Oliver Wood (puremotion) wrote in contentious, @ 2008-12-25 17:33:00 |
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Entry tags: | * complete, alicia spinnet, oliver wood |
WHO: Olicer Wood and Alicia Spinnet
WHAT: Christmas Day
WHERE: Oliver's Flat, Gram's & Alicia's family's
WHEN: December 25th (Backdated)
WARNINGS: TBD
RATING: TBD
It was Christmas morning. Alicia had always adored Christmas, and because of that the flat had been decorated to the nines since somewhere around the second week of December. She always woke up early on Christmas morning- it was as though she had some sort of internal clock- and this morning was no exception. Sitting up slightly, though not enough that she would wake Oliver, she looked around. Francie was curled up on the end of the bed, and Bee had somehow wriggled her way between she and Oliver in the middle of the night and was sound asleep.
Slipping out from beneath the covers, she stole Oliver's pyjama shirt and slipped it on over her thin thermal shirt and flannel pants, and she was still freezing.
Coffee. Definitely it was coffee time.
No one would know, but Oliver wasn't really a morning person. Yes, he got up and ran every morning, but that was to keep in shape, not because he wanted to do it. What he liked best about Christmas morning, and other holiday mornings, was having a nice lie in and not being bothered. The bed was warm from all the slumbering creatures and he was content to just stay right where he was - passed out and sound asleep. He did shift a little when the warm comfy spot that was Alicia was replaced by a chilled empty space and he cracked a bleary eye to see where she had gotten off to.
"Too early," he muttered and burrowed deeper into the sheets, causing Bee to relocate next to Francie, he seemed far less inclined to wriggle.
Mmm. Coffee. Just holding the mug beneath her nose, she sniffed it happily as she walked back into the bedroom, carrying a mug for Oliver as well. Placing them both on the nightstand, she slid back beneath the covers, sliding her cold feet between Oliver's legs in an attempt to warm them up.
"Brought you coffee. Happy Christmas," she said, leaning over and kissing his cheek as she got herself settled back into the bed before picking up the mugs again. "I brought you coffee," she repeated, waving it under his nose.
He feigned a grumble, but the coffee really was tempting and he sat up slowly, scooching in close to her and wrapping an arm about her before accepting his cup with a yawn and a return kiss to her cheek.
"If I have tae get up, at least it's good company, aye? Happy Christmas, darlin'..." he raised a lazy brow at her before kissing her lips and taking a sip of his coffee. It was still weird, waking up to someone on Christmas. He'd spent the last few years waking up alone in upstairs bedroom at Gram's and this was decidedly more pleasant.
She snuggled into his side, taking a long sip of coffee before leaning over and kissing him again. "The company is quite good," she agreed, nodding and watching the sleeping animals lazily. She would be content to simply spend all day with him like this, but then they did have places to go.
"How long do we have before we have to be at your Gram's? We have time to exchange presents, right?" She hoped so, she really wanted to give him his this morning. Also, she just liked presents.
"We've a bit of time," he said with a little smile. She was excited, he could tell by the little smile on her face. "Whad'ye get me then?" he asked in a teasing manner, waggling his eyebrows at her and rubbing his foot against hers. "They're under the tree though, so I hope ye're gointae get 'em, I dinnae much feel like movin' outtae this bed if it's cold in there." He was teasing. He'd just have to start a fire up in the floo.
She grinned, twining her foot around his ankle and nudging his nose with hers. "I don't want to get up either, but I feel like summoning the presents in here could be dangerous," she informed him seriously. "No, I think we should move out to the living room."
Pulling her legs up a bit, she looked at him expectantly. "You can carry me." He gave her a queer look before bursting out into laughter.
"Is tha' so, yer majesty?" He chuckled again and kissed her before handing her his coffee and slipping out of bed. "I'll carry ye, but if ye spill coffee on me I'll drop ye." He lifted her gently careful not to spill her or the coffee and he was glad he was a keeper because short of being a beater, he might not have had the upper body strength to tote her about on a whim. He set her on the couch before getting a fire going in the floo and turning to the tree. He grabbed the presents appropriately marked and set them on the coffee table before snuggling up next to her again.
"Alright, I'm ready, Princess."
She hadn't expected him to actually carry her, but when he did she grinned gratefully. She hadn't wanted to put her feet back on that cold floor, and now she wouldn't have to because her terrific boyfriend was toting her out to the couch.
Curling up into the cushions when he set her down, she watched as he brought the presents over and then sat back down. She curled into his side, leaning up to brush a kiss across his cheek. "Me too. You should open yours first." She was a bit nervous and wanted to see his reaction to her present before she burst.
He just shook his head at the excited smile on her face, but he kissed her in return, an excited grin of his own spreading across his lips in a slow, happy crinkle. He set his coffee aside and pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and down to cover them before he reached for his gift and started to tear the paper off. He grinned when he pulled out the broom bag. The strap had been wearing on his and he made to thank her, but then her noticed the embroidery.
"Aww, sweetheart," he said with a silly little grin. She was adorable, really. He leaned over and gave her a solid kiss on the lips. It was sweet of her and considerate and he was grateful she'd thought of him.
He liked it! She returned his kiss happily, feeling a bit silly for being worried that he wouldn't like it, or that he would think it was silly.
"I just- noticed yours was getting a bit worn, and I know you wouldn't want anything to happen to your broom, so- yeah." She ducked her head, feeling her cheeks heat a bit. "I'm glad that you like it." Then she bounced a little, reaching for her present and shaking it.
"Can I open it?" Without waiting for permission, she ripped the paper open, grinning- until, that is, she opened it.
It was a blanket. A very thick wool blanket. Hmm. He watched her open it and... didn't quite get a good reaction, or, at least, not exactly what he been hoping for - not that he'd been hoping for much. It was practical and it meant a little something. It was probably a little intimate, but he knew, or hoped, it would make her think of him when she saw it.
But the look on her face - well, it was suffice to say he didn't think she'd be thinking much of it... at all.
"Ye dinnae like it." It was also suffice to say that his own expression showed his disappointment rather clearly, too.
"It's...a blanket," she said, eying it curiously. Hmph. She'd spent all that time sewing his name onto the damn bag and worrying about making their first Christmas together special and all she'd gotten was a blanket.
"I mean, it's a lovely blanket and all, but...it's a blanket."
"Well what's wrong with tha'? It's sturdy and warm." Just a blanket? He was pouting a bit, but really. Didn't she- He didn't just- It wasn't everyday that- "It's no jus' a blanket ye get at the store. I mean... I figured ye'd think it was too much too soon or somethin' girly like tha' but-" but he didn't think she'd not care at all. He'd just take it back. Where? He didn't know because the tartan maker wasn't just going to take back a handmade blanket. He'd said himself that there weren't too many Woods about these days and he was lucky to even have the sample on file.
"Maybe Gram can use it tae make a new kilt for me. Bloke said Wood tartans're hard tae come by these days anyway." He made to take it away from her. "Dinna fash yerself. I'll take care of it." He almost offered her a new gift of her choice, but his chest ached suddenly and the petulant little boy who just realized he had hurt feelings suddenly didn't feel too charitable.
Oh.
Suddenly Alicia was looking at the blanket in her lap as though she were seeing it for the first time all over again, and her jaw dropped a bit. Her hand came up to stroke the soft wool almost reverently and she felt herself tearing up.
"Holy fuck, Oliver. I didn't- I didn't realize that- I'm sorry. It's- wow." Hugging it close to herself, she sniffled a bit.
He watched her for a long wary moment, still holding onto it before pulling it close. When he understood that she didn't understand, he felt silly for not explaining the significance of the thing and he felt better about it.
"Yeah," he said softly, scooting a bit closer, leaning over the catch her gaze and giving her a hesitant smile. "I jus' - well, I thought it'd always remind ye of me, when ye used it."
"It will." She had to smile, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them to her after draping the blanket over her legs. "It's perfect. Thank you so much."
Leaning over, she pressed her palm to his cheek and then kissed him slowly, resting her forehead against his. He smiled, feeling a bit silly and light headed. He hadn't thought he'd be so pleased to see her like it and the fact that she did like it suddenly made him feel like he was on the moon.
"Ye're welcome, darlin'..." Christ, she hadn't ever made him feel so silly before. What a great girl he was.
Breathing in slowly, she moved so that her head was resting on his shoulder. They finished there coffee underneath the warmth of her new blanket, but were soon up and getting ready for Gram's. They arrived easily enough and he found Gram in the kitchen, just where he'd thought she'd be. She gave him a warm hug, then one to Alicia as well - and while Oliver didn't notice it at the moment, there was something tense and hanging in the air of the house as he greeted everyone.
He felt for a moment like he might be overwhelming Alicia - there was quite a lot of family, all things considered. Great Aunt Evelyn asked too many pointed questions and gave contraceptive tips when she thought Oliver wasn't listening, Jamie flirted unabashedly with Alicia and his da thumped him one on the head when he got to be too much of an idiot. There was Jamie's mum, his two younger brothers (who were all still older than Oliver,) - there was Oliver's first cousin, Roger, and Gram's only other grandson - then there was the explaining how they were all related and how Gram, Aunt Evelyn and Jamie's gran, Aunt Kitty, God rest her soul, were all sisters, etc. etc. Then there was Oliver's aunt and uncle John and Oliver was sure they'd crowded everyone into the kitchen for the introductions.
"Dinnae let them overwhelm ye," he said to her eventually, giving her a small, private smile.
Overwhelm was a good word. Alicia wasn't quite sure she was ever looking in the right direction, so many people were talking to her and asking her all sorts of questions (some she was so not ready to answer) and she felt like she finally knew why Oliver's cousin drove him mad, although he really wasn't so awful. It was a large contrast to what her house would be like, that was for sure, although that was possibly because it would be immediate family only.
"I'm trying to stay afloat," she teased him, leaning into his side, "but there are so many of them! I like them, though," she added with a grin, eyes sparkling. "You're all quite alike, did you know that?"
"Aye?" he said with a quirky little smile - and while he didn't know it, he got that from his Da. All the men in his family had the same tall frame with wide set shoulders and narrow hips. He bent his head and gave her a quick kiss before pulling back to give his Gram a shy smile.
"Hello?" a voice called, and Oliver didn't have time to question her, because a young man was walking into the kitchen. He was young, younger than Oliver but just as tall. Oliver noted that everyone in the kitchen seemed to stiffen except for Uncle John and Gram, as if they almost expected it.
"Everyone, this is Henry," Gram said softly. He smiled awkwardly at everyone and gave a little wave. He looked vaguely familiar to Oliver, but everyone else recognized something a little more familiar about him than Oliver did. It could have been the fact that they were built exactly the same and had the same bright eyes. There was a cant to Henry's lips that Alicia had seen on Oliver many times before. Oliver smiled and nodded to Henry, but it was short lived because then Henry pushed his glasses up and adjusted them in a manner Oliver had only ever seen one person do and it was then Oliver noticed that same man descending stepping through the floo. He squeezed Alicia's shoulder and stepped back a bit. He looked frantically over at Gram before swallowing quickly. God, his throat was closing up.
The room had gone quiet suddenly, almost as though the people in it had lost their ability to speak midsentence, and Alicia started looking around, trying to figure out what was going on. The newcomer looked a great deal like Oliver, she noticed, but she hadn't been introduced to him before, nor did she ever remember Oliver mentioning a Henry.
When he squeezed her shoulder she looked up at him, her expression concerned and growing more so when he moved away from her. Mouthing 'are you all right?', she raised her eyebrows a bit.
Oliver swallowed nervously, eyes darting over to Alicia nervously. He gripped her hand in his and frowned over at his Gram. His Da had just walked down the steps of his Gram's house and there was this boy... Gram walked over to Oliver, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Oliver, I'm sorry. He just showed up this morning," she said softly. "I didn't want to ruin yer day, dearheart." His father finished buttoning his sweater and gave a pleasant smile to the room.
"Happy Christmas, everyone." His Da continued to smile until he saw Oliver and only then did the look falter. Oliver hadn't seen his Da since he was five years old and here he was on Christmas Day with some young guy and - it all happened in a split second, but he stepped up to Henry before the poor boy had a chance.
"How old are ye?" he demanded, causing Henry to step back and blink rapidly.
"I beg your pardon?" Gram frowned, grabbing at the hem of Oliver's shirt.
"Oliver, please," she begged, though the same thoughts had run through her head. Poor Alicia, probably hadn't a clue what the matter was, and she hated that the poor girl had to first meet their family under these circumstances.
"How old is he, Da?" Oliver demanded when Henry still seemed dumbfounded. He bit the word Da out like it was acid and felt his cheeks burning, his eyes watering. "I mean, 'cause I'm twenty-five, but only in August, and mum died when I was nearly four. Tha' means if he's anythin' over twenty one-" but Oliver couldn't finish the damn sentence, because it was clear to him now exactly who Henry was - and if he was anything over twenty one, then he was conceived before Oliver's mum died, before his Da had left and Oliver wasn't sure he could take it.
Alicia folded her arms to her chest, hugging them to herself as she watched the family drama unfold in front of her. She wanted to do something, anything to help Oliver right now but as she hadn't a clue what was going on nor how to help, she figured she was much better off keeping her mouth shut.
Still, though...hearing him sound like that and seeing everything was tearing her up inside, and she kept her gaze locked on him.
"Oliver," his father said, ever the pragmatist. He stepped forward, between Henry and Oliver. "I don't really think this is the time." Oliver rolled his eyes and turned away from him, tears falling past his cheeks as he gazed blindly over the room. It was all the answer Oliver needed and he pushed past one of his cousins and back out through the kitchen. He hadn't even thought about it, but his feet carried him to the barn before he realized where he was. He scrubbed his hands over his face and he hated feeling the tears streaking across his face.
Alicia sent them all an apologetic look over her shoulder, but her mind was completely focused on following Oliver. Thankfully, he hadn't managed to get too much of a headstart and so she could still see him.
She found him in a barn, and her chest ached a bit when she saw that he was crying. He'd been there for her, though, whenever she got upset about something, and now it was her turn. Without hesitation she came up behind him, her arms going around his waist as she leaned over his shoulder to kiss his cheek, making soothing shushing noises.
Oliver turned immediately in her arms and hugged her close to him, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Twenty damn years his Da had been gone, and now he comes home with another kid after twenty years off doing God knows what in God knows where.
"Oh, God, darlin'," he choked, hugging her tighter. "How-? Licia, he's been gone twenty fuckin' years and-" Oliver pressed his eyes against her shoulder.
Fuck, she hated feeling helpless. But there was nothing she could do except continue to rub his back soothingly, running her fingers through his hair and just holding him.
"Shh. 's going to be all right, love. It is." Honestly, she had no idea if it would or not, because she didn't know the whole story, but she could guess the gist. And now really wasn't the time to press him for details.
He hugged her for a long time, glad it was her out here and not any of his family. He didn't think he could bare looking at any of them or hearing their sad I'm sorries. He kissed the side of her neck after a long moment and sighed heavily, long and shaky. It probably wasn't make much sense to her at all. He had never talked much about his father to anyone short of Percy and maybe Kimb.
His mum had been killed in the first war. She had been an Auror and died the summer before his fourth birthday. His Da had remained through the Christmas after his fifth birthday and after New Year's of 1982 he hadn't seen him again until this morning.
"I'm sorry ye had tae see all this."
"Don't be," she said immediately, her hand till smoothing over his back. "If anything I'm just glad I could be here for you. You okay?" she asked, finally pulling back just enough that she could see him and leaning in to kiss him softly, just for a moment.
She wasn't really sure what to do now, so she just reached up to brush a bit of hair out of his face and sighed. "Want to go back in, or do you just want to go? We don't have to go to my parents' if you just want to stay at home- I can owl them and tell them I won't be coming."
She was so sweet and he was so glad she was here. He reached up his hands to cup her face and he rested his forehead against hers for a long moment. He didn't want to ruin Christmas, didn't want to have his father ruin Christmas for him or Alicia, but the urge to run was strong. He sighed and kissed her again before clearing his throat.
"I dinnaken if I ever told ye, but I've not seen him in twenty years. I-" Oliver sighed and closed his eyes. "I just dinnaken if I'm ready tae spend quality time with him or-" Oliver paused and looked back up at her. "Henry looks like me, doesn't he? I guess he's- I mean," Oliver sighed and glanced down at the floor.
"I kinda always wanted a brother, but not like this," he said softly.
She was quiet for a moment, trying to figure out what to say (and also what not to say, because she certainly didn't want to stick her foot in it). "Maybe- it's a good thing? I don't know. My mother always taught me that you had to look for the silver lining in things, because there was no use in walking around being maudlin for your entire life, but...it is hard sometimes."
She looked in his eyes, studied his expression. "But you can take it slow. No one is telling you that you have to go right in there and be Ward and Wally Cleaver." Although he probably wouldn't get the reference, and so she kept talking. "Just- this is your decision. But maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt, at least to begin with?"
He sighed and nodded, biting his lip as he listened to her rationalization. She was making sense and he was glad he had someone there to talk some level-headed sense into him.
"Maybe we can stay a bit?" he ventured, thinking it over. "Just tae eat and be friendly - and I know Gram got ye a present, so I'd hate tae upset her..." He gave Alicia a little half-smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Still, it showed he was willing to try. "Then we'll go ontae yer folks." He stroked her cheek gently, brushing some hair back from her face. "Sound like a plan?"
She was heartened, a bit, when he mentioned wanting to stay. That was good; at least he was going to give it a chance, and not storm off to stew. And he was at least attempting to smile.
"C'mon, let's go back in. I saw some pretty delicious looking food when we were in there," she said, standing and tugging him up with her. "We'll stay as long as you want, and then we'll excuse ourselves and go to my parents."
He hugged her to him before kissing her cheek. "Thanks, darlin'," he said softly. "For... well, I'm glad ye're here." He held her hand as they walked back inside and took a deep breath before they stepped back inside. His Gram was pacing in the kitchen and she hugged him to her immediately.
"Darlin', I'm sorry," she whispered to him, feeling horrible. Oliver nodded, kissing Gram's cheek as well as he pulled back. "It's fine. We're gointae stay for breakfast, but then we're gointae Alicia's," he told her and she nodded, understanding his meaning.
"I know yer da... well, jus' dinnae take it out on Henry. I think he's as unaware of what's going on as you are." Gram cast a grumpy look towards her younger son, who stood conversing just past the door into the living room with his brother John. "He'll get a talking to just as soon as everyone's gone home." Oliver had seen that look before and was glad to see it directed at his Da and not him.
"And Alicia, dear," Gram said, turning back to them and giving her a warm smile. "Thank you for coming. I apologize for all of this."
"It's quite all right," Alicia said, with what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Everyone has their family dramas, right? Besides, I'm just glad that I could be here for- well, yes. Anyway." She ducked her head a bit and then turned back to Oliver.
"Should we go out there?"
Oliver nodded slowly and Gram gave them both a reassuring smile. They all moved back into the living room. Oliver took a seat next to Alicia on the floor, all the seats occupied. Henry stood up for Gram to sit down and took a seat on the floor across from Oliver. It went by pretty smoothly, and the distraction of presents kept everyone pretty occupied. Oliver leaned over to kiss Alicia at one point, just drawing in comfort from her being next to him.
"Thank you," he said softly at one point, not really for anything in particular, just because he was so grateful to have her near. Henry eyed them from across the room. He'd known about Oliver for a long time, but he didn't know Oliver hadn't known about him. He thought they were just estranged families, that the Woods didn't want to have anything to do with them, but it wasn't until the last few months that his father had bothered explaining it at all, only after his own mother had passed away from cancer that his father had even expressed interest in having Henry meet any of them - and the longer he was here with the Woods, the more he realized that his father had left some large gaps in the story.
Henry felt bad for Oliver, who obviously hadn't been expecting any of this. He couldn't imagine what his brother must be feeling - and just that thought alone was odd. His brother. Henry had always known he had a brother, but seeing him now was odd and not at all what he had expected. They were exchanging gifts now and Henry wondered if Oliver would even appreciate the gifts he'd brought.
It took Oliver a minute to realize that there was a present for him from Henry and his Da. He glanced up at them both hesitantly before making an effort and opening the gift. It wasn't anything extravagant, but it held some significance. It was a ring of his grandfather's - he knew straight away. It had his initials engraved into the band and while Oliver envied his brother of having it all these years, he couldn't help the rush of happiness he felt at holding it in his hands now.
"Thanks," Oliver managed, giving Henry a bit of a smile. It was a start - and even though the whole situation was fucked, it was a start.