Underneath the Tree (gg)

Chapter 15 - Santa's Coming For Us

Summary:
It's Christmas morning and Annie and Ruby go to Beth's house for the holiday.

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"Mommy..." Jane whispers, still loud, she peaks her head around the door, peering into Beth's barely lit bedroom. She steps in slowly, tip toeing towards the side closest to the door, nudging the lump under the blanket, "Mommy, it's Christmas... Santa ate all of the cookies." Waiting for a response, she lets out a large huff, climbing into the bed, realizing that Beth isn't alone. Launching herself in between the two, Jane lands with a big thud, shaking Beth and Rio from their sound sleep.

Rio let's out a small grunt, opening his eyes slightly to see what had just happened, laughing a little at Jane shaking her mom's shoulders. Beth grabs Jane and sits her away, leaving her at the end of the bed, "You need to stop waking me up like that." Beth pulls herself out of the blanket, as soon as her feet hit the ground, sitting at the edge of her bed, the doorbell rings. Is everyone here already? Jane runs downstairs quickly, following the other kids as they sprint towards their presents.

Rio still in bed, reaching for Beth's wrist, he pulls her lightly, Beth falling onto her side, "C'mere ma." Beth scoots higher up onto the bed, her face close to Rio's. Pulling in slowly, their lips collide delicately, Beth letting out a soft breath into Rio's mouth. Drawing their lips apart, the doorbell rings once more, Beth groaning as she hasn't even gotten ready. Running towards her closet, she grabs the Christmas pajama pants off of the store hanger, pulling them over the small shorts she had slept in the night before, waving her hand so that Rio puts his on too.

Now almost running downstairs, she races at the front door, unlocking it with a click and opening swiftly, "Hey guys come on in!" Sara and Harry run in, meeting the rest of the kids on the ground waiting to open presents, Ruby and Stan following behind, Ruby having an, it's about time, look on her face. Then, both Stan and Ruby give Beth side hugs before making their ways in, "So, I can only assume that Annie's late?" Beth huffs, beginning to close the door.

"Nope! I'm here," Annie runs up Beth's porch, Ben following behind casually, "I brought booze! Woah... why does it look like you got hit with a bus?" She stares at at Beth's flattened, tangled, hair. Running her eyes around Beth's physique, she shrugs it off and leans in for a hug. Annie, walks past Beth to greet Ruby, looking up at the staircase, she catches Rio walking down, now in his hoodie and pajama pants. Beth gives Ben a hug, leading him in and closing the door behind.

"Hey Ruby... staircase, 2:00 o'clock." Annie whispers quietly, bare distinguishable, pointing her finger at the end of the stairs, Rio now standing with his hands in his pockets. Ruby laughs at Annie, still using the clock wrong, Beth and told her the story, she looks over, letting out a funny noise, her gaze lifting, she notices the mistletoe that Annie had hung the other night. The kids each beginning their first gift opening, Beth walks over to Rio, laughing as the kids' faces break out into surprised reactions.

Just as Ruby is about to divert Annie's attention away, trying to cause little awkwardness, "Uh oh... Beth!" Annie teasingly waves her finger around in the air, Ruby and Stan shaking their heads in disappointment, the kids all turning to look.

"What? We're just talking about the kids..." Beth fiddles with the hem of her t-shirt, trying to look as innocent as possible, Rio on the other hand keeping completely calm without even trying.

Ruby shoves Annie in the shoulder, cutting her off before she could say anything, "I'm not letting her say it... but there's a mistletoe hanging above y'all." Beth and Rio look upwards simultaneously, the kids bursting out in laughter, waiting for the odd pair to kiss. Rio grabs his chin, hiding a smile behind his hand, moving it slowly to Beth's jawline, pulling her in for a small kiss. Choosing not to over-do it, they break it off quickly, sharing a brief laugh, everyone erupting into applause, except Annie.

"Boooo! That was so weak...!" Annie raises her thumb, twisting it downwards, making large thumbs down gestures, "I know you can do better than that... I've seen you do better than that."

"Annie... there's kids." Beth laughs, making her way to the tree, sitting down with the kids as they pick up another present.

Everyone seems to be content with that answer, but Annie having plans of her own, she walks over to Rio, pulling him into the kitchen, Rio choosing not to protest.

"Whatchu want?" His hands are still in his pockets, looking at Annie with a blank stare, knowing that everything she's about to say will be the most unimportant statements he's ever heard.

"Did you bang my sister last night?" Annie holds her hands to her hip, anxiously awaiting a response, Rio standing quietly for a moment.

"Yeah... what about it?" Keeping his stance, he remains still, deciding not to elaborate on anything unless Beth chooses to.

"I'll tell you about it! If you mess with her at all... even try to break her heart, hurt her... I will literally cut off your hands!" Annie is pointing her finger at Rio in a trying to be- threatening way.

Rio let's out a small laugh, "Yeah... I'm gon' break her heart." He shakes his head, sarcastically mocking Annie, turning away to walk back into the living room. The sounds of the kids laughing grows louder as Rio stands near the tree, looking down to observe all of the presents, noticing a small blue piece of fabric that doesn't match with the tree skirt. Before he can pick it up, Emma reaches her hand to grab it, walking over to Beth.

Speaking in a normal volume, Emma hands them to her mom, "What's this?" Beth grabs them out of her hand quickly, gasping as she realizes what they are. Looking up at Rio, his eyes a little wider than usual, it wasn't a set up, they were both genuinely confused as to how she left her panties under the tree.

"Um... it's nothing, go play with your new Barbie okay?" Beth scoots Emma off of her lap, standing quickly to walk over to Rio, "Why were these under the tree?" Rio let's out a small laugh.

Keeping his voice down, "Hell if I know. We didn't even go over there." He thinks for a moment, recalling everything that happened last night. Rio moves his hands down to the sides of her panties, pulling them off quickly, tossing them away, them falling onto the skirt of the Christmas tree, "Shit... I threw them, they must've landed underneath the tree."

Beth recalls the moment when Rio ripped them off of her, looking down to the blue fabric crumpled in her hand, "Do you think anyone besides Emma saw them?" She leans in close, making sure that no one is listening, Rio glances around the room, everyone's attention elsewhere.

"Nah... we're good." He lets out a big smile, following it with a laugh, "So what if they did see em'? What they gon' do about it?"

Beth gives him a look, almost as if to say, are you serious right now? Shoving the panties in the pocket of her pajama pants, "Umm... hello. I wouldn't hear the end of it. I'm glad Emma found them, she's my quietest kid." Beth rubs her forehead, letting a small laugh escape from her mouth, "Who wants cookies?" She turns away from Rio, off into the kitchen, all of the kids, and Annie, following behind for her amazing sugar cookies.

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