Page 67 of A Phoenix Reborn at Christmas
“I’m not the craftiest in the family.” Leo gave a wry smile. “So the decorations I make tend to be pretty simple. Hope you don’t mind.”
“I’m just happy to take part in your Christmas traditions!” Percival put down his hot chocolate and clapped his hands together. “So how do we start?”
Leo lifted a box filled with pine cones, dried orange slices, coloured threads, ribbon, buttons, and wooden beads. “We attach thread or ribbon to the pine cones or orange slices. Then you can leave them like that or attach more ribbon or beads or both. Then you hang them up.”
Percival smiled. “I think I can manage that.”
Then Leo pulled out a jar from within the box. “And I thought we could use these too.”
Percival’s eyes widened. “My feathers?”
Leo nodded. Percival shed his phoenix feathers in his sleep. Leo had collected each and every one. The shiny feathers were too precious to let go to waste. “I thought these might make nice decorations too. What do you think?”
Percival laughed. “How would that work?”
Leo put the box and the jar down. He grabbed two feathers and some thread. “I was thinking we can tie a couple together. Like that.” He held up his creation. “Then we just hang them.” He did so. “What do you think?”
“It’s actually really pretty!” Percival copied what Leo had done. Then he hung up the decoration. He ran his fingers downthe orange and red feathers and stepped back. “I love seeing my feathers on the Christmas tree.”
Since that morning, when Percival had spoken to Nix, he’d seemed stressed. It couldn’t be easy for Percival, trying to embrace a new beginning and a new life when the old one came and knocked on his door.
Leo’s chest warmed to see Percival smiling now. “I find Christmas decorating relaxing. It always puts me in a good mood.”
“I can see why. It’s fun!” Percival’s eyes twinkled as he hung a pine cone with a red bow from a branch. “Especially when you have such excellent company.”
Leo grinned. They continued decorating the tree. Alternating between feathers, pine cones, and orange slices.
Once they’d finished, Percival picked up a Christmas tree sugar cookie and took a bite. “These are really good.”
“Cas made that one. He is an excellent baker of cookies and all things sweet.” Leo grabbed a vanilla crescent cookie. “And Jack made these. But you and I should make Christmas cookies too! It is Christmas, after all.”
Percival grabbed another cookie. “I am your eager pupil.”
“How do jam cookies sound?” Leo asked. “It’s where two cookies are sandwiched together with raspberry jam in the middle. We can cut out a star or tree on the top cookie so you can see the jam inside. Then it is sprinkled with powdered sugar.”
“Sounds good.” The skin between Percival’s brows puckered. “But will the others mind if we start making Christmas cookies too? I wouldn’t want to tread on anyone’s toes.”
Leo shook his head. “It will be fine. Although we are often in charge of baking certain things, we are allowed to make anything we want on top of that. Others make pies sometimes too. We just have to make sure we have a variety of baked goods on sale and not too much of one thing.”
“Then let’s bake jam cookies.” Percival’s eyes twinkled.
“I’m pretty sure Dad had a recipe for them somewhere. I’ll have a look for it.” For Leo, cooking his parents’ recipes had always been a way to remain connected to them. Which maybe was why Leo liked sharing his parents’ recipes with Percival.
Since Leo’s parents had died years ago, he’d never be able to introduce Percival to them. But he felt that showing Percival the cookbooks was a way to share with Percival who his mother and father had been.
They moved on to decorating the window. Ebony watched as they hung feathers, pine cones, and dried orange slices from the curtain rod above the window.
Percival released a shiny orange feather with several beads. “Thank you, Leo.”
“What for?”
“It’s nice making Christmas memories with you. Since I don’t have any.” Percival looked at Leo. “I know I didn’t like Christmas before. But it’s safe to say I very much do in this life.” He slid his arm around Leo’s waist.
Leo rested his head on Percival’s shoulder. “I’m glad.” They gazed out the window, watching the blur of white beyond. Snow piled on the windowsill. Leo’s heart beat strong and steady in his chest.
Percival squeezed Leo’s waist. “What other Christmas things can we do? I what to do them all!”
Leo chuckled. “I can teach you a Christmas carol?”
