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

[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.

[clericpreston.livejournal.com]

Hey! Her tickle fight partner had been stolen!

"That's cheating!" Lisa screeched as she squirmed and struggled against Longshot's tickles. She very carefully ignored the fact that cheating had been done on their behalf first.

Well, there was no hope for it, now that there were two opponents. "I give up!"

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot tried to squirm away from his wife's tickles, but it was hard. especially when he was trying hard not to knock anybody over. Then he had help from above!

He redoubled his efforts on Lisa until she gave up. He pulled her into his lap. "You really give up?"

He wasn't sure. He didn't think those words were exactly in her vocabulary.

[pastthegumbo.livejournal.com]

Rogue chuckles and leans against the door frame. If she has seen a better picture of holiday contentment, she couldn't think of it. It is going to be really nice to be here during the holidays.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison laughed and stopped tickling Longshot. The cause was lost. Still, she was sure the girls would work out a way to get back at the Daddy and big brother types.

"Gee... maybe it was a silly idea to give you guys all that sugar." She laughed and shook her head. "I've never seen such a furious tickle war."

[laertes.livejournal.com]

Since her side had given up, Dakota stopped tickling his daughter and put her over his shoulder to catch her breath. Gloria Jean hung a little limply but had full faith her father would not drop her. She eventually looked up and waved to Rogue.

"Hi. Watch for Dad. He's a sneaky tickler."