Chapter Text
The sun is barely all the way through the curtains when Beth stirs on Christmas morning. Viv’s wrapped around her like a koala as usual, breath heavy on Beth’s neck and totally dead to the world. It’s comforting, though, the weight of her. Beth doesn’t take it for granted anymore.
She swivels slightly so she can take Viv in as she dozes, smiling when she notices the frown that never disappears even when she’s fast asleep and dreaming, and the death grip Viv has her left arm in, fingers wrapped tightly around Beth’s bicep.
Beth just lies there and watches her for a while. It’s not that she hasn’t always loved sleeping next to Viv – she has – but it feels more special, now that it isn’t as regular an occurrence as they’d like. From this close, she can see the smattering of freckles across her cheeks Beth is fairly confident no one else even knows are there, the way her lips are parted slightly as she breathes, the tiny curls at her hairline before the strands straighten out. She could count her individual eyelashes, if she wanted to.
All of it just so Viv. Her favourite sight in the world.
Viv stirs, then, her breath catching a bit as she wakes up. Maybe she’s conscious of Beth’s eyes on her. Or she’s experiencing her usual extremely slow return to consciousness that happens each morning, like her body actively fights the urge to wake up. The breathing is usually evidence of that, and the way her frown tends to get even deeper as she wakes.
“I need a lot of sleep, Beth. Lots more than the average person,” is what Viv would say.
“And why is that?”
“Just is.”
“Since you burn so much energy stressing, probably.”
“I do,” Viv says seriously. “It’s quite exhausting, being me.”
“Course it is, baby.”
Either way, Viv yawns then with her eyes still closed, fingers flexing on Beth’s arm. Beth watches as a little smile spreads across her face, like she’s realising in real time that Beth is still here, and by the time Viv opens her eyes she’s almost grinning as they lock eyes.
“Hi,” she whispers.
“Hi, back. Merry Christmas, baby,” Beth murmurs, kissing Viv lightly on the cheek.
“Merry Christmas,” Viv answers, blinking slowly, smiling at Beth softly. “You look very happy.”
“Well, it’s Christmas!”
“Well, happier than usual on Christmas, then.”
“I’m just very happy you’re here.”
Viv yawns again hugely, frowning. “Course. Where else would I be?”
“Nowhere, I just… Just saying that I know we’ve spent Christmas at mine for a few years, now. And it means a lot to me that you don’t mind that.”
Viv pauses and blinks momentarily again, a bit overwhelmed since she’s only been awake for a few minutes, before speaking. “Beth… we’ve talked about this a million times. I want to be wherever you are. Every day, really, but especially on Christmas.”
“I know…”
“And it’s important that you’re here with your family, with your Dad, so that’s that.”
“But-”
“We might spend it at mine next year,” Viv shrugs casually, stroking a hand down her arm and rubbing her eyes with the other. “Or not, and that’d be fine too. It’s not like I don’t see them, my Mum was just here. And Lars and Kiki will be over, and I’m going to do a little trip back early next year, remember?”
“I do, I do, I just- Want you to know. How much I appreciate that sacrifice.”
“It’s not really a sacrifice, lief.”
“It is a bit, Viv,” Beth says.
“A bit, maybe, sure. But I get to spend Christmas with my favourite person – that’s you, by the way – and lots more of my favourite people. I’m not complaining. I miss you all the time, you know, when we’re not together.” Viv makes sure Beth is looking at her, frowning hard for emphasis. “All. The. Time.”
“Me, too.”
“So it’s a bit selfish, really,” Viv continues. “I just want to be wherever you are. Get to wake up with you.” She drops a kiss on Beth’s jaw. “Get to hold you. Just maximise the time I can spend with you, really. Since it’s a bit more special now.”
“I know,” Beth whispers.
“So what I mean is, this is very much not what I would consider a sacrifice for me. I don’t want to be anywhere else on Christmas than with you and Myle,” Viv smiles softly. “With my girls.”
“Yeah. I know,” Beth says again, stroking a finger down Viv’s nose, slowly tracing a path to her top lip. “And same goes for me, of course. Just- love you.”
“Love you too,” Viv grins, poking Beth’s cheek. “Anyway, you’re so cute in your pjs, I can’t cope. I definitely wouldn’t have been fine just seeing these over FaceTime.”
“You’re so cute in your pjs I can’t cope.”
“But you’re cuter.”
“Is it a competition?”
“It is,” Viv says very seriously. “Which you’re winning.”
“Jesus,” Beth laughs. “Now it must be Christmas.”
“Beth,” Viv frowns. “No using the Lord’s name in vain on Christmas.”
“But you’re not Christian. Wait, are you Christian? Even a little bit? This is news to me.”
“No, but still. It’s Christmas. It’s just not polite.”
“I can’t recall you ever caring on any other day.”
“No, but it’s Christmas, like I said,” Viv says indignantly. “it feels wrong.”
“Fine. Weirdo,” Beth says with a ridiculous amount of affection. “You know, I was just thinking about how grateful I am to get to sleep with you, while you were waking up. Like you said, it’s more special now.”
“Sleep with me?”
“Not like that. Or- not only like that. But just- share a bed with you. I miss it so much, when we’re not together.”
“Me, too.”
“I don’t sleep as well without you.”
“Mm,” Viv nods non-committedly.
“You’re not agreeing?”
“No, I am, but… well, I do,” Viv starts sheepishly, “because I could sleep anywhere. I don’t have any issues. You know. But that’s not to say I enjoy it.”
“Right,” Beth jokes.
“Beth,” Viv frowns deeply again. “I do hate sleeping without you.”
“I believe you, darling.”
“Like, properly hate it! Counting down the minutes until I’m awake again levels of hating it! Every time I get into bed I think about how much I wish you were with me, and then I just can’t wait to get out again.”
“Well, now you’re being ridiculous. Have you met you?”
“Just want to make sure you understand what I’m saying.”
“I get it. And it’s not the sleeping bit I miss so much, anyway,” Beth clarifies, smiling. “It’s the bit before and after. Sharing a bed. Watching you wake up in the morning. Listening to you fall asleep, the way you do your weird wispy breathing that makes me think you’re dying…”
“Lovely.”
“Well, now I miss it. Not enough stress in my evening routine when I don’t have to be concerned about your death rattle breathing.”
“Death rattle! You’ve never said it was that bad!”
“Mm, well. There you go.”
“I miss sharing a bed with you, too,” Viv says, pointedly ignoring Beth’s comments, but poking her side in retaliation. “You can probably tell, with the way I wrap all the way around you when we’re together, now.”
“Mm, but I like it, though. Helps me sleep better. It’s like having a personal weighted blanket, or something.”
“I aim to please.”
They just look at each other for a moment, grinning with their noses almost pressed together, and then Beth jolts, propping herself up on her elbows.
“Wait, Vivi! It’s Christmas! Christmas morning!”
“Mm. I know. I think we said that already, lief.”
“You’ve distracted me by being so sweet! And cute in your pjs!”
“Have I?”
“Yes! I don’t even know what time it is. It might be ten. Or eight.”
“God forbid,” Viv jokes, rummaging for her phone. “it’s eight thirty, baby. Surely that’s fine?”
“It’s alright. We have to get up now, though,” Beth urges, wriggling around in the bed putting her socks on. “Do you want your fuzzy socks for downstairs?”
“Course I do.”
“Ok, then get moving!”
Beth thinks it’s quite a picture when they’re both out of bed, Viv squinting tiredly until she finds her glasses and puts them on, looking absolutely adorable in her socks and pjs. They’ve gone for matching pyjamas this year, still, but Beth had managed to convince Viv to go beyond her usual preference of flannel to an actual Christmas pattern (it hadn’t taken all the much persuasion, actually).
The ones they ended up choosing are dog-themed, with different breeds of dogs wearing Santa hats and stripy scarves, and Beth basically has to scrunch up her nose every time she gets a proper look at Viv wearing them because of how damn cute she looks.
Further to that point, Beth just has to tug Viv into a kiss up against the door before they open it to head downstairs, wrapping her arms around her under the pyjama top.
“Merry Christmas, Vivianne.”
Viv raises an eyebrow cheekily, still managing to look exhausted and sleep-deprived otherwise. “Merry Christmas, Bethany Jane Mead.”
Myle and Rona are curled up together downstairs on the couch – they’ve got matching pyjamas, too – and Beth scoops them both up quickly so Viv can snag a blanket and bundle herself up on the couch, yawning. It seems their conversation in bed has properly zapped her of her very small amount of morning energy.
But she looks very cute all rolled up on the couch in the blanket, so.
“Tea?” Beth offers to the room at large, when her dad and Ben wander in too. “Viv brought some Christmassy stuff. It’s got spices and oranges in it, it’s really good.”
“How much caffeine is there in that, again?” Viv queries blearily. She’s stretched all the way out on the couch under her blanket now, looking for all the world like she might just fall right back asleep.
“Probably not quite enough for you, baby.”
“Can I have my fun Christmassy tea with a shot of coffee in it, then? Or two maybe?”
“Sure. That sounds lovely,” Beth quips. “Ben? Dad?”
“I’ll have what Viv’s having,” Ben laughs “Sounds delicious.”
“Not for me,” Richard says. “No offence, Viv, but I’m not sure that’s one of your best ideas.”
“No, probably not,” Viv says, voice muffled. “Never know until you try, though. And trust me, I am going to be peppy after this. Might cook the whole lunch myself. No one will have to move a finger.”
Beth just snorts from the kitchen.
They do presents before breakfast, all of them too excited to wait, alternating between the four of them and Rona and Myle – who are essentially taking the place of any real, human children – as they pull presents out from underneath the tree.
It’s only when they’re getting near the end that Beth realises there’s still a lot of presents stashed under there, and they’ve mostly opened all the ones she’s gotten for her Dad, Viv and Ben, and the ones she knows Viv brought for her family. Aside from the couple of secret extra gifts she’s got stashed upstairs for Viv, for no one else’s eyes other than hers, there seems to be a confusing number of gifts left to be unwrapped.
Which means-
“Another present for Myle,” Viv croons from her spot near the tree, holding it out for Beth to grab. “So exciting!” She bops Myle on the nose. “So exciting.”
She’s onto her second mug of tea/coffee concoction now, and has even been persuaded by Beth to put a Santa hat on and distribute the presents.
“Viv!” Beth exclaims, laughing, holding up the present Viv handed her before that one. “This one’s for Myle, too!”
“So?”
“So… it’s just quite a lot, is all.”
“Well, I didn’t get her that many things,” Viv replies stubbornly. “Just… a few.”
“No, but- ” Beth cuts herself off, laughing. “Fine. I’ll open this one for her first then. Myle! Baby! This one’s for you, too!”
Viv smiles as she watches Beth show Myle the gift so she can sniff it first. She’s not all that interested, really, so Beth unwraps it herself, moving the paper aside to reveal maybe the softest blanket she’s ever felt in her life.
“Ooh!” Viv exclaims. “I got her that one.”
“Is it-” Beth moves the blanket around in her hands, investigating. “Is it a heated one?”
“Mm. She doesn’t have one of those yet, does she?”
“No,” Beth laughs. “We don’t even have one of these, Viv!”
“Well, she gets cold at night! I know she does sometimes, even with the blanket she has already!” Viv frowns at Beth. “I can tell, she curls up really tightly.”
“Ok, ok!”
“Now give her the first one I gave you, too,” Viv says, already placated and shifting excitedly. “It’s from me as well.”
“Just out of pure curiosity,” Beth starts, trying to hold in her laughter. “How many presents did you get her?”
“I dunno… seven? Eight?”
“Viv!”
“That’s not that many!”
“No, but then I got her a bunch, too, obviously! Plus we went shopping together and bought her things last week!”
“We were just buying her things she needed then, like biscuits and the cream for her shoulder! Which isn’t the same as presents! Plus, I don’t get to see her as much anymore. She needs to know I still love her!”
“Vivi,” Beth frowns, periodically distracted. “Of course she does.”
“Well… I just want to make sure.”
“Right, but… I think…” Beth tries and fails to stifle her laughter. “I think she might have rather a lot of presents, then, baby. In fact, I think hers are the only ones left!”
“Oh…” Viv grins, understanding. “Wait. So how many of the gifts under here were actually just for Myle, then?”
“Um,” Beth thinks. “At least twenty, then. If I do the maths. Including the ones we’ve already done… I do think all of these gifts left are for her.”
“Beth,” Ben groans from the couch. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Oh my god,” Viv laughs. “I didn’t- this was not on purpose.”
“What, you didn’t think I’d get her gifts?”
“No, I did! I dunno! I thought you’d get her less things since you’re buying her stuff during the year. And you don’t feel like you have to buy her affection.”
“Viv…”
“Just joking. Mostly.”
Rich pipes up then, looking apologetic. “She’s got some from us, too. Some joint ones with Rona. Thought it’d be easier. That might be what some of those are, too.”
“Don’t try to let her off the hook, Dad,” Beth jokes, finding the whole thing hilarious. “She’s absolutely spoiled her.”
“She’s happy about it!” Viv objects, as Myle jumps around. “And I haven’t!”
“Myle moo,” Beth says seriously. “I think you might be the most spoilt dog on the planet. Or at least in the country of England.”
Myle just cocks her head.
“She deserves it,” Viv counters, looking far too pleased about the whole thing. “Her tail, remember, earlier in the year, and then her collarbone… and being separated from her mummy…”
“Yes, yes, you big softie. She absolutely deserves it.”
“Well, then! Let her open some more presents!”
“Well, she hasn’t actually been opening any, Viv. Lack of opposable thumbs, and all that…”
“Don’t listen to her, Myle,” Viv says seriously, digging out another one from under the tree. “You can open presents if you want to.”
“Is this because you’ve bought her, I dunno… a jewel-encrusted collar? And you don’t want me to see?”
“No!”
Lots of hours later, you’d be forgiven for thinking that not much was happening in the little house in Whitby, with the two cocker spaniels napping on the couch and the TV on low. Ben’s in the kitchen washing dishes, and Richard’s perched at the table half-reading a book as he watches Beth and Viv in the doorway.
You might miss the way Beth notices the mistletoe first, added by her dad only an hour ago during lunch, and how she looks up at Viv, eyes bright. How Viv is already looking at her, of course, watching her as she speaks, eyes locked on Beth’s like always. The way she grins ruefully, shaking her head, and then immediately tucks a hand into each of Beth’s front pockets to bring her closer. How they don’t look anywhere else but each other as they lean in for a soft kiss, bodies pressed all the way against each other, totally lost in it. The way they smile against each other.
You definitely wouldn’t see the way Beth whispers something in Viv’s ear after they pull apart, tilting all the way up on her tiptoes to make her laugh, and the way Viv’s eyes crinkle as she laughs softly in response, kissing Beth one more time on the nose.
Beth’s wearing a sweater Viv got her, a thick red hand-knitted one from a shop in Manchester, and Viv’s switched out her hoop earrings for a dangly pair from Beth, each with a tiny green stone.
“Love you,” Richard can hear her whisper.
“Love you,” Beth says back, eyes only for Viv. “Love you, love you, love you.”