Hello :P It is Wednesday and I am back with a new chapter! I wrote this one way back in October or maybe even the end of September. Usually I am a little bit of a Scrooge but this one came naturally to me after watching a film. I was inspired to write this. Like the title suggests, it takes place on Christmas Eve. I hope you enjoy. And I hope you enjoy being introduced to Eli's girlfriend, Lucy!
Ages:
Jordan: 32
Eli: 34
Lucy: 31
Katie: 19
James: 47
Jessie: 48
Justin: 25
Sammy: 32
Jorgie: 7
Disclaimer: I own the story and the OCs mentioned!
I looked around at the people in the living room of the Ketchum Household on Christmas Eve and couldn't help but feel my stomach burning as much as the hearty glow of the fire, and my cheeks very much felt that same warmth too. Although I hardly wanted to take my eyes off my beloved people for even a second, I did find my eyes wandering to and out the window while the snow continued to fall on the world.
As I looked outside and smiled to myself, my heart feeling very full, I found myself thinking about the other parts of my heart and wondering what they were up to too. I found it easy to imagine. I knew that they were experiencing a cosy and serene time which they all very much deserved.
All eyes went over to the door of the Morgan Household living room door on that same Christmas Eve when it swung open. Everyone in the room knew exactly what it had meant. Yes, the last of the gathering guests had finally arrived. And taking it upon himself to greet them, Jordan leapt up from sitting cross legged in front of the fire with a wooden ornament to absentmindedly hold.
He discarded that object with a bit of a toss! And before the pair arriving had hardly time to step across the threshold, the yellow haired male was there with a grin and a booming voice.
"Ho ho ho, how dare you be so late!" Jordan exclaimed and then cackled at his own festive pun, somehow not lighting up all the more at the chuckles that could be heard from every corner of the room. He was already overflowing with joy! Any more of that delight then he would have exploded or pinged off the walls - or both.
Needless to say, the people right in front of him coming in the door were a whole lot less buzzing than he was but that was just down to him being so lively. Even so, their arms stopped being so draped around each other and their own eyes creased on their faces when Jordan took a light-hearted step back again, the light of the fire reflected in their eyes as well. It was noticed in the male of the couple's eyes most of all. Of course it was!
Nevertheless, it was the female of the pair who smiled and chuckled that little bit extra, her hand covering her mouth before it dropped all over again. She took a bit of a side step from her long-term boyfriend and then spoke, completely freeing herself from the last of his arm draped over her.
"I'm sorry if we are too late. But this is early for this one here. In fact, we're right on time for Eli time." Lucy rambled with a touch of a sheepish smile, her front teeth tucking over her lip rather than her hand covering her mouth that time. She gestured to the left of her where her deep violet haired boyfriend indeed was.
He barely reacted at being the blame for their lateness! Everyone else in the room did, though. More chuckles and titters and giggles were sounded along with the continuous merry tunes coming from the radio and the crackling of the fire.
Jordan laughed the loudest. He flopped back to his former position on the carpet in front of the fire but instead of picking up the wooden Christmas tree ornament again, he draped his own arm lovingly around his wife.
As Lynne's giggles died down at Lucy's words but to smile and snuggle against the shoulder of her husband, it wasn't going to be Jordan to speak all over again. It became apparent who it was going to be just when, following Katie getting up out of her own seat to greet Lucy and Eli too, a deep purple haired male stopped lulling on the sofa with his head against his little sister's shoulder and his legs on his boyfriend's lap.
A little bit hesitantly and shyly for him, he lurked near where Eli and Lucy were putting their belongings down on the ground in order to properly come into the living room with everyone else. Justin lingered and lurked while the couple nodded and waved, acknowledging most of the other people in the room.
He was simply encouraged to make his presence and his humour known when Katie brushed her hand against his shoulder on her way to give the new arrivals a hug each.
"I've never heard truer words spoken." Justin began, referring to the words that Eli's yellow haired girlfriend had previously uttered. Most eyes in the room went to him but Eli's did most of all. Followed by Lucy's whose orbs widened a little bit but before she had a chance to explain why, Justin added with a sheepish nod of the head, both hands clasping his mug of tea. "We're just glad to see ya. No matter how long it took you to come."
Katie was in the arms of Lucy and embracing her good friend when the yellow haired female seemed to give her an extra hug as if it was towards Justin! But still, she couldn't stop her eyes from widening a bit and her eyelashes fluttering, her front two teeth biting into her bottom lip as she attempted to hide amusement.
Meanwhile, Eli addressed Justin's sincere words and at last greeted him, leaving his last bag abandoned on the floor to give him a simple but happy to see him sort of shoulder pat.
After the deep purple haired grinned at him, his orbs squinting a fraction and his dimples appearing as he returned the pat also, Lucy could no longer hide everything that she was observing. Still in Katie's arms but more to the side that time – and the two girls had their arms draped over each other's shoulders in a friendly manner – Lucy looked right at Justin and grinned. In fact, she squinted to accompany her words.
"Killer pyjamas, Justin! Absolutely the best things I've ever seen." she laughed at her own words and continued grinning and even though her face scrunched up in amusement, anybody else in the room could tell that she was being genuine nonetheless.
Katie let out a bit of a snicker and momentarily rested her head on the older female's shoulder, covering her mouth with her hand like she had been doing before her. A few more people snickered and chuckled but preferred to leave that little gaggle of people to it.
Eli exited the scene in order to go and give Jorgie an affectionate and lingering sort of hug (giving an awkward half wave to Sammy on the way) while the deep purple haired male's face became laced with even more shyness upon hearing Lucy's words.
He tried to play it off and he succeeded, coming across very chilled out and unbothered. But the way his own front two teeth escaped his lips and his cheeks reddened proved that he felt a tiny bit conscious.
"Oh, these bad boys? Well cheers. It's me and Katie's annual pyjama exchange." Justin explained why he was wearing such flamboyant pyjamas rather than his typical white t-shirt and shorts or long pants depending on the season. At the same time that a few of the other people in the room resumed having conversations of their own, he put his mug of tea momentarily on a coffee table and gestured down to his night wear that were of a patchwork design and in very colourful red and green. After doing so, he smiled a bit more airily. "I like 'em."
A moment of silence ensued. Justin continued smiling. Sammy absentmindedly glanced over at that gaggle of people rather than Eli right near him who had scooped Jorgie off the sofa and was giving her a massive hug. Katie and Lucy finally pulled away from the hug of their own, but not until the yellow haired female had rubbed her fingers along the material of the orange haired female's nightwear and ones that Justin had obviously chosen.
Lucy laughed some more and blurted out words at the same time that she held her arms out to give him a proper embrace also.
"I think Katie has got the better end of that bargain." she humoured him and as she held him and he laughed but didn't comment either way, she innocently touched the material of his much brighter pyjamas in comparison to Katie's satin and nautical themed ones.
Lucy and Justin were pulling away from their own hug when the lavender haired father of Justin entered back into the room from another door. James was holding a lit candle in each hand to add to the collection of the room and he had certainly heard the way that the room got a little louder and knew that the remaining people had joined their cosy Christmas Eve gathering. He didn't need it announced to him.
But still, of course Jordan did exactly that and he heartily gestured with an arm each to Eli and Lucy while leaning against Lynne who was running her fingers through his yellow locks. James showed off a bit of an expression that spoke that he had eyes of his own – ears too!
Even so, he put the candles down on the coffee table and at the same time that Jessie entered the room through that same door a few moments after her own husband, and he greeted both of the newcomers.
"So glad you're here." He announced in calm and kind tones that were a far cry from Jordan's enthusiasm. Lucy was only just out of his son's arms for a couple of moments before she was then in his arms. She didn't mind though. She proved this with the smile that took over her face after a kiss was planted to her cheek as well. James would've been all up for a hug with Eli too in spite of everything but he was far too occupied with holding a seven year old Jorgie against his short stature. Instead, he received a lingering shoulder squeeze from behind. Then James held his hands up, addressing both Lucy and Eli together but anyone else who was listening, really. "Can I refill anyone's drinks? Can I get anyone a drink?"
Jessie just entered the room with a fresh glass of red wine so she was okay, and she proceeded to sit next to both Jordan and Lynne with it. Sammy had downed what was in his glass a few moments after Lucy and Eli had arrived so with a smile and a wave of the hand, he handed his empty one over to James who coolly accepted it.
Justin shook his head and went back over to collect his mug of tea from the side. Jordan was too busy pretending to steal Jessie's one to actually ask for one of his own and she was giving Lynne a (playful) look that she would share with her – not Jordan – so she didn't need one.
For the time being, Lucy was okay as well and Katie was too, so the two of them headed to sit in a corner together and catch up.
The only person other than Justin's Alolan long-term boyfriend who seemed keen on the idea of a drink was Eli, whose head turned and his eyes fixed on James as he prepared to speak at last and take him up on that offer.
However, before he had a chance to, Jorgie still lingering in his arms piped up for him and addressed her lavender haired father with an angelic smile.
"Chamomile tea for us, please!" she called out and not putting on a show at all, her long eyelashes surrounding her meadow orbs fluttered and then she wrapped her arms further around Eli's neck as he picked her up, resting her chin on his shoulder.
It goes without saying that James positively became a puddle at this and though he was able to withhold his emotional and affectionate sniffs, he blew his daughter a kiss before preparing to head back out the door again. Anyone knew that Sammy was going to be lucky if his drink's order was remembered!
At the same time that the dark brown haired male managed to refrain from letting out a sigh, his leg crossing over his other one in his skinny black jeans decorated with a spiked belt, Eli surprised anyone else who was watching by piping up sweetly back to James just like Jorgie before changing his tune.
"Yes, chamomile tea would be delightful." he announced with a smile and his natural, wide and intuitive orbs. Yet despite the fact that Jorgie was lulling so close to him and clinging onto him, he managed to get away with it when he added in a quieter voice just for James, practically whispering while his gestures made up for it. "Something stronger for me, if you don't mind."
James couldn't help but smirk at this even though the Unovan male was technically going against his beloved daughter. He gave Eli another shoulder pat and a squeeze too and then he headed back to the kitchen again for good.
Jorgie was none the wiser. She was just glad to be reunited with Eli all over again and she showed this by not wanting to be put down, still hugging onto him and he neck even after the deep violet haired male gingerly sat down next to Sammy. The Alolan male gave him a smile that was trying to be polite! It came across like that of a customer who had just been brought the wrong meal at a restaurant but it couldn't be too fake under the watchful eye of James' daughter.
Despite the ginger-ness from Eli and the awkward half-smile that he returned, he sat right next to Sammy so Jorgie could have the other sofa cushion if she ever chose to move away from him. With a ticking motion of his head, he gestured to where Justin had got distracted and was having a momentary conversation with Jordan.
Sammy's eyebrows immediately rose on his dark and chiselled face. But Eli came out with words that were innocent enough.
"Those PJ's on Justin, huh?" he began and although he was just making a passing comment and Sammy tried to believe that he was just being friendly, he decided to move his head back in a similar motion and allow his eyebrows to continue rising. Eli was forced to elaborate, a grin taking over his face as he moved his hand to shove the shoulder of the other male. Anybody could tell that that sort of gesture was not normal between the two of them! "Bet you won't be tugging them off of him tonight."
It goes without saying that a couple of people in the room's ears were alert as soon as Eli and Sammy started conversing! Justin was not one of the people who was honed into it, though, as he was really enjoying his conversation with Jordan while holding his mug of tea all over again.
However, out of all the conversations then going on in the room including his own and the ones around him, he somehow heard the words that came out of Eli's mouth! He heard them even past the booming voice of Jordan.
Immediately, Justin's whipped round. His cheeks reddened far more than they had done when his pyjama choice was under observation by Lucy. But before he could say anything, Eli and Sammy were clearly united in their enjoyment of Justin's appalled expression.
They both managed to supress their laughter and they managed to resist looking at one and other but it was clear they were both enjoying the response from the way they carried on.
In fact, Sammy actually went along with Eli's words, potentially even agreeing with them.
"I don't think anybody would want to tug them off him." He spoke in response and while Jorgie frowned, her hand absentmindedly playing with the collar of Eli's royal red sweatshirt, Justin was of course the one to have the continually most outward reaction. This was surprising because the three of Jordan, Lynne and Jessie had all started listening in.
Hearing Sammy's words, Eli chuckled a little bit and moved to slap his shoulder again; already a tad less awkward and he hadn't even had his stronger drink at that point. The two guys actually laughed and smirked together.
Justin did continue scowling and having cheeks the colour of the wine in his mother's glass, his hand waving to try and stop the others from listening into that conversation especially his parents. But following that, the deep violet haired male being the deep violet haired male, he couldn't stop himself from being himself for a single second.
It was true that he had been smirking along with Sammy But then his smile softened. His head tilted as he mused to himself, at last pondering what Justin's boyfriend had actually said.
"Well…" Eli began and he didn't need to utter another single syllable and his sunken yet inquisitive and round orbs didn't need to twinkle an extra amount for it to become apparent what he was about to get at.
Nevertheless, it wasn't Justin who tried to shut him down that time! Sammy blurted out; slapping Eli's shoulder in return – but he meant that one in a different way to the previous ones.
"If you say what I think you're considering saying then I will guarantee you being on the naughty list for the rest of your life." Sammy managed to utter coolly and quietly despite the edge to his whispered voice and the harshness that had momentarily taken over his face.
All eyes started to move over to that particular scene on the sofa even though he had tried to keep it quiet. Jorgie had certainly heard it from the way that her hand tucked further down the hole of Eli's sweater. Her eyebrows drew together. James had heard these words too and he caught on to the attitude between those two males in particular when he came back at last with the drinks that were required.
Eli didn't have a chance to coolly curve his lips and utter something smart in response because James got the last word first.
"It may be the adult's Christmas Eve now that most of the other young ones have gone to bed but don't forget that my sweet Cherub is still around." he warned the two fully grown men in a firm, almost fatherly voice before he shot an adoring look to the little girl that he was protecting. Her hand shot out of Eli's collar and held out to her father instead. James added, still fatherly and firm but with a different glint in his eye after he had swapped giving Eli a drink for taking Jorgie in his own arms again. "Behave, boys. Or I will add you to my own personal naughty list."
Sammy swallowed like he wanted nothing less than to let his long-term boyfriend's father down and so he looked down at his lap, looking back up again and feeling very glad when his drink was still handed to him. The lavender haired male then shared a look with anybody else in the room who was looking at him, sharing the amusement.
James could see the redness still on Justin's cheeks and knew that it wasn't from the fire. But he could see the smile and the lightness in his eyes coming back again after Sammy and Eli had been loosely reprimanded and the subject finally got changed. Then after a couple of seconds, the deep purple haired male's face screwed up and he nodded his head.
In fact, he felt reassured that he wouldn't be the subject of the two older male's rivalry anymore as well as the happy memory that he had a couple of the young ones who were off sleeping in another part of the house. This caused him to move in between both Sammy and Eli with Jorgie no longer there.
And following James smiling more at this and carrying the child that he shared with Lynne over to her, Katie was obviously reminded of something because of the last things that her Uncle James had stated.
Unlike Justin, she was not thinking how she had a young one of her own and her boyfriend, Jayden, was off settling her for good. Something else was put in her mind entirely. She couldn't stop herself from gasping a little bit and standing up off the window seat with Lucy, reaching out for her hand.
"Oh! Now that you're here, I can open my stocking from Uncle James." Katie realised and after Lucy didn't hesitate to squeeze her hand back but also smiled, her head tilting and frowning with gentle confusion, the eldest Ketchum daughter was forced to explain, a touch of a shy blush taking over her pretty face. "All of his daughters have opened theirs. But I wanted to wait for mine and do it with you."
The people in the room who hadn't gone back to engaging in their own conversations smiled when they heard these words coming from Katie but Lucy smiled the most. As well as this, she held a hand over her heart and it was hard to know whether it was down to the younger female wanting to share the moment with her or the fact that James included her in the stockings for his daughters.
Clearly remembering her own one from her father, for a rare occasion, Jorgie wriggled from being close to her parents doting on her and she trotted across the room, wanting to go over to the corner with the 'big girls' and see Katie's one being opened up close and personal.
Katie briefly moved to another side of the room to go and get hers but returned soon enough. Then, she was opening her very own stocking from Uncle James on Christmas Eve with Lucy right next to her and Jorgie too. She usually didn't like so many eyes on her. Perhaps she still didn't.
But she could sense that they were all genuine. And she knew that Justin's was one of the most genuine of all when he looked over at her even while sandwiched between Sammy and Eli, his eyes filled with soft curiosity. This is what probably caused her to blurt out but for a rare occasion, she didn't overthink her own voice too much.
"Uncle James always buys the nicest things." She announced and she shyly met the lavender haired male's gaze who of course gave her an equally as soft look as his son did to her, still settled down on the floor in front of the fire with Lynne, Jordan and Jessie too. Lucy sat right next to Katie with silent intrigue and though she seemed perfectly happy with crossing her own legs and holding her chin with her hands, she moved her position gladly when Jorgie scooted near her and rested her cheek against her arm. Katie added, trying to play along with the audience she felt that she had. "What could possibly be in here?"
Playfully but showing the patience that she did indeed used to have when she was a child opening her Christmas presents, she held the stocking in between both hands and pretended to hold it against her ear before she mocked running her hands up and down it.
In the meantime, Jordan being Jordan suddenly blurted out. He had finally succeeded in snatching a taste of Jessie's wine.
"Let's just hope that James' stockings aren't in that stocking. We all know you like 'em." He announced in a quieter voice than usual and he almost hummed, lowering Jessie's glass of wine from his lips after having taken a second sip.
Although his voice was less animated than usual, everyone in the room still heard his words! The lavender haired male especially so seeing as he was right next to him. Like his son, he was comfortable in who he was. But this didn't stop him from blushing.
James made a very obvious point in taking the wine glass away from Jordan and pretending to shield his face while the rest of the room erupted into giggles. You could tell who had had a little too much to drink from whose hoots were the loudest!
"Hurry with it, would you, Katie?" James pressed his lips into a firm line and his ripples of skin appeared next to his mouth. He continued blushing but nevertheless, he had a bit of a twinkle in his eye. This grew all the more so when Katie nodded her head and giggled herself, understanding that it was rare for him to hurry her along so he must have meant it.
As well as this, twinkles in everybody else's eyes formed when Justin scooted down onto the carpet to linger near the stocking opening group of girls and left Eli and Sammy on the sofa together, the deep violet haired male leaning across to the dark brown haired one, needing Jordan's joke explained to him.
In the time that Sammy with a sigh (but most likely happy he knew more than Eli) explained why the joke was funny and a good one, Katie reached her hand in and pulled out the first gift. She gasped when it was in her hand and Lucy and Jorgie did too. Lucy's noises were understandable because she hadn't been around to know what was in any of the other ones, but by the seventh one it became perfectly clear that all of the gifts were the same! But they were unique to each different person's interests.
"Oh, I love snow globes so much." Katie breathed out and she cradled it in her hands, running her thumb over the cool and curvature of the glass before of course shaking it, getting the whole experience with it. For the first gift, she only merely gave Jorgie and Lucy a look before she handed it over to Justin with a bit of a sniff, playfulness in her eyes but a touch of wistfulness also. "He looks so much like you."
Justin immediately chuckled, already knowing one of the stop motion characters inside the snow globe before he even had a proper glance at it. Nevertheless, he of course did study it and he took hold of it too, admiring the way that butterflies instead of snow fluttered down on the two characters when it was shaken.
Other people in the room laughed at Katie's words as well. But then they peered, looking at the gift that Justin was holding while she reached into her stocking for another of the gifts.
She didn't reach her hand in and pull anything out so immediately that time and it wasn't down to her being distracted by all of the eyes that were continually, curiously on her. And it wasn't the way that Justin's eyes were on her in between having a good time with the snow globe either.
Wanting to make the most of those sorts of moments, she took her time in reaching for the present that she really did want to pull out next. Eventually, she tugged one out and it was revealed to her. It was revealed to all.
"Ooh, a padlock! How exciting." Katie almost cooed and she surprisingly felt her cheeks becoming a little warmer at that gift more so than the previous one. Sammy got a little flavour of that heat when eyes for a rare moment that evening went to him and he nonchalantly played it off by lifting his glass to his lips with a ring clad hand. Katie's eyes were some of the ones that went over to him too. After handing the silver necklace with a padlock over to Lucy to study, she scrunched her nose up and looked to him even though she was speaking to her Uncle James. "I can't help but feel like that should have been a present from Sammy."
The dark brown haired male looked more and more sheepish at the eyes on him as time passed and he forced himself to occupy himself through it by putting his alcohol glass down on the coffee table and run his hands through his long locks.
While the silver padlock was passed from Lucy with curious eyes to Jorgie with riveted ones as she wanted to see how many times she could do and undo the clasp, Sammy waved a hand and addressed Katie back before lifting his glass back up even though he had only just rid himself of it.
"It was a tip off, I confess. When James said he was getting everyone a necklace, I couldn't help but sway him in that direction." Sammy leaned further back against the sofa and Eli's eyes widened and studied him, trying to figure out why as he sat right next to him. As Katie made a gesture with her hand to the seven year old to hand the padlock necklace back to her for a couple of moments so Sammy could see it too, Eli realised why she had been gifted that when Sammy gestured to his own padlock around his neck – his a silver chain with a gold lock. "It's nice that we match."
Sammy only looked at Katie for a very small second as he said this before an elfish grin laced his face that was sincere all the same. Then, he looked down in order to look at the silver necklace that was in good hands. He had a feeling that Jorgie would clamber over to him in order to be able to play with it some more and he was right!
Katie felt her own lips stretching and resumed opening her stocking with Lucy and Lucy alone, and then Justin male started speaking to Eli seeing as that little group were all near to each other – and it was pretty much the time to, really.
"While we're on the subject and before I forget…" he began talking and though it was practically unnoticeable to most, he must have spoken in a way that he usually did just for Eli because he knew that he was being spoken to almost immediately. This paired with the eldest Morgan son shuffling backwards in front of the sofa, almost ending up between his legs, made it continuously clearer. Why he chose these words, I didn't know because Justin hardly forgot anything when it came to Eli! "There's a gift under the tree over there from me. You can open it tonight if you want. Or any time, really."
You could see the whites of his eyes then and his eyelashes fluttered at the way that Justin was speaking rather than the fact that he was being spoken to. Nevertheless, he looked right down at him with those naturally round orbs of his as Justin craned his neck backwards, looking up at him. Soon enough, both of their gazes went elsewhere and this was down to Justin pointing over to the tree, and Eli following his eye line and his finger also.
Yet before he could utter a word of thanks or he could even shuffle on the sofa next to Sammy, the Alolan male piped up. Jordan's watched this little scene rather than Katie opening presents and he believed that it wasn't out of trying to get the attention on him all over.
"It's from me as well." Sammy added and his hand twitched like he was preparing to slap Eli on the chest all over but it didn't make contact at all. Justin's head nodded, still looking up at Eli behind him rather craning around to look at him – or his long-term boyfriend after he had joined himself into the conversation.
Jordan observed that Justin didn't seem bothered, by the interruption or Eli's lack of reaction to having a present for him under the Morgan household Christmas tree. The deep violet haired male nodded a few more times, his eyes still fixed on that same tree rather than any of the people around him.
Despite the fact that Justin wasn't shuffling at his boyfriend joining in the conversation, he spoke all over again. It was hearing his voice another time round that caused Eli to look down at him all over again. Maybe Lucy observed this in between holding the bath bombs that Katie had since pulled out of her stocking.
"Yeah, it is from Sammy too…" Justin started and it was as though Eli was truly hearing these words for the first time from the way that he only showed off surprise then and there. His naturally round orbs widened some more. While his head tilted on one side, one of his curls unravelling and falling over his forehead, he added a bit hurriedly. Then, both Jordan and Jessie were watching also. "To be honest, you could say it's mostly from Sammy. He had the idea for it… I hope you're not offended."
One single beat.
"I'm not offended." Eli responded in an uninflected way. And it was potential that he had used up all his friendly physical gestures towards Sammy from the way that he didn't offer him one after this Christmassy notion was apparent! He wasn't low on stock when it came to Justin, though. And he showed this by a bit uncomfortably yet endearingly reaching his hand out to the top of his head as he sat in front of him and patted it. "It's nice of you. It's nice of you both. Thank you."
Lucy was still watching at that point and Katie had started to flicker her gaze there too. Both of them saw the way that although Justin didn't turn around and look at Eli, he smiled and he nodded his head at his words, enjoying the response that came from him. Most of all though, he enjoyed the way that after he patted his head, Eli ran his fingers a couple pf times through his longer, deep purple haired locks.
It was only a couple of times. In fact, it was barely even two times. But this gesture was acknowledged. With Jorgie taking the opportunity to sprawl across the sofa a bit more seeing as Eli had leaned forward on it and she could clasp and unclasp the padlock necklace to her hearts content, Justin then had the opportunity to face Eli for good. So he seized it.
Resting his hand on his knee cap lightly, Justin stopped facing forward a little bit between his legs and he looked at him properly. He smiled, his eyes wandering upwards to look at the face of the man he very much cared for.
"No. No, thank you. Thank you for being here." He told him in a similarly prosaic tone, but the way that his eyes travelled upwards to his face and his eyebrows gently raised spoke volumes of his sincerity.
Sammy didn't say anything. Sammy didn't even cough or shuffle. He let them have their moment, watching Jorgie's eyes fixate with concentration as she clasped and unclasped that necklace. No doubt had Katie lost that to the fellow orange haired girl.
Eli heard Justin's words. Eli heard Justin's words and Lucy did and Katie did too. Both of the girls smiled and glanced at one and other and tried to go back to the stocking. But they really did like looking at what was happening too. Apparently other people in the room did too from the way that their conversations went silent and only the radio singing softly and the fire crackling could be heard.
It goes without saying that the Unovan male was one of the few people to actually acknowledge the words from the younger male. But still, he hardly responded at all. Except for his own look in his eyes and a smile gracing his face. But that was enough.
And after that little moment happened, everybody watched Katie finishing opening her stocking for good rather than filling the air with their own sentences. Everybody grew a lot quieter with words but not quieter with words as they appreciated everything that had been bestowed upon the eldest Ketchum daughter.
From her Uncle James' stocking Katie pulled out: some cosy socks, a scented candle, and another biography to add to her collection, some rare newspaper clippings and a piece of jewellery from one of the lavender haired male's own old collection.
She and her beloved relative were having a very meaningful and lingering embrace after all of the presents had been received and the card had been opened when chatter between everyone else started up again. Well, chatter started up between a couple of them. It was Lucy who piped up. She did so when she noticed something sweet.
She let all the other presents remain on the floor. She held a hand to her heart and pointed with her other hand. She didn't point at the embrace between James and Katie but instead gestured to the child on the sofa.
"Oh, bless her! I'm sure she badly wanted to make it until midnight but that certainly isn't the case this year." Lucy spoke and then she resumed one of her previous positions, crossing her legs on the floor as she sat on the carpet and cupping her own face in her hands.
All eyes turned to see. All eyes turned to peer. All eyes turned to see Jorgie having fallen asleep on the sofa after concentrating so hard on the silver padlock necklace. Her head was lulling backwards. She was snoring gently. Her meadow eyes were completely and dreamily closed.
Eli on the sofa tried to turn when he could feel Sammy glancing at her too as well as everybody else. However, because he was in front of her, he would have to crane round very slowly and carefully to get a look.
Jordan stood up and held a hand out to him, softly warning him not to move too much before telling him how to proceed.
"Come sit down with me instead, dude. Let her have the sofa. Katie, I don't' suppose you got a blanket, did you?" he started off a little bit seriously out of a natural protective instinct but then he grinned. Katie giggled and understood the humour right away, her hand still on Uncle James' shoulder after their long hug. That was one of the things that she had not been treated too.
But thankfully, Sammy came to the rescue by as carefully as he could while sitting on the sofa, he leaned behind it and pulled out a thick and cosy blanket that was folded up behind there. Then, seeing as Eli had been encouraged off of there, he decided to join him even though he wasn't asked to.
Both Sammy and Eli got up, letting the sofa be Jorgie's place of rest as she soared in dream land and no doubt dreamt of all things magical and festive. No one could be sure what was the reason but for some reason when the Alolan male saw the Unovan one take an extra glance down at the little girl, he handed the blanket over for him to place it on her rather than doing it to Justin's little sister himself.
Her brother was lingering with his chin on Sammy's shoulder after the two of them had rid themselves of their seat for his little sister. He too along with other people watched as Eli's lip quirked upwards with a tiny smile before accepting the blanket.
Except, for a couple of moments in the beginning, he dropped it down to the floor. And then he went on his knees himself. It became clear why when he decided that Jorgie's head was lolling too far back and she was going to end up with a sore neck on Christmas morning if she slept like that.
Very carefully and very gently, he pulled her downwards on the sofa so she was able to sleep flat out rather than with her head on the arm. After Katie's empty stocking was handed over so he could make that into a pillow, he placed that underneath her. He stood up to cover her with the blanket that the Alolan male had found.
But not until after he had brushed his fingers softly across the sleeping child's face. He really did go the extra mile. And that was something that was welcomed from him. Not just on Christmas Eve.
But speaking of it being Christmas Eve, everyone had then grown a lot more hushed at the presence of a sleeping child and they focused more on drinking their drinks and enjoying the flickering of the candles and the fire and the sound of the radio and the presence of each other without having to verbally celebrate it or express gratitude.
Slowly yet quickly all at once, midnight started to approach. And this very notion is what caused James to get up all over again since leaning against Jordan with a glass of grape juice that he seemed less keen to joke about stealing.
Running a hand through his hair and taking one more adoring glance at his sleeping 'Cherub', James' mouth didn't smile but his eyes did that for him. With his other hand, he waggled it and gestured with it.
"My darling didn't make it until midnight and who knows if any of us will? So my boys better open their stockings now too." he softly announced and because it was understood that like Katie, Sammy and Justin had forwent opening their stockings from him, they couldn't help but gasp softly. Their eyes brightened too. They became the age of Jorgie!
James chuckled to himself along with the others and while Lucy and Katie shuffled to join Sammy and Justin as well as Eli on the floor in front of the sofa, he moved to reach under the Christmas tree for those very same stockings. It didn't take very long at all for him to have the remaining bunch in his hands. Nobody really noticed how many he was holding.
They were too busy smiling. Justin was too busy smiling. And he couldn't help but blurt out, in spite of his previous quietness down to Jorgie.
"Dad's stuff really is the best! Cheers Papa." his gratitude was shown already and he folded his legs on the floor, holding his hands in his lap as if he really was a small child awaiting his presents.
Sammy was right next to his boyfriend and because he noticed his gestures and found them precious, he copied them too but had a bit of a mischievous expression himself, his mouth pretending to hang open as he grinned and his eyebrows shot upwards on his face.
Justin's father shook his head fondly at this and stepping past Jordan then leaning up against Jessie; he touched both his son and Sammy on the top of their heads before he dropped them down into their laps with an affectionate look.
"Well I'm overjoyed to hear that and to do this for you, then. No swapping though." James teased and it didn't cause a single chuckle. Light was reflected in everybody's eyes though and it wasn't just down to the glowing fire. Everybody looked curiously. Everybody looked happily. Everybody looked joyfully. Justin and Sammy were most definitely joyful as they caught their stockings! They shared a look before intending to dive right into them. While those two boys were occupied, James moved behind the last of them and touched the top of his head too. He touched his foot right into his lower back. A stocking was dropped into his lap too. "That goes for you too."
And because he had went about it so casually and not uttered a single word of it before hand, eyes widened when Eli had a stocking given to him also. The person whose eyes widened the most was of course the deep violet haired male but of course, Justin and Sammy was a close second.
James ran a hand through his hair all over again and was naturally good at not making a big deal out of things when he went to the window seat where Katie and Lucy had previously been seated. Even if he was subtle, he probably still wanted to see his reaction a bit.
Katie and Lucy felt similarly and because they had good views, they definitely saw it.
Eli's head lifted up in confusion when he felt the hand on his head, let alone when the stocking was dropped in his lap. He felt eyes on him. He felt Sammy's eyes on him as his hand paused reaching into his own stocking. Justin's hand had slipped out of his. He was looking at him too. And because of this, he of course chose him the one to look back at.
But it still lasted just a second. Eli's eyes momentarily fluttered shut before they opened again, searching for James. His fingers brushed against his own cheek. He hesitated. So he questioned uncertainly.
"For… me?" Eli asked and the way that his voice came out was like he didn't want to ask because he didn't want to embarrass James – and he didn't want to be embarrassed – no, disappointed – at being mistaken.
There was a pause between his two words. But thankfully, there was not one between Eli's words and James' response.
As Lucy and Katie continued sharing a heart melting look with each other as they figured what was going on, James nodded just once, waving a hand.
He didn't need to say anything. James didn't need to say anything with words. He confirmed that possibility with a look and a hand gesture. An exhale escaped from Eli and he inspected the stocking doubtfully for a couple more seconds. It was this that most certainly prompted him to finally say something.
"Happy Christmas, Eli." uttered James and he folded one leg over the other as he sat on the window seat. Following these words, he wished a Happy Christmas to everyone. But somehow and for some reason, his first greeting was the one that echoed through the living room.
And although everyone said it back and raised a glass and all looked to one and other, though the words weren't spoken at all, it was like they too were wishing Eli a Happy Christmas the most.
The deep violet haired male finally got round to opening his stocking as well and he did this after Katie scooted forward to be closer to Justin, and Lucy scooted forward to be closer to Eli. In fact, the yellow haired female wrapped her arm around her boyfriend and rested her chin on his shoulder, smiling and not saying anything.
After this gesture, he finally set to joining in Justin and Sammy opening their stockings – just like the Morgan brothers of Jayden, Jaxon and Johnny had done before them.
Justin really had intended to keep quiet after his little sister had fallen asleep. But surely, the acceptance of his father towards Eli had changed that within him.
"Ooh more pyjamas, yay!" he announced and he seemed to lose many ages on that Christmas Eve as he continued sitting in pyjamas while holding a new pair, those ones a lot less garish. A good amount of people already laughed over at him while Jordan shushed him. Then his very wide and exaggerated grin faded away to a look of joking sadness. "But I can't wear them yet. I've already got Katie's. Any suggestions, anyone?"
Sammy who was holding up his own pyjamas in a very festive (not) black and white skull patterned design looked over at Justin as he held his own ones up. Unlike Lucy was doing with Eli, he did not rest his chin on his boyfriend's shoulder.
Instead, he smirked at him, indeed giving him a suggestion to think about.
"You could wear the top of Katie's with the bottom of your Dad's. Or the other way around, of course." he teased his boyfriend while the gang of older adults started to gather next to James on the window seat for a better look at the younger adults and all of their excitement.
Justin's initial reaction to Sammy was to chuckle and then it was to quieten down, pressing his lips together purposely so his dimple could appear. Before he could verbally express the fact that he wanted something more creative than that, Katie prepared to pipe up.
"No, no, no." she began and Justin looked over at her and his mock moody face changed to a soft smile, anticipating the creative answer that he knew he could trust from the eldest Ketchum daughter.
However, proving that they were not the only two people who knew each other well, Lucy interrupted Katie, knowing that it was alright to do so. Lifting her head up from Eli's shoulder; she had the same answer as the younger female.
"You have to wear Katie's set on your right arm and your right leg and you have to wear your Dad's on your left arm and your left leg. It's the only way, Justin." Lucy suggested to Justin with a smile that fell sheepish when he looked right at her and raised his eyebrows playfully.
And following this, even though they had been the group that had the least to drink, they started very energetically and very excitably coming up with suggestions for how Justin was to navigate the pyjama situations!
There really were some innovative ones. And the more and more that things got piped up, the more that James, Jessie, Jordan and Lynne laughed. And the more that they leaned against one and other too.
They didn't need to verbally express that they all had received everything that they wanted that Christmas. Watching that playful and youthful lot enjoying it despite their ageing ages was enough for them.
And speaking of enjoyment, although Eli very much enjoyed and would very much go on to remember with happy memories all of their strange suggestions for Justin, he didn't say a single word. He didn't pipe up a single thing. He still didn't even open his stocking. It still remained on his lap.
With the stocking fixed on his lap and a bunch of beloved people around him and the snow continuing to fall outside and the candles flickering and the clock finally moving past midnight and becoming Christmas Day – Eli had only one thought in his mind. And he had only one feeling in his heart.
I caught onto it and I understood it even while experiencing my own Christmas in the Ketchum Household.
Long after the burden of chaos and the sense of loss that he once felt gnawing at his bones, he had finally found a feeling of home. And it was in none other than in the Morgan Household. James often spoke of his own happily ever after, but he didn't account to the fact that him finding his own one, lead other people to discovering theirs too.
And one of the people that he did that for was Eli Williams. Looking around at the people in the living room and on that day and between sandwiched between Justin and Sammy, and with Lucy lulling on his shoulder, he felt most content.
The Unovan male swallowed, his eyes glossing over with emotion in the fire light.
Yes, he had finally felt a sense of home. He had been cursed of the burden of loving people, and feeling loved. And it was the most wonderful feeling ever.
The End.
There you go! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :3 In spite not really being the star of the story, this one is very much about Eli really. And how he does find his sense of family with that gang and even with the Morgans' after everything and he and Justin have come to an end. I like a happy ending. Who knows if this is his ending? But he's happy there. And that's what counts :) I look forward to writing more about Eli in 2021 because I have an idea of what's in store for him in the years after this one! And I look forward to tackling the character of Lucy also. Thank you so much for reading this and everything else you might have clicked on in 2020. Like I said at the end of last week's chapter, I will be taking a break in January to write rather than upload so I can get a bit ahead of myself. Thank you for reading my stories this year. It's been an absolutely bonkers and challenging one so I really appreciate you taking the time to read even a tiny bit. Merry Christmas if you're celebrating! Keep safe. I'll see you on the 28th with The Diary of Baby Rey :)
Amy signing out!