Septiplier One Shots

So This Is Christmas*

"This one," Jack said touching the needles of one tree. Mark looked the tree up and down and felt himself smile. The tree itself wasn't the fullest, greenest, or prettiest tree on the farm but it was exactly the kind of tree Jack would pick and that made it perfect.

Mark swung the saw off his shoulder and nodded, "You sure? Because ones I cut this puppy down we can't glue it back."

Jack looked back to the tree and looked it over again. This time Jack walked through the snow to see the tree from all angles possible. Mark wiggled his toes in his boots, they had grown chilly from being outside so long. He's glad they decided to come on a weekday even if he had to call the school and say he was sick. It was worth it to have the field all to themselves, "Yep this is our tree."

Mark nodded crouching down to start sawing away at the base of the tree, "Sorry, bubby, I know this must hurts but we're going to make you look real pretty later."

"Mark, are you talking to the trees? Again?"

"I feel bad," Mark mumbled as he gave the tree a little shove tipping the tree down. Snow curled up and out from under the tree as it landed.

Jack let out a whistle as he came behind Mark and wrapped his arms around his midsection, "Look at my big strong husband cutting down a tree all for me."

"Jack, they let toddlers do this."

Jack just hummed and quickly stuck his chilled nose into Mark's neck causing him to shriek, "My big strong man who screams like one of those toddlers."

"You love me," Mark said pulling away from Jack's chilly body and lifting the tree's trunk and started dragging it back to the shack where someone would bind and tie it to the top of their car.

Jack sighed and followed, "Sadly and not by choice, you big baby."

-

"Colored lights," Jack whined.

"White lights," Mark shot back.

"Colored," Jack said crossing his arms.

"We had colored last year," Mark said quickly grabbing the white lights and holding them up, "I want white lights."

Jack grabbed the colored lights and did the same, "So? Colored lights are happier! More whimsical! Christmas-y!"

"And colored lights are more appealing. More adult. More stylish."

Jack clutched at the colored lights, "Who said we were trying to be on HGTV for Stylish Christmas Homes? Colored lights are what normal people do. I'm the one who has to look at the tree all day anyway!"

Mark looked at the bare tree standing silently in their living room's corner. They had been arguing over what color lights to put up for at least and hour now. Mark opened his mouth to keep fighting but took one last look at Jack and flattered. He looked so open and small standing there holding the twisted up ball of lights that Mark couldn't, "Fine," Mark mumbled but quickly stuck his hand up to stop Jack for a moment, "but we put a star on the top."

"But the Angel!"

"Star."

Jack seemed to weigh his choices for a moment before nodding, "Fine, but we're getting a new star. A colorful one that lights up!"

Mark sighed. New colored star it was.

-

"Mister Fischbach!" Mark's head shot off his desk and stared at the student in front of him. He had told his students they had a free period today. It was the last period of the day and a half day so he saw no reason to teach. It's not like any of them would listen, they hadn't been for the past week. It was hopeless.