𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 {𝐄𝐃𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍}

𝐗| 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐒 (𝐈)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some of the plot.

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"BUT CARLISLE!" a fashionable blonde complained. "Do we have to do this every year?"

"Yes," said Doctor Cullen sternly. 

"But we've been doing it for decades!" a lanky teen with rusty bronze hair said said with a scowl. "We're bored of it."

"Esme enjoys it and gives us a way to be a proper family and spend some quality time with each other," Carlisle said. "End of discussion, kids."

A young girl with a pixie cut bounced in the room, followed by two young men—a burly man with a mischievous monkey-like grin and one with curly blonde hair that framed his face handsomely. The only resemblance between these two very different lads was the same resemblance that all of the adopted Cullen siblings shared with themselves and their foster parents: pale skin, dark shadows under their eyes, and golden eyes. 

"I hope you both aren't complaining about the Secret Santa tradition again," Alice Cullen, the pixie-cut girl said with a disapproving expression. 

"They do this every year, Alice," Emmett said with a smirk. "And every time, Carlisle and Esme make them participate. It's a christmas tradition for our christmas tradition!"

Jasper's hair swished as he shook his head, lips twitching at Rosalie and Edward's dismayed and angry looks that resembled those of petulant children being forced to dress up because their parents made them. 

"Don't know why you to keep doing this when you know it'll never work," he drawled in his southern accent. 

"Shut up, Jasper," Rosalie hissed, speeding to her room. Edward followed her actions, leaping to his own room. 

A moment later came the sound of the door opening and Esme's voice floated to the living room. "Oh, good, you three are here!"

Alice floated over to her mother, Jasper and Emmett a step behind. Alice kissed Esme's cheeks as a greeting and Jasper copied, adding an extra tight hug, while Emmett opted to give her a hug so tight, she was lifted off the ground, feet dangling. 

"That's enough, Emmett," Carlisle's amused voice came from behind. "Put your mother down."

Emmett obeyed. "Leave the kissing for when we're out of here, yeah?"

Alice elbowed him. Together, she and Jasper dragged their joking brother into the kitchen so their parents could have a minute. 

They heard everything, of course. Esme and Carlisle came in the kitchen after five minutes and Emmett's wide grin was enough to let the parents know their children had hear everything. 

"Put a sock on the door tonight, yeah?" Emmett smirked. "On second thought, though, I'm probably gonna be out with Rose tonight."

If Carlisle and Esme could blush, they'd both be red in the face. Knowing Carlisle was too nice, Jasper did the job for him: he cuffed Emmett as hard as he could in the back of the head, taking satisfaction at the sound of surprise, knowing that he wouldn't feel anything. 

"Just sayin'," Emmett protested at their faces. 

Esme shook her head, smiling and subtly straightening her rumpled blouse. "Alice, since you've already come up with the decorating theme, you and Jasper can start hanging up the tinsel."