Tis the season!

[shimmerandsing]

The only thing better than Christmas at home with her husband and family was Christmas at home with her husband, family, and friends. Alison had been eagerly awaiting the return of Rogue and Dakota's bunch to the castle for the holidays. She had already picked out a Christmas tree, which Longshot and John hauled home for her. It had lights on -- mostly Miyuki and Lisa's doing with Alison's supervision -- but, no ornaments yet. She figured that Gloria Jean and the boys could help with that when they arrived.

And they were coming early! That made it even better.

Despite her decreased mobility, Alison had been up early on the day they were scheduled to arrive. The castle was generally kept pretty clean, but she straightened anyway. And then... the baking! She hadn't felt such a strong urge to bake since the early months of her pregnancy. But, now, it was back in full force. By the time she finally tired of it, she had sugar cookies, gingerbread men, a gingerbread house, snowball cupcakes, and chocolate dipped pretzels.

She sat down in the kitchen to rest her feet and nibble on some gingerbread. Her little tea pot sat on the stove, happily brewing some peppermint tea. It might not be Christmas yet, but it sure smelled like Christmas.

Comments

[clericpreston.livejournal.com]

Lisa looked up at her brother and his girlfriend for a moment. She couldn't help being puzzled. They looked all happy and sappy like Longshot and Alison were and her father and Apollo had been. But, it looked weird on them still. Kind of... unfinished.

She shrugged and went back to her cookies. They would be done soon and then they could bake some more stuff! Yay!

Under the table, Robbie reached over and held Miyuki's hand. There were other people in the room? What?

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

And the relationship would stay unfinished! For as long as possible with Miyuki's guardian living on the premises. Though the young ninja was utterly oblivious to anything outside of Robbie's hand holding hers. She gave it a small squeeze.

Longshot squinted at Alison. She put his messy hair out of order! He should do something about that. Except he had a little girl on his lap. And other people in the room. Hrm. That was a pickle.

Though, the room was missing some people. "Where'd Dakota and Rogue go?"

[pastthegumbo.livejournal.com]

Rogue makes some sort of concerned sound at the back of her throat. He does not sound like he will be okay. She worries.

Right until he mentions how to make him feel better. She pulls back and stares at him. Then she grabs his crotch.

"Keep it in check for a little bit, handsome. Ah'll make you feel just fine." She gives a light squeeze and then lets go. "We just hafta be civil guests for a bit."

Everything is not absolutely fine, but it can get there. So, Rogue lets go of her husband and heads back to the kitchen. Which is slightly mean after grabbing him, but it'll just make him more excited later.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Hmmm?" Alison looked up and around at the room. Hey, that was a good question. She had been so intent on the kids that she'd missed the parents' exit altogether. Oops.

"No idea. I'm sure they'll be back, though. For dinner if nothing else."

If they were off doing what she thought they were doing, it probably would be dinnertime before they emerged.

[laertes.livejournal.com]

Dakota got all wide-eyed at his wife. AND THEN SHE LET GO!

Well, that wasn't going to do. He chased after her to catch her in the hall. He was intent to catch her before the kitchen. Then he would push her against the wall and kiss her hard.

Just so she stops worrying. Really. Maybe. Uhm. Kinda.

"All done!" Gloria Jean announced as she settled back. Sugar cookies were decorated.

[clericpreston.livejournal.com]

"Yay! All the cookies are done. What's next?" Lisa slipped out of her chair to bounce next to Alison's. She knew where the baked stuff came from.

Lisa leaned over and rested her head very carefully on Alison's belly. The babies were not kicking, but that was okay. "Cookies. Cookies. That should be your first words. Cookies."

Robbie squeezed Miyuki's hand back. Then he smiled at her. He figured being this happy would be well worth being killed by Asuka.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

And death walked in. Or at least a pretty approximation of it. Asuka did not come in the back door, but she still came in near silently. "I thought I smelled baked goods."

Miyuki froze. Her life was fine. Robbie was always overly concerned with his. This could be interesting.

"Welcome back, Asuka," Longshot greeted with his normal obliviousness. "We got company!"

He gestured to Gloria Jean.

"I know," she replied with a half-grin. "A couple of them are kissing in the hallway."

[pastthegumbo.livejournal.com]

Rogue makes a soft squeak when she's turned around. She doesn't get much more noise out as her lips are suddenly well covered. She closes her eyes and pulls Dakota in close.

The kitchen could wait for a moment. She has no other thoughts or inclinations to go anywhere. Until she needs to breathe.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison giggled and stroked Lisa's hair as the girl tried to teach her unborn babies bad habits. It was probably a bad sign that Alison found that to be really cute.

She looked up and smiled at Asuka. "I hope you're in the mood for cookies, cupcakes, pretzels, ginger bread, cheesecake, almond toffee, and daifuku. Although, that last one might take a while for me to figure out the recipe."

[laertes.livejournal.com]

Gloria Jean wrinkled her nose at Asuka. Her Daddy was being icky again. Because it certainly wasn't her brothers kissing anybody. Lips would fall off if that happened.

Dakota pulled back just on the edge of breathless. He rested his forehead against Rogue's. "Please just bear with me," he murmured.

He kissed her again. More softly. When he pulled back again, he made sure his voice was as soft as he could make it and still be heard. "I love and need you. And I need you even more since you got grabby with my groin."

He grinned a little. Oh, she would be living up to those promises. He would make sure of it.

[clericpreston.livejournal.com]

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Asuka that nobody could be off kissing because Robbie and Miyuki were right here. But, she figured that Miyuki didn't really deserve that. So, she held out one of the cookies that she'd decorated kind of normally and grinned.

"Here, Asuka! You need a sugar rush, too, if you're gonna keep up with Longshot."

Robbie very carefully released Miyuki's hand and sat up a little straighter. He was still alive, so Asuka must not be in killing spirits.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Asuka raised an eyebrow but took the cookie. She looked over at Longshot and noted the bits of frosting around his mouth. "Thank you, Lisa. I'm sure this will come in handy."

She looked over at Alison as she settled down into one of the open chairs. Which happened to be next to Robbie. "I think mother has a good recipe for daifuku. You should ask her for it when she returns home."

Miyuki was trying very hard to look like she hadn't been holding Robbie's hand a minute ago. though she was getting ready to resuscitate him if he keeled over from close proximity to Asuka.

Longshot continued to be oblivious. He was good at that. He was even better at tickling Gloria Jean.

[pastthegumbo.livejournal.com]

She chuckles softly. "Ah have to get grabby. That spot there is gonna make me a momma. Ah need to make sure it's properly motivated."

She pushes up on her toes and kisses her husband one last time. "C'mon, handsome. Let's go see if Gloria Jean's got those cookies looking pretty."

She takes his hand and tugs him toward the kitchen.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Oh, good. I would rather have one that's been tried and tested. I don't like surprises with my baking." She smiled at Asuka and had no doubt in her mind that the ninja woman had chosen her seat for maximum teenage terror. Poor Robbie. She felt bad for him, honestly. But, she still wanted to laugh.

She looked over and watched Longshot tickle the little girl sitting on his lap. The answering surge of hormones was overwhelming. WHY DID SHE NOT HAVE HER BABIES YET?!

[laertes.livejournal.com]

Gloria Jean shrieked, giggled and wiggled! No fair! Tickles! She flailed around, heedless of cookies or other people in proximity. Though it was possibly Longshot's own luck that she didn't hit a thing.

Dakota was dutifully following his wife back into the kitchen. If he was good boy, he would get a treat later.

[clericpreston.livejournal.com]

HEY! That was no fair! Lisa could not allow her friend to be ruthlessly tickled without coming to her aid. So she ducked around Alison's chair and started tickling Longshot from behind. Ha!

Hopefully, he wouldn't drop Gloria Jean. Lisa would feel really bad.

Robbie could not have sat up more straight if there had been a steel pipe fused to his spine. He sat quietly beside Asuka and did not even dare look at Miyuki.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot yelped and wiggled. Back tickle attack! That did not stop him from tickling Gloria Jean, however. In fact, he was more determined than ever to keep her giggling.

Though it was tricky keeping her on his lap.

Asuka made no move specifically toward Robbie. She picked up a baked treat from the table and nibbled on it.

Miyuki swallowed. This was an interesting game of nerves.

[pastthegumbo.livejournal.com]

Rogue stops in the doorway to look at the scene. it is normal for this castle. Teenagers being oh so careful around a 'menacing' parent. And then another parent-type having a tickle war.

Rogue doesn't know who to feel worse for: Robbie in his uncomfortable posture or Longshot in between two giggling or tickling girls.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison definitely feels worse for Robbie. She knows Longshot is enjoying every moment of his tickle torture. And that he'll probably end up winning in the end.

Robbie, on the other hand, was going to develop a nervous twitch if he wasn't careful.

"Robbie, would you mind grabbing me a glass of orange juice, sweetie?" She smiled at the boy. Poor kid.

[laertes.livejournal.com]

Dakota ran into his wife. On purpose. Not too hard, but enough to feel all those nice curves. Mmm. He wrapped his free arm around her and watched the chaos unfold in the kitchen.

Gloria Jean was not getting away! Longshot was tricky! And she was laughing so hard she could not counter attack! Good thing Lisa was there to save her. "Heeeeelp meeeeeee!"

[clericpreston.livejournal.com]

The plan was not working! Attacking from behind didn't seem to help. So, Lisa moved around to climb onto the free side of Longshot's lap and redouble her tickle attack.

"Ha! Take that!" She shrieked as she tickled for all she was worth.

Robbie popped up out of his seat and hurried to fetch Alison's juice. Then he slowed down, once he realized that if he hurried, he would have to go back over near Asuka sooner.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Mwahahahaha! Lisa fell into Longshot's tickling trap! Now that she was no longer behind him, he had an easy time tickling her, too!

It was an amazing juggling act of tickling two girls and making sure neither of them got away. Longshot was laughing the entire time. He had less fingers so he had to... tickle faster!

Miyuki got distracted from Robbie's plight by the trio of tickling at the end of the table. That wasn't a sight seen every day. It also made her smile.

Asuka chuckled a little and shook her head. As long as Robbie was scared by her doing absolutely nothing, she would take it.

[pastthegumbo.livejournal.com]

Rogue sucks in a breath at Lisa's tactical mistake. Getting into grabbing distance of Longshot right at the moment was not good. She looks up at her husband pressed against her.

"Ah don't think the girls are gonna win..."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison was watching the mass of tickling fingers with undisguised amusement. She was so glad it wasn't her. And it was so cute. Her husband was tripping all of her hormonal triggers today. It was a good thing she was already pregnant. Otherwise, she'd be dragging him off to their room and ordering him to "Baby me!"

Instead, she decided to help the girl's team with a little well placed cheating. She reached over and tickled Longshot underneath his chin. It was a little trickier with the beard, but she didn't mind.

[laertes.livejournal.com]

"Mm. Probably not," Dakota agreed. Then he spotted Alison cheating. "Well, maybe. Hmm. Nope. Can't let that cheating go on."

He stepped around his wife after he reluctantly let her go. He carefully made his way over to the epic tickle battle...

... and plucked his daughter off of Longshot's lap to help out. Suddenly, Gloria Jean was in mid-air and being tickled by adept fingers. Fingers that knew every one of her ticklish spots.

She screeched and flailed some more. Daddies were not supposed to do this! Except her Dad had a habit of it.