25 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐂𝐔! || FMS Writing Challenge

DAY NINE: Stocking

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AU: Steve Legends (10-15 years prior to its start)

Characters: Colle (Child), Red King

Story Status: Completed

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   The holiday season was upon the Red Kingdom. Snow was trickling from the sky, spirits were high and jovial feelings were found in every red steve.

   Colle stood in front of a window, eyes wide with wonder as he saw the white flakes fall from the sky. His breath fogged against the glass. A small smile on his face, he drew his name on it with his finger, then beamed brighter as he saw it remain and not disappear amongst the mist.

   The Red King, who was putting up his Christmas tree, turned at the sound of laughter. He couldn't help but smile as he saw Colle giggling at his name, written on the window amongst vapor on the glass.

   The king was particularly fond of the collector steve. Having found him abandoned in a corner of the kingdom with nothing but odd trinkets and doodads, the king took him in and raised Colle himself. He was the reason the collector even got his name.

   That was almost a year ago now.

   "Colle!" The Red King called. The younger steve hurried over at the sound of his name. "Do you want to help me hang up the ornaments for the tree?"

   The collector tilted his head. "Ornaments?"

   Red King chuckled and placed a box on the couch next to them. He took the lid off, revealing a large array of spherical objects, amongst other shapes and variety. Colle's eyes lit up at the sight of so many new things.

   "Yes, ornaments." The king told him. He pulled a red one out of the box. "We hang these on the tree. Want to help me?"

   "Yeah!" Colle chirped. He reached into the box, the ornament he pulled out a dark blue. He giddily approached the tree, standing on his tippy toes to hang the bauble. He almost pricked his finger on the hook, but got it to hang on one of the tree limbs.

   Red King came to the tree more slowly, but still smiled as he saw Colle's excitement. The younger steve raced back to the ornament box as the king hung his own ornament on the tree. It wasn't very far from Colle's.

At some point, the collector ended up tripping over his own two feet. He tumbled to the ground with a cry. The ornament he held was plastic, thankfully, but rolled out his hand. The hook pricked his finger as it tumbled away from him.

   Colle studied his finger through blurred vision. Tears began to roll down his cheeks as a faint throb resonated in the fingertip. A small cut had appeared, a drop of crimson blood seeping its way out.

   Red King hurriedly hung the ornament in his hand before kneeling by the young steve's side. The collector looked up to him, his eyes half as red as his hair.

   "Maybe we can hang ornaments later." The king murmured to him. He gently lifted Colle into his arms, the latter snuggling his head into his father figure's chest. "Come on; let's get that bandaged up."

   The king carried the collector further into his house. The first aid kit was in the bedroom, just in case of an emergency. So that was where the king went.

   He set Colle on the bed, then approached a dresser drawer. The first aid kit was there, as it always was. A small band-aid was pulled from the box before it was tucked away again.

   The wrapper was discarded of in a quick manner. While the paper drifted into a nearby trash can, Red King crouched in front of Colle, who had gone back to studying his finger and the wound. He looked up as he felt the soft pad of the bandage cover the cut, and adhesive press against his skin.

   The king didn't look up until the band-aid was securely wrapped around the collector's wound. He gave a small smile to reassure the younger steve, which was reciprocated by the faintest smile of his own.

   "How about we go hang up stockings instead?" Red King suggested.

   Colle's look of confusion returned. "We're hanging up socks?"

   The older steve chuckled before picking Colle up again. "Something like that."

Back downstairs the king and child went. Nails were already hammered into the mantle of the fireplace, enough for Red King and Colle to have a stocking each.

Hitching the collector on his hip, the Red King moved to the couch to pick up the stockings he had picked out. He handed one to Colle, who held it up with the childlike glimmer of curiosity in his eyes again.

   The king set the collector back on his feet for a moment. He then approached the fireplace, hanging up his stocking as he had done many times before. The king turned back to Colle with a smile as the child patiently waited for his turn.

   The grin and giggle from Colle made the occasion all the more worth it in the king's eyes. He lifted the younger steve again, high enough so that he could hang his stocking next to Red King's own.

   When both stockings were hung, the king stepped back so they could both admire the display. Despite the lack of ornaments on the tree, the crackle of the fire in the fireplace and two stockings side-by-side created a feeling of completion in the king.

   The pair remained silent, Colle still in Red King's arms, just basking in each other's presence.