Hey ya go Alyss! Sorry for the really delayed update. But this was a special and it's freaking Christmas! SO I HAVE to overdo it! Enjoy~!
Christmas Special
"Dashing through the snow~!
On a one horse open sleigh~!
Through the fields we go~!
Laughing all the way, Ha-Ha-Ha!
Bells on bobtails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight!
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the-"
As Will, Simila, June and Alyss sang the chorus a thump echoed throughout the house coupled with that of a groan. June looked down the hall and found Carter stumbling out of the room wearing pajama pants and a white T-shirt.
"Oh…huh…why is their decorations everywhere?" He asked, getting some coffee from Will's cup.
"Because it's Christmas season idiot." Simila replied.
"It is? Does that mean you're gonna hang mistletoe everywhere in the house?" Carter asked, scratching his stomach as he yawned.
"No! Now help decorate the tree!" June snapped, kicking carter towards the gigantic Christmas tree in the middle of the living room.
The couches and chairs were all pushed up against the wall, leaving a good three feet around the tree of empty space. Occupying that space were several boxes of Christmas ornaments, some being glass, or plastic, and some woven or made by Ward children.
"Sweet." Carter said, picking up a gingerbread man ornament and biting into its head.
"Carter that's not edible!" June cried, grabbing the remaining body.
"Yes it is, see." Carter stated chewing it peacefully as he broke off a piece and tossed it to Simila, who gobbled it up happily.
"…Oh…" June returned to slowly putting up ornaments.
"Oi, June there's an empty spot right up there." Carter pointed at the area under the top of the tree.
"I can't reach it Master." She growled, annoyed.
Carter snorted in annoyance as he walked up and hoisted June easily on to his shoulders. At this she gave a yelp and nearly dropped the red glass sphere in her hands/ She steadied herself before hanging it on one of its branches. Carter handed her another one, and it went forth, with Carter handing ornaments to June who hung them somewhere not too cluttered by something. Another hour of hanging, and stringing lights around it, and they were done, admiring the tree with a golden star topper.
"Nice guys...oh and you too June and Alyss!" Carter said, grinning.
"Carter, finish the song you interrupted." June said suddenly.
"Huh?"
"Sing Jingle Bells!"
Carter paused, a noticeable red on his cheeks as he struggled to come up with an excuse. "I have a…..uh…sore throat! And it's really dry!"
"Carter just sing it!" Everyone yelled and Carter's head drooped in disappointment.
Carter grumbled a "fine," before clearing his throat and starting to sing.
"Dashing through the snow,
On a one horse open sleigh.
Through the fields we go,
Laughing all the way, Ha-Ha-Ha!
Bells on bobtails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight!
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride,
in a one horse open sleight!
As Carter finished the verse in his gruff deep voice June looked at him with interest as she noticed that one: he had a surprisingly good voice. And two, he sang very well. June shook her head, clearing the thoughts from her mind as she set back to decorating the house. A project that took them the rest of the day, and part of the next morning.
When they had finished, with four days sparing before Christmas, the house had mistletoe under almost every door except for Carter's (i.e. he kept burning it off!) and colorful gold, green, and red ribbons hanging from the rafters. June was even wearing her Santa hat along with a Christmas tree shirt and sweatpants that had: Naught with a girl with horns and Nice, with a girl with a halo on either side of the pants. Simila had told her to wear that Christmas bikini she had, but it was dropped as soon as she heard Carter and Simila scheming how to throw her out into the snow.
Carter was surprisingly jolly even though it was the morning. And she also noted that he was wearing a Santa hat and carrying a list. Just like the song. She wondered if this was the one holiday Carter did celebrate, because he skipped Halloween, and Easter, and Valentine's Day, but maybe he did do Christmas…
As the rest cheered and sang around the living room fire, Carter drifted off towards the different rooms of the house. The spare, where Simila stayed when he wasn't training at the castle under the Champion, and June's room.
He crept into the later, and looked around before finding a spare scrap of folded paper on her dresser. He smiled, finding his item and shoving it in his back pocket as he walked out, silently closing the door. He glanced back into the living room, finding that everyone had calmed down and taking a drink off eggnog or coffee and joined them unnoticed.
June glared at him suspiciously, but ignored his as he glared at the mistletoe above his head, wishing for it to suddenly burst it flames at his will. No such luck as Simila stumbled about with a glass of eggnog which Carter was sure was spiked with alcohol. He glanced at June who was laughing uncontrollably as Simila tumbled into Carter.
They both went sprawling under the mistletoe, causing the whole commotion to stop and look at them. June turned out to be the one to break the silence.
"Told you he was Will." She said, grinning.
"So now this turned into a question about me AGAIN! I thought we went over this." Carter complained, kicking a now snoozing Simila across the floor.
"So? You've never actually kissed anyone that we've seen, so it's fun to mess with you." Will shrugged.
"~under the mistletoe~" Carter muttered in a sing-song voice before getting up and ruffling June's hair.
"What?" Everyone except for Simila asked as Carter walked out of the front door.
Carter snickered, but his thoughts drifted back to what Will had said. He sighed, shaking his head to clear it of the annoyance before pulling a neatly folded up letter from his back pocket.
He read silently to himself June's Christmas letter to 'Santa'.
Dear Santa,
There are really only a few things that I want for Christmas so please grant them or at least two. Thank you!
I would like one week off of practice. However I doubt you can get my crappy teacher/master to do this unless you use a sword and that's still unlikely. But still.
Something frilly. I haven't worn anything actually girly in two freakin years! The only thing I've worn is the Ranger's uniform, summer or winter coats and winter or forest cloaks! I NEED SOMETHING NOT GREEN IN M CLOSET!
A new quiver of arrows, preferably broadhead and practice tips. I shot my last set on the mission before Dec. 17
A musical instrument. I feel left out! Simila can play the flute. Will can play the lute/mandalo thingy. Nad I've heard that Carter can play a piano, lute, guitar, bass, drums, and a saxophone! HELP ME! You can get me a flute or something!
Yup, so that's really it! Thank you!
P.S. Sorry if there isn't any milk and cookies, Carter might not bake them! T^T
Carter smiled at the last wish. It was true he could play a piano, guitar, mandalo, and drums, but he had no idea how to play the saxophone! He laughed as he pulled out his purse, checking how much he had. He smiled, more than enough. Now he just needed Simila's he already got Will's gift picked out along with Alyss's.
Carter whistled a happy tune that sounded similar Silver Bells as he walked down to the music shop. He browsed around, looking at different instruments. A mandalo here, maybe a flute, but neither seemed to fit June's character! That was the problem carter had the most difficulty with. Each person has a different personality, and each instrument has a different way to express that and if it doesn't express it right, then it's not the right one. For Carter, he had a talent for the piano and the guitar. But everything else he picked up in his free time. It only took him a week or two for the piano, but a whole year to play the drums correctly without assistance!
He sighed looking around one final time before walking out, his eyes however, refused to give up and quickly caught a glimpse of a black case in one corner. He frowned, a scowl set on his face as he hadn't noticed it before. He picked up the case finding it about as long as his arm, maybe a bit longer. He undid the latch and whipped out a black guitar with a red rose painted on the side, it's thorny stem circling around the base of the instrument.
"Sweet, this looks like a good one." Carter said, setting his fingers on the strings and pulling out a silver coin and using it as a pick.
He idly picked at the notes for a second before his fingers started flying across the strings, strumming the cords while his left hand would pull or press on the strings, altering the resulting song. He stopped halfway through a set of notes and glanced down at the guitar. He realized it was completely out of tune.
He glared at it until his vision began picking out all the little chips of paint and the wornness of the strings. Even the piece that held the strings were rusted and in poor condition. If he wanted the guitar, he'd have a ways to go before giving it to June he realized.
"So you figured out the problem with that little number huh? Most people figure out only when I tell 'em. But it looks like you're still interested in that guitar." A voice drifted to him.
Carter turned and found the old man who owned the shop. He smiled brightly, he had come several times over the years, picking up strings for his piano, of something for Will's mandalo, but he would often come and play whenever he was allowed. He often would find his spending hours on in tuning something that wasn't even his.
"Yeah, but it's Christmas, and my apprentice is looking for a musical piece, since everyone can basically play something, Will and mandalo, Simila a flute, and me just about everyone that has a string." Carter said, smiling as he looked at the poor guitar.
"You can have it then. It would never sell," The old man asked, smiling.
Carter's head snapped up so fast he swore a vertebra in it popped out and rolled down his spine, "Are you serious!"
The man laughed, "Very, but I can't give you the equipment for free otherwise I'd go out of business." He laughed again.
A grin spread across Carter's face faster than a wildfire, "Thanks oji*-san* I appreciate it. Thanks," Carter slowly got to his feet, returning the instrument to its case.
"Oji-san? What's that?" The old man asked, smiling.
"Ha-ha! I forgot that we're not in, Nevermind, Oji-san is saying Grandpa, but the san uses and honorific in the language, meaning I respect you." Carter explained, slightly embarrassed he slipped into a different language.
The man nodded, but he still held that smile like he had known what it meant anyway. He shooed Carter off towards a rack of repair equipment. He picked out a set of strings for the guitar, a pack of new picks, oil, and some replacement parts for it. Then he paused before picking up a bottle of red and black spray paint. He smiled as he paid for the items and almost laughed when the items added up to about the instruments cost.
He smiled as he walked off, happy with the results of the exchange. He continued walking until he reached the house, then he walked right past everyone, grabbed Will and Simila and pulled them into his room.
"What was that?" The girls asked, June scratching her head, confused at the black case he held.
"What was that about?" Simila asked as soon as the door closed and locked.
"I would enjoy hearing why you dragged me into your messy room." Will said, crossing his arms.
"I got June's present and want to make so that she can get lessons anywhere." Carter said, pulling out the guitar.
Will looked at it doubtfully and Simila immediately started to reach for the chipped paint. Carter slapped his hands away before explaining that he would have to basically overhaul the whole thing and would then require giving her lessons.
"Why did you get her a guitar?" They both asked after a minute.
"Can you picture June on the piano or playing a flute?" He countered.
They thought about it for a second, the furiously started shaking their heads, "Well, I guess she might look good playing the piano, but still, a guitar fits so much better!" Simila said.
"Exactly, now get out of my room and if you tell June about this I swear my boot will be up your ass in two seconds flat." Carter said, already pulling out the repairing parts to work.
He spent the rest of the day doing basic repairs, the strings, oiling and tuning it and replacing different parts. Tomorrow he would paint and tune it again before wrapping it.
"Now I just need Simila's list." He mused before falling asleep.
The next day he rose at the break of dawn and dressed in simple jeans and a sweatshirt as the cold air wormed its way through the window, quickly realized that it was still too hot inside to wear it he discarded it and decided to walk around without worrying about it for a bit. He crept silently about, fixing a pot of coffee before creeping back to Simila's room.
He winched as the door made a squeak as he opened it. He let out a breath as Simila didn't wake and resumed picking his way across the room, avoiding dirty piles of clothes and miscellaneous items, he swore he might have seen an action figure and a dog bowl in one of the piles. He eventually reached the warriors nightstand and plucked a piece of paper off it. Carter confirmed it was indeed what he was looking for before walking out of the door and shutting it just as quietly as he had when entering. Thankfully it didn't squeak this time.
He continued making preparations for the day and even managed to renew the paint of the guitar and was in the middle of painting the rose when he heard Junes door. He stiffened, he couldn't toss it somewhere or put it back in the case, or the paint would drip, but he couldn't leave it out.
He quickly realized that the shower had turned on. He gave a sigh of relief and he returned the freshly painted guitar on his bed as he finished the rose. He smiled at the artwork and thought of adding something but decided it way June's job to do that.
As he walked out and closed the door a voice called to him from directly behind him, "So what's my present?" It was June, but that did nothing to stop Carter from shooting up ten feet it the air and grabbed the rafters with his arms and legs scared out of his wits.
"GOD JUNE YOU SCARED THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF ME!" Carter shouted, glaring down at her.
"Sorry, did you make breakfast?" She asked, changing the subject.
"Yup, just for you two, figured you didn't want to cook and Simila's still sore from that sparring match I had with him a couple days ago." Carter recalled the memory as he slapped the warrior with his blade in the thighs, shins, arms and tried to get him back into the random way he used to fight, but to no avail as he retained the knightly fighting style.
June smiled and wandered down the hall to wake Simila, and by Carter guess of the scream, she had flipped his mattress. He chuckled to himself as he wandered out of the door and pulled Simila's list out of his pocket. It read:
Dear Santa,
I really would love if you could just get me some pain relievers that make EVERYTHING feel numb, but I doubt that elves would actually make them. So instead here are the things I would like.
A dog, I always wanted one nad I can use it for hunting, and Will has a dog too!
A new sword, Horace carved a chunk out of mine.
Sleep! I swear I only get like four hours of sleep every day!
Casual Clothes, because Horace has stripped me of every piece of fat I ever had and ever will, and there for nothing I have fits! I LOST TOO MUCH WEIGHT!
A hunting knife, because using a dagger to skin a rabbit is a pain.
And that is it Santa, please bring me a happy item!
Carter smiled as he set off to get Simila a hunting knife and casual clothes along with June's 'something frilly'. He eventually found the shop and spent only a minute finding Simila clothes but spent over an hour finding June clothes, in the end he asked a store employee. He sighed and walked out before finding a hunting knife.
He came back with a giant cardboard box that he left in his room before joining the duo at the table. He also noticed that Simila suddenly had a white T-shirt and Jeans that somewhat fit him better.
He then realized that they were HIS clothes. He glared sharply at Simila as he inspected him. He found that since Simila had lost quite a bit of weight that his jeans fit better on him then then did Carter, but Carter liked his jeans loose. And that his shirt was pulled taunt at the shoulder but was slack around the abs.
Carter then realized that while he might not be the bigger person in the world, he had as much strength in his body as Simila did. He debated on whether or not that was good or bad, but decided that as long as it kept him alive, he was happy.
"Hey June who do you think is more muscular?" Simila asked suddenly.
"Are you really that desperate?" She asked without looking up from her book.
Carter burst out laughed at the insult and Simila sulked.
"But if I have to answer you are, Carter's got smaller compact muscles, but yours are just not as dense and therefore that more space." She said and Simila turned to be the one laughing as Carter sulked in his chair.
"I'll say that you both have more brawn the brain, your idiots sometimes." Will said jumping into the conversation as he entered the room with Alyss.
"Sup Alyss?" Carter fetched a cup of coffee.
"Nothing much, just getting presents for friends and finishing decorating. You do realize that Christmas is only two days away, don't you?" She said.
"Yup, only got a few more thinks to get." Carter smiled triumphantly.
"Seems you got everyone a present already, how did you know what to get?" June asked.
"I'm special."
"You got that right!" Everyone said, causing Carter to laugh uncontrollably.
"Well, I got to go see an old man and tune his piano." Carter said, already out the door and setting off for the music shop again. He was interested in a piano he had seen earlier in the year but never had the chance to get. Now that he had taken care of everyone's presents and knew that he had money to cover the expense, he'd like to see if he could get it.
He strolled in smiling, "Hey, oji-san how have ya been!" He smiled as he found the old man sitting at the piano, absent mindedly fingering some of the keys.
"Well, I've been okay I guess." He answered, but Carter could sense something in his voice that directed to the opposite.
"Something wrong oji-san?"
"Well, to be honest, I'm going to have to close down the shop. I can't afford the bills and even if I could, to keep the building I'd have to go broke or sell nearly everything." He explained the predicament.
"You're shutting down this shop?" Carter panicked.
"Well, I have no choice, I can afford not to."
"…Hey oji-san- can I borrow that piano your sitting at?" Carter asked, an idea already snaking through his mind.
"Sure, just bring it back." He got up and let Carter roll it out of the unusually large doors made specially to roll piano, Grand or mini ones in and out of the door.
"Hey, Oji-san, is this thing tuned?" He asked as he got the bench.
"Aye, now what are you doing?"
Carter smiled and cracked his knuckles and stretched his fingers. Then his fingers swept across the keys sending a resounding melody across the city. People paused and listened to the deftly played notes. The old man smiled and then frowned realizing that Carter's eyes were closed and that there was no sheet music in front of him. He was playing straight from his heart and just letting his fingers and the music express him.
As the music spread farther and farther, people started to gather around him, but he continued to play even as they wandered in side to see the old man behind him in the glass window. The sound was slow, and soft, but on parts it picked up and produced an upbeat tempo, but it always returned to the soft slow sound. As more gathered, some started to dance while others browsed the shop, having not even realized there was one in town.
And then, it started to snow. Carter still played even as the fine white powder coated his arms and head. The old man was suddenly busy as customers bought and sold items, clarinets, pianos, drums, guitars, basses, flutes, fiddles, everything started selling, from the smallest fiddle to the largest piano.
Carter didn't even notice as people started putting change on the piano's rim. And soon it lined the top. Noticing the gleam in front of his he paused and pulled out a guitar case and set it on the ground next to him.
He played for hours on end, hours upon hours until when he touched the keys, a red smug would be left behind, yet he didn't stop or falter in the notes he played. He played songs people asked him too and he saw that his music brought tears to many eyes. And he smirked as he finished the last note of a song a man had requested. He caught a glimpse of a tear in his eyes before he wiped it away.
"This will be my last piece." He said, looking solemnly at the keys. To be honest he really didn't want to stop, but his fingers throbbed and he shivered slightly.
His fingers slowly spelled out a melody as he began. He knew his fingers would hold much longer, even if they were numb from the cold, so as he reached the final note, the stopped, frozen in the air just above the keys. He growled trying to force his finger down, but it wouldn't move.
Instead a single slim finger peaked over his shoulder and pressed it for his. He looked back and found June, her face red as she was bundled up in a winter coat and a scarf around her neck. He chuckled and stood up. Then he shook his hands, drops of blood leaking out and landing on the powdery snow.
"To think that I would play until my fingers bled," He said, sucking on one of the bleeding digits.
"Idiot." June said, starting to pull him to the house.
"Wait a sec, would ya?" carter quickly gathered up the gold and silver guitar case and hauled it inside. "Hey, oji-san!"
The old man looked up, in the middle of checking out a man who was buying a lute. He eyed the case questionately. "Yes boy?
"I hope this saves the shop and pays for the piano! I'm taking it!" Carter said, setting the case on the floor and pouring it out next to the old man. Everything in the shop stopped, everyone started at the amount Carter had poured on to the floor.
"…You can have it. You can have this shop with that money!" The man said a tear in his eyes. "Thank you, thank you so much!" And he wrapped Carter in a hug.
"Hey, I can't let my favorite music teacher's shop close down in Christmas! I don't care if I had to play until my fingers fell off!" Carter grinned, holding up his bloodied fingers.
The man instantly shook his head, but Carter's sharp eyes caught the tears streaking down his face. He sniffed and whipped his eyes on his sleeve before wordlessly handing Carter something. Carter took it, somewhat surprised before the man returned to selling instruments.
As Carter walked out and started pushing the piano towards the house June suddenly came up behind him, helping him push the grand piano up the hill.
"What did he give you?" She asked.
Carter smiled a warm sight in the freezing cold weather, "it was a copy of the key to the shop. I almost turned him down, but…when I looked into his eyes, I could tell that he was just so happy that he'd get to keep his beloved shop. And he also knew how much I love music and therefore, he gave me a key. And he told me to come down any time and play, or just sit and tune an instrument. Anything was free for me. Not that I won't pay, I'll just slip whatever the cost was into the drawer." Carter said, reaching inside the piano and plucking a string. It was a low A, and it reverberated in the air.
"What song did you play?" She asked him, curious.
"What song? I don't really know, I just let my heart that over, the only keys I recognized where the high notes. They reminded me of you singing somehow." Carter said, looking to the clouds in the sky.
June blushed a strawberry red, but it went unnoticed as Carter rolled the piano to the front door. Then with the help of Simila and Will, was able to rearrange the furniture and fit it inside in the living room.
"Have to knock out a wall and expand, hm…maybe make it my music room…" He mused as his fingers tapped the keys softly.
"Come on Carter, we have to get your fingers bandaged!" June snapped, leading him to the bathroom and pulling out a box of bandages from under the counter.
As she wrapped each cut with a Band-Aid and kicked him out again as she wanted a warm shower, she caught a glimpse of a piece of paper in his back pocket. She was tempted to steal it, but figured it would be a report or a receipt for something at a shop. Both of which she didn't want. She quickly dismissed the thought and turned the water on hot for her shower.
Carter glared at the Band-Aids on his fingers, but figured that June would chew him out if he took them off. He sighed before returning to his room. He smiled as he pulled out the long black guitar case, flicking the latches back. He removed the almost completed work and set it in his hands.
He strummed in quietly, trying his best to keep it down so June wouldn't notice. This was something he was going to enjoy teaching her, unlike proper tree climbing. He remember the memory of her tripping him up and causing his to get several splitters in his hands as he had to swing back up.
The guitar's black paint had been renewed and gave off and glossy shiny and the rose have been re painted and some of the petals dowsed with a speck of glitter. The new strings were shining and standing ready to withstand several years of playing and a new strap had been put on. Carter pulled on the sling and stood up.
He smiled as the guitar swung down and jiggled harmlessly on his back even as he jumped. He would have to make sure June didn't roll though, that could end disastrously. He played one single chord, directing the sound out of his window, and it sounded just right. He smiled, putting the instrument back in its case and in his closet along with Simila's and June's other presents.
He fell onto his bed heavily, closing his eyes and waiting hopefully for a nap, his fingers hurt terribly and throbbed in a steady unchanging rhythm that annoyed the Ranger. And he shivered violently only a second later. He realized then he might be developing a cold from the snow. He cursed himself for staying out in the cold without a coat on, but didn't regret it one bit.
"Hope I don't get sick." He mumbled, rolling over onto his side and falling asleep on the pillows.
A hour later, June came in, "Master, dinner's read- Oh….." she paused looking at his sleeping face. "I'll just leave you right there." June smiling, finding his relaxed sleeping face kind of cute and funny at the same time.
She ran out the door, closing it silently before hurrying off to join the others for dinner.
"Hey where's-"
"He's sleeping" June cut Simila off, "So don't disturb him.
"What happened to his fingers?" Will asked.
June smiled and gestured to the piano, "look for yourselves."
Everyone had either a scowl or a frown on their face as they got up and looked over the piano. They stiffened as they saw the dripping red marks imprinted on the keys. June smiled as she could tell the melody Carter played as a last song.
Although the snow had melted, the red marks were still present and spelled out a harmony if you went from the lightest smug to the darkest. June smiled as she sat down and tapped the keys out. She giggled as she found her fingers drifting from key to key, abandoning the original rhythm.
"If you're doing my melody at least end it right." A voice said, causing June to jump.
"Carter… you're awake?" Will asked.
"Unfortunately, I woke up right at the beginning of June's drifting with the keys." Carter replied, reaching over and striking the keys in a rapid succession that produced a dark threatening tune. "And after that I'll give her lessons." He struck the keys again.
"As long as you don't make me play until I bleed." She replied, glaring at him over her shoulder.
Carter smiled and flicked with hands up, the little Band-Aids flying off. Revealing a set of calluses. "As long as you start building up these, don't worry. You won't bleed. And you definitely won't bleed with the fingers you use to grip and pull the bow." He patted her head, grinning.
"…..So…..who's getting him eggnog?" Simila being the one to supply the random comment this time.
"JUNE!" Both Will and Alyss answered.
"…Why…do you always suddenly group me with the idiot?" June asked, clenching and unclenching her fists.
"Because it's fun to watch your reactions." Carter picked up June and set her on his lap sideways leaving him to face the piano. "Just like this." He pointing to the developing pink on her cheeks.
She growled and elbowed him in the ribs, but it only gave him a reason to laugh, falling back against the wall. He smiled, straightening up and ruffling her hair before leaning on the piano.
"So, only one more day until Christmas?" Carter's grin widened, "I'm so ready this year."
They spent the rest of the night playing games, singing, and playing the piano, courtesy of Carter. And then they slowly drifted to bed. Carter being the last to actually turn in as he checked everyone's gifts before he wrapped them and stashed them high in the rafters above the tree.
He woke late the next day, finding June had cooking breakfast and Simila had gone to celebrate with some guys from Battleschool. Will, Alyss, and June had gone to see Halt and Crowley and some of the other Rangers, including Len.
"…Now what do I do?" Carter wondered aloud. Then a light bulb came on above his head. "What's a light bulb? Anyway, I guess I could go and tune a guitar or something down at the shop…"
He shrugged and set off to the shop, finding it quite busy today. He smiled and waved at the old man behind the counter, handing out change and taking prices for instruments. Carter wandered to the back and started tuning a guitar, finding the job to be distracting and enjoyable. He smiled, and accidently spent the rest of the day tuning guitars, pianos, and somehow ended up tuning a fiddle.
He smiled and held up his right hand, the hand that had stopped working in the cold, also the one which had to be reattached. He frowned, flexing the appendage. He made a fist, and frowned as his pointer finger was slightly delayed in the action. He would have to get someone to look at it. He sighed, flexing and testing out the muscles in it arm again. He found nothing wrong, only the slight delay of his finger.
"That's not good." He muttered after a minute.
He looked outside and found that it was already dark. He figured that June would scold him for being out so late, after all it was Christmas, and the Eve only tomorrow. He figured he'd get chewed out, but decided that it wouldn't matter too much.
He hurried out, thanking the old man and running to the house. He found everyone joking and playing, Will trying out the piano along with Simila. Both of which ever failing, and so Carter taught them a lesson in playing.
He found that it was the next night sooner than he would have liked. But he gave no complaint as he retired to his bed room early. And neither June or Simila gave a complaint when he told them to get to sleep earlier that night. Earlier that day he had also somehow gotten persuaded into baking cookies with June and sported several burns when Simila wouldn't give him the oven mitts. Needless to say he was cursing for several seconds straight after he pulled the chocolate chip cookies out, and also kicked Simila.
He listened quietly as he waited for the steady and slow breathe of the household. He found it was Simila who stayed up latest, until about elven thirty, sharpening his dagger. He smiled and waited a few more minutes before pulling on the furry red outfit, snorting as the fuzzy material itched.
Then he crept out of the window and onto the roof, reentering the house in classic 'Saint Nick' style, sliding down the chimney. He always hated this part, mostly because the ash messed with his nose and partly because it left his black.
He finally made it down the chimney, filling the stockings of the two children before finding a suitable place for the other bigger items. It had taken his a while for Simila's sword, but he got one, technically made one, but still.
He smiled, eyeing his handiwork. It was well placed and surely not to be missed. He thought June would like her present, and Simila his. But he still had no idea what he might get from them. After all, he didn't leave a list. He shrugged, quietly returning to his room, before walking out, snatching the cookies from the platter and chugging the milk, munching happily on the cookies of chocolate happiness on his way back to his room.
He threw the dirty blackened costume into his closet. Then he flopped on to his bed and slept soundly. Well, if your version of soundly is waking up after three hours of sleep to have Simila elbow drop you. If that's the case that it was very pleasant!
"Let's go!" Simila called, similar to that of a child.
"Five more minutes!" Carter groaned, rolling over.
"Master if you don't get up right now I will-" June threated.
In less than three seconds Carter was up and dressed, knocking June on the back of the head as hard as he was allowed to. Then he kicked Simila in the shin. He sighed and walked into the living room, dragging the children away before they could kill the wrapping paper and threw them into a kitchen table chair.
"If you get up out of that chair you won't eat for the next week and I will steal your presents and they will be my own." Carter commanded, pulling out a frying pan, eggs, bacon, cheese, bread, potatoes, and a baking sheet.
After twenty minutes June and Simila were staring blankly at the omelets, hash browns, toast, scrambled eggs, bacon and a very happy Carter who was chewing on toast. He opened his eyes, which had to be closed because of his massive smile, and raised an eyebrow at their shocked faces.
"What? I can't own a cook book?" He asked, scratching the back of his head.
Immediately they snapped back into reality and started chowing down on the food. Simila managing to fit half a three egg omelet into his mouth before chocking and swallowing the whole thing.
Carter laughed, smiling as they enjoyed the Christmas breakfast. Carter found him being the last one eating. He smiled mentally, but kept a completely blank face as he finished his omelet. He sighed, setting the fork and knife on his plate.
"So I guess I'm gonna get dragged over to the tree and forced to hand out presents?" He asked, a wicked grin on his face.
Simila answered by pulling him out of his chair by his shirt collar and pulling him over the rough pine floor to the front of the tree. He looked at Carter, smiling.
"What?" Carter asked, "Look." He pointed to the couch, where two different gifts were wrapped.
June and Simila gave a large shout of happiness before ripping off the wrapping on both of them. They started that the gift awkwardly before swapping and returning to smiling. June had gotten her guitar and Simila, well he had gotten a hardened iron sword, similar to the one Horace used, only slimmer and not quite as long. After all, you can only forge so much in two days.
"So, how do you like your gifts?" Carter asked, a grin upon his face.
"Love em!" They chorused.
"Did you think that was it?" Carter held out his arms to show the filled stockings and presents under the tree.
They smiled and dove head first into the wrapping and by the time they were gone Carter wasn't sure if he should burn it or use it as the new wallpaper. He decided against the wallpaper because of all the rips.
June received a new bow, (Will) the guitar (Santa 'hehe'), a dress that was oddly pink which made June squeal. (Both Carter and Simila had to check to make sure there eardrums were still present) and a new set of arrows. Everything she wanted.
Simila received, his sword (Carter), clothes that actually fit (Will and Carter),and a new hunting knife (June, suggested by Carter).
"Aww, I wanted a puppy." He said, setting down the knife.
"Just don't let it chew my shoes." Carter sighed as Will opened the door.
"Puppy roll call!" he said, smiling as a jet black puppy ran in and circled around on the floor.
"PUPPY!" Simila shouted, running on all fours before collapsing beside the bundle of fluff.
The dog barked happily before licking the warrior's face, which brought forth several giggles. Simila smiled, rubbing the small dog behind the eyes. Will also brought in a bag of dog food and two bowls, one for water, one for food.
As Will explained the responsibilities of keeping the pup, Carter taught June some basics about the guitar. June nodded, finding the information interesting as he flicked some of the tight strings.
After a minute when both June and Simila were done with their talks, Carter said, "NOW WHO'S READY FOR A SNOWBALL FIGHT!"
They smiled, pulling on their thick winter coats and gloves and running out to enjoy the white Christmas Day. Carter and Will were the only ones left inside.
"Still pulling a Santa on them?" Will asked, smiling.
"Like I'll stop." Carter snorted, sharing the grin.
"You always did love Christmas."
"…I just enjoy the holiday. It's nice, the trees are snowy, snowball fights, parties, family, friends. I guess I just never got to enjoy it that much as a kid. And I think that's why it means so much to me." Carter said, laying down on the cold floor.
Will said there silent of a minute, smiling. "So are you going to sit there , or have a snowball fight?"
Carter grinned, immediately donning his coat and gloves as he rushed to join the fun.
Hope you enjoyed Alyss! It took a while and I'm sorry for the delays. Alos Vanity Storm, I am very sorry about being late on your idea. My laptop got taken/lost/pulled-a-Houdini. Anyway, I hope to get it up before New Year's Eve! Enjoy! AND Merry Christmas!