belt, hardy black leather boots, white gloves, and an absurdly fluffy Santa hat. He even had the bag, dark green and silken.

"What are you talking about?" he prodded, shrugging, "I wear this all the time."

Corona laughed, shaking her head and nodding to the bag instead.

"And do you always carry that around?" she raised an eyebrow knowingly. Raeger conceded with a small blush.

"You caught me," he admitted, blinking shyly. "I'm the new Santa. Call me Tim Allen."

Raeger was hoping Corona would accept the joke and not press. Not that he was hiding anything per se, he was just… a little embarrassed.

The real reason he was dressed like this- and the reason he was carrying around a ridiculously seasonal sack -was of course because of Maya.

He and Maya had been dating for nearly eight months now. It felt like so much longer, and yet no time at all, all at once. Raeger's heart was so full of happiness, every single day felt sunny. He loved Maya with every ounce of his body, mind, and soul.

So of course, for their first Christmas together, Raeger got a little carried away.

A good, thoughtful present or two. That was the idea all along, but when Raeger arrived in the city, bouncing nervously from shop to shop, a wave of unshakeable indecision collapsed on him and he'd bought far more than he intended. When he'd come home, he sorted through it all and tried to decide what he would return, but he'd failed at that too. Maya would love every single thing he picked out, so he couldn't bring himself to get rid of any of it.

Hence the sack.

She would be mad, of course. Raeger was ready for it with the next part of his ensemble: the Santa suit.

He had a plan, obviously, but he couldn't exactly reveal it to Corona. The sheer nature of it would make her blush, or spread rumours, either one. Raeger preferred to avoid both.

Not that it particularly mattered. Corona was more than privy to Raeger and Maya's bedroom antics. That's the price of knowing your girlfriend's best friend.

"Say hello to Maya for me," Corona waved, confirming with a subtle wink that Raeger was right, and she suspected what his plan was. He chose to ignore it, returning her gesture and setting off towards the restaurant.

Raeger truly was blessed. For the first time in history, he would be closed on Christmas day. He wasn't struggling for money anymore, not with the bustling Trade Depot just steps from his front door. Besides, he finally had a reason to.

Maya was upstairs when he came in, as quietly as possible. The dining room was dark, already shut down for the next day. The only light was a soft, golden glow coming from the top of the stairs. Maya had turned on the tree lights.

As swiftly and stealthily as he could, Raeger dropped the sack at his feet and fumbled to take the obnoxious belt off. He'd bought the suit online, and it was a little big for him, but he didn't mind. He really only needed the pants.

The coat followed the belt, and then the gloves. Soon, Raeger wore only the pants, boots, suspenders, and of course the hat. He debated for a moment, flipping the large pompom back and forth across his forehead, before ultimately deciding to take that off too.

Bare chested and hoisting the bag back over his shoulder, Raeger began his ascent.

This was one of his favourite games that he and Maya played. They would often surprise each other with sexy, and just a little bit silly, costumes or ideas that usually led to mind-blowing sex, or at least a memorable laugh. Raeger was hoping for the former with this getup, feeling rather like a male stripper hired for a Christmas bachelorette party.

As he neared the top of the stairs, Raeger began to take heavier steps. He plastered the biggest smile he could muster on his face, and inhaled.

"HO, HO, HO!" he boomed, spreading his arms wide and bursting into the small room. They'd rearranged it for the holidays, so that his bed was nearer the stairs and the tree was situated elegantly in the corner. After a beat of silence, he heard a soft giggle. Raeger opened the eyes he hadn't realised he'd closed.

Maya was kneeling at the base of the Christmas tree, the blinking lights reflecting off of her skin and the silk fabric that was wrapped tightly around her body. She was wearing a short, crimson robe that she'd cinched snugly at the waist, with the neck falling off of her shoulder and giving him a teasing view of her collarbone. The robe was rimmed with a white, fluffy material that ghosted across the skin of her upper thighs and her bared cleavage. Raeger swallowed hard.

As his eyes travelled up, he caught sight of an oversized Santa hat perched delicately on Maya's head, her auburn curls tumbling out of it and framing her angelic face. She'd stained her lips a brilliant red to complete the look, blinking up at him with a false innocence that set his heart racing.

"I didn't expect you to be home so soon," she smiled, pushing herself up off the ground. The robe rippled like river water as she moved, drawing Raeger's attention to the delicate curve of Maya's hips.

"Looks like we both had similar ideas," Raeger smirked, dropping the sack he'd been carrying. Its contents were all but forgotten at this point, with Maya coming to a stop in front of him. She placed her palm gently against his bare chest, trailing her fingertips over his skin and sending excited shivers down his spine.

"I like it when we have similar ideas," Maya winked, toying with his suspenders. Her other hand reached up to wrap around the back of his neck, tugging lightly on the hair at the base of his neck. Raeger knew that meant she wanted him to kiss her- it was a common cue that she used when they were intimate. He obliged, dipping his head to capture her lips.

Maya sighed softly, pressing her body against his. Raeger loved the feel of her warmth, it was the most comforting thing in the world to him. His hands found her waist, squeezing enough to make her hum, when all of a sudden he felt a shock of pain against his chest.

Raeger gasped, a sound that quickly devolved into a surprised groan as Maya snapped his suspenders against him. She grinned, soothing his reddening skin with her hand as he chuckled breathlessly.

"You really are the best gift I could've asked for," Raeger shook his head, his eyes hungry. No matter how many times he had her, it was never enough for him.

"Is that so?" Maya purred, nibbling gently on his ear. Raeger hummed softly, leaning into her touch. "Well then, aren't you going to unwrap me?"

She needn't ask him twice. Raeger's fingers left Maya's waist, moving to the ties on her robe. With a practised hand he rid her of the garment, sucking in a breath as he was met with something other than her naked body.

Underneath the robe, Maya was wearing an intricate pattern of red ribbons that criss-crossed over her body, wrapping around her breasts and pushing them up in a tantalizing display of flesh. Raeger took a moment to appreciate the view, breathing hard now.

"What's wrong?" Maya whispered, trailing her lips across his collarbone. She left open-mouthed lipstick stains where she suckled his skin, all along his neck, jaw, and chest.

"Absolutely nothing," Raeger moaned, reaching around Maya's hips and squeezing her rear. She continued to tease him with her mouth, tugging on the waist of his Santa pants as she pulled them towards the bed.

"I have another gift," she licked her lips, reaching behind her to produce a candy cane striped pair of handcuffs. Raeger almost laughed- it hadn't been the first time they'd used cuffs, and the last time had gone well, extremely well, but there was something almost comical about seeing the brightly coloured pair she held out to him now.

"You won't be grinning like that in a second," Maya warned, pulling off her hat and shoving it on top of his head to disorient him, pushing him onto the bed. Raeger reacted just as quickly, gripping the outsides of her arms and pulling her along with him. Maya yelped, collapsing on top of him as he stole a deep, lingering kiss.

Her legs opened, straddling his hips and slowly grinding against his growing erection. Raeger groaned, tangling his fingers in Maya's mess of curls. With her breasts pressed against him and her thighs squeezing him, he barely noticed when she successfully bound him to the iron headboard.

"What the hell?" Raeger mumbled against her lips, glancing to the iron clamped around his wrist. Maya winked at him, licking her lips with deliberate slowness that made his mouth go dry.

"Oops," she smirked, inching her way down his torso. "I guess you shouldn't have gotten so… distracted." Her lips found every inch of skin that made his heart flutter, a tight coil beginning to form in his abdomen.

Raeger groaned, taking a deep, steadying breath. Whatever Maya had planned for him, he knew he was going to both love and hate it all at the same time. His suspicions were only confirmed when Maya returned to him, pressing her lips against his ear.

"I'm going to do things to you that you'll remember all year long," Maya promised, her palm finding the bulge in his pants. A delicious shudder coursed through his veins; he loved it when she talked dirty to him.

Raeger moaned as she began to stroke him, continuing to whisper lust-fuelled things in his ear. Manipulating him was so easy, she loved every second of it. Maya found the string that bound his pants to him, tugging on it and slipping her hand into his boxers.

He gasped as she gripped him, suckling on the skin beneath his ear. Maya didn't often leave marks on his skin, but he was fairly sure she was going to tonight. As she whispered something about how wet she was, Raeger squeezed his eyes shut.

"Fuck me," He groaned, bucking his hips against her hand. Maya giggled seductively, ignoring his request and continuing to toy with him.

"Not yet," she purred, freeing his erection from his pants. Raeger resisted the urge to pull at the handcuffs- as much as he wanted to touch her, the act she was putting on was so damn erotic.

Carefully, she made her way down his torso again. Raeger watched with hungry eyes as she settled herself between his legs, her hands encircling his sex. She licked her lips again, making sure he knew exactly what she was about to do. The handcuffs rattled behind his head.

"You know, I've always had a thing for half dressed men in Santa hats," Maya blinked up at him, dragging her lips over his shaft at an agonizingly slow pace. Raeger sucked in a breath as she kissed him, licking and suckling as the urge struck her.

God damnit, she's beautiful.

Raeger was lost in the pure, tantalizing feelings coursing through his veins when he felt Maya reach up, her nails raking down his chest. He squirmed, loving the nearly painful sensation.

Another shock of pain. Raeger groaned in surprised pleasure as the suspender settled back into place, leaving an angry red welt in its wake.

"Damnit, that is hot," Raeger panted, the stinging pain contrasted by the sweet waves of pleasure radiating from Maya's lips. She hummed around his shaft, sucking him further into her mouth and swirling her tongue like she was deep-throating a lollipop.

The handcuffs rattled loudly as Raeger pulled against them, every muscle stiff with restraint. One of Maya's ribbons had come loose and was dangling next to her hip- it would be so easy for him to grab it and pull, baring her to him fully. If only he could get his hands free.

He was just contemplating the possibility of forcefully yanking his wrists free when the Santa hat dipped over his eyes.

"What-?" Raeger gasped as Maya's lips found his again, forcing her tongue into his mouth with deliberate urgency.

He sank into the kiss, his eyes involuntarily rolling back in pleasure as he felt every curve of her body press against him. Raeger was pulsating with need, soothed only by her scent, her touch, her taste, whatever part of Maya he could have. Heated kiss after heated kiss took his breath away as he felt his erection slip between her thighs, smearing a wet mess all over both of their skin.

Raeger groaned a string of curses as Maya broke their kiss to breathe, trailing her palms over his shoulders and grinding her hips in tantalizing circles. Raeger's chest was heaving with the effort of keeping himself even remotely under control. Before he'd collected his thoughts, Maya's mouth was against his again, but this time with a barrier.

The hat fell back again, and Raeger realised he was holding a candy cane in his teeth.

The cold sweetness of the candy cane mingled with the intoxicating taste of Maya's kiss, lingering even after she pulled away.

"Keep it between your teeth," she instructed with a mischievous lilt in her voice. "Don't drop it. Don't break it. If you do, I stop."

Raeger's heart clenched, the tightness in his stomach pulsing. He had no idea if he could control himself enough to keep this candy cane in tact with Maya doing whatever she please to him, but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to try.

As she began to rub herself along his length, Raeger's doubts tripled.

Fuck, he squeezed his eyes shut, only to realise he was missing the whole show and opening them again, I'm unravelling already and she's barely done anything.

He felt himself inch slowly inside of her, her warmth spreading through his whole body. Maya took everything painstakingly slow, teasing herself with just the tip of his erection. Raeger tipped his head back, focusing as hard as he could on keeping it together.

Please, please, please, please-

Further, deeper, slower. Sweet, whispered moans were spilling from Maya's lips as she sank onto him, gently rocking her hips in time with his scattered breaths. Raeger felt the candy cane crunch just slightly between his teeth as he felt himself become fully sheathed inside of her.

"Mm… baby~" Maya whimpered, pumping her hips just enough to make Raeger's heart thump painfully in his chest. The little minx knew exactly what she was doing, arching her back to push her breasts forward, forcing him to watch them bounce.

Not that he wasn't watching already.

Raeger groaned, shocks of pleasure shooting through every nerve as Maya picked up her speed, riding him harder with each thrust. His jaw hurt from the effort of keeping the candy cane in his mouth- if she stopped now, he might very well implode.

"Let me touch you," Raeger growled around the candy, yanking on the handcuffs. Her skin called to him, begging him to run his hands over every inch of her body.

"Not a chance," Maya promised, reaching down to touch herself as punishment for his asking. He watched in awe as her fingers circled and swirled, a deep flush of red spreading across her chest.

Maya whimpered softly, pausing in her thrusts to revel in her own pleasure. Raeger's mouth was dry, his eyes dark with hunger. She let her head tip back, her free hand tracing delicate patterns over her breasts.

Oh God he wanted to make her scream.

Raeger couldn't stop himself; he began to roll his hips, encouraging her to move again. Maya complied, picking up the same rhythm she'd had before, but keeping her hand firmly between her legs.

Raeger let loose a string of curses, raising his hips in time with her bounces. He needed more- he was so close, and he'd barely laid hands on her. If only he could break these stupid cuffs-

With a great shudder, he felt himself tighten and then his entire body let go, wave after wave of pleasure crashing over him as his spilled into Maya.

"Fuck," he panted, struggling to catch his breath. Maya smirked down at him, looking particularly pleased with herself as he came down from his high.

"Was it not good for you?" She teased, bending down to kiss him hard on the mouth. He wasn't expecting it, gasping into the kiss with a pleasured grunt.

Before Raeger could become too invested in the kiss, Maya retracted with the candy cane caught between her teeth.

"I'm impressed," she winked, giggling as she put the candy cane back on the bedside table. "I didn't think you'd manage to hold onto it the whole time."

Ignoring Raeger's dumbfounded expression, Maya picked up the key to the handcuffs. She'd had her fun, and judging by the way his muscles tensed beneath her, Raeger was nearly at his limit. If she didn't free him soon, she'd pay for it later. If, that is, she wasn't already going to.

She shimmied up the length of his torso in order to reach the headboard, stretching over him with the handcuff key firmly in her grip.

"I'm going to devour you," Raeger threatened, a dangerous note in his voice that sent a thrill down Maya's spine. She maintained her coy smile, pretending to fumble with the handcuff key. It sounded as though her suspicions were correct- she'd pushed him just a little bit too far. She needed time to collect herself as she stared into Raeger's dark, lusting eyes.

Without warning her wrists were locked in Raeger's firm grip, startling her so badly she dropped the key.

"What-" She squeaked, her heart seizing at the look he gave her.

"Sit on my mouth." Raeger commanded, his voice deep and rasping. Maya's stomach flipped, and for a moment she couldn't move.

"Now."

The tone of his voice left no room for argument, so Maya numbly moved to straddle Raeger's chin. She wasn't sure how the handcuffed one had somehow taken control of the situation, but she couldn't find her voice to argue. He kept a tight hold on her wrists even after she was hovering over him, her heart slamming against her ribs.

"Lower," he demanded, squeezing her wrists. Maya obliged in a daze, gasping sharply as he covered her with a hot, open-mouthed kiss.

"You're going to regret this," Raeger promised, a wicked glint in his eye. Maya had only enough time to suck in a breath as she felt his tongue begin to penetrate her.

"Oh-!" She cried, gripping the headboard with white knuckles. She hadn't found her release earlier, but she'd been tantalizingly close. Now Raeger lapped and suckled her, deliberately avoiding the one place that begged to be touched. His slow, languid ministrations only made her want more, and after a few deep licks she was shaking above him.

"Please," Maya whimpered, her wrists still caught in Raeger's iron grip. She wanted to reach down and pleasure herself, get relief from the pressure building in her abdomen, but Raeger wouldn't relent. Perhaps she shouldn't have teased him quite so much- he'd caught her in a terrible vengeance.

"Say my name," Raeger instructed, circling her with the tip of his tongue. Maya felt her heart seize; he'd never been so demanding with her before, and it was sexy as all hell. She rocked her hips, trying to encourage him to touch her, but he refused.

"Raeger," Maya pleaded, her knees aching. She was soaking wet, her throat dry and needy. "Raeger please,"

One lick. She gasped, arching her back as the quick jolt of pleasure ripped through her.

"Louder."

"Raeger," Maya moaned, her head falling back and her eyes squeezing shut. She cried out as his tongue found her again, swirling delicate circles over her throbbing centre.

"Keep going," he commanded, finally giving her the attention she craved.

"Yes," she agreed breathlessly, moan after moan clawing free from her throat. "Oh, Goddess yes, just like that, please- Raeger-!"

Her words dissolved into a mess of indecipherable sounds as he devoured her- just as he promised. Maya felt waves of pleasure building, threatening to crash over her at any moment. Raeger never relented, her wetness coating his chin and neck as pleasured her.

"Ah- ah-!" Maya cried out, clenching her thighs around his shoulders as her climax washed over her, rendering her speechless.

"Let me out of these damn things."

Raeger's growl met her ears through a thick fog. Still struggling to come down from her high, Maya found the discarded key and fumbled with it as she tried to free him. After a breathless moment, they both heard a click followed by the heavy clang of the handcuffs dropping to the floor.

Maya was flipped onto her back before she knew what was happening, Raeger's mouth dominating hers. She gasped into the fierce kiss, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders.

"I've never wanted you so badly in my damn life," Raeger breathed, slipping easily inside of her with an agonized groan. He was an utter mess; he'd have to fuck her seventeen times at this rate to get even the slightest bit of relief.

Maya cried out, digging her nails into his shoulders. She was as much of a mess, if not more, and could barely keep her thoughts straight. Raeger's thrusts started off jarringly hard, but as his heart began to calm down, he slowed his pace.

Raeger was deliberate now, taking his time to properly pleasure them both as he thrusted. Maya raked her fingers through his thick hair, panting as he suckled the skin of her neck, leaving a dark red mark there for the world to see. He knew she'd be angry with him for that in the morning, but he didn't care.

Maya's legs wrapped around his hips, drawing him deeper inside. He groaned, his palms dragging over every inch of exposed skin that he could reach. Maya was like a drug to him- he could never get enough of her no matter how much he tried. She was intoxicating, and he often found himself lost in her.

His hand found her breast and began to massage, squeezing in time with his thrusts. Maya moaned, pulling his mouth back to hers and kissing him as hard as she could. Raeger knew she was getting close, he could feel it in the desperate way her tongue fought with his. Picking up the pace, his other hand gripped her hip and held her in place. Maya cried out against his lips, shaking violently as she came.

Raeger wasn't far behind. He felt a shudder rip through his spine and then he was right there with her, riding out the waves of his climax just as she was beginning to calm down from hers.

"Fuck," he breathed, rolling them both to the side. Raeger was reluctant to remove himself from her, so he held Maya's legs firmly in place around his hips. She hummed happily, wrapping her arms around his neck and tangling her fingers in his hair.

The light from the Christmas tree cast sparkling patterns over their skin. Maya buried her face in the crook of Raeger's neck, focussing on slowing her breath. They were sweaty, and sore, and would likely hurt in the morning, but for now they were happy. Satisfied, exhausted, and blissfully happy.

The soft hum of Christmas carols drifted in from the window. Neither Raeger or Maya could bring themselves to move, aside from Raeger's fingers gently caressing the small of her back.

"I love you," he murmured against her ear, peppering sweet kissing between his words. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," she smiled, shuffling until her feet were tucked under the bright blue comforter on his bed. Raeger noticed how warm he was- it was as if the room was made of embers, comforting him with their heat.

Somewhere in the middle of everything, his pants had ended up on the other side of the room. He didn't mind; feeling the electricity of Maya's smooth skin against his own was a sensation he would never pass up. Raeger untangled his arm from her for just a moment, long enough to reach down and pull the blanket up to their shoulders.

Maya smiled sleepily up at him as he did so, her mossy green eyes shining in the low light. Raeger held her gaze wordlessly, his mind flooded with how unbelievably lucky he was to have this woman all to himself.

"Merry Christmas Maya," he whispered, kissing her tenderly. Maya hummed happily, huddling against him.

"Merry Christmas," she repeated, sighing as he continued to caress her skin. They would remain there for the rest of the evening, wrapped tightly in each other's embrace.

The end!

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