𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀 𝑫𝑨𝑻𝑬 - Steven Hyde

seventeen

17|CHRISTMAS PT3

"So, dipping into the frankincense, I see." Eric stated as he approached the high teenagers and sat down at the circle. "Well, no more of that, okay? We're gonna do this play the way it was meant to be done. And no space man. And anyone who doesn't like that is no Christmas friend of mine."

"And we should be a little bit nicer to those of us who want to watch Christmas specials." Kelso added to Eric's speech. "I mean, when Rudolph's nose shone so bright, and Santa realised he could guide the sleigh at night, that was a great moment in American history."

"Oh, you poor thing." Marigold shuffled off Hydes lap and hugged Kelsos head, feeling sorry for how the boys brain works.

"Kelso, Rudolph was small, had a girlie voice, and I'm pretty sure he was a little light in the hooves, if you know what I mean." Hyde ruined the boys imagination with a laugh.

"Of course he was light in the hooves. He could fly." Fez said, the joke going straight over his head. "Oh! I would have guessed Prancer." He chuckled as he finally understood the joke.

"Well, you've all ignored me, so I'll take that as a resounding vote of confidence." Eric snapped, sighing in annoyance at his friends and cousin. "Guys, let's do this thing."

"What on God's green earth?" Pastor Dave yelled in shock as he walked into the room.

"But, Pastor Dave, I was just-" Eric tried to explain the situation but the older man stopped him.

"Oh, I know what you were doing. I recognise that smell from the AC/DC concert." The man lectured them, confusing the teenagers to why the religious man was at an AC/DC concert. "I was handing out leaflets."

"No, but I wasn't-" Eric tried again but failed.

"Eric Forman, you're fired."

"Well shit." Goldie mumbled to herself, still pressing Kelsos head against her chest.

"You know what? Fine." The boy said before storming out the room.

"Rudolph had a girlfriend. Her name was Clarice." Kelso defended the made up character as he finally understood the joke. "She thought he was cute. Okay, if anyone was gay, it was that, that Hermey. No straight elf has hair like that."

"Kelso, just think about my boobs on your face and calm down." Marigold patted his head to gain his attention.

"You know what, that has calmed me down." He smiled up at her as she stepped back and sat back on Hydes lap.

"Can I press my face against your boobies?" Hyde laughed when she rolled her eyes at him, folding her arms across her chest to stop his wandering eyes.

"You do that anyway."

~•~

"Well, as you may know by now, I had to let Eric go." Pastor Dave announced to the group of friends, minus Eric, sat around the hall.

"Wait, you fired Eric?" Donna questioned as she had not heard the news. "Who's gonna direct the play?"

"I guess that responsibility falls unto me." The older man said smugly. "And I am willing to be the reluctant hero on this years pageant, and whip all you ne'er-do-wells into shape."

The mans statement caused them all to band together and tie Pastor Dave up with the Christmas lights and tinsel to a chair.

"Okay, kids, that was a good one." Pastor Dave stated after fumbling for the right thing to say. "Now, let's work in the scene where you untie me. And action."

"Whoa, dudes. What did you do, man?" Leo asked as he walked into the hall and saw what they had done.

"Leo, man. We're just about to light the Dave." Hyde said cheerfully, looking at Marigold with a bright smile.

"I can't believe you guys." The stoner continued. "You managed to bring a man of God to tears."

"I'm not crying." The Pastor sniffled while lieing.

"I'm talking about me, man." Leo gestured to himself causing Goldie to hide her laughter into Hydes shoulder. "You know, you guys can hassle your skinny friend, Eric, but when it comes down to a fundamental moral core, he's the only one of you that's got one. So, congratulations. You've ruined Christmas."

"That's the smartest thing I have ever heard come out of that mans mouth." Marigold nodded to herself, not really letting his words sink under her skin.

"Leo's right. I mean, this probably isn't our finest hour." Donna agreed, standing up with a sigh.

"I don't know. It's pretty damn fine." Hyde looked down at the quiet Pastor.

"We need to fix this." Goldie sighed to herself, only Hyde hearing her. "He is my cousin so I'm allowed to mess with him but this went too far."

"You never let me have any fun!" Kelso shouted which brought everyone's attention to the couple, especially when he stormed off.

"You guys, I feel kind of bad about Eric." Donna spoke up and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, maybe we should go find him." Fez agreed.

"Or we could stay here and wrap Dave." Hyde suggested with a grin and lifted up a roll of wrapping paper.

"I say, get Eric." Pastor Dave inputted, not wanting to be tortured anymore.

"Come on." The ginger led the way as they left to find Eric, ignoring Pastor Dave's calls as he begged to be released.