Merry Christmas (or happy holidays for those who don't celebrate it) to everyone! Thank you so much for all the nice comments and the likes you give me! You are all so nice and it means a lot when you say these kind things :) love you ❤
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Lockwood's POV:
"Good morning!" I smiled as Lucy came into the kitchen.
George rolled his eyes, "Finally. Holly has been squeaky all morning, can we go unwrap presents before she bursts?"
I frowned, "Let Lucy eat her breakfast at least."
She sat down next to me and grabbed a bagel lying on the table. She started spreading butter on it and put it on the toaster. Holly watched every move, so did George and I.
I looked back at the newspaper, the other two watched the toaster. After a minute the switch jumped back up and ripped a gap through the silence.
Lucy took the bagel back from the toaster and took a bite. Her chewing sounded through the whole kitchen, everything else was quiet.
Suddenly she slammed the bread on her plate, "Jesus Christ, stop staring at me, let's go open the goddamn presents."
Holly was indeed overexcited, but it was in a cute way. She just wanted the best for us and her spirit did made an impact on how we felt about Christmas. It was nice for a change.
"Alright, okay, George, you first." Holly handed him a quadratic package with a golden bow.
"And here for you, Lockwood. There you go, Lucy." she gave us both a present wrapped in red paper with little Santas on it. It was wrapped nicely, even with a little branches of Holly. Oh.
I loosened the wrapping of the present, it was heavy. A wooden box appeared under the paper, it had nice ornaments cut into it.
"It's a rapier polishing set. Since you always mistreat yours while practicing." she beamed.
"Oh wow, thank you! I will try it out when we're done here!" I gave her a hug.
George was holding a new shirt (thank God) and Lucy a True Hauntings mug. You could say what you wanted about Holly, she definitely knew us.
George finished hugging her, then he picked up a few crumbled packages wrapped in old newspapers,"My turn."
George was simple, but always right at giving. I received choco Leibnitz, Lucy Reeses peanut butter cups and Holly those healthy vegan low carb gluten free acai berry thing bars.
I was next. I wasn't a big wrapping talent, sello tape made 50 % of my presents, also I was never sure what to get. I was always convinced of my presents until they were to be unwrapped. This year I was especially unsure, but I still handed everyone their envelopes.
"Are we getting a raise?", George joked.
Lucy opened hers first, "Oh. Wow. Lockwood, that's so cool! It's a ticket to the True Hauntings: The Movie premiere!"
Holly shook her head, "Aren't they like a hundred pounds each?"
I shrugged, "You three are the only people who I get presents for. So I might as well spend some money on them."
There was a quick pensive silence, then George gave me a pad on the shoulder, "You arsehole, thanks to you I look like a dick with my choco Leibnitz."
We all laughed, then Lucy stirred,"Okay, I'll go." She gave Holly a little envelope and George a big box.
Holly opened her envelope, her face lit up, "A 20 pound Mac gift card! Omg, thank you! There's this new highlighter I've been eyeing and now I can get it! Thank you!"
George ripped the paper off his box and looked in it, "What is that?" he took out a dusty folder holding documents.
"It's a bunch of old documents from a relic auction. Oh, merry Christmas from Flo by the way, she got them for me."
George's face went a little pink, "Flo? Oh... Thanks Luce! That's really cool!"
Lucy turned to me, "It's your turn. Sit there and close your eyes." she pointed at my usual chair.
I hesitated, "Why...?"
She shrugged, "Just do it."
She put a hand on my shoulder and pressed me down to a sitting position.
George raised a brow, "Should Holly and I leave you two alone?"
Lucy bobbed him in the shoulder and pointed a finger at me, "You! Eyes. Closed. Now."
I did as I was told and waited. I heard someone leave the room and run up the stairs. Minutes passed, I got nervous. What was going on? After a while the someone came back and shut the door.
"Hold your hand out!" that was Lucy.
Again I followed orders. I so hoped it wasn't slimey.
Suddenly I felt something soft on my hands, but also scratchy. I opened my eyes and gasped.
"Oh my God, Lucy, you..." I stared at a tiny striped kitten standing on four unsteady leg on my hands. It had huge brown eyes and karamel colored paws. It's tail was triangle shaped and had a little black tip. I couldn't move, the cuteness on my lap had killed my vocal cords.
I looked at Lucy, she smiled, "Her name is Lilly. She's 6 weeks old, the animal shelter taught me how to feed her, but you'll have to do that from now on."
"She's so..." I caressed the little wiggling creature's head, "... Tiny"
I lifted the cat up and held her to my chest. Lilly purred and squeaked at me. My heart exploded.
"Do you like her?" Lucy asked gingerly.
I kissed the little fuzzy head and nodded. I couldn't speak, I was too overwhelmed. I had thought about asking the others to get a pet since I always missed Rosie, but the other way around...
My eyes watered, "Thank you. Oh God, thank you." I wiped a tear of my cheek with the sleeve of my shirt.
Lucy kneeled next to Lilly and petted her back, "I thought you'd need someone in case... In case we're gone quickly, you know. I don't want you to be alone ever again."
I stood up and handed grinning Holly the cat, then pulled Lucy to my chest,"Thank you." I whispered.
"Of course." she whispered back.
Lucy's POV:
Around noon we had tea. We've all been playing with the new family member, of course only if Lockwood gave her away. He mostly held her and stroked her little head.
When our cups were empty, he got up and took the tray, "Luce, can you help me get that to the kitchen?"
"Uh yeah, sure." I followed him, holding as much as one cup.
In the kitchen he put the tray on the counter, so did I with the cup.
"Is anything else in the library?" he asked.
I shook my head, "Nah, that's it."
"Oh, well, then..." he chuckled, "Sorry for making you move."
I laughed, "Oh it's fine."
I already wanted to go back to the library, when he stopped me, "Actually there is something..."
I halted at the door, "Yeah?"
He stepped a little closer, "Thank you... Again... I don't know what to say. I always wanted to get a new cat, but I was so scared to lose someone I love again. I didn't notice that I already had someone I love to lose." he smiled at me.
I hesitated, "What do you mean?"
He shrugged, "Oh, I don't know... Oh look, Mistletoe!"
