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fandomweekly2020-11-29 06:42 pm
iluvroadrunner6) wrote in fandomweekly2020-11-29 06:42 pm
Entry tags:
[#075] They're Singing Deck the Halls (Original)
Theme Prompt: #075 – Hearth and Home
Title: They’re Singing Deck the Halls
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 757
Summary: Carl and Sara prepare for the onslaught of family visiting for the holidays.
There’s a moment of silence, right before all the insanity begins anew.
There’s the insanity before. The last-minute decorating, arranging appetizers, and making sure the ham is in the oven for dinner. There’s far too much yelling at Sara’s loving husband, which he takes like a champ because he knows it's stress and not actual anger. Carl is in the middle of feeding the second round of logs into the fireplace to keep things toasty warm, and she makes her way closer, holding out a glass of mulled wine as he stokes the burning logs.
“Almost time,” she murmurs as she checks her watch. “Are you sure everything is fine?”
“It’s more than fine,” Carl replies as he pushes up, leaning in to give her a warm kiss on the cheek. “It’s always fine.”
She softly laughs as she looks up at him. “You’re biased.”
“Damn right, I’m biased. I put in half the work.” He drapes an arm around her shoulders to pull her closer. “It will be just fine. Just breathe, and we will get through this, just like we do every other holiday.”
Sara takes a deep breath before nodding and pushing up on her toes to kiss him gently. “Thank you for your help. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
An SUV pulls up in front, and rambunctious children pour out of the car onto their front lawn. Carl squeezes Sara’s hand, and she nods before quietly counting down:
“Three … two …”
An explosion of sound comes from the front door, and they both throw open their arms in greeting.
“Merry Christmas!”
* * * * *
The first wave is followed by several others, as people flow into the house to welcoming arms for hugs, gift exchanges, and drinks to be refilled. Food is passed around on plates as the kids run through the kitchen underfoot. Sara weaves her way through, greeting her children, siblings, their children, everyone who happens to come through for the annual holiday party.
Somewhere along the way, she stumbles over her youngest daughter, just home from her tiny apartment in the city. Jennifer is sitting by the fireplace, staring pensively into the dying flames, and Sara smiles softly before making her way closer and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“How’s it going, sweetie?”
Jennifer glances up with a small smile. “Hey, Mom. I’m fine. I’ve just got a lot to think about this year.”
“Anything you want to unload on to me?”
There’s a moment where Jennifer looks as though she may want to say, but a pair of children dart through the room, and she remembers that they aren’t alone. “Maybe later? After the party. I mean, if it’s okay that I spend the night.”
“Of course, sweetheart. You can stay as long as you need.” Sara squeezes her shoulders, pulling her in closer. “We’re always here for you. You know that.”
“Thanks, Mom,” she smiles softly. “Great party this year. The ham was even hammier than usual.”
Sara laughs, shaking her head as she gets up again. “They’re going to put that on my gravestone. The hammiest ham there ever was.”
Jennifer looks like she’s about to say something else when the twins come rushing through the room again. One of them has a vase in hand and looks as though he’s trying to outrun the other. Sara’s eyes go wide, and she waves at the two of them.
“Hey now! Put that vase back where it belongs.”
There’s a squeaking sound followed by a thunk as it gets set down on a nearby table. “Sorry, Grandma!”
Sara heavily sighs as she glances back to Jennifer. “Some things never change, do they?”
Jennifer laughs. “Nope. Doubt they ever will.
* * * * *
Eventually, the family flows back out of the house again, and Jennifer is tucked away in her bedroom, doing whatever it is she does. Sara and Carl find themselves curled up on the couch in front of the roaring fire, relaxing as best they can into the cushions. Tomorrow comes the cleanup and the reasserting of a semblance of normalcy back onto the house, but in the meantime, they’ll enjoy the moment as best they can.
“You think everything went well?” Sara asks, looking up at him, and Carl smiles.
“I think it went more than well.” He leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she curls in closer. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”
Sara nods with a smile in return. “Merry Christmas.”
Title: They’re Singing Deck the Halls
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 757
Summary: Carl and Sara prepare for the onslaught of family visiting for the holidays.
There’s a moment of silence, right before all the insanity begins anew.
There’s the insanity before. The last-minute decorating, arranging appetizers, and making sure the ham is in the oven for dinner. There’s far too much yelling at Sara’s loving husband, which he takes like a champ because he knows it's stress and not actual anger. Carl is in the middle of feeding the second round of logs into the fireplace to keep things toasty warm, and she makes her way closer, holding out a glass of mulled wine as he stokes the burning logs.
“Almost time,” she murmurs as she checks her watch. “Are you sure everything is fine?”
“It’s more than fine,” Carl replies as he pushes up, leaning in to give her a warm kiss on the cheek. “It’s always fine.”
She softly laughs as she looks up at him. “You’re biased.”
“Damn right, I’m biased. I put in half the work.” He drapes an arm around her shoulders to pull her closer. “It will be just fine. Just breathe, and we will get through this, just like we do every other holiday.”
Sara takes a deep breath before nodding and pushing up on her toes to kiss him gently. “Thank you for your help. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
An SUV pulls up in front, and rambunctious children pour out of the car onto their front lawn. Carl squeezes Sara’s hand, and she nods before quietly counting down:
“Three … two …”
An explosion of sound comes from the front door, and they both throw open their arms in greeting.
“Merry Christmas!”
The first wave is followed by several others, as people flow into the house to welcoming arms for hugs, gift exchanges, and drinks to be refilled. Food is passed around on plates as the kids run through the kitchen underfoot. Sara weaves her way through, greeting her children, siblings, their children, everyone who happens to come through for the annual holiday party.
Somewhere along the way, she stumbles over her youngest daughter, just home from her tiny apartment in the city. Jennifer is sitting by the fireplace, staring pensively into the dying flames, and Sara smiles softly before making her way closer and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“How’s it going, sweetie?”
Jennifer glances up with a small smile. “Hey, Mom. I’m fine. I’ve just got a lot to think about this year.”
“Anything you want to unload on to me?”
There’s a moment where Jennifer looks as though she may want to say, but a pair of children dart through the room, and she remembers that they aren’t alone. “Maybe later? After the party. I mean, if it’s okay that I spend the night.”
“Of course, sweetheart. You can stay as long as you need.” Sara squeezes her shoulders, pulling her in closer. “We’re always here for you. You know that.”
“Thanks, Mom,” she smiles softly. “Great party this year. The ham was even hammier than usual.”
Sara laughs, shaking her head as she gets up again. “They’re going to put that on my gravestone. The hammiest ham there ever was.”
Jennifer looks like she’s about to say something else when the twins come rushing through the room again. One of them has a vase in hand and looks as though he’s trying to outrun the other. Sara’s eyes go wide, and she waves at the two of them.
“Hey now! Put that vase back where it belongs.”
There’s a squeaking sound followed by a thunk as it gets set down on a nearby table. “Sorry, Grandma!”
Sara heavily sighs as she glances back to Jennifer. “Some things never change, do they?”
Jennifer laughs. “Nope. Doubt they ever will.
Eventually, the family flows back out of the house again, and Jennifer is tucked away in her bedroom, doing whatever it is she does. Sara and Carl find themselves curled up on the couch in front of the roaring fire, relaxing as best they can into the cushions. Tomorrow comes the cleanup and the reasserting of a semblance of normalcy back onto the house, but in the meantime, they’ll enjoy the moment as best they can.
“You think everything went well?” Sara asks, looking up at him, and Carl smiles.
“I think it went more than well.” He leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she curls in closer. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”
Sara nods with a smile in return. “Merry Christmas.”
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