Ghosts Of Christmas Past
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The town hall was a buzz with activity as the residents of Lazy Town packed themselves into the chairs about the stage.
"Welcome Everyone to the Father Christmas Talent show ! " Bessie beamed. "We certainly have a busy night planned and many wonderful entries, so without further ado let's begin. We'll start by taking a look at tonight's contestants.
Up first tonight, Jives and Wooster Sauce, followed by Pixel and Pascal Adobe, then Trixie and Travis Tyranous ,then Goggi and Gus Mega, followed by, Stingy and his father Thrifty Spender and bringing up the rear we have Ziggy Swartz and Sportacus and finally Stephanie Meanswell and Robbie Rotten."
The audience clapped as the names were announced, and the curtain went up.
"Ok starting things off we have Wooster and Jives with their amazing speed cooking demo" Bessie announced. "Lets see what these two little elves are going to make us."
Father and son rushed onto the stage dressed up in matching green elf suits. The crowd hooted with laughter.
"Elves do not dress like that !" Sportacus muttered indignantly from his seat.
"shhhhhh" Robbie said.
A temporary kitchen had been set up on stage and the two wasted no time with their speed baking demo. Working like a well-oiled machine they soon had several plates of warm delicious cookies set before the judges.
" Ta-da !" Wooster beamed.
"Cookies for everyone..!" Jives said walking into the crowd and handing out the delicious treats.
"Ok everybody.." The mayor said, brushing off cookie crumbs from his shirt. " Thank you Wooster
and Jives those were lovely... and now for our next entry we have Pascal and Pixel. "
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Pascal shouted walking on to the stage. "..we give you..."
"Santa's robotic reindeer !" Pixel shouted, dashing out after him.
Father and son each held a small remote and after a series of clicks, eight little mechanical reindeer pranced out on to the stage. The two of them put the deer through their paces, getting them to perform a variety of tricks for the crowd. With a grand bow, Pascal and Pixel strode off stage reindeer in tow, as the audience clapped loudly.
"Now ladies and Gentlemen, it wouldn't be Christmas without a touch of magic, here to amaze you is Travis and Trixie with their amazing magic show.
Trixie strutted out on stage, jumping up onto a box as her father waved a wand flinging a bright red blanket over her and making her disappear into thin air. The crowd gasped.
"Relax folks we'll bring her back.." Travis assured the audience. With a flash of Christmas lights and a loud bang , Trixie reappeared once more as if she'd never left.
The young girl bounced down from the box a smile on her face. "….now for our next trick... if some members of our audience would be so kind to donate some of their valuables, a watch, a ring... we will make them disappear." She gave a wide grin.
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"Ok, well a big thank you to Travis and Trixie... that was certainly a very enlightening magic show. Perhaps you can have those items you made disappear, REAPPEAR before the end of the show... right Trixie.."
"hee hee ... alright" the young girl chuckled.
"Our next entry is—" Bessie began.
"We're next ! we're next !" Goggi cried bounding onto the stage "….behold our masterpiece Robo-Santa !"
The crowd was silent, blinking up as Gus and Goggi revealed their Robo Santa.
"Observe" Goggi said as he jumped up onto the robots lap. The machine came to life, bright red eyes blinking on as the head turned to the boy.
" HO HO HO ...HO HO HO... Nice list." It said in an eerie tin voice dropping a candy cane in Goggi's lap.
"See it can tell you if you're naughty or nice..." Goggi beamed.
"Cool ! lemme try that!" Trixie cried jumping up.
"HO Ho Ho naughty list" it cried, dropping a bag of rocks into the girls hands before ejecting her from its lap.
"yahh!" Trixie cried, falling to the floor.
"Oh ...um...well..." Bessie stammered glancing up at the creation. "…what a marvelous er... creation..."
"Robo-Santa.." Trixie snapped " ..more like Robo-Satan..."
From his place behind the stage Robbie glanced out " Yikes..! look at that thing ..."
"It's not that bad..." Stephanie said uncertainly, wincing at the creepy robot.
"Ya right Pinky...wish me luck with the nightmares.." Robbie said dryly.
"O-kayyy …um... thank you Goggi and Gus for that... er...interesting take on Santa Claus" Bessie smiled. "..and now for our next entry we have—"
SCREECH
A loud shrieking sound came from the side of the stage.
"Oh my stars... what on earth !" the mayor cried, looking behind the curtain. Stingy dashed forward.
"Here we are with MY Christmas Sleigh,.." he announced.
" Very nice dear and what is the sleigh for..?" Bessie asked.
" To help carry all my gifts of course.." The boy answered.
"unnn ….." Thrifty strained pushing the sleigh onto the stage.
"Come on Dad...hurry up with My sleigh..." Stingy called.
"Umm Sportacus would you please give them a hand.." Bessie intervened. The elf nodded, giving the sleigh a push and bringing it forward onto the stage.
"Wow it's beautiful Stingy.." Stephanie breathed as the lights and tinsel on the sleigh twinkled and shone.
"I know and it's all MINE " he smirked.
"Well what good's a sleigh without reindeer..?" Pixel snorted.
"Oh ya, well what good is a sleigh or reindeer without a Santa..?" Goggi spoke up.
"Oh don't start you two" Trixie sighed. "..besides.. Christmas ain't Christmas without a little magic...
"oh yeah..?"
"yeah!"
"OK, everybody to their seats please" Bessie called "..thank you Stingy and Thrifty the sleigh was very nice…. Even if it didn't do anything.."
"Everybody seems to be forgetting the true meaning of Christmas, Stephanie" .. Ziggy sighed
"Don't worry Ziggy, you get up there and show them..."she smiled, helping her friend to the stage.
"Thanks Stephanie" Sportacus said lifting Ziggy up and behind the curtain.
"Ok Ziggy our turn now, you ready..?" he asked, helping the boy into his costume.
"I'm a little nervous Sportacus" the young boy gulped.
"Just remember the snowmen Ziggy.. " Sportacus whispered, pulling on his own costume.
"And now Ziggy and Sportacus with a Christmas song and dance routine."
"Alright Ziggy here we go, ..melt their hearts." Sportacus said as he trotted out to the stage. The lights dimmed and the audience was silent as Ziggy came out dressed as a Shepard boy and riding a small prancing "donkey"
Ziggy looked out at the crowd staring up at him, and Sportacus felt his small hands tighten about his neck.
"Show em what you got.." He whispered spinning about in a circle. With a nod the young boy began to play his drum.
"Come they told me parum pa pum pum...I am a poor boy too pa rum pa pum pum..."
At the end of the song the crowd stood up and clapped giving the darling drummer boy and his "donkey" a standing ovation.
"We did it Sportacus !" Ziggy cried, hugging the elf.
"You were great Ziggy" Sportacus replied as they left the stage.
"And now for our last event, ladies and gentlemen, I will ask you all to make your way down to the rink for a skating routine. The crowd got up moving down to the rink and taking their seats in the bleachers.
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In the change room beneath the stands, Stephanie was poised at the doorway waiting for the audience to settle and their cue.
"Hey Kiddo, you ready..?" Robbie smiled.
"Yes!" Stephanie breathed, "I've always wanted to do this...and now...I can't believe this is really happening Robbie. I'm gonna be skating, just like those people on TV."
"A real Ice princess.. " Robbie nodded. Stephanie grinned, staring out onto the ice.
"Here I think you should have this .." Robbie said, handing her a package.
"What is this..?" She asked.
"Just open it.." he said.
Stephanie ripped off the paper, opening the box. Her eyes went wide as they fell on the beautiful skaters outfit inside.
"Oh Robbie.." She cried, looking up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Thank You !"
"Merry Christmas" Robbie said, pulling off his trench coat to reveal a matching outfit.
"Better get dressed up kiddo, the ice princess can't take the stage without her royal gown now can she..?"
Stephanie dashed into the fitting room to quickly don her own outfit.
Robbie stood watching the rink from the door way, the crowd had settled and any moment now they would be called.
/ You can do this Robbie.../ He assured himself. Feeling the slight start of anxiety creep into his stomach, he never had liked crowds and most certainly being the center of attention. / I'm doing it for her.../
Robbie turned at the sound of skates clacking across the floor. He was awe struck at the sight that met him. Stephanie had been transformed, from a young girl to a bonafide snow fairy.
"Ready your majesty...?" he asked extending a hand to her.
"Yes my liege..." Stephanie replied, entwining her slender hand in his own as they came up the steps and took to the ice.
Stephanie's heart thrilled as she spun and twirled to the music, Robbie by her side, matching her move for move.
/ It's really happening../ she wondered, watching as the crowd cheered them on.
Robbie spun gracefully, grabbing her waist and hoisting her into the air, high above his head.
"How you doing Pinky..?" He whispered.
"Awesome" she breathed.
"Ready for the grand finale "
"Defiantly " she said, with a look of pleased determination on her face.
Robbie placed her back to the ice, and they once more skated in unison. Back and forth they went until at the middle of the rink they suddenly spilt apart, each going in the opposite direction, and heading to the edges of the rink.
As they reached the edge, they spun, turning to face each other once more.
/ Ok this is it...now or never.../ Stephanie breathed as she stared at Robbie from the other end of the rink. / 1...2...3../
She felt herself pushing off, gaining speed as she shot down the rink. And the opposite end, Robbie had done the same. Faster and faster they flew down the ice. It seemed a crash was inevitable when, at the last second, they leapt into the air spiraling gracefully past one another and landing with point precision back to back. The crowd went wild , jumping up and applauding
/ The triple axil!...I did it! I did the triple axil...!/ Stephanie thought with joy, as she listened to the cheers.
Robbie looked up to the sky, a snowflake falling across his cheek /I'll never forget you snowflake... I'll remember what you said../
Ok folks that was our final event, and now the judges will decide who is this year's winner of the Father Christmas talent show... Let's all head back up to the hall for some food and drink.
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" Say Cheese !" Bessie simpered, holding up her camera. There was a blinding flash and the blue haired woman crouched down to get a better angle.
" OH just one more dear.. hold still !" Bessie beamed as the camera flashed again. Stephanie wrapped her hands about Robbie's neck, as they smiled for the camera.
"Cheese!" She smiled. As another bright flash blinded her, she and Robbie had been photographed so many times she was seeing little green spots dance before her eyes. Robbie for his part was doing his best to ignore the attention. Stephanie smiled, as she leaned over and gave Robbie a kiss on the cheek.
" I'm sorry you didn't get your wish for Christmas Robbie... " she whispered "I hope that helps."
The man smiled at her distractedly "Thanks kiddo, it's not exactly what I had in mind... but...thanks..."
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"Attention everybody…"The mayors voice came from the stage "Alright folks the moment you've all been waiting for. The winner of this year's father Christmas contest is Jives and Wooster Sauce for their remarkable speed cooking demo."
"Congratulations! You two elves showed us all how teamwork and a well-organized plan can really get a job done. Here is your prize of $500, to any charity of your choosing." Bessie beamed.
" Yeh! Jives !" Ziggy called out from atop Sportacus' shoulders.
"No fair the judges were bribed with cookies !" Trixie said.
"Thank you Mayor" Jives said as he took his place on stage with his father.
" My father and I always try to have fun together... cooking and fixing things. We're a family even if we are a little smaller than most. I know at the start of this contest there was some debate over who could and who couldn't enter...whether they had a father or not..." he paused looking over a Stephanie and Ziggy.
"But ...we all have different families... we ourselves are all different...and nobody should be punished for that reason. Ziggy and Stephanie don't have Fathers... well... I don't have a Mother... Solla lives with her Grandparents, and Halla's adopted... see different.
For those of you who have both your parents... you're so lucky... don't put others down who don't. I enjoyed participating in this contest, but I think some of us may have lost the real reason of the event; the spirit of Christmas. Pixel and Goggi looked guiltily at each other while Stingy and Trixie fidgeted on the sidelines.
"Christmas isn't about winning a contest it's about family and friends. Whether that family has two parents or one, a Grandmother and Grandpa, an Uncle... or... or even just somebody who really loves you... so...so...Merry Christmas everybody..!"
"Thank You Jives, "Bessie said, wiping her eyes. The crowd was silent as they thought over the young boys words.
The mayor stood up clearing his throat. " Jives speaks well, then as we stand here let us put our differences aside and celebrate as family and friends... together." He smiled warmly " let's all enjoy the bounty offered here at the town hall, it's a great chance for everybody to come together and make merry. The crowd clapped their agreement.
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The party went well into the evening, with people massing in small groups to talk and share the news. Most of the children had taken their snacks and sat on the stage chatting amongst the many contest entries.
" Googi" Pixel called coming over to the small group of children.
" Hey Pixel," The green haired boy said.
"Sorry you didn't win.." Pixel said "Your Santa looked cool..."
"Really..? I didn't think anybody liked it...?" Goggi sighed.
"NO way it was really cool" Pixel assured him.
" I liked your reindeer.." The green haired boy admitted.
"Thanks.." Pixel nodded "… but you were right... not much use having reindeer with no Santa..."
"Hey Pix... I'm sorry... about well...you know..." Goggi mumbled.
"Yeah... I know...me too..." Pixel shrugged.
" Best buds..?" Goggi asked.
" You know it .. " Pixel smiled. ".. come on Goggi, let's go get some punch.."
"Great idea..." Goggi said, as they walked away " you know I was thinking about this new invention..."
"Well the dynamic duo is back together" Trixie said, watching to two techno geeks walk away.
" Ya ... it's good to see them working together again.." Stingy sighed.
" Yep..." Trixie replied glancing at her slightly klepto friend. " Hey Stingy.."
" Yeah Trix.."
" I ... I um hope you get everything you want for Christmas"
" I hope you do too" He replied, " Come on Trixie let's go get a picture together in the sleigh.
"Ok.. but I'm driving.." She laughed as she followed him.
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Ziggy smiled as he walked about the stage, the party beginning to die down and people were starting to leave.
"It was fun and all Jives.." He said, walking with his friend " ..but with all this talk of togetherness.. I feel ... well ... when I look around...I just see lots of little pieces of Christmas...but"
"I know Ziggy" Jives agreed. " Stingy's got a sleigh...Pixel, some reindeer, and Goggi has that creepy Santa-"
" Hey there guys," Pascal greeted them " what are you two looking so thoughtful about..."
"Nothing Sir.." Jives replied "It's just .. everybody did a nice job on their entry... a nice piece of Christmas but...well...wouldn't it have been something if it had all been presented together..."
" Hmmmmm..."Pascal mused. "You know between the lot of us, we actually have a pretty decent Christmas talent show here.. come on guys let's put it together..."
"Yes, you're right.." Zira agreed. The buzz quickly spread about the room and people crowded around to be part of the fun.
"Gus, bring Robo Santa over here.." Travis called "Thrifty, you and Goggi bring the sleigh." He helped Gus heave Santa-bot into the sleigh.
"Not bad.. "Thrifty commented.
" Ok, Now Pixel, line up those reindeer. That's good...ok.." Travis took a step back looking it over.
Wooster smiled " I see what you got here Travis," he said. " Zira hand me those lights. Ok Stephanie, Robbie" he said handing each of them a string of lights "skate down the rink and give us a takeoff strip."
" You got it captain" Stephanie grinned as the two of them took off down the rink the lights trailing behind them.
"Ok..all set" Pixel said , setting the last deer in the line in place "...so now what..?"
" Well.." Bessie smiled "We seem to have a sleigh, a Santa, our eight little reindeer-"
"And cookies and milk !" Jives cried grabbing a platter of the homemade sweets and placing them in the sleigh.
"…hmmm now we just need some happy elves to rein in those deer." Wooster laughed, picking up Stingy and placing him on one of the robo- deer. "Hop on Kids!"
"Yeah !" Trixie whooped, jumping up on another deer followed closely by Pixel and Goggi. Soon seven of the deer held their "elf" riders.
"Wait!" Stephanie said " we only have 7 riders...She turned to Robbie. " Robbie! get on we need you .." She said.
" Oh no I don't.. oh never mind" he sighed giving up when he saw the puppy-dog eyes come out. Reluctantly Robbie climbed up onto the final reindeer.
"hmmmm...not exactly comfortable you know "' he muttered.
"Ok, everybody ready !"
"Wait..." Ziggy said "….we still need a Rudolph.."
" Oh Dear me he's right" The mayor said. "what will we do..?"
"Ha... well not to worry I have a solution.." Bessie announced, plopping a pair of antlers on Sportacus' head. The Christmas Donkey had become a Christmas reindeer and he grinned, taking his place at the head of the team.
" Alright everybody into the sleigh!" Travis exclaimed. The other adults hopped in and with a tug on the reins the show was on the road.
" Now Tipsy, now Pickle, now Chives and Stinky...on Zippy on Gooey on Sporty and Pinky!" Robbie cried out.
The group gave a laugh. And Robbie found himself laughing along with them.
"Too bad Sportacus couldn't be a real...reindeer ..?" Stingy said.
"My dear Stingy you're forgetting about my impressive talents with all things magic" Trixe smirked pulling out her wand and waving at the small elf in front. " Hocus pocus callamareer turn that elf into a deer..!"
Sportacus rolled his eyes, giving his ears a wiggle, as he pulled on the ropes, leading the progression past the lights of the takeoff strip and into the streets gaining speed as they went. Suddenly the children cried out in delight. There at the head of progression, with glowing red nose and all was a small, little deer with a blue cap on his head. The bells on his harness ringing cheerfully.
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From the windows of homes, faces appeared to watch as the merry band passed by, and waving to them.
"Dashing through the snow... in a one horse open sleigh..." Ziggy suddenly began to sing in a happy lifting voice. Soon the whole group had taken up the song and a melody floated ahead of them as they cantered about the town.
The group slowly began to shrink as Sportacus stopped at each home to let the riders off. At last the sleigh stopped in front of the Meanswell home, letting the Mayor, Bessie and Stephanie off.
"Merry Christmas Robbie" Bessie smiled as she and the Mayor climbed down from the sleigh. Stephanie gave the tall man a hug and wished him merry Christmas as he jumped up into the sleigh "Merry Christmas Pinky" he smiled. The young girl ran to the front of the line.
"Oh" she cried. The little deer was gone and Sportascus stood before her once more.
"Thanks for the ride Sportacus!" Stephanie laughed hugging the elf. "I know it was you who did that magic trick back there..." she whispered.
'"Hmmm...maybe it was maybe it wasn't" he shrugged.
"Merry Christmas Sportacus...Merry Christmas Robbie" she waved as she ran up the steps to her home. Zira and Ziggy bid goodnight as well and walked across the street to their own home.
Sportacus and Robbie watched them go in silence. "Well ... I guess it's over.." Sportacus murmured.
"Yeah...we better get the sleigh back …." Robbie said.
Sportacus nodded, turning and began to jog slowly down the street back to the town hall.
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"Well ...that was fun.." Sportacus said, taking off the harness and setting it down in the sleigh, behind the stage.
"Yeah.." Robbie mused, stepping out of the shed as Sportacus closed the door behind them. He and Robbie stood awkwardly in the dark glancing back at the town.
"Well... I...I guess this is goodnight then" Robbie shrugged. He turned and began to walk down the pathway, to the edge of town.
"Robbie wait ! " Sportacus called as he caught up to him. " I unnn..." He really didn't know what to say. He just knew he didn't want to go back to his air ship to be alone... not tonight.
/ Nobody should be alone on Christmas/
" What is it Sportakook..?" Robbie asked. He seemed to have lost the happy demeanor of earlier.
"I... I'll walk you home..." He said, taking place by Robbie's side.
Robbie gave a sad smile. "Sure Sporty... let's go.."
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"So that was pretty much it.. my Dad never saw me as hero material, I wasn't worthy to continue in his footsteps. He felt I was a waste of his time... so... he left...just like that. I use to hope he'd come back...sometimes I'd sit on the hills by our home and wait for him. I guess I was just being stupid.." Sportacus shrugged.
"No... not stupid.." Robbie shook his head "You don't get it do you.. ? That guy was an asshole. He didn't deserve you... to hell with him."
Sportacus was silent as Robbie looked up at the stars.
The two of them had gotten to talking as they walked and eventually reached the rink at the edge of town on their way to Robbie's home. Taking a seat in the bleachers, they looked out across the ice, their breath turning to vapor in front of them.
"Look at all those stars." Robbie mused.
The elf looked up to the heavens, " I use to wish on the stars ...when I was little"
"Really.."
"Yeah.." Sportacus sighed gazing dreamily up at the heavens.
"I used to wish on stars too..." Robbie frowned, his eyes hardening as he looked at the sky. " I would wish to be somewhere else... someone else. To be considered special … to somebody... with Noel I was".
Sportacus, swallowed uncomfortable sensing Robbie's shift in mood. He had no response for his friend, there were no words he could say to make it all better. Instead he dug into his pocket, pulling out the red ribbon from the tree. He glanced up into Robbie's face.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered, placing the ribbon in Robbie's hand. " It must have been awful..."
Robbie gazed at the red ribbon in his grasp. The ribbon….her ribbon…..it was her…she'd been there in the forest…. She'd come to him in his darkest moment of despair….always there….yet never there..
" ..for you…" Sportacus was still speaking. Robbie realized he'd not been listening to the man.
"huh..?" He blinked.
" It must have been awful...for you" The elf repeated. Robbie gazed into the blue depths of his companions eyes, shining with concern, and felt his resolve fail him.
"Oh Sporty...it was ... it was so awful. Do you know what it is to be lonely.. ..truly lonely...? So lonely, it feels almost as though you can't draw breath. A person can be lonely even when surrounded by people... if they are special to no one ...just another face in the crowd." He shuddered as he was pulled back to a Christmas eve many years ago. " I didn't stop it... couldn't stop it. I'm the one to blame for it all..."
He shook his head suddenly pulling away from the elf, with a gasp, as though he'd been burned. " Go home Sportakook..." He snapped glaring at the elf "I deserve to be left alone.. it's better to be alone.."
"Robbie ! What are you talking about..?" The elf asked, confusion on his face.
" I shouldn't have agreed to enter the contest, shouldn't have even bothered to go skating with her….just kept to myself… no one to hurt that way..."
"No one to hurt..?" Sportacus said incredulously "Robbie listen to yourself . You think it wouldn't hurt Stephanie if you suddenly vanished from her life...do ...do you think it doesn't hurt me.." Sportacus grimaced "…..when you push me away...?"
Robbie stared at the ground holding the red ribbon tightly in his hand.
"Robbie..?" He waited, but there was no answer.
He tried again "…Robbie…..?"
" I always thought if... if I could just dream hard enough...it would be ok...in my dreams she was with me still...I closed my eyes and she's there waiting for me...I wish I could just be left alone to sleep away the days in blissful ignorance...but it never lasts... something always pulls me back to consciousness back to reality... reality ruined my life..." He said bitterly.
"Robbie...sleeping away your life, trying to hold on to a moment in the past...that's not life...not living...That moment you keep reliving...it's gone by... It's only a memory now...and you can't spend the rest of your life living in a memory..." Sportscus said softly.
"Robbie...? " He said. "...Robbie?'' Sportacus waited several moments in silence. He opened his mouth to call again when Robbie suddenly spoke.
" Sporty... " He said flatly "…there's nothing more terrible in the world; in life…than for a child to die before their parent…"
Sportacus squirmed, he'd never fathered any children. He protected the children of the town, but somehow that wasn't the same.
Elves were protectors. It was their nature. But what would it be like to have a child of his own? A being dependent on him... not just for safety.. but in all things. Would he be any good at it..?
"I'm sorry Robbie...I don't know how it feels..." He admitted.
"I should just stay away from people..." Robbie sniffed " I'm bad luck, bad karma..." He felt tears coming to his eyes again "…just bad." He was pulled into a hug by the shorter man, and allowed himself to be held, laying his head atop Sportacus' own.
"… Sportacus….I never wanted to hurt anyone...why am I bad..?" he sobbed.
"You're not bad Robbie .." Sportacus insisted.
"I wish that were true Sporty, .." Robbie sniffed ".. but I am... that's why..."
"NO!" Sportacus said firmly "what you did for Stephanie, for Noel... for me ...A bad person wouldn't have done that!"
Robbie was silent, his fingers clenched painfully in Sportacus' scalp. The tall man let his tears fall, let his pain fall from him and accepted his companions unwavering compassion.
/ Here I go falling to pieces again… and just like always.. you're here for me aren't you ?/He thought, squeezing the elf tightly.
Sportacus tried not to fidget, even when Robbie's embrace began to smother him. He knew the man needed him now, needed to let the feelings out and if he somehow found comfort in squeezing him so tightly... so be it. So Sportacus grit his teeth and tried to weather out the storm. Keeping still even when his face was pressed with stifling force into Robbie's shoulder, or when his neck was arched back to the point of snapping.
After long moments Robbie leaned back and Sportacus felt the vice like grip on him relax. Robbie wiped his eyes.
"Sorry...about that..." He said blushing slightly.. "I've been on an emotional roller coaster this last week…"
"It's understandable Robbie... we all have." The elf replied remembering his own breakdown by the billboard.
"Well... Come on then Sporty.." Robbie said, picking himself up. "It's time we were getting home... I can make the rest of the way on my own, your ships just back at the edge of town... no need to make the trip twice."
"…. unn no I ... I guess not…" Sportacus mumbled.
"Ok... well I'll ... I'll see you around ok..?"
"...ok.." Sportacus nodded.
" Ok...well ahh... Good...goodnight Sporty..." Robbie said.
"Goodnight Robbie" The elf replied with some reluctance. " …and …Robbie.."
"Yeah Sporty..?"
" …..don't…" He seemed unable to get the words out "…don't be a stranger ok..?" The elf said finally. Robbie gave a sad grin, it was the second time he'd heard that line.
" I'll see you soon ... You can tell Ste- !" Robbie was suddenly cut off as Sportacus quickly sprang up on his tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on Robbie's cheek.
" Merry Christmas Robbie.." He whispered, turning swiftly and trotting across the field towards his air ship.
Robbie stood there dazed as he watched the man's retreating figure. Bringing a hand to his cheek, he glanced up to see a sprig of mistletoe swaying in the breeze above his head.
/ A kiss, from someone special. Not forced, not because they had to, or because they felt sorry for me but because they truly cared …..because they loved me….just for me../ A smile broke across his face.
/My Christmas wish .../ Robbie breathed. He looked up to see the retreating blue figure.
" Wait …" He gasped "…..wait…. WAIT !"
Sportacus turned as the voice called to him.
" Wait ! Sportacus!" Robbie gasped, catching up to him in the snowy fields. "Stay... "
"what..?" Sportacus asked.
"Stay...please...stay the night with me ...just ...just...for tonight. Neither of us has a family" He gave the elf a pleading look. "... just for tonight..."
Sportacus smiled "Nobody should be alone on Christmas..."
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To be continued...