Welcome!
Author Notes:
All cannon characters and places mentioned belong to The Pokémon Company. All the OCs in here belong to chipotlepeppers. Visit chipotlepeppers' profile for more stories like this one and for background info on these OCs. I also might write more fanfictions in the future, but now (December 9, 2017) I only have three stories posted, this one, Cruise Blues, Playground Crisis, and Z-Charged. You do not need to read all these stories to understand context, though if you want more of these characters, I suggest checking one or two of them out.
I am a new fic writer and nonprofessional so please be kind.
This symbol "~" I use the same way writer WindStar27 uses it—to draw out a voice. So instead of writing 'Pikachuuu', I'll put 'Pikachu~'.
If something doesn't make sense or you have questions, leave questions in reviews and I will answer them via guest review asap. Or you can PM me if you have an account.
This fic will be dived into four chapters plus a short epilogue. It will be about 22, 500 words TOTAL and chapter length will vary.
I would like to get some feedback, so even if you don't like it, leave a review. Just word them kindly, especially if you are responding to someone else's review.
Thank you for clicking!
XOXO
All I Want for Christmas is You
The members of Jay's household are used to Jay's quirks, but this Christmas obsession is unfamiliar territory.
On December 2nd, at five in the morning, Jay was playing 'Jingle-Bell Rock' on the piano. No one disturbed him for a while, so he plugged in the amp…
"Hey! Do yous mind!?" Meowth cried as he ran down the steps. "Don't yous know what time it is?"
"About five," Jay said as he unplugged the amp.
Meowth got up in Jay's face, and we waved a paw in front of him.
"What are you doing?" Jay asked.
"Checkin' to see if yere awake," the cat replied. "Sometimes de weirdos in dis house do funky dings in dere sleep."
"I am wide awake and practicing because it's been years since I played this particular tune, and it might end up being Jezz's favorite thing in the world so I must make sure I can play it perfectly."
Meowth didn't even bother to think twice about Jay's 'explanation' because it made no sense. Instead he sat on the piano keys so that Jay couldn't continue playing.
"If yous really wanna play, go to de Pallet House," Meowth told him.
"I don't have the keys. Do you?"
"I'll pick the lock."
"Awesome!"
Meowth thought about who would owe him what as he tiredly walked to the hotel in the icy air. Jay was all smiles, and that bothered the Pokémon.
"Dis ain't normal, not even for you," Meowth remarked.
"I am going to be extra-cheery this Christmas," Jay happily responded.
"Why?"
"Because of Jezz, and Rosie and Sil, and because soon I won't be able to get away with being a silly kid because I'll be thirteen."
"Yere parents are AT LEAST twenty-seven years older den yous and de still act like silly kids."
"I guesso…but I want to grow up at some point, and it's not like…. it's not…I just want this Christmas to be the best in the world."
"Yere gonna Jynx it if you keep sayin' that. Get it? Jynx it?"
"Yeah, I get it. And I think I will succeed if I put my mind to it."
And that was only the beginning.
As part of his 'official holiday fashion statement', Jay decided that he would only wear red, green, white, and gold clothing. He even dyed his hair red to show is dedication.
"You look like Rumika," said Jocelyn.
"No, because Rumika's hair is 'rocket-red' and mine is 'holiday-red'," Jay said as he straightened it in the mirror.
"It looks the same to me."
"If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it at all. You'll ruin the Christmas spirit."
"It just turned December yesterday. Even I am not ready to celebrate. And I wasn't trying to be mean."
"Fla~" Jocelyn's Flaafy added, backing her point.
"Okay," Jay sighed. "Do you want to see my green color-contacts?"
"Yes!"
Jay hates things going in his eyes, but his philosophy is that fashion sometimes requires pain. He put the contacts in, and for a moment, he and Jocelyn did a double-take.
"Now you look like Jezz," Jocelyn stated.
"Jezz's eyes are 'emerald' and these contacts are 'winter green'," Jay pointed out.
"If you add some pink to that dye, then your hair will be magenta, and then I bet people would have a hard time telling you and Jezz apart."
"Flaafy~."
"I'll save that experiment to another day," Jay decided. "Now, it's Christmastime!"
Amber did a double take too. She had no problem recognizing him, but it was somewhat disorienting. Jessie and James got a kick out of it. They took pictures and Jay happily posed for them. Jay's friend group got to see his new look via social media before Jay even had the chance to send out a group message. Jay uploaded his own photos on multiple accounts and in various holiday frames.
"You already made my day," Amber said as they went to go pick up Jezz for their ice-skating date.
"With my hair?" Jay asked.
"Yup. And your attitude. It's corny but I can't lie, I love it."
Jezz was eager to go ice-skating for the first time ever. Jay was looking forward to teaching Jezz a new skill, but Jezz picked up on it surprisingly easily. At least, it was surprising to Jay. Jezz and Amber both had a hunch that he'd be fine—Jezz tends to master tasks involving balance and coordination well.
Amber and Jay were not pros. They slipped and slid in skewed patterns. Jay attempted to be a gentleman and hold Amber up, but it only made them both fall. Jezz wanted to help but wasn't sure how. Their actions seemed intimate, and Jezz didn't want to intrude.
"I like watching him," Jay said as he watched Jezz from across the rink.
"You like it so much that you can't even stand straight," Amber responded.
"It's true."
Jay's eyes were filled with love. Love for her, for Jezz, for life itself. Sometimes she believed that Jay was the source of all happiness on this planet. Jay is her rock, not just the comic relief in the story of her life. He shapes her. She isn't just the wild archer of the woods or the Pokémon-training daughter of Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower. Amber is Jay's heroine, his shoulder to cry on, his calm sea, his cheerleader, his logic, and occasionally, his mother—when Jessie, Rumika, or Annastasia weren't already doing it. Her identity didn't change because Jezz entered the scene. If anything, he prompted Amber to focus more on Jay that she figured she would have if Jezz hadn't come alone. That's because Jay was showing his vulnerability now more than ever before, and Jay needs her shield—and some chill pills.
Jay happily skated over to her and took both her hands. They spun in a circle. A few moments later Jay motioned for Jezz to join them. He did, and all three spun in a large hoop.
Jay is not the sneaky type, nor is he exceptionally talented on the ice, but he does know few tricks—especially when there is a romantic aspect to it. He managed to get Amber and Jezz to link hands with one another instead of him. He skated backward until he was on the edge of the rink, and he looked back at his friends. He noticed that they were both pleasantly surprised.
"Jay is a great skater," Jezz said as he slowed them down. "He was very graceful."
"He's got a way to him," Amber said vaguely.
"You look good out here too. You always look good, but especially now. It's because of your confidence. You are a confident person and that's beautiful."
Amber smiled and stifled a giggle. His compliments could belong to Jay, for Jay says words like those to her every day, and like Jezz, Jay means them.
"Jay wants me to kiss you under the mistletoe," Amber confided.
"Why?" Jezz asked.
"Because he wants me to date you since he can't."
"He's said that to me before. I like that you and him are open this way, but I am not there yet. I don't want my first kiss to be in front of an audience, even if it's just Jay."
"You seem to think that a first kiss is a big deal."
"I believe it should be private."
"That's not what I said, I said that you seem to think it's a big deal."
She wondered what Jezz was thinking as he stood there wordlessly. He's such a graceful person, except for when she foils him.
"I need you to tell me what you want," Amber firmly stated.
"From you?"
"No, from Santa. Yes, from me!"
"I want you to be my friend. I don't want you to leave me because you think I am pitiful or boring. I don't care if you don't love me as much as you love Jay. I just don't want you to leave me."
"I won't," Amber vowed. "Because I do like you, and so does Jay. I would never shatter Jay's heart by telling him that I don't want to be your friend."
Amber assumed the conversation was done, but then he sighed just loud enough to grab her attention. It wasn't an impatient sigh, so she listened with opens ears and an open heart.
"I hope you understand that I never wanted to invade or intrude on or interfere with the social institutions you all built before we met. I am trying to find my place, still after all this time. I don't think my place is to wedge myself between you.
"That's all in your head. That is not what is happening."
"I fear it might be, if not now, then soon."
"I don't want you to think about competition. It's not you versus Jay, and it won't ever be like that. You are Jezz, not just the straight and bookish version of Jay."
Jezz smiled. He knows in his head and his heart that he would much rather watch Amber fall in love with someone other him if that would make her happy. Yet, the more time Jezz spends around Jay, the more he is convinced that Jay won't ever become chill until he has a boyfriend.
"I hope you know that you don't have to love me for me to be there for you to," Jezz told her.
"I like that. Thanks."
Amber let go of his hands and skated back over to Jay. She thought about how lucky she is to have two people who care about her on such a deep level, and there was pride that went along with it. Most girls, most women, most people don't have anything close to that, but she gets that love and more. Amber told herself that Jay wasn't going to be the only one digging deep into the holiday spirit this winter.
XO
Days passed and the trio formed more and more holiday moments. They roasted chestnuts over a bonfire, baked cookies, decorated gingerbread houses, listened to Christmas music on the radio, bought holiday socks and t-shirts, made snow-globes, ate candy canes, went sledding, read old-fashioned Christmas stories, volunteered at a holiday craft show, watched Christmas movies both animated and live action, and even went to see the play 'A Christmas Carol'. On the nineteenth of December, Jay insisted that the family take the twins to the mall so that they can get photos with Santa and his Stantler. Jay also insisted that his entire family and Amber come.
"You made them elves," Jessie said as Jay pushed the twins' stroller from the nursery to the front door of their home.
"I made all the clothes myself," Jay proudly announced. "I even knitted their teeny boots."
"They are adorable," Jessie responded as she hugged her almost-teenager.
Jay was beaming; he could tell he made his parents proud, again. Every time he let his fashionista side show, it's a reason to celebrate.
Jay, the twins, Jay's parents, Jocelyn, Meowth, and Lucy were planning to meet Annastasia, Michio, Jezz, Logan, Lily, Maya, Keaka, and Amber at the Cerulean Mall.
"Merry Christmas!" Jay shouted when he saw Amber and Jezz near the entrance to Macy's.
"Merry Christmas, again," Amber replied. "Coincidentally, I was just telling Jezz how it's not a traditional Kantonian thing to say 'Merry Christmas' every day in December."
"I didn't believe that it was initially, but you had me confused," Jezz confessed.
"I like how you are still sporting the holiday look," Amber said as she wrapped her fingers around one of Jay's 'holiday-red' locks.
Jay and Amber didn't hesitate to hold hands, but Jezz did. Jay noticed this and pulled Jezz so that he was in the middle with each of his friends on either side. This made Amber uncomfortable, since Jay was usually their middle-man, but she refrained from speaking up. Jocelyn took over pushing the twins' stroller (she and Jay are always arguing over who gets to push it).
"You look so cute Amb," Jay gushed. "If only you would let me fix up your hair…"
"As part of your Christmas present, I'll let you do whatever you want to my hair, face, and clothes," Amber replied.
"You are going to regret that," said Lily. "He's been extra obsessed with Christmas this season."
"I've noticed," Amber said as she poked one of Jay's jingle-bell earrings.
"Do you like these? I was thinking of making clip-on ones for you," Jay said as he removed the earring from its hole.
"You know I don't do jewelry, but for that Christmas dance thing, I'll let you have your fun. You can make me holiday earrings if it will please your soul."
"It will please my soul," Jay affirmed.
"I do not want earrings," Jezz said the moment Jay turned to him, that familiar look of 'please-let-me do-this-for-you' clear on his face.
"I-I know," Jay replied. "I can make you a holiday tie."
"You already made him three," Amber noted.
"You have done more than enough for me," Jezz insisted. "I will soon feel guilty because I don't believe that I am putting as much effort into celebrating as you are."
"Nonsense!" Jay exclaimed as they got into line.
"Mom, I want to hold Rosie for the photo," Jocelyn said when it was almost their turn.
"I want to take a picture with both of them," Jay stated. "Then with just me and Amb, then just me and Jezz, then just me and all my siblings—plus Logan and Lily—then one with my whole family, including Michio and Maya an—"
"This isn't your personal photo shoot," Jessie gently reminded him.
"How about you hold Sil, Jocelyn holds Rose, and Annastasia, Lily, and Logan go on the sides," James suggested.
"It makes sense because we all grew up in the same house," Lily reasoned.
"Technically though, I have spent more time with youth family than the twins have. Not saying that I particularly want to be photographed…" Amber mumbled.
"That's true plus Jezz NEEDS to be in a AT LEAST one photo," Jay emphasized.
"It's okay, truly," Jezz sincerely replied.
Jay compromised to avoid making a scene and got a picture done with all his siblings, then another with Just him, Amber, and Jezz. Before he cried over the photos he theoretically 'lost', Amber reminded him that he owns a phone and can take as many pictures as he wants of them, and that if he really wanted to, he could photoshop in Santa and the extra decorations.
"Jay, is that you?" Santa asked as Jay helped return Rose to her stroller.
"You recognize me?!" Jay exclaimed.
The Santa didn't explain how he recognized Jessie and James and not him because Jay was too emotionally pleased with being recognized.
"I never realized you had a brother," the Santa continued. "Did you clone yourself?"
It was a joke but Jay actually thought he was serious, so he took it upon himself to explain the extremely confusing Morgan-Tonaka-Winchester family history. Amber pulled him away before Santa's head spun and the kids in line started tantruming.
"You already had the same face, now you have the same color hair and eyes," said Logan. "Duh, everyone thinks he's a clone!"
Jay calmly explained the colors' shade differences as everyone but Amber tuned him out. Jay is fun but keeping up with his high spirits can be an energy-drainer. Amber has a lot of energy, which is why she can take him.
Then next 'ginormous-super-awesome-holiday-uber-important' holiday activity was the twins' birthday. At age one, they didn't have an established friend group, but Jay baked them an enormous holiday themed birthday cake anyway—plus one for Michio, since his birthday is also the twenty-second. He painted the twins' faces with edible ink so that they looked like Stantler. His Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram accounts exploded with their photos.
And there was still more that needed to be done because the night after that was the ball.
Ironically, the Junior Holiday Ball was the one event that Jay was not well-prepared for, despite this being a one of the most important events in his young life—according to him. Jay spent a considerable amount of time explaining his distress to Amber.
"I can't believe I don't have a date," he lamented two hours before the venue opened.
"I'm your date," said Amber. "How nice of you to forget."
"You are taking Jezz," Jay responded, as if that were a non-negotiable fact.
"Jezz isn't going."
Jay's heart sunk to the ground. He spent so much time preparing custom made suits and dresses for all his friends, and shopping for everything anyone could possibly need, that he forgot that he never confirmed arrangements with Jezz.
"No…no…no! This can't be happening!" he cried. "Poor Jezz! I've ruined his life!"
"Calm your pants," said Amber. "I talked to him, and he isn't interested. Most of us—all of us—aren't as excited as you are about this."
"I know…but…he must be devastated."
"He's not, I promise. I just called him."
Jay was already dialing when Amber got the last word out. He put on video chat, and panicked when Jezz didn't immediately reply. He nearly burst into tears.
"You can't expect him to run to his phone every time he gets a call," Amber pointed out.
Amber let Jay cry it out for the next three minutes, then Jezz called back.
"Thank God! Mew! Arceus! Someone!" Jay exclaimed once Jezz's holographic image projected from his smartphone.
"I was asleep," Jezz responded. "And my phone was on the other side of my bedroom."
"I am so sorry! Why were you asleep? Are you sick?" Jay asked worriedly. "Is it the coxy-axia?"
"No, I feel fine. I just felt like sleeping," he shrugged.
"Then why aren't you taking Amber to the ball!?"
Jay was making it sound like Jezz was committing a horrible crime, but Amber had warned Jezz that this would happen if he decided to back out, so Jezz wasn't concerned.
"You don't have a date, and you want a date, and Amber would rather take you," he replied.
Amber realized that Jezz couldn't see her from where the camera was pointed. She moved further away so that Jay got the message that she didn't want to be featured in their chat.
"I…I don't need a date. Many people don't have dates," Jay stated.
'Except all of our friends,' Amber said in her head.
"You will have fun," Jezz said reassuringly "And my feelings are not hurt."
"Do you pinky-promise?" Jay asked quietly.
"Yes."
Jay sighed and then bid Jezz farewell. Jay didn't realize this, but the fact that he was distraught over this bothered Jezz far more than the fact that he would be sitting this night out. Amber was relieved that it would be just her and Jay—and hopefully no drama.
XO
+ Next chapter will go more into the ball as well as some other shippy stuff.
+Thanks for reading and a special thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. It means so much:)
