Merry Christmas!

Beverly hummed to herself as she hung some mistletoe above the door of Caesar's lab. The door slid open and Caesar walked in without looking knocking into the step ladder.

Beverly gave a yelp as the ladder tipped over. She grabbed the top of the door frame. As the ladder clattered to the floor, Caesar stared dumbfounded for a moment. Looking up, he gasped.

"Beverly? What are you doing up there?" He asked.

"Hanging around." She said through gritted teeth.

"Well, that's not very safe." Caesar observed.

If she was on the ground and didn't have her hands full hanging on for dear life, she would have smacked him. "How about helping me down?" She reminded herself that Caesar was just oblivious.

"Sure." Caesar picked up the ladder and pushed it back up.

Beverly quickly put a foot on the rung. Once her foot was stable, she relaxed her grip on the frame and grabbed for the ladder. She gingerly climbed down back on solid ground.

"¡Cielo santo!" Caesar exclaimed.

Beverly glanced up to see what Caesar was talking about. She frowned. "What?"

"What is this?" Caesar waved his arm around the lab.

"A lab." Beverly answered.

"Yes, I'm aware. But what is all this holly and poinsettia's doing in here?" Caesar asked.

"Well, it's Christmas. I thought I'd make the lab look cheerier." Beverly folded her arms.

"It's a lab! It's not supposed to look cheery." Caesar said.

"Well, it wouldn't kill you to have some Christmas cheer in here." Beverly argued.

"Are they real?" He went over to the nearest plant and touched the leaf.

"No." Beverly said. "White Knight wouldn't let any organic decorations into the base."

"Good. You never know what contaminates these multicellular eukaryotic organisms contain." Caesar said approvingly.

"What pollen?" Beverly asked. She followed Caesar around the room as he inspected the placement of the plants and holly hanging from the walls.

"I guess they are not in the way." He finally said grudgingly.

"I'm glad you approve, Mr. Grinch." Beverly snorted.

Caesar looked up surprised. "Mr. Grinch? Who is Mr. Grinch?"

"Never mind. I was trying to spread some holiday cheer. I did this first before even my room. I mean who doesn't like some poinsettias and holly to brighten the room for the season?" Beverly raised a hand just as Caesar opened his mouth. "It was rhetorical, Caesar. You don't need to answer."

Caesar was confused. He didn't know what he did to annoy his girlfriend. "Decorating a lab is highly illogical."

"Whatever." Beverly sighed. "I'll see you later." She turned, folded her step ladder, and left leaving him puzzled.

0o0

"So, he nearly knocks me over and then yells at me for decorating his lab." Beverly complained to Circe as they sat together in the cafeteria.

"Mmm-hmm." Circe answered.

"Can you believe the nerve? After all the work I put in so that his dreary room that he spends all day in would look nice." She continued.

"Caesar, doesn't strike me as someone who cares all that much about Christmas." Circe said.

Beverly sighed. "I know, but… it's just… ugh… I wish he would just like Christmas as much as me."

"I don't think anyone can like Christmas as much as you or your sister." Circe replied. "Look, I can't believe I'm saying this, but you should cut Caesar some slack. He's just… you know clueless and I don't think he thinks about holidays. I mean the most excited he gets is when he invents a new object of mass destruction."

"I guess you're right." She leaned back. "So, I should take down the decorations?"

"Meh, that's up to you." She shrugged.

"Hmmm," Beverly sat back thoughtfully.

0o0

"Then she storms off." Caesar said to Rex as he was hunched over an engine with a wrench. "Pliers."

"Is that why I'm here?" Rex asked taking the wrench from his brother and handing him some pliers.

"I have to finish rewiring the conduit." Caesar replied, continuing his work.

"She didn't do a bad job." Rex noted looking around. "I mean Doc goes over- board, but this is decent."

"What are you talking about?" Caesar looked up.

"Dr. Holiday, Bev's big sis? Have you seen her lab? There's a real freakin' pine tree with a presents underneath and a pasted-on decal of a fireplace, stocking with our names on it hanging over it." Rex answered. "I mean, it is tradition. She started it for me." He said proudly.

"Why would she do that?" Caesar frowned. "That's not what labs are for."

"Bro, she did it when I first got here to make me feel normal. And I guess Beverly likes this stuff because it makes her feel normal." Rex said off-handedly.

Caesar bent back down thoughtfully. Then he looked back up. "I think I understand now. Thank you." He gave the pliers to Rex and walked out of the lab.

"Uh… your welcome?" Rex said confused at what just happened. The engine started by itself and immediately started smoking. "Caesar!" Rex called with a tinge of panic in his voice.

0o0

Caesar strolled down the hall. He didn't notice the minor explosion and smoke starting to pour from his workshop. He arrived at Rebecca's lab and walked in. He immediately saw the tree that Rex was talking about.

"Fascinating." He muttered.

"Something I can help you with, Caesar?" Rebecca asked.

"No, no, doctor. I was merely brushing up on socio-normative behaviors during manmade customary traditions." Caesar answered.

"Did Beverly decorate your lab?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes, and I think I understand now." He said turning around and leaving.

Rebecca shook her head. "Maybe it's just a phase." She muttered to herself.

0o0

Beverly entered her room. She was going to take her step ladder back to take down the offending decoration from Caesar's lab. When she stepped in she was blinded by a red light.

"What in the world?" She gasped shielding her eyes.

"Oh, is the mechanical reindeer's nose too bright? I can adjust it so that it's at 25% capacity." Caesar said.

"Caesar? What's all this?" She gasped looking at the gaudy Christmas decorations around her room. There was a mechanical Santa that shook its hips when she walked past. Decals of glittery snowmen lined the walls. Her whole ceiling was covered with holly with dangling snowflakes punctuating every so often. Worse was half a reindeer sticking out from the wall with a glowing red nose that looked like it was about to attack her.

"I realized that I had stifled the necessity you feel to participate in normative trends during seasons. I appreciate your efforts to include me in your traditions, so I am repaying the favor." Caesar said.

"Uh… thanks?" Beverly said nervously eyeing the feral looking reindeer.

"I have researched some traditional holiday ornamentation and combined them for your room." He said almost proudly.

"Wow, you… you really shouldn't have." Beverly replied.

"Is it to your liking?" He asked.

Beverly then noticed that he was fidgeting with the screwdriver in his hands, a sign of nervousness. She smiled. "I can say with all honesty, that no one has ever done this for me before."

Caesar seemed to release a breath he was holding. " Excellent. Well, should we go to dinner?" He offered her an arm.

"Absolutely," She said quickly taking his arm. She was eager to escape the angry glare of the reindeer. "By the way Caesar, the uh… deer hanging on my wall…"

"Oh, yes, I believe you call him Rudolph." Caesar said.

"Yeah, um, was he that animatronic that went haywire last week?" She asked as they walked out.

"Why yes, but don't worry, all wires have been disconnected." He assured her.

"Right." She made a mental note to have someone immediately remove it as soon as possible.

0o0

Rex with his jacket blacked walked past Beverly's room when he heard a noise.

"Bev? Is that you?" He tentatively knocked on the door. Suddenly two antlers violently smashed through the door.

"Aauugh!" Rex screamed.

The end? Haha. You know this is about Beverly and Caesar. What happens to poor Rex is in other stories. I know this isn't really a date but just about their relationship. Hope you still enjoyed it. Happy Holidays, everyone!