Erik gets jealous of things, Meg bakes cookies.


1880, Christmas

Meg and her mother are enjoying the warmth of the fire. They finished dinner and are quietly enjoying the rest of their evening. Meg and her mother left the Christmas Gala the Opera House hosted early.

Me smiles and turns to the fire. Her mother and Meg are in a better place this year, they both have found legitimate work and a stable income, no longer needs to do bad or unsavory things.

Meg does not have much to her name, but what she does have is love. She has shelter, a place to lay her head down at night, a mother who loves her and she found a way to use her talents where it matters.

"Meg, here." Mama Giry hands Meg a brown package. Meg's eyes light up and sparkle with excitement and wonder, she shakes it, places it next to her ear, her mother playfully rolls her eyes and tsks.

Meg purposefully opens the brown package slowly. After a minute of this, her mother can no longer take, she grabs the package and rips it open.

"It's beautiful!" Meg wraps the deep emerald scarf around her neck, she poses.

"You can never have too many scarves." Meg bends down and takes something from under the sofa and snaps back up, she has a small box for her mother.

"Speaking of," Meg hands the box to her mother. Mama lifts the lid of the box; she laughs as she pulls out a pair of dark wool socks.

"We made it this year, we got to buy our swag." Meg pulls at her scarf happily.

"We're living it up." Mama Giry removes her old socks and pulls the new ones

"I believe now is the time for the Christmas crackers," Meg leaps from the sofa and runs around the small apartment, she hops back onto the sofa, her mother firmly scolds her as she takes the Christmas cracker.

On the count of three they pull and squeal in delight as magic happens. Meg almost falls off the small sofa from her laughter. A knock, knock, knock at the door sobers her up.

"Who could that be?" Mama Giry is suspicious. They do not usually receive visitors, and it is late in the evening. Meg shrugs, she jumps up to her feet, filled with adrenaline.

"Could it be, Christmas carolers? They found out where we live! Avast!" Meg runs to her door, Mama Giry prays to baby Jesus for strength to handle her daughter's eccentricities for another year.

Meg pulls the door open with more grandiose splendor than necessary, ready to get caroled. She holds her breath, and a large smile plastered on her face.

No one is on the other side of the door. Meg blinks and waits. She takes a few steps outside and turns to the left, to the right, looks up the street.

"Curious," Meg taps her chin, she is taken back, when she sees a something on the ground, a long white rectangular box with a black and white ribbon.

"Curiouser yet," Meg bends down, picks up the box and checks for a note, nothing, she goes inside.

"Who was it?" Mama Giry voice calls out, Meg walks to the kitchen table and sets down the box.

"Mysterious gift. Perhaps an elf! Santa found us after all!" Meg playfulness is rising to dangerous levels. Meg gently pulls at the ribbon, which comes apart easily, she is now able to lift up the top of the box.

Meg scoffs, she blinks confused and removes the baguette. It is still warm, fresh. Meg checks for a note, anything.

"What is it?" Mama Giry peers over her daughter's shoulder.

"Uh, baguette."

"Did you order from the bakery? Odd time to deliver."

"I didn't."

"It would be rude to it throw out," Mama Giry says, Meg does not to hear anymore, she grabs a small knife to cut and serve the bread.

"Now, it's the best Christmas ever. Meg smiles and dances as she picks at her baguette slice.


2002, Christmas.

"You bought him presents."

Reza-Charles is almost a year old and Meg bought him Christmas presents. What the hell is a baby going to do with or know about receiving a gift.

"What will he know of this?" Erik gestures to the world around them. Meg and Erik are sitting by their Christmas tree. RC babbles sporadically and plays with bright reindeer themed wrapping paper.

"He has the same cognizance of an animal." Erik flicks his fingers in her direction.

Erik did not buy RC a gift because he is a baby and babies know nothing of the world.

"I bought Ayesha presents when she was alive, you didn't have anything to say about that." Meg lets baby RC play with the wrapping paper, that is what he is about right now.

"Those gifts were practical, and Ayesha was an intelligent creature." Erik takes the paper from RC and crumbles it into a ball before tossing it into the fireplace.

"Your son is an intelligent creature," Meg sticks out her tongue and errs at Erik, who grabs her tongue and squeezes. Meg slaps at his hand. He tilts his head, smiles darkly, showing his perfect white teeth.

Meg may have made a mistake in building Erik's confidence, since now he feels comfortable enough to not wear his mask all the time when it's just them.

When he smiles, it is unnerving. How do you tell your partner that their smile makes you want to call out to Wonder Woman or insert hero here?

Meg glares, when that does not get her results, she crosses her eyes and makes odd faces. Erik leans forward and rests his elbow on his knee, not relenting.

She does her best to try and bite him.


Now

"I need you to clean your room like you're hiding a dark secret," Meg says, she is holding a brown paper bag full of stuff. RC is in his room at his desk.

"Don't we have a staff for that," he makes no indication of complying.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak nevergetsChristmaspresentsagain." Meh snaps her fingers and points at his room violently. RC sighs melodramatically and pushes away from the desk. He makes a great show of picking this up, dropping them, grunting, groaning.

"Stop acting like Garfield on a Monday! It's Christmas time! Be merry!" Meg digs through the bag and throws confetti at RC.

"Clean that up too!" Meg orders before moving on. RC mutters something.

"I heard that!"


"You're Muslim." Erik says he stares at the tree. Nadir nods, he drinks his beer. Charles set Erik a picture via text of the tree and his impression of a Christmas Tree.

"I think I'm starting to get it." Nadir twists his free hand. He does like the tree. It was fun decorating it.

"You've never held interest in this before," Erik says softly.

"I wasn't uninterested. I come to your holiday parties and celebrate Christmas with you every year Erik. I jus never decorated or had a tree of my own."

"Did you buy it or cut it down?" Erik pulls at the branches. Nadir frowns.

"Jules and Charles brought it over." Nadir bends down and wipes the needles from the wrapped gifts. Erik rolls his shoulders.

"Did they?" Erik taps one of the glass balls, he casts a quick glance at Nadir before turning back to the tree.

"Erik, state your subtext, I'm tired and don't want to fish." Nadir sips from his beer. He has his Papa hat on and he needs this to get done right quick.

"If you wanted to do this, why didn't we do it?" Erik is practicing great restraint; he clenches his jaw, and he moves his fingers.

"I didn't not want to do it. It is not something I thought of doing, E. I do not exclude you from anything I do. Jules and Charles planned this. I would have had you involved if it were my idea."

Christine is Erik's favorite obsession, but Nadir is Erik's favorite possession after Meg. When Nadir plays with others, Erik is set off.

"You didn't ask." Erik spies something on the tree, an ornament that says, "From Jules," Erik grabs it.

"Erik, do you want to get stupid with me and play snowball manhunt tonight?" Nadir

Erik drums his fingers against the ornament rapidly, displaying is agitation.

"Don't." Erik bites down and he hisses.

"It doesn't have to be that. I would like to spend time with my best friend. Do you want to spend the night and get weird?" Nadir does not keep drugs at his home, but Erik is Erik, so he obviously is a walking pharmacy.

"I'm an afterthought." The ornament is crushed in his hands and Nadir recoils, he jumps back.

"You're not." Nadir taps Erik's shoulder.

"No?" Erik drops the remnants.

"Erik, you know what you mean to me. That never changed. It will not change."

Nadir bows his head; he knows what will come next. Nadir is not sure what's worse, Erik or Nadir for allowing Erik and enabling him.

"Mm."

Nadir exhales, clenches his fist, and curses himself.

"I love you."

Erik turns to him, tilts his head. He offers his hand, Nadir knows what's expected and he complies, he drops to his knees, takes both of Erik's hand, kisses the ring and keeps his head bowed.

Erik knees and kisses Nadir's forehead before he rests his head against him and exhales. Erik nuzzles his neck.

"Burn it."


Meg collapses face down on the sofa and moans about dying and spoiled children.

"Mother, I'm going to visit Lorne," RC calls and she hears the door slam shut. Meg mumbles some more and exhales.

"Meg, I ran out of sweets, I'm here for more," Charles calls out. Meg grumbles and forces herself up.

"No more." Meg grunts. She gave him enough sweets to satisfy an army.

"Mmm, you know I love your pie." Charles sends her pleading eyes.

"Kitchen is closed." Meg huffs.

"I'll help you." He smiles stupid.

"There's a book of recipes, everything is in the kitchen." Meg picks the remote and switches the TV on.

"But that's so much you're asking of me." Charles bites his nails in mock panic.

"One day I won't be around, and you'll just have to deal." Meg waves at her hand dismissively.

"Please," Charles drops to his knees, he crawls forward and grabs her hands and kisses them.

"They're just cookies!" Meg cries out in exasperation.

"Your cookies." He kisses her hand again and Meg sways on the sofa in aggravation.

"I don't wanna! I just finished cleaning!"

"I'll deign and build your dream house pro bono."

Charles never does anything for free, not even for his friends or family. His children were not impressed by this, to say the least.

"You never do anything pro bono," Meg narrows her eyes, not trusting him.

"For you," he says.

"I have so many ideas," Meg bites her bottom lip.

"I have the resources and technology." His fingers caress her hands.

"Promise?"

He nods.

"Merry Christmas." Meg gets off the sofa and gets ready to get her bake on. Charles follows, jeering silently in victory.