Together | A.F.I

⁂ 12 :: gingerbread portrait ⁂

Joelle was caught up in helping Lauren and Harry make some cookies whilst Ashton and his mother snuck off to wrap their presents. Though she looked scary and somewhat intimidating, Joelle loved kids. If there was a baby in the room, she was talking to it. If there was a kid in the room, she'd play with them or make them laugh. It was only natural that she loved Harry and Lauren, though they were older than most of the kids she'd babysat.

They were making gingerbread men, and were on the final, but most brilliant bit. Decoration. She let Harry and Lauren lead the way, touched to find mini versions of themselves, Penelope, Ashton, and holy hell, was that her? They'd even iced her freckles on. Sure, they were bright orange and looked more like chicken pox, but the motive mattered most.

"Who are these guys, then? Let me guess" Joelle smiled, standing next to Harry and crouching to be at his head level. "This little guy with the football has got to be... hm... Is this you, Harry?"

"Yeah! Lookit, he has my hair" He grinned, halfway though decorating one to look like the hulk. Or some other green mess - either way, he'd made it.

"And is this one with the green dress Lauren? C'mon help me out, dude." She whined jovially. "I might be going to Oxford, but sometimes my brain isn't too good"

"Yep! And that's mum, and that's Ash, with his holey clothes, and that's you! You have freckles and short hair like Ash" Harry told her with a smile, looking up to her and showing her his gapped smile. He had been losing teeth and he now looked like a pirate, according to Lauren.

"They're all very beautiful. Is that the Hulk?" Joelle asked, wiping her eyes quickly as he began to explain that yes, it was the hulk, and yes, he was a very good artist. She'd never felt more involved in a family since she was a little girl, and the way Harry put her in the gingerbread family portrait broke something in her.

A pair of arms wrapped their way around her stomach from behind and she felt Ashton's chin be hooked over her shoulder, his chest pressed against her back.

"If I had known that my siblings were so talented, I would have got you to design merch for us. Save a lot of money" Ashton told them with a smile, looking across at the cooling rack "Woah, are these us?" He asked, eyes on the little gingerbread men.

"Yep. Harry helped me figure it out, but it goes - Harry, Lauren, your mum, you, and me." Joelle told him with a wink at Harry and a thumbs up. "I even got a little mini me, it's already the best Christmas ever. Get everything done?"

"I think I actually came down to get more sellotape, but I was distracted by how cute you are. Do you not come with a warning or something?"

"Yeah - be careful, the dog bites" She laughed.

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'extreme beauty approach with caution', but yanno. After I'm done with the thing, do you want to go on a walk?"

"I'd love to. Now, go get that sellotape before your mum thinks I've kidnapped you" Joelle told him, kissing his cheek and then looking back at Harry "Is that Captain America?"

"Yeah. Lauren's doing thor."

Joelle looked over at Lauren with a nod "Thor is the best and strongest avenger, good choice"

"You like the avengers?"

"Don't tell anyone, but yeah." She nodded "Why, does Ashton like DC? If so I'll have to talk to him about it" Joelle joked.

"No, he likes the avengers too. Who's your favourite?"

"Black widow. Yours?"

"Thor. I can see why you like Black Widow. You're a lot alike"