Christmas Eve was not a fun time to be sent on errands by two annoying roommates after an already long day at work. Two perfectly capable adults who had somehow managed to get the 24th – 26th off from work with access to a second vehicle all day that could have been used to buy the items he had been sent out to obtain. Four hours, that was how long overdue he was to be back in the comfort of the shared apartment. An hour ago he called to tell them he was on his way home only to be sent for another item that had him going to five more stores to find it. They would be lucky if he didn't knock their thick heads together the second he walked through the door. Most people would be happy to have their girlfriend and best friend getting together so well, he wished they were back to barely tolerating one another. That he could deal with but this tag teaming thing they'd started doing since all of them moved in together was wearing on his nerves.

Let's see, there was the time they alternated pranking him every day for a month. The time they tried to see who could scare him the worst in a 24 hour window. It was getting to the point where he was one more unwanted surprise away from living in his car. And he would not be spending nights in the apartment's parking lot, he'd made that mistake once and he wasn't about to have a repeat. He was still finding bits of glitter, silly string, and some weird pink goop in the car.

Pulling up, he honked the horn until the pair came out. They wanted to send him running around on one of the most chaotic days of the year then the least they can go is come down and get the damn bags. Both were quick to collect the bags and rush back into the house before he was more than a step away from the car. Once at the door he found his best friend leaning against the front door with a smirk on his face.

"Hey dude."

Cue the dagger glaring, "Chester…move."

"Come on man, can't we chill out here for a minute?"

"I had an eight hour shift plus four hours of getting shit you and that bitch I call a girlfriend couldn't go get yourselves. I want to go inside and sleep, now move."

The door to the apartment opens inward, so when the redhead opened it the blonde, who wasn't expecting it, fell flat on his back in the living room. "That's the sweetest pet name you're ever given me, now get inside and admire our handiwork. Quit your bellyaching Blondie, ya didn't fall that hard."

"Handiwork?" Skepticism obvious in his voice as he was dragged over his friend into the apartment.

Now they hadn't decorated at all for the season so coming home to find a decorated tree in the center of the living room when there wasn't one that morning was an unexpected surprise. And after several long seconds of silence the brunette turned right back around and walked away from the place.

Thirty minutes later Timmy was once again pulled into the living room by his fiery haired girlfriend with his best friend blocking him from turning tail to run. Knowing he would not be allowed to have a moment of peace until he did so, the brunette looked at the monstrosity that was the new Christmas tree. It was one of those fake, unlit trees about six feet tall with some multicolored lights strung haphazardly around the branches, and a red towel wrapped around the base. No ornaments hung from the tree, instead there were candy canes, some small bows normally put on presents, and strings of popcorn. Some of which was littered on the floor.

"…It's…it's…"

"Not done yet." His girlfriend said quickly.

"What else could you two possible put on it?"

Chester chuckled from the couch. "All of us has to put something special on the tree. Me and Vicky've already decided what we're putting on it so that leaves you to find a topper."

"Can't we just use a star?"

"Boring!" Vicky pulled out some handmade ornaments shaped into various medieval weapons.

Eye brows raised Timmy looked at his friend who was holding up a few older, smaller action figures.

"Seriously?"

"You didn't seriously think we weren't going to do something for the holidays. Now go find something to put on the top." With a shooing motion he went back into the bedroom he shared with his girlfriend to rummage around for some little trinket to act as a star. They wouldn't be happy unless it had held value to him at some point. Minutes later he reemerged to find they'd turned the overhead lights off and turned the ones on the tree on. There were also some plain white lights strung up along the ceiling. Both of them had put their own ornaments on the tree and were patiently waiting for him to finish putting whatever he'd decided on, on the tree.

Stepping back, he was pulled onto the couch to lean on Vicky's shoulder so they could all laugh at the absurd sight that was their tree. Weapons, action figures, candy, and to top it all off, one old faded pink hat.