May all your Christmases be bright...

[awickedtime]

Raised in the Church of Night, Nick's never celebrated Christmas before, but it's important to Charlie and Rosie, so it's important to Sabrina, so it's important to Nick. He'd basically given Rosie and Charlie free rein to decorate the apartment, which is draped in lights and glitter, the tree shimmering merrily in the corner. It's not dissimilar to some of the festivals that he had celebrated in his life. The iconography is different, though.

They've carved out time to spend together, in the midsts of all the other meals, all the other obligations with the found families that they've made themselves. Nick had agonised over gifts for the girls, less so for Charlie, and they're neatly wrapped in paper and metallic ribbon. He's proud of how pretty they look, if he's honest.

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[awickedtime]

Nick thinks about that for a moment and then presses a final kiss to his skin before he moves away from her. "Let's do them now," he says. "I've got something for you too, obviously."

[forthsofar]

"I'd hope so," she says, bluntly shameless and pleased even at the thought of it. Whatever it is, it'll be from Nick, and that makes it lovely. Once he steps away, she bends back down to the pile beneath the tree, pulling out the flat, rectangular gift with Nick's name scrawled on the tag.

"It's very silly," she warns, handing it to him as she stands back up. "I saw it in that old bookshop near the university and thought it might look nice framed and put up near the front door. Or wherever you like, obviously." Realizing she's chattering a little, Rosie makes herself fall silent, looking up at him with her cheeks flushed pink and a brilliant smile on her face.

[awickedtime]

Nick tears open the packaging, turning the print in his hands and really studying it, a broad grin spreading across his face. He loves anything to do with how mortals see magic and this? Is an absolutey perfect example.

"I love it," he says, leaning in to give her a kiss. "My first ever Christmas present. It's perfect."

[forthsofar]

Rosie smiles into the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck for a moment before she pulls away again. "The first of many," she says, and it sounds like a wish--something perfect for the season, maybe. "This Christmas, and all the others to come."

[awickedtime]

Nick studies the print for another moment and then sets it to one side, and then he picks up a small paper wrapped box and holds it out to her.

"This is for you," he says. "I...I really hope you like it?"

[forthsofar]

Nick holds the box out and she takes it, the tips of her fingers lightly brushing his hand. "Since it's from you," she says, with another soft and pleased smile, "I know I will."

She tears open the wrapping and lifts the lid of the small box inside, her breath catching faintly as she looks at the bracelet inside. "Nick," she says, her voice wobbling with effort as she tries not to burst into delighted tears. "This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

[awickedtime]

When she reacts like that, Nick's face lights up with a broad, brilliant smile. "You really like it?" he says. "I wanted to get you something you could wear that was from me, you know? Something to remind you of what we've got together..."

[forthsofar]

"I love it," she says, sniffling a little even as she's smiling. "I love you." She runs one fingertip down the lustrous strand of pearls, somehow both cool and warm beneath her touch; admires the slightly witchy-looking charm at the center of the bracelet with its crescent moon and three shimmering stars.

Four things, a bit like the four of them.

"It's absolutely perfect. I'll think of you every time I wear it, you know I will." Rosie looks up at him at last, her eyes shining, and pulls him in for a kiss.