Page 43 of Mistletoe and Mayhem
When Zephyr didn't immediately come out of the kitchen, Taron went looking for him, too impatient to wait. What followed was a squeal and crashing, followed by deep laughter, and when Zephyr came back into the room, Taron was tossed over his shoulder like a prized deer, kicking his legs, his hands somehow bound with a towel behind his back.
“Hey, save the kinky stuff for at home!” Isaac called out.
Zephyr just smirked, dropping Taron onto the couch next to Tony and leaning to kiss the sweet man on the lips. “Brought you a present, baby.”
Tony chuckled, shaking his head. “You know he’s going to get you back for that, right?”
Zephyr shrugged, getting comfortable on the floor against Tony’s good leg.
It took some flopping around for Taron to sit up, and he needed Tony’s help to free his hands. Apparently, Kian helped by spelling the towel for Zephyr earlier, so it wouldn’t come undone unless someone else untied it.
“Oh, you’re so on!” Taron grumbled. “Both of you are officially going to get it.”
“Oooh, officially?” Kian taunted playfully. “Will there be paperwork involved?”
“Alright, alright,” Ozen interrupted before Taron could really get going, an amused smile on his face. “Let’s start with the exchange, shall we?”
Most of the gifts were simple enough. Elijah had knitted scarves for everyone, and they were accepted with appreciative smiles and words of gratitude. Isaac, who had been dabbling in potions in his spare time, had something for everyone. Nothing too crazy, pain potions, hangover cures, that sort of thing, but he’d put the time and effort into them, and everyone seemed happy with them. Alistair had created ornaments for everyone. The spells attached to them made the interior swirl and sparkle constantly, and the ooh’s and ahh’s made his anchor grimace, not fully comfortable with the attention. He settled with a touch from Elijah, and Avery moved on to the next gift after noticing his discomfort. He was a good friend.
Gifts of treats and trinkets were handed out. Elijah nearly cried when he received the art piece from Tony of him and Alistair looking at each other. It was just their faces, but there was so much love in that look that Elijah felt overwhelmed with it. Alistair’s carried just as much emotion, though it was a picture of his children laughing. The way Alistair seemed to stare at it even as they moved on to the next gift told Elijah how much it meant to him, even if he didn’t have direct access to his anchor’s thoughts.
Doing okay?
Alistair drew in a shaky breath, nodding once.I’m good. It feels real, though, doesn’t it? Like it could come to life.
It really did. Tony had a grasp on realism that was outstanding. He could be an artist full-time if he wished to. He made a mental note to mention it later. He doubted Tony would change careers, he was happy helping his mate, but he deserved to know how much his art meant to his friends at the very least.
The closer they got to the bottom of the pile, the more the anticipation seemed to dial up in the room. Elijah looked around, confused, at the way people were staring at a basketof envelopes on the table. He leaned toward Isaac, whispering, “Why does it feel like people are holding their breath?”
Isaac tipped his head toward the basket, his eyes narrowed on it. “Those are Taron’s presents. They’ve been getting weirder every year. We’re all waiting to see what insanity he’s going to gift us with next.”
Elijah shot a confused frown at Alistair, who just shrugged. He was a little on edge himself, but he was picking up on the energy of the room, and it was making him uncomfortable. Elijah focused on soothing him, using a little magic to ease his mind. He gave his attention back to the proceedings when Taron swaggered up to the table, taking Avery’s place with a smarmy smirk.
“Thank you, Avery. Leaving the best for last is a good idea.”
Avery shook his head, stepping back to lean against Ozen. “That wasn’t why I waited. I wanted the nice part to be over before the chaos started.”
“Rude,” Taron chided. “You’re lucky this year’s gifts are already wrapped, or I’d consider switching yours out.” Spinning on his heel, he faced the room, a beaming grin on his face. “Alright, gentlemen. There are new rules with my gifts this year. Like last year, trading is allowed, however all coupons must be handed out first. You’re not allowed to get physical, no wrestling matches, and no magic allowed.”
Elijah’s brows furrowed with every additional rule. “Is he making things up on the spot or–”
“No,” Isaac shook his head quickly. “Those rules are absolutely necessary. Last year got a little messy.”
What in the world?
“A new rule this year. The coupons can only be traded three times. Afterward, they’ll be attached to their owner, and no one else can take them, not even after the party is over. And as a reminder, only one coupon can be used per person. And only onecoupon per day!” he added quickly. “You will not hand them all to me at once like last time!”
Snorting, Alistair murmured, “Now I really want to know. What is he offering that requires this many rules?”
Taron, who heard him, winked. “You’re about to find out. Remember, you can look once they’re handed to you, but no trading until everyone has their gift.”
He started with Ozen, handing him a colorful envelope with a smile. “To my oldest friend. I hope you enjoy it.”
Ozen opened his coupon, raising an eyebrow at the contents. “Dramatic bed time story?”
Taron beamed, unfazed by his flat tone. “I know sometimes you have trouble sleeping, so I thought that might help. And to my favorite author.” He handed Avery another envelope, chuckling when Avery only looked confused.
“What makes a picnic aggressively enthusiastic? Why does this feel like a threat?”
