Cobra in the Shadows.

Prologue: A Christmas to Remember

"Okay, when I said 'Ugly sweater,' I completely didn't mean that... that's really ugly... that's like ugly grew up and married ugly and made a baby with ugly... you see where I'm going man?" Dutch greeted when the other Cobra's entered his house. 

"But, I like this sweater..." James Jones muttered shyly as he glanced around, falling into step with his best friend, Bobby Brown, who shot him a quick glance and smile "It's nice man, it's a nice sweater, that's just Dutch being Dutch, an asshole... but a love-able one," Jimmy shrugged "It's a piece of crap actually, it's real worn and everything, it belonged to my dad..." "And I can obviously see that the man had Great taste," Dutch stated sarcastically before nodding at the dark haired boy "What's your name again?" "James, James  Dean Jones," curse his shyness, he couldn't even make eye contact. 

Dutch nodded stiffly and sucked on his lower lip "I'm not calling you all that... I'm gonna call you Jimmy. You good with that?" Jimmy grinned "Fine by me, oh, and what kind of name is Dutch anyway?" 

The taller one in the group with the sandy hair looked up from playing soda pong with a blonde boy "That's just a nickname I gave him..." Dutch nodded "Tommy's right, my actual name is Jan Van Der Linde, but Tommy decided to just call me Dutch and it stuck, just like my annoying friend here," "Well I know what I am, but what are you?" Tommy shot back as he laughed and Jimmy smiled, instantly liking the sandy haired boy, Tommy.

Jimmy was just settling into a comfortable argument about the inconsistencies in the Star Wars universe, with Bobby Brown, when he felt a hand reach out, scrabble along his wrist, and take the piece of mini pizza from his hand... 

"HEY! Who did that!?" 

"You know if you feed him, he'll never leave you alone... it's kind of a curse." He met eyes with the blonde who introduced himself as Johnny Lawrence, as he snatched the pizza back from Tommy and handed it to its rightful owner. 

"Thanks." Jimmy playfully glared at Tommy who shrugged "You weren't eating it, it was staring at me, man," 

The charismatic blonde shot him with a smile "You seen Gremlins?" Jimmy grinned politely "Yeah, hasn't everyone?" He shuddered, half joking when he said "I hate the blender scene..." Johnny chuckled and gestured with his thumb at Tommy "That there is a Gremlin to put all other Gremlins to shame... that's Tommy Walker by the way, don't feed him or he'll stick to you like glue..." Tommy grinned and stuck his tongue out at Johnny "I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you..." he stated childishly and Jimmy couldn't hold in a laugh which turned into a burst of loud laughter as Tommy rewarded him with a innocent smile. 

Halfway through the party and Tommy announced loudly that he thought Dutch had done a disservice to the Christmas Holiday by not hanging Christmas lights. 

So that's how Jimmy found himself on the roof of the Van Der Linde's house with an overexcited Tommy and a bunch of Christmas lights they were unwinding. 

"You should really come with a warning label." Jimmy muttered as he caught Tommy as the other youth slipped and almost fell off the roof. 

"I will ignore you so hard you will start doubting your existence." Tommy chuckled softly and kept stringing the lights over the house while Jimmy laughed and quirked an eyebrow up playfully and opened his mouth, liking how he could suddenly banter so easily with Tommy, forgetting his shy nature completely, he whistled a little, teasingly "Everyone's entitled to act stupid once in a while, but you really abuse the privilege."

Tommy glanced over and sent him a mischievous smile "If I threw a stick, you'd leave, right?" 

Jimmy shrugged, feeling like ribbing another person was actually fun "woah man, light travels faster than sound which is why you seemed bright until you spoke. You might wanna do light a favor and stop talking..." Tommy playfully punched his shoulder which sent both of them sliding off the broken tiles of the roof. 

When Jimmy's eyes flashed open, he saw Tommy was hanging upside down, suspended in Christmas lights. With a struggle Jimmy managed to tug himself up onto the safety of the roof and called out for Dutch or anyone else for help. After getting Tommy back up and down to the ground, it was not easy explaining what had happened to the bleached blonde who was furious at them. 

He stood there with his arms crossed over his chest "Good story, but in what chapter do you both shut up?" He muttered loudly and glared "It's really good you both weren't hurt... I'm too drunk to drive just any blockhead to the hospital," he sighed and ushered them inside after they admired the lit up exterior. 

Dutch frowned "Hmmm, doesn't look half bad..." he stated before tugging the other two into the house in what would become a Christmas to remember.