Jingle Bells Rock - Advent Calendar

24th ~ Merry Christmas

Underneath The Tree

"How did you convince Antoinette that is was a good idea that you, one of the most sought after men of the evening, be tucked away up here?"

Beldon looked up from the piano, fingers still rippling across the keys without pause as he grinned to see Luka at the archway that led onto the balcony – the music rolling down into the ballroom below where guests were arriving, dressed in fine suits and glittering gowns, swanning around the huge tree, placing gifts, collecting drinks and talking.

"Hello there, stranger. I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks," he said with a laugh as his fingers raced across the keys with the light precision of a hummingbird.

"With the Christmas madness on top of normal work, I think it may well have been weeks," Luka said coolly, pushing away from the wall and walking towards him, dropping into the seat beside the piano and settling back with his eyes closed to listen. "Will you be up here all night?"

"No," Beldon said, returning his eyes to the keys, "Only while people arrive, then the musicians will take over and I'm free from there on out. We should take that moment to make our escape. We can elope!"

Luka raised an eyebrow without opening his eyes. "I don't think you can elope when you're already married."

"Don't be a stickler for the small stuff. I'm just thinking of what's best for you. Do you really want to be trapped in that ballroom all night while I dance with every lady I can get my hands on?"

Luka laughed. "You sound like Constantine."

"You offend me!"

Luka smiled. "I'm sure I'll survive one night of socialising so you can get some dancing in."

Beldon beamed even if Luka couldn't see it. "Brilliant! But save me a dance?"

"I'll save you a dance," Luka promised, though adding, "Not sure I can see anyone else in my dancing future, of course."

"I should hope not, I'm thinking over a very different type of dance," Beldon said and Luka slammed his booted foot into the piano stool, shaking Beldon and making him laugh, the music not even trembling under the force.

"Don't you start, the evening hasn't even begun," Luka said, opening his eyes and glaring, "Try not to torment me so early on in the night."

"My offer to elope remains open," Beldon said with a wicked grin.

"What about eloping?"

Beldon jolted in surprise and looked over the piano to see Rosalia and Briar looking in at them.

"Nothing!" he said quickly, "nothing at all. Just a chat about history."

The girls eyed their brothers for a moment, then glanced at each other.

"Uh huh," Rosalia said, frowning at him.

"We came to say that you can start to wrap it up, the musicians will be starting soon," Briar said.

"Great! I'll finish with this song," Beldon said, smiling like sunshine and angels.

"Try not to 'elope' just yet, at least wait until the party slows down," Rosalia said with a dismissive flick off the hand before steering Briar away and Beldon hid his grin behind a wince, trying to control his laughter as he drew the music to its close.

"Excellent, now we have to appear at the party," Luka said.

"I wasn't expecting company to be listening," Beldon said, fingers dancing out the last few notes before finishing – the musicians below flawlessly picking up from where he left off. He carefully closed the lid and got up, walking around the stool and dropping right into Luka's lap, making Luka jolt upright and glare. "What do you think? I go socialise with Antoinette, you handle Andy and his siblings and we move from there?" Beldon said, setting his elbow on Luka's shoulder and resting his cheek on his knuckles.