Coldatom Secret Santa
Prompt: Len and Ray are single parents, and they're both desperate for the newest action figure for their child. During a chance meeting at a local toy store, they discover the only place that has the toy in stock is two states over. Cue them deciding begrudgingly to team up on a road trip to get it.
"What do you mean there aren't any left?" Leonard Snart asked in disbelief, "it was released an hour ago and I had one on pre-order," he explained to the customer services representative of the toy store.
"I'm sorry sir, but we sold out and your online receipt states that you had to be here before the dolls were released to the public."
"I ordered it instore, I never got an email." He told the woman. "Look, it's almost Christmas are you getting any more of them in?"
The woman turned to her screen and began typing, "I'm afraid not, but the release in Gotham isn't until next week, I can pre-order you one from there."
"Gotham is across the country," Len said. "I can't get there," he added quietly. There was no way he could get there and back, he couldn't even afford to go, his car was in the shop and his insurance didn't include a courtesy car while it was there. Even when it wasn't, money was a little tighter than usual, and his daughter never asked for anything because although he hated it, she knew, but she'd asked for this one thing. And he desperately wanted to get it for her.
"Excuse me," a voice asked from behind him, he turned to come face to face with another man. "I couldn't help overhear, I'm in a similar predicament myself, I was trying to get the same toy, I don't mind carpooling, I mean, I get it if you don't wanna go with a stranger or anything but it's Christmas right? Um, also you wouldn't have to pay for anything, I promise."
Len couldn't believe his luck, he knew he could afford to at least put towards some of the gas, he was speechless, but the woman needed an answer. He turned to her and nodded for her to order it for him and turned back to the man. "I can't thank you enough."
"Don't worry about it, um, it'll be a few days' trip, I can pick you up later on if you'd like?"
"I, yes, thank you," Len said, still in shock at the kindness of the stranger.
"Don't worry about it, um, here, text me your address, I'll be over in a couple of hours."
"Thank you, so much," he said, he could never repay the man for what he was helping Len give his daughter. Damn, his daughter, he couldn't exactly take her across the country, she had things planned. He called best friend Mick who agreed to have Annalise since his own daughter would be going to the same activities.
"But daddy it's Christmas," Annalise said sadly.
"I promise I'll be home by then, but the mail company is still on strike and daddy has to go out of town to send this letter to Santa." Len told her. Annalise sighed, she was a smart kid, and she had figured out early on that Len bought her presents, but she went along with it because seeing her believe in something made her dad happy.
"OK," she said.
"Besides you re gonna have the best time in the world with your uncle Mick and cousin Aideen."
"OK, but wait here a minute."
"OK," Len said, Annalise ran to her room and back again with her hands behind her back.
"Daddy," she said.
"Yes sweetie?"
"I want you to take Scotty with you," she said producing her bear dressed in a red Star Trek shirt, "in case the car breaks again, he can help you fix anything," she told him. Len looked at the bear for a second. She loved that bear and never slept without it.
"Don't you want him here with you?"
"I want you to take him. Just in case. Please?"
"OK sweetie, I will," he said kneeling he took the bear and hugged her tightly. Someone knocked on the door, "that'll be uncle Mick, go open the door," he told her picking up his jacket and bag and the bear.
"Daddy it isn't uncle Mick." He quickly made his way down the stairs to find the man from the store in the doorway. "Are you driving my daddy to drop off my Christmas letter? Please make sure he gets back for Christmas."
"Hi, um, this is my daughter, Annalise," he said.
"Hi, Annalise, I'm Ray and I'll do my very best to make sure he gets home for Christmas, OK?"
"Thank you," she smiled. "Uncle Mick!" She shot past Ray and into Mick's arms.
"Hey cutie, ready to go? Aideen and Axel want to make cookies and could use your help," he told her. Annalise nodded as Len greeted Mick warmly and handed over her bag. Len watched them go as Ray put his bag in the trunk of his car. It was a nice car.
As they set off Len didn't really know what to make of Ray, he could tell he was rich, but clearly generous if he was willing to drive a stranger cross country for a doll. He recognised him, but he couldn't place him. He was sure it would come to him.
Ray's car was warm so he forwent his jacket and strapped in, "nice bear," Ray said, "Star Trek right?"
"Yeah, it's my daughters, she calls him Scotty and says he'll be able to help out if the car breaks, mines in the shop being fixed," Len explained.
"That's really sweet. OK I called ahead to some motels, so we have places to stay, we should get there in a few days and back on the 23rd." Len nodded.
"Thank you, again, I, I can't tell you how much this means to me."
"Don't worry about it, it's Christmas. You're just a dad, like me, trying to make his kid happy." Ray said smiling. Len smiled because Ray was right, they were the same.
They were nearing their first stop, it was dark and the snow was really coming down on the windscreen. Len was reading the map carefully as the snow was interfering with the SatNav signal. They arrived at their motel without incident and checked into their rooms, they agreed to set off early to avoid the worst of the snow which was to come and said 'goodnight' early.
The next evening went off with slightly more of a hitch. They arrived at the motel and went to book in. "Hi I have a booking under Palmer?"
"Yeah, one minute," the man said looking typing at the computer, "room 7, please return keys by 10 and let us know what we can do to make your stay more special."
Ray stood confused. "I booked 2 rooms."
"Not according to this, who did you speak to on the phone? Old sounding?" Ray nodded, "my father-in-law, his hearing ain't what it was. Sorry guys, it's the only room, we're full tonight," he said apologetically.
"OK, thank you," Ray said, hoping there was a couch in the room. There wasn't.
"We can be adults about this," Len said, "it's not a bad sized bed. Or I can sleep in the car, I've slept in one before, more comfortable then you'd expect." He offered.
"What? Don't be silly you'll freeze out there, you're right, we can be adults. Come on, let's go get dinner, I'm fed up of gas station snacks."
"I hear you there," Len agreed.
They found a diner a little up the road and ate there, it was the kind of stuff Len was raised on, when his dad would take him on stakeouts because of his precision and timings, diner food was his reward. He used to sneak it into his pockets in a napkin to share with Lisa when she was old enough. She always loved the treat. It was sad but it was some of his nicest memories of his father and he could count them on one hand. It was all downhill from there really.
Len paid for dinner, he insisted it was the least he could do for what Ray was doing for him. They returned to the motel and got ready for bed, laying as far away from each other as possible in the bed, they turned away and said their goodnights, Ray setting his alarm for the morning.
As Ray hit his alarm the next morning he could feel a weight across his torso and smiled briefly before realising it was Len, the man he was helping out. He eased out of Len's reach and locked himself in the bathroom when something caught his attention, he was hard, he swore, it couldn't be more inappropriate. Jumping in the shower he took care of himself blushing as he thought of the man in the bed just outside the bathroom. He was attractive, but Ray knew he couldn't let his feelings or whatever control his life, he had his son to think about. His son, he paused splashing cold water on his face. His son Leo was the reason he was making this journey.
Leo was 3 and he liked playing with dolls. Which for Ray, was fine, there was nothing wrong with it. His overly conservative family however… Did not look so kindly on it. His stupid brother and sister-in-law had already forced him to find a new day care, lest their little boy be exposed to another little boy playing with dolls. Ray hadn't spoken to his brother since, he still spoke to his mother and father, but rarely. He had refused to leave Leo with them, he was staying with his friends Laurel and Tommy and their little girl Ella.
He pushed his son from his mind and dressed, thankfully having left his bag in reach of the bathroom door. Len was awake and dressed by the time he was ready, rubbing the sleep from his eyes Len smiled at him, he couldn't have known, Ray thought.
They returned the keys and got on the road quickly stopping at another diner for breakfast a couple of hours later. "Are you OK?" Len asked him as they sipped their coffee, waiting for their food.
"Yeah, I just miss my kid, never been away from him this long before."
Len nodded, "I miss my daughter too, so you have a son?"
"Yeah," Ray fished his phone from his pocket, "Leo," he showed his lock screen, a picture of the little boy smiling widely, Len could see a clear resemblance.
"He looks just like you."
"Yeah, except the eyes, they're all his mother." Ray said fondly.
"How long have you been together?" Len wondered having seen no wedding ring.
"She died when he was a baby, we weren't married, she was a friend, my whole life, my best friend, she asked if I'd help her have a baby, I'm gay but I agreed, we planned a shared custody and everything and then… You remember the Slade Wilson attacks?"
"Yeah," Len said, he and Annalise were fortunate enough to be out of town.
"It was my week with him, he was 10 months old and I was taking him to Coast City to visit my grandfather, his mother was attacked, she died in hospital a week later. It crushed us. I never saw any attraction to a girl ever before or since but God I loved Anna. So much." He said, blinking back tears, "sorry."
"Don't be, you shouldn't apologize for missing a loved one."
Their food arrived and Len and Ray shared a smile.
Back on the road they drove for hours, taking it in turns so there were no accidents, following Ray's satnav.
When they arrived at their third destination Ray checked in and was pleasantly surprised to find a decent Wi-Fi signal so he checked the news and found an article from a few hours previous, their breakfast stop, it was him and the back of Len's head, and the headline read 'Palmer enjoys romantic breakfast with mysterious stranger.' He scoffed and rolled his eyes, that morning was anything but romantic. They had been seen in the bar the night before and leaving the same motel. He stopped for a moment when he realised Len could see this and get the wrong idea. He cleared the laptop history and put it away as Len exited the bathroom, ready for bed, they had been driving until late so they weren't going out that night. Ray hoped they hadn't been tailed, more pictures of them sharing a room. At least this one had two beds in it.
When Len woke the next morning Ray was already in the shower, he checked his phone to see a message from Mick to call him. He did, "Mick, hey everything OK? Is it Annalise?"
"No she's fine just wondered what the truth was with this article?"
"What article?" Len asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"The one of you and that guy walkin' into a motel readin' 'Palmer spends second night with mystery man.' Mystery man is you by the way."
"Send it to me." Len said, "Palmer, as in Raymond Palmer?"
"The very same."
"I knew I recognized him," Len said quietly. His phone vibrated, the article arrived.
"There's another from yesterday, two of you eating at some diner."
"OK, I'll talk to him, the last thing I need right now is getting mixed up with something like this. Thanks for letting me know, how's she holding up?"
"She's good, she's eatin' cereal if you wanna talk to her."
"Sure put her on."
"Hi daddy" she yawned, Len smiled, his daughter was not a morning person.
"Hey baby, you having fun with uncle Mick and Axel?"
"Yeah, but I miss you, when are you coming home?"
"Soon baby, we have to go all the way to Santa."
"Daddy, if I said I don't believe would you come home quicker?" Len's heart broke.
"Sweetie I have to level with you, I'm going to get you a Christmas present, you're my sweet girl and you never ask for anything but daddy really wants you to have this, so believe in me OK?"
"OK," she said sadly. "I love you."
"Love you too baby." Annalise hung up the phone and Axel was probably giving her a soothing hug, Len thought he could really use one about now. His little girl just said she'd stop believing to have him back. Tears slid over his cheeks and he threw his phone to the floor, dropping his face to his hands.
"Everything OK?" He jumped a little at Ray's voice.
"Yeah um, just spoke to my daughter," Ray sat beside him. "She asked if she told me she didn't believe in Santa would I come home early."
"I'm really sorry to hear that," Ray said, he was shocked, the little girl he met couldn't have been more than six, how could a kid her age not believe in Santa?
"She's a smart kid, and I know she knows, we aren't the most… Well off, my business got destroyed during the Slade Wilson stuff and it's been tough ever since, the insurance company refused to pay damages, that's why she never asks for anything, ever, and when she asked for this one thing I couldn't deny it to her. I want to be able to give her the world and right now I can't and that hurts." Len sighed, "I'm sorry for dumping that on you, but when you offered to bring me I couldn't believe my luck, you're a really good guy and I can't thank you enough for this."
"You don't have to, seeing you make your daughter happy is enough for me. I'm trying to make my son happy."
"What's he like?"
"He's the sweetest little thing you've ever met, he just loves to make people happy, the Christmas after we lost his mother I took him with me for her favourite tradition, we take toys to the children in hospital, he just wants everyone to be happy. Leo plays with dolls, that's why I'm going to get this toy, my parents and brother don't approve and tell him all the time there's something wrong with him, but I keep telling him, 'don't listen, you play with whatever you want, there's no such thing as a girl or a boy toy.' And then he smiles. But I just want to show him it's OK, my sister-in-law had him kicked out of his day care centre for it. Explaining why broke my heart but he's perceptive, he'd know if I were lying."
"You're a good father," Len said smiling.
"You too," Ray smiled back. "We should really be getting off soon, but, um, hug it out?" Len chuckled and nodded.
On the road again they made short stops at gas stations until nightfall, they were nearing their destination but wouldn't make it for another three hours. There was another room mix-up but the pair didn't seem to mind, they had grown very close.
"I think we need to talk," Ray said as they prepared to go out for food.
"The articles?"
"There's more than one?"
"Yeah, a third one popped up this afternoon." Len told him handing over his cell phone.
"For crying out loud, my dad is gonna kill me, he knows I'm gay but asks I be discrete." He rolled his eyes.
"So what do we do?"
"The only thing we can do is ignore them, we know it isn't true, they'll get bored soon, try not to worry about it." Len nodded and they went out for dinner before bed.
The next morning Ray woke to his alarm wrapped around Len who also woke up, "I am so sorry," Ray stammered.
"Relax, it was an accident, it happens." Len shrugged and Ray went to the bathroom first, shamed to realise he was once again hard. He reminded himself it was a perfectly natural reaction to being wrapped around an attractive man.
Few words were spoken as they made the last part of their drive into the City of Gotham. They went straight to the toy store, they had minutes to spare before the cut-off point of their pick up. Deciding it better to stretch their legs a little Ray said he knew where they could leave their stuff. He had a penthouse in the city which he used for business traveling.
They dropped off their things deciding it would be better for them to stay the night and take a break from driving all together.
Ray and Len relax in the penthouse and get ready to go out for the evening, the gifts safely stored upstairs. They find a small hidden place; a small neon umbrella is their only indication it exists. Inside is the opposite of outside, it's lavishly decorated and there's a jazz band playing on the stage. A girl behind the bar took their order with a wink and their drinks are placed in front of them on a napkin.
"To making our kids happy," Ray said holding his drink between them. Len smiled.
"To makin' 'em happy."
Ray wasn't sure how they got onto the topic that lead to their current state but he wasn't complaining. Len had him pressed against the inside of the door of his penthouse, the way he'd had Len against the walls of the elevator bringing them to their floor. "This would be more comfortable somewhere else," Ray said breathlessly as Len turned his attention to his shirt and chest. Ray pushed off of the door and pulled Len by the wrist to his room where he turned and claimed Len's lips once more.
Backing up they tumbled onto the large, soft bed, Ray straddled Len's stomach and kissed him, removing their shirts with his hands. Ray littered kisses down his chest, sliding to his knees on the floor as he tugged open Len's jeans, kissing the bulge there. Len moaned but his mind wandered to the future. Ray was a successful man, there was no way this would continue and even if they tried, could he do that to his daughter? His daughter, the reason he was here. "Wait," he said as Ray had his hands ready to pull off his jeans. "I'm sorry, I can't do this," he sat up and searched for his shirt.
"Len?"
"No, I'm sorry Ray, I can't do this to her?"
"Do what to who?"
"This to Annalise, I can't sleep with you and get her hopes up about me meeting someone," he slipped his arms back into the sleeves of his shirt, "I'm really sorry."
"Len slow down, what's the matter?"
"I- You- Us? It could never work in reality, you own a multi-million-dollar company and I'm struggling while to raise funds to reopen a bakery, I can't get her hopes up or expose her to another life she can never realistically have right now. I mean you're doing a really nice thing for me and I can never repay you but let's face it, we can never be together, realistically." He said sadly, "I should go-"
"We could make it work." Ray said dejected.
"Maybe in another world," Len replied quietly. He climbed off of the bed and Ray didn't try to stop him as he left the room. In his own room he swore and cursed his sensibleness and got in his shower before going to bed for an uneasy night of rest.
Back in his room Ray was shocked by what had just happened. Where in the world would Len get the idea Ray would just abandon him like that? He thought they had something. He must have been wrong. Though maybe Len had a point, could he bring someone else into Leo's life? Someone he technically just met? Damn, Oliver was right, he could be impulsive sometimes. Ray got ready for bed, but sleep did not come easy.
The next morning was tense and uneasy, they ate breakfast Len had made in silence and silently agreed to get ready and just go. Ray called ahead to more motels, estimating about a three night four-day journey home. Home, he thought, back to his son. He quickly facetimed Laurel and asked to speak to Leo. "Hey buddy, daddy just finished work and I'll be back in a few days," he said.
"In time for Christmas?"
"In time for Christmas," Ray smiled assuring him.
Leo cheered, "Ella my daddy is coming home for Christmas!" He could hear the smile in his voice.
"OK, I gotta go though, OK?"
"OK, daddy, love you."
"Love you too."
Their first day was silent and awkward, they were both thankful there wasn't a mix-up with their rooms again. Neither was sure they would survive it. Len declined Ray's invitation to a Diner for dinner, claiming he wasn't hungry and was turning in early. Ray sighed as he laid in his own bed, he'd fucked up what could have been a great friendship.
The next morning, they set off, returning their keys. Len was driving first, Ray sitting in the passenger seat nervously. "Something on your mind?" Len asked.
"Not re- Kinda," he replied.
"Feel like sharing?" Len pressed.
Ray sighed, "I just feel like I screwed up the other night-"
"Ray we're consenting adults, we both wanted it or we wouldn't have started anything."
"Not that. I mean letting you go."
Now it was Len's turn to sigh, "We've been over this-"
"No, you freaked out and said some stuff, Len I-, I think we could work."
"Raymond-"
"No, hear me out a minute, because I've been thinking about this for days now and my head may explode. OK, so I think we could work because let's face it, we clearly have feelings for each other."
"Ray it's not just about us though, it's about our kids."
"You mean our amazing kids that we love and would protect no matter what?"
"Exactly and that's what I'm doing I'm protecting Annalise from me and my bad decisions again."
"Again?" Len sighed, he'd said too much. "Len what do you mean again?"
"When she was 2, I met someone, Todd, he was great and I let him in, I let him meet her, he had a kid of his own, a girl, older than Annalise. Things got serious, pretty quickly, we moved in with them, he was between jobs so he looked after her while I went to work. Our lives seemed perfect, I should have known something was wrong but I was blinded. One night I came home, Annalise was and his daughter were nowhere to be found and the house was trashed. I called out for them, I found them in a barricaded closet upstairs. They were crying and shaking. His daughter, her name's Abigail, she told me about her dad's gambling problems, he'd lost a big pay out, freaked out, Abigail grabbed Annalise and hid, she said he could be violent when he was like that." Len paused.
"What happened?"
"I called my sister, she was a rookie cop at the time, her then partner was now Captain Lance, his oldest daughter got an emergency remove from care order and we went to my sister's, she was dating Lance's other daughter, he wasn't too happy with that but there was nothing he could do about it," he said smiling, "anyway, turns out Todd was wanted for a string of robberies and he'd been investigated before when Abigail's kindergarten teacher raised suspicions about bruises, but nothing came of it. Sorry, I'm getting off topic, because of my situation social services wouldn't let me take in Abigail, Sara, my sister's girlfriend said they'd look after her. They adopted her officially last year, but Todd, he was furious, he's in prison, and doesn't know who has his daughter but Annalise was different afterwards. She's really aware, she knows. The last time I started seeing someone she had a panic attack when I introduced her to them. I can't put her through that. I'm her dad, I'm supposed to protect her."
Len went silent and Ray was lost for words. "I-"
"Y'see Raymond, I can't and won't hurt my little girl again. No matter how much I really want to be with you, she comes first."
"Len I know we just met but I would never put you, either of you through that, you have to know that."
"I do, but Raymond, what happens when your parents find out, or your friends?"
"I barely talk to my parents since the incident with Leo and day care, and my brother, well he isn't on the speaking to list either. Len I would never do anything to hurt you, or your daughter," Len sighed and pulled into a gas station.
"Look, I'm not saying a definite no, but it isn't a yes either."
Ray smiled to himself as they filled the car and switched so he was taking a turn driving. Ray didn't push the subject of giving this thing, whatever it was, a try and Len was thankful. They arrived at their motel and checked in, into separate rooms and freshened up before heading to a nearby bar for some food, in Ray's opinion, the best kind of food.
They left the bar with rosy glows in their cheeks in the cold weather and walked back to the motel through the town. It was quiet out, despite being early. Len paused outside his room and turned to Ray, tentatively he reached out and threaded together their fingers, leading Ray inside with a smile. Ray closed the door and stepped up to Len, who he was just about taller than and lowered his lips to Len's. Len's arms slipped around his waist and his hands slide up over his hips and biceps.
Ray deepened the kiss holding Len around the waist, fingers brushing up Len's spine, lifting his shirt. Len moaned, Ray's fingers were cold against his skin. He stroked up Len's back and over his shoulders, sliding to his knees as his hands slipped lower to undo Leonard's belt. He stroked Len's cock through his underwear and reached into the waistband to stroke it in his hand. Len's fingers moved through Ray's soft hair as Ray took his cock into his mouth. Len released the breath he was holding as Ray licked the underside of his cock.
Len focused his attention on staying stood while Ray sucked his cock like it hadn't been sucked in a long time. "Ray, fuck you gotta stop," he said heavy and breathless. Ray let his cock fall from his lips and looked confused up at Len who bent at the waist to cup his face and kiss him again. Ray stood and they parted undressing, each trying not to look eager. "Shit, I don't have-" Ray shot him a look and pulled a small bottle of lube and a couple of condoms from his pocket.
"The machine in the bar was well stocked."
"How do we do this?"
"Fuck me this time, we can switch another time," Ray said handing over the bottle and foil and Len shuddered at the promise of doing this again. Len nodded tossing them in easy reach on the bed. Ray, now naked, sat on Len's bed and Len pushed him gently by the shoulder he lay down and move up the bed, kneeling on the floor. He uncapped the lube and applied it liberally to his fingers, he could sense Ray getting nervous and wanted to make it easy on him. He pushed Ray's legs apart and stroked over his hole with two fingers.
Ray moaned and pulled his legs wider if only so he had something to do with his hands. Len's finger breached his hole and a moaned loudly as Len's finger sank in deeper. "You OK?" He asked.
"Yeah," Ray breathed, "just, just uh, give me a sec," he said, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. He slowed his breathing and gave the go ahead. Len stretched him slowly, his thick calloused fingers dragging against Ray's puckered rim. Ray was barely holding it together as Len added a second and third finger to stretch him. His leaking cock was heavy against his stomach muscles, remaining untouched, Ray didn't dare, he knew this would be over quick once Len was inside of him. "Fuck Leonard, just fuck me please," he moaned as Len's fingers slid slowly out of him.
Len's fingers left him and he heard the muffled rip of foil and Len pushing his hip. Quickly he rolled the spare condom onto his own length, wanting to keep mess to a minimum. He rolled over onto his knees and Len nudged him further up the bed. He felt a hand stroke of her ass and knees knock his own wider apart. He felt the blunt tip of Len's cock rub against his ass and cold lube being poured over.
Ray breathed deeply as he felt Len press his cock inside of him, pulling a pillow to him to rest on, cursing as Len slid into him slowly. It seemed to go on forever, he moaned feeling the ribbed condom against his skin and insides. He felt Len's hips come to a stop against his ass and released a breath. "Oh fuck," he groaned, "Len you gotta move," he said and Len complied, pulling back out of him, only by half before coming to a stop.
"You OK Raymond?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm good, I just need a minute," he said, his forehead to the cool side of the pillow.
"Alright," Len said, trying to be still, Ray's ass was tight around him, he needed to take this slow if he wanted to last.
"OK," Ray said after a long, torturing moment, "you can move," his voice was straining. Len moved slowly, pushing forwards into him, deciding on slow shallow thrusts, gradually giving him more of his cock, working his way up to longer thrusts, gently adding to his speed. Ray's hand slipped between his legs to stroke his own cock. Len leaned over Ray's back, their bodies connecting as he fucked into Ray, his lips pressing kisses to Ray's shoulders. Len could feel the tight coiling in his stomach, his orgasm hit, intense like nothing he'd ever felt, his ass contracting around Len's cock. Len kept fucking into him until his came a minute or two later, careful not to fall onto Ray he pulled out and laid beside him to catch his breath.
The remaining nights of their journey followed a similar fashion. They would check into their single double room, go to a nearby bar or diner, then have hot, intense sex like they'd been apart for weeks.
Eventually they saw a signed for Starling City and Len knew this fairy-tale would come to an end. Ray pulled up outside of Len's house. Mick would bring Annalise over later, so they were alone. Ray leaned across the seats to kiss him deeply. They had made plans to meet up in the coming weeks after Christmas.
"What're you doing tomorrow, Christmas Eve?"
"Nothing, probably baking cookies for Santa."
"Would you and Annalise like to come to the hospital with me and Leo, we take toys and read to the kids on the wards."
"That would be nice." Len smiled.
Len collected his things and Annalise's Christmas gift and went inside after one last lingering kiss. Mick brought Annalise back just as he had finished wrapping her gift when he realised his mistake, he'd left Scotty in the back seat of Ray's car. He tried calling but the line was busy, so he left a message right before Annalise leapt into his arms.
"I missed you," she said to him.
"I missed you too, but we found Santa and delivered your letter personally."
"Thank you, daddy."
The next day Len and his daughter baked cookies for Santa in the morning and spent the afternoon watching a How the Grinch Stole Christmas together as it continued to snow heavily out of the window.
He had arranged for Ray to pick them up just after six but he was running late and there was no text of explanation. He was getting anxious. He was about to tell Annalise to take off her coat when someone knocked at the door. He opened it and found Ray and a small boy shivering in his arms with a bear. "Are you OK?"
"My car broke down in the snow, but Leo found this little guy by his car seat," Annalise's eyes widened. "And he helped us fix the car, told Leo exactly what was wrong. I believe this belongs to you."
"Scotty," she smiled hugging him tightly.
"Come inside and warm up, I'll make hot chocolate, Annalise turn up the thermostat a little."
"OK." His daughter hurried off holding her bear in her arms.
"Leo right? Do you like cookies?" He nodded, "Annalise and me made some earlier would you like one?" He nodded again as his dad pulled off his hat, revealing his fluffy hair, a mirror image of his father. "come on, I'll warm one up."
Len lifted Leo onto one of his high chairs so he could sit at the bar and warmed him up some hot chocolate and a cookie. Annalise arrived back and Ray lifted her to sit by Leo as they ate and drank and warmed.
Once they were warm they wrapped up again to get to the hospital before lights out, Annalise was excited to give out the toys to other children and make them happy. The kids fell asleep on the drive back to Len's and the adults talked quietly in the front of the car. "What're you doing tomorrow?" Len asked.
"Nothing special really, just a quiet Christmas."
"You could join us if you like, me and Annalise, my sister can't make it this year, her father-in-law took them away with a trip he got from the department raffle."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it'd be nice, they get on well, if we're going to do this we should really give it a go."
"I'd like that. Thank you." Ray smiled.
"I'm no chef though, don't expect anything too amazing."
"I won't."
The next morning Len was woken by a very excited Annalise. "Daddy he was here, Santa came!" She called out excitedly. Smiling he forced himself out of bed and followed her down stairs. She opened her presents excitedly thanking him for each one leaving the last one she crawled under the tree and brought out a box, neatly wrapped and presented it to him.
"Happy Christmas daddy."
"For me?"
"Mmhmm. I saved my allowance money and Uncle Mick took me shopping while you were gone."
"That's really thoughtful sweetie, should I open it?" She nodded proudly. He unwrapped the gift and got a box. Opening the box, he found a book.
"It's a rare edition of the Arthur Conan Doyle books with his annotations in the margins."
"Sweetheart," he was speechless, this must have cost her a fortune. "Thank you, so much," he pulled her into his arms. "I love it," he smiled. "Now for your special present, go get it," he smiled as she rushed to pull her remaining gift from under the tree. She opened it with care and her face lit up as she found the doll she had asked for.
"Thank you, daddy!" She cried running to hug him.
"You're welcome baby," he smiled and kissed her hair.
Ray and Leo arrived later on in the day after Len had started cooking dinner. Annalise was watching a movie on the TV and Leo joined her, Ray helped him cook.
They found themselves almost sharing kisses when they heard giggling. They looked up to see their children laughing from the door. "What's funny?" Ray asked. The children pointed. Mistletoe.
"Who put that there?" Len asked and Annalise raised her hand.
"You know the rules daddy. You two has to kiss."
"Rules is rules," Leo added giggling. Len shrugged and Ray smiled pressing their lips together, leaping apart as the timer for the turkey sounded much to the amusement and delight of their children.