Tales from the Multiverse

Oh, Christmas Tri-Force - Anthony Padilla

I would like to preface this by saying that I FUCKING LOVE Kalel and Anthony and I ship them but this imagine just... fit Anthony in my head (probably cos I've been watching a lot of SmoshGames recently), for some reason. I've never written any Smosh-related lit before so this is probably shite but yoloswag

The next oneshot will be Christmassy Christian Novelli thanks to Rachelisconfused inspiring me with the perfect premise for a oneshot.

~

You curl your toes under the sheets, burrowing deeper beneath your blankets. Cold air nips at your nose, causing you to draw the blankets over your head. Underneath, it's a lovely cocoon of warmth and snuggles. A sleepy smile crosses your lips.

Next to you, your main source of warmth shifts, moving lazily. He makes drowsy snuffling sounds, one arm draping around you comfortably. You wriggle closer to him, burying your face in his side and loosely wrapping your fingers in his soft t-shirt. His hand trails lightly over your back.

You lie there for a long time, dozing in the dim morning light. This is perfect.

He moves again, just slightly, turning to face you. His chest moves under your hand as he rasps in his rough morning voice, "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

You pull apart your eyelids and look up at him through your eyelashes. "Merry Christmas to you, Mr Padilla."

He grins and touches his lips to the crest of your head, just at the hairline above your forehead. A happy sigh escapes you.

"We should put on our Christmas socks and start breakfast," he suggests. He sounds excited, like a little boy anxious to begin present time.

You yawn and reluctantly curl up in a tighter ball. You never want to leave this moment.

"Come on," he urges quietly. "Please...?"

You giggle. "Have you turned six years old while we slept?"

He pouts and gives you the puppy dog eyes, batting his eyelashes. "I just didn't know I married the Grinch."

You roll your eyes and toss back the duvet. "Okay, fine. Where are the Christmas socks?"

He squeals happily (he's so manly) and leaps from the bed, bounding over to the sock drawer and extracting two pairs of festive socks and tossing one to you. You barely have time to pull them on before he's half-dragging you out of the bedroom and down the stairs. You can't help but laugh as you both scrabble for purchase on the slippery wood floors. "Anthony, slow down!"

He abruptly slams to a halt in the kitchen doorway. Physics send you sliding past him, and Anthony tries to be cool and suave and spin you around into his arms, but you just get tangled up and fall on your butt.

"Oops," he says, smirking unapologetically.

You roll your eyes and heft yourself back onto your feet, and the two of you busy yourselves with starting breakfast. Anthony laughs and messes around and makes jokes, and you roll your eyes and crack dumb puns in an attempt to make him laugh. Before long, the cinnamon rolls are in the oven and all that's left to do is wait.

You leave the kitchen to check the television for good Christmas films, and after selecting A Christmas Story, you pad back to the kitchen, only to pause at the door when you hear Anthony speaking.

"Dude, we've already put the cinnamon rolls in the oven and everything, when are you gonna get here?" A short pause, then: "Well, hurry up, okay? And thanks again."

Anthony finishes his phone call and you reenter the kitchen. "A Christmas Story's on," you say, smiling innocently. "We can watch that until we're ready to start stockings and stuff."

Anthony grins, but you think you detect a little nervous glint in his eyes. "Sounds great."

So, the two of you sit on the couch, stuff your faces with the cinnamon rolls, and watch arguably the best Christmas film of all time. You try to ignore the way Anthony checks his phone every other minute and can't seem to stop jiggling his leg, but you know something's up, and it bothers you throughout the entire film.

Finally, the credits roll and you look up at Anthony. "Well? Stockings?"

His face twitches but he nods, forcing a smile. "I'm gonna go pee first." He retreats from the room, taking his mobile with him.

Five minutes later he returns, still anxious, and you get down the stockings and open them. Neither of you can properly enjoy the little trinkets and candy: Anthony is too antsy, and you're too busy wondering what Anthony's antsy about.

Stockings done, you move over to your little tree and start the short present-opening time. You only ever get each another a couple of gifts, so it wouldn't take long, but Anthony always managed to get you something special. Last year, it had been your wedding ring. He seemed to have an affinity for making you cry emotional tears every Christmas.

He actually begins sweating as you hand him his presents and he passes you your gift. He seems to linger over the unwrapping, taking his sweet time, eyes flitting nervously over to the wall clock. Although he smiles and kisses you after seeing what you got him, you can tell that his mind is elsewhere. Slightly disappointed at his loss of Christmas spirit, you open your package.

A small, green collar with a little golden bell tumbles into your lap. You hold it up, puzzled, and cock one eyebrow at Anthony.

He sighs, looking deflated. "Your main gift was supposed to be here already but - " His words are cut off by the doorbell, and the drastic metamorphosis of his expression is the difference between night and day. He leaps to his feet and bounds away to answer the door.

You blink a few times, stunned.

"Okay, here's your real gift..." he announces, returning with a large bundle of blankets. "I hope you like it because it's a no-return policy." Gently, he places the bundle in your arms and sits across from you, watching eagerly.

Confused, you lift the corner of the blanket and gasp when a tiny, grey head pokes out. It opens its mouth, exposing a bright pink tongue, and mews, blinking big blur eyes at you sleepily.

Still gaping, you tear your eyes away from the adorable thing and look at Anthony. "You got me a kitten?" you whisper.

His smile is dazzling, like the morning sun over a field of untouched snow. "Do you like him? I already filed the papers and everything, his name is Link... hence the green and gold collar."

Carefully, you place Link on the floor and leap forward to tackle Anthony in a tight hug. "It's cheesy and cliche and I absolutely love him." You lean back and laugh, adding, "You're pretty okay yourself."

He grins and kisses your lips lightly. "Merry Christmas," he tells you softly.

"More like Merry CAT-mas... am I right?!"

He groans. "Mother of God..."