Mullet Man Short Stories

Christmas

AN: The annual Pines Christmas/Hanukkah party, Ford, Fidds, Dipper, and Mabel added. 2013. Everyone usually visits and stays for all of winter break. It gets... really crowded, but they make it work. But now they get to have the party at the mansion! 

"Can't catch me, can't catch me!"

Taylor squealed and giggled as Mabel chased her around the room in a game of tag. Jenny pulled Brittany out of the way as they avoided the tagger. Christmas music played in the background, joined by the scent of fresh cookies and chatter as the adults talked. Jacob sat on the couch quietly beside Tyler. Both of them were wearing noise-cancelling headphones.

Jacob scrunched up his face, dropping off the couch and to the floor. He left the room, going to sit at the top of the stairs nearby. He took off his headphones and hung them around his neck, sighing.

"I know- they're loud, huh?"

He looked up, seeing that Tyler had followed him and removed his own headphones. He sat on the stair a few down, leaning against the wall.

"I don't like being here," Jacob mumbled, playing with the bottom of his shirt. "It's not like home."

"Yeah," Tyler agreed. "Y'know what I do to help with that? I think of all the things that are just like what I'm used to."

"Whatcha mean?"

"Well, my mommy and daddy are here," Tyler began. "And so's my sister. And my schedule doesn't change; we keep that the same. There's the same rules, and I still have my chewie."

He held up his wrist, showing off his chewy bracelet. Jacob smiled a bit, tilting his head in thought. He ran two fingers over his hair.

"My mommy and renny are here," he said slowly. "And so is my brother and baby sister. And I still got my headphones, and my squishy. And... my bedtime routine is still the same."

"See? That's good," Tyler grinned. "Lots of things are how yer used to 'em."

"Yeah. I guess so," Jacob smiled.

-----

"Gosh, she's gotten so big."

"How old is she, again?" Ford asked, watching as Bella lightly bounced Abigail on her knee. The baby giggled as Bella bounced her and hummed the accompanying song.

"An' this is the way the gentleman rides..."

"Just almost nine months," Allison answered.

"I always forget how small they are," Stan mumbled.

"No kiddin'," Fiddleford laughed. Abigail squealed as Bella got to the last verse of the song, and her knee bounced very fast and very high.

"I miss being able to do that," Lee sighed, smiling slightly.

"Sorry hun, you just got too big," Bella laughed, passing Abigail back over to her mom. Then Brittany ran over, ignoring that Taylor tagged her.

"Gran'ma, can I do the bounce too?" She asked, grinning up at Bella.

"Ah, sorry sweetie. Ah'm tired out now," Bella petted the girl's hair. "Ask Grandpa."

"I don't know how to do it," Stan denied.

"Yeah you do," Marcella raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You used to do it for Ella and me all the time."

Ford bit his lip to stifle a laugh as Stan looked both upset and embarrassed.

"Dad doesn't like t' admit it, but he's a big softy," Ella said to her husband.

"Alright, alright. Fine. C'mere, kid," Stan lifted Brittany up and set her on his knee and started the song, albeit grumpily. But it didn't take long into Brittany's giggling that Stan started to smile.

-----

Christmas morning was a special time for kids and parents alike. Though one could argue that the kids enjoyed it more, parents and adults still had fun too, of course. The sense of family and love, the scent of fresh coffee and special Christmas cookies. The kids gathered on the floor around the tree, while the adults sat on the couches surrounding it. Fiddleford crawled into Ford's lap, curling up against his chest. 

Once the adults were all settled with coffee (those who drank coffee, anyways), the kids tore into the presents. Wrapping paper was tossed everywhere, and shouts of delight soon filled the room. And once everyone was done opening gifts, they spent the rest of the day playing, taking breaks for cookies and movies.