Disclaimer: The Mediator isn't mine. Neither are the song mentions.
Rating: T
A/N: It's not as funny as I wanted it, but it's still a Jesse and Suze snapshot, hehe. A big shout-out and thank you to Hot n' Exotic and pinta08 for making me laugh and grin like the crazy woman I am, when I read the reviews! You all rocks with your rocking reviews! Mwah and hugs! :D Enjoy!
Galen's not in this one . . . because the author is stupid and forgot she gave them a puppy! ::Waves:: But in the interest of the content of the chapter . . . he's gone to spend the day with Maddie :D
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree...!
Humming away to the Christmas songs playing throughout the house, I tapped my fingers along in time as I went through the box of decorations Jesse got down from the loft. There must have been at least five big boxes alone. How did we manage to get so much crap?! You put a tree up, wrap some lights around it and throw on some tinsel. Add the star and you're done. Finished. Maybe hang a couple of stockings on the fireplace. Stick out a, 'Santa, please stop here!' sign just for fun and hang a wreath on the front door. But what else did you really need?
I've asked myself that, the last few years Christmas has rolled around and Jesse insists we go and see if there's anything new we could get.
Sometimes I humor him and go along. Otherwise, I make up some lousy excuse and watch as he stumbles through the door with bags in his hand and a proud grin on his face. All because he's brought more decorations. And every time I frown and shake my head at him, he pulls the puppy dog look, and whines that he never got to do when he was alive before. And that he has over a century and a half to make up for.
And me, the sucker; falls for it every time. Not that you can blame me.
Shaking my head out of my thoughts, I crawled across the living room carpet and over to the box I thought had what I was looking for. Frowning I sifted through the junk, before I sat back on my heels and called out to Jesse in the kitchen making me lunch.
"Hey, hon!" I got some sort of muffled response. "Where are your balls?!"
I started laughing when I heard him choking on whatever it was he was eating. Soon followed by his red face appearing round the kitchen doorway. I laughed even harder when he caught me and started scowling. "Baul-bles, dear," I stressed. "As in, the balls you hang on the tree," He shook his head at me, disappearing back around the corner.
When he came back out, he had a sandwich on a plate for me and a glass of orange juice. Sitting down next to me by the box, I reached out for the food and watched as he rummaged through the crap again. "They're here somewhere," He muttered to himself, pulling his head out and looking up to the tree we had up ready and waiting. "We can't decorate it until we've found them. It will look too bare!" I ducked my head to hide my grin at his as-close-to-a-pout-as-Jesse-gets, look.
"Yeah well," I chimed in, picking at my crusts. I already have wavy hair, I don't want more. "You're the bright spark that decided we should get one that's eight feet tall! If it looks bare, then it's because you were too greedy." He looked scandalized at my statement. Then he turned thoughtful as he mulled something over. Before finally, getting a certain look in his eye, that made me wish I'd shut up.
Oh no!
"Crap!" I dropped my sandwich back to the plate and tried scrambling up to my feet. But I discovered something: When your balance is off kilter and you're giggling too hard, it's a pretty embarrassing thing to attempt doing. I'll add it to the list of stupid things I've ever done, or tried. But it was giving Jesse time to grab the thick red tinsel from the nearest box, and let him determinedly come for me.
I must have taken two steps before I felt his arms wrap around me from behind and pull me up to him. If I thought he was just giving me a hug, I would have been just fine. But he wasn't much to my disappointment. Instead, that damn red tinsel came around me and tied me up. Pretty well done too. By the time he was finished, I felt like an over-grown Christmas present, made up to look all pretty!
When he was finished, he stood back and observed his work with a wicked grin.
"Kinky!" I grinned, winking. "If you wanted to tie me up, hon, I'd of been more than willing. I'll even break out the pink fluffy handcuffs for you if you want . . ." I was trying to knock the fact I was standing in the middle of our living room, wrapped in tinsel with my 'adorable' fiancé grinning like the cat that's got the cream, and feeling very laughed at. This was only made worse, when he actually did.
"Whatever you say, querida," He leaned down and gave me a tempting lingering kiss. I struggled to get my hands free, but I was trapped. Damn him! "Just let me finish doing the decorations first." Then he winked and walked away. Leaving me where I was . . . Stuck! The nerve! The decorations before me!
"Where are you going?!" I hopped over to see him walking up the stairs. "I'll all tied up and helpless . . . and you're walking away!" He stopped and bent over the rail to grin at me. Oh I am so going to be wiping that smirk off his face one way or another.
"I'm going to look for the lost decorations," He smiled.
"There is such a thing as over the top, babe!" I called sweetly. "Less is more and all that . . ." He shrugged and carried on up the stairs, not even taking my threat seriously. Think Suze! Think! I looked around my feet for something to help me, hearing Jesse's voice call down to me as I tried shuffling my way over to the couch.
"You can never have too many decorations, Susannah! It's Christmas, you're supposed to go over the top!"
I snorted at that and kept shuffling. Grumbling away to myself about inconsiderate hot guys and their damn ability to knot tinsel, for cryin' out loud! I mean, who knots tinsel?! Who! It's practically impossible! Although, this is Jesse. He is Mr. Impossible incarnated. Being dead and coming back to life kind of making its point.
"Stupid tinsel and stupid, 'Nothing's impossible' philosophy! If it wasn't for that, no-one would be trying to do the impossible. Paul wouldn't have told me of my cool super-powers letting me save Jesse. Then he wouldn't have tied me up with tinsel!"
That's it! I'm blaming it all on the tinsel!
I was just grinning at the silly thought when my foot caught on a bauble and sent me careening into the couch! I landed face down, squashing my nose and stuck with my arms tied behind my back. My mood threatening to hit an all time high the more I realized what an idiot I was for starting the whole mess! And then I groaned when I heard him stomping down the stairs.
How ironic the first time I was ever tied up, had been by Paul when we went back to save Jesse. Who in turn, saved me! Now, I'm right back where I started, only face down on a couch, tinsel itching my arm and my fiancé sure to start laughing at his pregnant better half; stuck! Again! Oh someone was going to pay all right. I wasn't sure who yet. But someone was. All we needed now was a ghost to turn up and start laughing their sorry ass off too.
"Susannah . . ."
Choke.
"What . . ."
Chuckle.
"Are you doing . . .?"
Wheeze.
"What does it look like, snookums?" I retorted crisply. "I'm waiting for you to come and put me out of my misery! I thought if I laid here long enough, someone would take pity on me . . . Wanna be that person, Jesse. It's getting kinda uncomfortable, ya know?" He dropped whatever it was he was holding and came over to me. I knew he was still laughing at me, because his hands were shaking where he was trying to pick the knot.
"Hang on, I've nearly got it," I bit down on the comment on the tip of my tongue. But decided I was through with being sassy. I wanted to decorate the tree already! The Christmas songs were still playing away to themselves with the room a mess of glittery red, gold and green. And I wanted to put the mistletoe up already! That would make me feel all better about being abandoned.
But I couldn't without one last comment. It just wouldn't be me otherwise!
"You better have. Because the rate you're going mister, you're gonna be sleeping under your precious Christmas tree for the rest of the year." Let's see what you say to that one. It was an empty threat, but Jesse didn't have to know that. Or, so I thought anyway. But that went as soon as he released my hands and leaned down to whisper in my ear.
"You know you're the most precious thing to me, querida . . ."
Okay, maybe one more sassy comment it is. Give me a break, I hate being the one with the last word. "Oh! So I'm a thing now, am I - " I didn't get to finish my indignant retort as I turned over, because he shut me up. In the most heart-stopping, sigh worthy, I-really-wish-there-weren't-certain-fabric-barriers-between-us-now, way. When he kissed me so tender and lovingly, I just melted and completely forgot what I was supposed to be grumpy about.
Slate well and truly, wiped clean.
When we came up for air, I was in a half dazed state and grinning like a fool. "You really know how to spread the Christmas cheer," I slurred happily, making him laugh and help me off the couch. Once I got my head to stop spinning from the new height and knee jerking kiss, we both stood in the chaos of our living room and looked around. "Okay, you take the lights and I'll start on the garlands." He nodded agreeing, and we got down to work.
For a good three hours, Jesse and I worked around each other as we made the living room finally ascend into the Christmas' spirit. He grabbed me at one point and spun me around the room as we laughed and sang along to 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree'. Spike came running in at one point, took one disgusted look at us and ran out again. Who knew a cat could give the old hairy eyeball?
Then Jesse just had to throw the dreaded tinsel around my neck like a feather bow. Making me throw my own back at him. And then the tinsel war started and we ended up chasing each other through the foyer, into the kitchen and around the living room. I was doing well until he came out of no-where and gently tackled me to the floor.
Ding Ding! Round two!
I tried squirming, pleading, laughing and even crying as he attacked and tickled me. His agile and deft fingers attacked my ribs and my stomach. His nose nuzzling my neck as he upped the assault and made me helpless for the second time that day. His day old stubble was making it that much worse and making me lose, too. I was pushing and wriggling to get away. But all he did was growl and tickle me more.
In a last ditch attempt to win, I stuck my hand out and padded around beside me for the sprig of mistletoe I know I saw earlier. I was losing hope when my hand finally settled on it and I managed to break away enough to stick it in his face. He burst out laughing, as I lay panting stuck beneath him, offering the mistletoe as a peace offering. He looked from me to the sprig and back again. A soft genuine smile shining through his eyes.
Still holding it, I wrapped my arms around his neck and grinned when he came down to me. His tempting lips taking everything from me that was already his. So there was still decorations to go up outside. And maybe the star needed to go on the top of the, too big Christmas tree. But right then, neither of us really cared, as, 'Fairytale of New York' played to itself in the background.
One part standing out to me, as I sighed at Jesse's gentle touch.
'I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true,'
I couldn't of said it better myself!
A/N 2: See what I mean? I swear, what I want to write and what my muse does, are too completely different things! Thanks for reading! Please review! :D x
I'm a little teapot short and stout; here is my handle, here is my . . . other handle? Shit, I'm a sugar bowl! D'oh! . . .
Anonymous Reviews:
Meg - Lol, aww thank you hun! But it was totally true and you so deserve the lifetime supply of cookies! It's good to know you don't get bored :) I definitely don't the more I come up with these crazy and wonderful snapshots, hehe. And it's great to know you're enjoying my stories! I aim to please ::Big grins:: I'm astounded at how much you all seem to be enjoying these snapshots. I was trying to think up the other day, when would be a good time to stop. But I couldn't see an end. So I've decided, I'm just going to keep on going until I run out completely :D These could go on for a while, lol. Thanks for reviewing, I hope you like this one too. I got a wicked idea for the next one, so I'm going to work on that now! YA! Take care! Hugs! x