As the evening progressed, Matt discovered loudness was actually an inherited trait shared by all of Foggy's relatives. He also found his friend wasn't the only one with a propensity to sing festive songs very loudly and very off-key. But overall Matt found he had a very good time.
Things had been slightly awkward at first, with Matt sitting stiffly on the sofa and the rest of Foggy's family not quite sure how to act around him. Then Tristen had stated that it was probably a good thing Matt couldn't see Foggy because his facial hair alone would've had him fleeing in terror, and just like that the tension had been broken.
"I don't know how I raised such a slob." Rosalind jested over dinner.
"Oh believe me, I know. His crap ends up on my half of the room all the time!"
"And he's so loud!" Chelsey put in.
"Does he ever stop talking?" Matt questioned.
Rosalind just laughed, "So far no. If you find a way to shut him up you need to let the rest of us know."
"Why is this gang up on Foggy night!" Foggy demanded. He sounded offended but Matt could tell he was just playing along.
"Because you make it so easy." Matt immediately shot back, and the whole table erupted into laughter.
Supper was quickly finished and after the dishes had been hastily cleaned off and the food put away the entire Nelson family crammed into the living room to participate in a Nelson family tradition: watching an older Christmas or holiday movie.
"Have you ever seen Home Alone?" Foggy asked as the two burrowed their way onto the cramped couch.
"Can't say that I have." Matt responded, eliciting a snicker from a few of the cousins.
"You know what I mean!" Foggy flailed his arms in exasperation. "Plus you had nine years to actually see it."
"Christmas movies were never really a big tradition in my household."
"Why not?" One of Foggy's younger cousins, Taylor, piped up from his spot on the floor.
Matt shifted uncomfortably. "We just didn't watch a whole lot of tv."
Foggy, sensing his friend's unease, quickly brought the topic back to what they had originally been talking about. "So Home Alone, it's a movie about MacGyver's child growing up with the worst family in the history of forever."
"Ah. Sounds like an interesting premise."
"That's not what the movie's about at all." Chris started, leaning over Foggy and Tristen to talk more directly to Matt. "The kid's parents accidentally leave him alone when they go on vacation and he has to defend the house from thieves."
"Which he does using very MacGyver-like traps! I'm telling ya, there's some sort of familial relation."
"The movie's starting!" Taylor cried, wiggling around enthusiastically. "Everybody shhhh, you know the rule!"
Matt leaned over to Foggy, smiling in amused curiosity. "What's the rule?" He whispered.
"No talking during the family movie." Foggy responded, then sat up a little straighter on the couch cushions and raised his hand into the air like a child in school. "Madam Mother, I move to waiver the 'no talking' rule for the duration of tonight's entertainment."
Rosalind released an incredulous laugh, "Not on your life. You know you're the reason we made that rule in the first place."
"Ok, I was like, 45% of the cause, but I'll let that slide. Seriously though, if I don't narrate, how will Matt know what's going on?"
Matt's eyes widened and he felt the burn of embarrassment in his cheeks. "I'll be fine, you don't need to break a family rule for me." He began hastily.
"Nonsense." Rosalind interrupted gently. "I hadn't even taken that into consideration Matt, I'm so sorry."
"No it's alright, not many people do."
"I do!" Foggy stated gleefully, waving his hand through the air. "I'm one of the few."
"Yeah, but with the way you narrate things, I almost wish you weren't."
Matt heard Tristen and probably Chris snicker.
Foggy gasped in mock offense. "You love my narrating."
"Bet he only says that so he doesn't hurt your feelings." Chelsey joked.
"Hey!" Taylor called everyone's attention. "The movie is actually starting and only Foggy gets to break the no talking rule!"
"Alright, alright. We'll stop. But that means you have to stop too!"
Taylor squealed with joy and tried to wriggle away as Tristen began to tickle him, but after that the room lapsed into silence and Matt listened as the opening credits began to play.
True to the words Taylor had spoken Foggy was the only one breaking the family's 'no talking' rule. At least, for the first half of the movie. But as the movie commenced, others began to offer up their own thoughts and opinions, describing what was going on so Matt could see the screen too.
"Oh, I hate this part!" Chelsey groaned. "He's barefoot now and-" Her small squeal of discomfort was soon drowned out by the robber's scream of pain from the tv.
Matt winced in sympathy, remembering the image of a small nail stuck to a tar covered step Foggy had so adeptly painted for him earlier. "Ouch."
"Yeah ouch. I cringe every time I watch that."
"Only because you're a big baby!"
Matt felt a rush of air past his face as Chelsey threw a pillow at Josh, who of course retaliated.
It didn't take long for the entire couch to get involved, tossing and smacking one another with any extra pillows they could find.
"Matt, shield your delicate face!" Foggy cried dramatically, raising his own hands to defend his friend from the possibility of assault by pillow. His efforts were impeded however, when a pillow smacked into the back of his head and he of course had to defend his honor.
Matt did his best to enjoy the fray whilst also remaining out of it, but inevitably contact was made. A pillow meant for Foggy smacked directly into the side of his head. Chris had barely begun to formulate an apology when the pillow sailed back through the air and she was forced to cower behind her arms to protect her face.
"Dude." Josh whistled, having seen the pillow connect with its intended target. "Awesome throw! How'd you do that?"
The room fell silent and Matt felt the family's interested gaze center on him. He shifted uncomfortably for a moment, "Um, it's really just a matter of trajectory. I can tell where the throw originated from based on the angle it hit me, and stuff."
"Huh. Cool."
Attention gradually turned back to the tv, but the smile on Foggy's face wasn't at all related to the movie.
"His head's on fire, his head's on fire!" Taylor squealed, giggling loudly as the second robber screamed in shocked pain.
"Now he's going for the toilet." Chris informed.
"Wait, the toilet filled with-" Matt began to ask, but was interrupted by the sound of an explosion from the tv.
"Yep. That toilet." Tristen laughed.
"Here's the best part!" Josh called. "Wait for it."
The living room was engulfed in silence and Matt could picture everyone leaning closer to the screen, waiting in excited anticipation for whatever was about to happen.
"Heads up!" He heard the second robber shout. The first one made a sound of confusion, then something definitely smacked into him.
"What'd he just get hit with?" Matt asked Foggy over the laughter of his cousins.
"A paint can. Here comes another one!"
Matt winced as he heard the second paint can connect with skin. "Ow. How does someone walk away from that?"
"Matt, this is not meant to be an accurate representation of real life."
"Thank you Foggy, I gathered that."
Foggy snickered at Matt's deadpan tone, turning his attention back to the movie.
"So the man actually called his daughter." Matt stated with a smile. "That's sweet."
"Yep. And that's the end. So what'd you think?"
Matt couldn't help the laugh that escaped his throat. "I think it was ridiculously wonderful."
"Great!" Chelsey said. "Next year we can watch the sequel!"
"Wait, this happens again? How awful are this kid's parents!"
"Oh no, it's ok." Josh reassured. "The second time they get separated in an airport. Totally different."
"Yeah cause that makes it any better." Tristen laughed. "You can't just excuse losing your child so easily. I mean seriously."
"Alright your ruffians." Rosalind called everyone's attention. "It's getting pretty late and the younger kids need to get to sleep."
"What do you mean the younger kids?" Chris said around a yawn. "I need some sleep."
Foggy had explained to Matt earlier that it was a family tradition for his cousins to spend Christmas night at his house. That way they could stay as late as they wanted and didn't have to worry about driving home when they were tired. Most of his elder aunts and uncles had already left, but they all lived really close to one another so arranging for rides was never difficult.
"Good night everyone!" Taylor called, already in his pajamas and ready for bed.
"Good night." The family chorused.
Matt and Foggy made their way upstairs and closed the door behind them.
"Well I had fun." Foggy said with a sigh, falling onto his bed in content.
"I did too. Thanks, for letting me crash with you."
"Any time, and I mean it. Also, now that my family has met you, I think it'll just be expected that I bring you home with me."
"Foggy, I couldn't possibly come home with your every time-"
"Why not?" Foggy interrupted, sitting up and gazing at his friend with an inquisitive look that was totally lost on him.
"Because," Matt sputtered "I just, I can't be always depending on your family."
"Why not?" Foggy asked again.
Matt sighed, sitting down on the extra mattress Foggy had managed to dig up earlier. "I don't want to be a charity case." He admitted quietly.
"Well, you're not. If that's what you think you are, you're not. I invited you because I didn't want you to be alone for Christmas. My family accepted you because they're awesome. Believe me, you can't get a Nelson to do something they don't want to do. Also it's very hard to say no when they have their mind set on something. Just a fair warning."
"I suppose I'll keep that in mind. Good night Foggy."
"Night Matt."
The next morning Matt was greeted with the delicious smell of waffles, maple syrup, and strawberries.
"Your mother is wonderful." He said with a grin, relishing in the scents wafting up the steps.
"Don't let her hear you say that." Foggy said with a groan as he rolled over and stretched. "It'll go straight to her head."
Matt laughed softly before rolling off his mattress.
"Why are you getting up, it's too early for that."
"Foggy," Matt said, brushing his fingers over his braille watch. "It's quarter to eleven."
"Exactly my point. Too early."
"Come on, I smell breakfast and it smells amazing."
Foggy rolled his eyes before forcing himself to sit up. Rubbing the last remaining bits of sleep from his eyes Foggy stood and followed Matt out the door. They were greeted with a chorus of 'good mornings', the whole kitchen lighting up with warmth.
Matt looked slightly taken aback when his plate was piled full with all different types of food, waffles, hash browns, bacon, and sausage.
Foggy smiled softly as a look of content settled over Matt's features. He could try to deny it all he wanted but Foggy knew Matt never wanted to be alone for Christmas, he was just too nice of a person to ask. Too afraid of being a burden. Foggy wasn't sure where or when those types of thoughts had popped into Matt's head, but he was determined to prove to him that he was not, and never would be, a burden to anyone. Matt would be back for Christmas with the Nelsons the next year, the smile on his face reassured Foggy of that fact. Plus, like he'd told Matt the previous night, it was very hard to say no to a determined Nelson. And Foggy was nothing if not determined.
A/N: First off I would like to apologize for how stupidly long it took for me to finish this chapter. It just wasn't happening and I really don't know why. Anyway, there will be three other Christmas chapters, but as to what actually happens, well, that'll have to be a surprise. Also, Foggy's dad has just never worked his way in so I am officially saying that he is not in the picture. Why? I don't know, maybe I'll bring it up some other time.
I'm not sure what the next chapter is going to be or when I will be posting it. I do have a Halloween idea, so that could happen. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.
Thanks to everyone who has favorited, or followed, but especially those who have reviewed! I really appreciate the input. Also, kudos to you if you can figure out the error in my chapter. Hint: it has to do with the Home Alone narration. (Which I don't own by the way. It is a wonderful movie though!)
Anywho, thanks a ton! Hope you enjoyed this and until next time! Have a nice day!