Author's Note: So it would seem that I go from not writing anything in ten years to writing two stories in the span of a couple weeks!
Riff and Graziella are just so fun to write. There's not enough out there about them, so I do my best to fill in the gaps. This is just pure fluff that I thought would be fun for the holiday season.
As per usual, this story is based on the 1961 film. Russ Tamblyn and Gina Trikonis were the ones who first made me love Riff and Graz. That said, I do adore Mike Faist as Riff in the new film. He and Paloma Garcia-Lee have great chemistry as Riff and Graziella. I'm not opposed to writing Riff/Graz stories based on the new movie, but their interpretations of the characters are very different, and I think it would take me some time to figure out how to accurately capture their voices.
Anyway, hope you enjoy and definitely let me know what you think! Any other Riff/Graziella fans out there?
"Riff, when are we gonna do somethin' Christmas-y?"
Christmas-y? With a bemused expression, Riff glanced down to where Graziella was firmly wedged against his side, his arm draped over her shoulder. Leave it to her to come up with a word like Christmas-y. What the hell did that even mean?
"Well, we just left a Christmas dance. Don't that count?" Riff asked, glancing down at his girl once more. His arm tightened around her slightly as he eyed her flimsy jacket. The middle of December and she refused to put a damn coat on. It didn't go with her dress, she'd insisted when he'd picked her up for the dance hours earlier. So instead she'd worn some little nothing that didn't do anything to keep her pale skin from turning as red as her hair in the cold. Frustrated with her for being so damn stubborn, he huffed slightly as he began to rub his hand up and down her arm.
"No, that don't' count!" Graziella huffed in return, rolling her eyes as if it was obvious. "Everyone was at the dance!"
Riff just stared at her, running an exasperated hand through his brown curls. God, but she drove him crazy sometimes. "Ya said somethin' Christmas-y. The dance was a Christmas dance. Ain't that Christmas-y enough?"
Graziella wrinkled her nose in frustration, something that Riff found hilarious, though he'd never tell her so. "I mean somethin' special—just the two o' us. Y'know, a Christmas-y date," she insisted.
Fighting the urge to groan, Riff kept walking, tugging his girl along. He was determined to get her home before she turned into a block of ice.
"Riffy-poo," Graziella pouted, stopping dead in her tracks when he didn't answer her right away.
"Graz, c'mon. Yer gonna freeze out here," Riff muttered, slipping one of her hands into his coat pocket. As much as her stubborn self drove him nuts, the thought of her being in any kind of real discomfort made him even crazier.
"But yer not answerin' me!" Graziella shot back, arching an eyebrow as she looked up at him.
"Whaddaya want me to say? I don't even know what Christmas-y means!" Couldn't the dance just be enough? They'd played "Jingle Bells" and even strung some garland around the gym.
"Y'know…Christmas-y," Graziella said, shrugging her shoulders underneath that damn nothing jacket. "Christmas in only a week away an' we haven't done anythin' to celebrate! Ice an' Velma went ice skatin'," she added pointedly.
Damn you, Ice. "I don' like ice skatin'," was his only reply.
Undeterred, Graziella crossed her arms over her chest. "Big Deal took Clarice Christmas shoppin'."
Thanks a lot, Big Deal. "I don' like shoppin'."
"Baby John an' Minnie baked Christmas cookies!"
If he didn't have such a soft spot for the kid, he really would beat the snot out of Baby John. Raising both eyebrows, he just shot Graziella a look that told her exactly what he thought about that idea.
"Oh, everyone's doin' somethin', Riff! We haven' done anythin'!" Graziella pouted again, though she still wedged herself more securely into his side as they walked. Bet she was wishing she'd worn a coat now.
Riff scowled when he heard her teeth chattering in the ensuing silence. Shrugging his coat off his shoulders, he slipped it onto hers immediately. "An' I don' give a damn if it don't go with yer outfit." Mercifully, she didn't argue, just moodily wrapped his coat more tightly around herself.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Riff bit back a sigh. It wasn't that he didn't want to do anything with her. Especially now that all his Jets were showing him up with their girls. It was just that Christmas had never felt like that big of a deal to him before. What little he remembered from his childhood involved a lot of screaming and yelling, cursing and drinking. Not exactly Santa Claus and his reindeer dropping off shiny new presents. Tony's parents made Christmas as nice as they could, but he could never quite shake the feeling that he was intruding on them at this time of year. Mrs. Wyzek always insisted that he join them for Christmas dinner, but Riff always found excuses for why he couldn't. Kind of like how he was doing now with Graziella. Damn. Why did he have to plan something? Couldn't she just come up with it and drag him along?
He still hadn't thought of anything to say by the time they reached the alleyway behind her apartment building. Clambering up the fire escape, he saw her safely back inside her bedroom, but didn't move to follow her.
"Ain't ya comin' in?" Graziella asked, slipping his coat off her shoulders.
"Wish I could, babe," Riff replied with an exaggerated sigh, pressing a kiss to her lips. "But I've got a date to plan…somethin' Christmas-y," he added with a smirk, ducking to avoid the hand that came swinging towards him.
"It better be real Christmas-y!" she called down after him, throwing his coat at him as he began his descent back down the fire escape.
Real Christmas-y, he thought to himself. Shit.
Graziella was getting real tired of Riff's run-around games. Christmas was only three days away and he still hadn't made good on his promise to plan something special for her. Velma, Clarice, and Minnie were all still gushing over their romantic Christmas dates. Hell, even Pauline had made plans with…well, one of the Jets. She couldn't remember which one now. And boy, did Pauline love rubbing it in that Graziella still hadn't done anything festive for the holidays.
Growling in frustration, Graziella shoved an earring in with a little more force than strictly necessary. She'd been getting ready every day, but ready for what? Riff was keeping her in the dark. She didn't know what to get ready for. And what if there didn't even end up being anything to get ready for? Growling again, she shoved her other earring through her earlobe.
"Bad time? Should I come back again later?"
"Riff!" Graziella gasped, whirling around to where he sat on her windowsill, having pushed the window open from the fire escape.
Cracking a smile, he bounded over to her and pressed his cold face against hers, their lips meeting in a kiss that was sure to chase any chill away. After a moment or two, she pulled away, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Ain't seen ya much since the dance," she told him, hands on her hips. "Avoidin' me?" she asked, tapping one foot against the floor. It was easier to act annoyed than to let on how hurt she'd been feeling.
In response, Riff put on his best innocent face, hand over his heart. "Who, me? Now why would I do that?"
"I've been wonderin' the same thing," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and flopping down onto her bed.
"Aw, doll, don't be like that," he said, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her neck. Damn, but that really made her crazy. "C'mon, get yer coat on an' let's go."
"Go? Go where?" Graziella asked, whirling around to face him again. He was wearing that smirk that drove her up the wall.
"You'll see. C'mon," he said again, beckoning her towards the window.
Graziella glanced down at herself. Of course, she'd put care into her appearance, hoping that Riff would finally swing by to take her out. But she hadn't known what he'd be planning, or if he'd be planning anything, so she'd had a hard time figuring out what to wear. In the end, she'd settled on a pair of black cigarette pants and a green plaid sweater. Tossing her red hair back, she casually asked, "Should I change?"
Riff looked her up and down appreciatively and winked. "Nah, you'll do," he told her, which brought a pleasant flush to her cheeks. "But," he added, his voice sounding firm. "It's cold out there, so put a real damn coat on."
Grinning, she grabbed her winter coat from the closet, her mittens carefully tucked into the pocket, and followed him out the window and down the fire escape. Oh, Riff. She knew he wouldn't let her down.
He had no damn idea what he was doing. He'd wracked his brain for days, but he was the last person in the world who could come up with something Christmas-y to do. Damnit, but he really wanted to knock Ice's, Big Deal's, and Baby John's heads together. He still didn't have a plan, but with Christmas being only three days away, he knew Graziella was going to kill him if he didn't take her somewhere. Besides, a little spontaneity never killed anybody—at least, as far as he knew.
"Oh, Riff, where are we goin'? What are we gonna do?" Graziella asked excitedly, positively beaming as she walked beside him, squeezing his hand tightly between her mittened ones. At least she was dressed warmly this time.
"Now, now. Don't go spoilin' the surprises," he replied swiftly, his easy smirk masking the panic that was starting to rise in his gut.
"Oh, a surprise! No one's ever planned a surprise for me before!" She looked up at him then with wide eyes, as if he was some kind of hero, and he knew she meant it. And suddenly a wave of guilt crashed over him. Graz deserved a real surprise. She might drive him crazy sometimes, but she was always going out of her way to do special things for him, and the least he could do was return the favor at least once.
"Well, ya deserve it, baby," Riff told her, pressing a kiss to her temple as they walked. Damn. If Christmas miracles really existed, he could sure use one right now.
As they were walking past The Coffee Pot, the local coffee spot, Graziella stopped them short and pointed at a sign in the window. "Look at that! They got peppermint hot chocolate. Oh, don't that sound good?"
Hmm, not bad. "It sure does," Riff nodded. "Which is why it's our first stop on this here Christmas-y date," he continued, guiding Graz inside as if this had been part of his plan all along.
Twenty cents later, they were back out on the street, steaming cups of peppermint hot chocolate in hand—with lots of whipped cream, as Graziella had insisted.
"Mmm, now that is Christmas-y," Graziella giggled, licking a drop of hot chocolate off her lip.
"Mhm," Riff agreed absent-mindedly, trying to think of what they could possibly do next. The hot chocolate had been a good start, but there had to be something bigger. Lost in his train of thought, he took another distracted sip of his drink.
The sound of Graziella's laughter broke him out of his thoughts. "What's so funny?" he asked with a smirk.
"You, Santa Claus," Graziella replied, pointing at his mouth with another burst of laughter.
Glancing up into the storefront window behind his girlfriend's head, Riff realized that in his distraction, he'd managed to get a huge glob of whipped cream on his chin and upper lip. "Damn," he muttered, lifting a hand to wipe it away.
"I got it," Graziella said suddenly, surprising him when she wrapped her arms around his neck and licked the whipped cream right off his lips, right there in the middle of the street.
"Good God, woman, there are children around!" Riff teased, the tips of his ears turning pink as he looked down at her. Then it suddenly hit him: Santa Claus…children. Hadn't some of the Jets been complaining about having to take their kid siblings to see some store Santa Claus? It didn't get more Christmas-y than Santa Claus.
"C'mon," Riff said suddenly, grabbing Graziella's hand and practically dragging her towards the nearest subway station.
"Where are we goin'?" she cried out, doing her best to keep up the pace.
"You'll see," Riff grinned, jogging down the steps and hurrying over to the token booth to pay the 30 cents it cost for two subway tokens. It was a good thing he'd snagged what money he had before leaving today, but chances were still good they'd be hopping the turnstile or walking on the way home.
"Payin' for subway tokens? I'm a lucky girl indeed. This really is a special day," Graziella teased him, slipping her arm through his as they waited on the platform for the next train.
"A special day fer a special girl," Riff winked, wrapping his arm around her.
"Oh, Riffy-poo," Graziella sighed, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek.
A few minutes later, they were making their way downtown as quickly as the subway would carry them. When they hit the 34th Street Station, Riff took Graziella's hand and tugged her off the train, relief coursing through him that he at least had some idea what he was doing now.
"Where are we goin'?" Graziella asked again, following behind him as they made their way out of the crowded subway station.
"So impatient," Riff replied, clucking his tongue and shaking his head. "You'll see soon enough, doll."
Moments later, Macy's Department Store was looming in front of them, and Riff quickly ducked inside, his arm firmly draped around Graziella.
"Takin' me shoppin' after all?" Graziella asked, arching an eyebrow up at him.
"Not exactly," Riff chuckled, quietly talking to a security guard before pulling Graziella through the massive store. Part of him was worried she'd set her eyes on something fancy. He didn't even have enough money for two subway tokens back home, let alone anything in Macy's.
"Riff, what are we–oh!" Graziella was momentarily stunned into silence, something he wasn't quite used to. "Oh, Riff, we're not!" she laughed, putting a mittened hand to her cheek.
"What? Too old ta sit on Santa's lap?" Riff asked, smirking as they approached the line to meet the store Santa. Leaning close, he pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, "I mean, ya have been an awful naughty girl lately."
"Stop it!" she gasped, her cheeks turning almost as red as her hair, which delighted him. "There are kids around!" she added, smacking his stomach lightly.
"Aww, goody-two-shoes," Riff murmured, laughing as she swatted at him again.
Despite the long line of screaming brats, things actually did move fairly quickly, which Riff was grateful for. Kids gave him a headache, though Graziella kept cooing over how cute some of them were. When it was finally their turn, Riff nudged her forward, grinning. "Alright, go tell Santa whatcha want fer Christmas, babe."
"Ain't ya gonna come with me?" Graziella asked, slipping her mittens into her coat pocket.
"Nah,' Riff responded casually. "Santa's never been one fer answerin' me. 'Sides," he added with a lopsided grin. "I'm sure me an' the Jets are on the naughty list this year."
Grinning, Graziella shrugged and made her way over to Santa, sitting on the arm of his chair. God, but she was an attractive dame. He was looking forward to having her in his lap once they got back home tonight. He was just about to get lost in that mental picture when he suddenly noticed Graziella pointing at him, giggling behind her other hand. Santa was looking over at him as well and waved when they made eye contact. Embarrassed, but trying not to show it, Riff waved back awkwardly.
Graziella and Santa spent a few more minutes talking before she finally hopped off his chair and gave him a wave. "Merry Christmas, Santa," she said cheerfully, smiling as she sauntered her way back over to him.
"What was that about?" Riff demanded curiously, slipping his arm around her as they made their way back through the store.
"That's between me an' Santa," Graziella shot back, batting her eyelashes at him teasingly.
"Cute, Graz. Very cute," Riff smirked, pinching her bottom as they made their way out of Macy's, earning a few gasps and horrified looks from the grandmothers they passed on the way.
Graziella couldn't think of the last time she'd had a better day. Riff had really pulled out all the stops to make today special. She'd never say it out loud, but it touched her more than words could say. She and Riff had been going steady for a while now, and they had lots of fun, but Riff wasn't really a mushy, gooey kind of a guy. He hated talking about feelings and their dates usually consisted of finding the best places to make out. Which she certainly wasn't complaining about. But still, it was nice to see him put some effort in. It made her feel special. He made her feel special, which was more than she could say about any other guy she'd ever dated. But then, Riff wasn't like any other guy she'd ever known.
After leaving Macy's, they walked hand in hand down the city streets, crowded and bustling with last-minute shoppers. They even got to see some of the department store window displays, much to her delight. At that point, however, the sun had already gone down and the air was starting to get a little colder.
"Should we start heading back now?" she asked reluctantly, not wanting the evening to end. She pointed at the nearest subway station.
"Um, let's walk a little bit more," Riff replied, eyeing the subway station as they passed it by.
He wouldn't hear any complaints from her. They walked for several blocks in comfortable silence as she nestled into his side, grateful that she'd heeded his words to wear a real coat today.
"Oh, Riff, I had the best day today. Ya really—oh, Riff!" Graziella gasped as they suddenly turned the corner. "Oh, Riff! It's beautiful!" She was practically bouncing up and down as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree came into view. It had been years since she had seen it in person. The last time she remembered seeing it had been when she was a little girl. But it was even more beautiful than she remembered, with the twinkling lights and the shining star at the very top. And it was made all the better for the boy standing beside her. "Oh, Riff, is this why ya wanted to keep walkin'? Was this the last surprise?" she exclaimed, looking up at him.
"Um, yeah, a-course. Ya caught me," Riff grinned, looking down to meet her gaze.
"Oh, Riffy-poo!" she cried, throwing her arms around him and kissing him passionately, despite the looks they received from some of the crowd around them. "Yer the best," she sighed happily, resting her head against his shoulder as she continued to gaze up at the tree.
He hadn't even realized they'd been walking in the direction of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree until they'd turned the corner and seen it in front of them. But he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Graziella so excited. It was funny, he thought to himself. As high-maintenance as Graziella could be, it hadn't taken much to make her happy today. Maybe she just needed the chance to feel special, to feel like he cared about her. And he did care about her. In fact, watching her gaze up that oversized Christmas tree, he found that he cared about her more than he'd ever realized.
The Jets might hassle him about the nicknames she gave him and her habit of sticking her nose in their business. Her stubbornness might drive him crazy sometimes. But she was his girl. She might have a loud mouth and a sharp tongue, but she also had a big heart and an easy laugh. And she loved him. Considering there were so few people who really did, he'd learned not to take that for granted. And in that moment, watching her in the twinkling lights of Rockefeller Center, Riff, who always swore he'd never let himself be tied down to one dame, thought for a moment that he just might love her.
"So whaddaya say, doll? Christmas-y enough for ya?" Riff teased, slipping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.
"Oh, yes! Very Christmas-y," Graziella laughed, kissing him again. Glancing from him to the tree and back again, she smiled wider than he'd ever seen before, her eyes seeming to sparkle even more than the star on the top of the tree. "Merry Christmas, Riff."
"Merry Christmas, Graziella," Riff murmured, holding her close to his side.
He'd never been one for Christmas. He'd never seen the point, had never bothered with trying to make traditions that no one would bother to keep with him. But, truth be told, he wouldn't mind doing this with Graz again next year. For her, he was willing to get a little Christmas-y.