7 Days of Christmas

Santa's Lap

As much as FP and Alice loved Christmas, they hated the chaotic atmosphere of the mall which they had to tackle every single year, which is exactly where they found themselves along with their best friends Hermione and Fred 5 days before Christmas.

It had become like a tradition, for them all to do their Christmas shopping together, ever since they had all graduated high school and were catapulted into adulthood, plus it also helped that Hermione had a mall discount working at the branch's Spiffany's store which Fred, FP and Alice took advantage of.

There wasn't many places to shop in the town with pep and the nearest metropolitan city was Boston, a two hour drive away. All they had was the Riverdale mall, relatively small, but they still had everything needed for ones perfect shopping experience.

Between the four of them, they had at least 15 presents to buy. They figured it was best to split up, Hermione, Alice and Charlie do their shopping and Fred and FP do their shopping, although they pretty much used it as an excuse to check out the malls amusements for the season without their girlfriends complaining at them.

"Do you think Fred will like it? I should've tried to be more accurate about the size but it has secures so it should be fine, right?" Hermione asked Alice staring down at the new watch she'd bought for her boyfriend.

Alice was on the floor, lowered at Charlie's level fitting on his shoe that he had decided to throw off his foot for the third time today. "Charlie, Mommy has said to you to stop! Keep your shoes on." She told him sternly before getting back up. The two year old was a joy but boy was he mischievous. FP and Alice had found themselves going through the terrible twos stage on steroids with him.

"Huh?" Alice wondered as she fixed her purse that was slightly falling down off her shoulder.

"This watch. For Fred, what do you think?" She asked again practically shoving it in Alice's face.

She observed the gift closely and figured it was definitely Fred's style and if he didn't like them she didn't know what to say.

"Yeah, it's very fetching, he'll love it." She assured Hermione

"Well what are you getting for FP?"

"Honestly I don't even know yet. There was a pair of high top sneakers he wanted, but they might be way out of my price range." Alice admitted

"Well it's always the thought that counts the most." Hermione reminded her

"Yeah that's easy for your rich ass to say." Alice snapped back

"Ha ha. Funny. What I meant is, the price isn't going to matter to him, he's gonna be grateful for it and love it anyway, because it's from you." Hermione responded

Alice thought about it and she was right. The thought is what mattered to her and FP the most at the end of the day and she knew he'd be grateful regardless. She'd feel the same way about whatever gift he was planning on giving her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on her left shoulder causing her to turn her head that way but when nobody was there, she turned her head back to the right, coming face to face with FP who landed a kiss right on her lips.

"Hey!" She smiled kissing him again. "Did get everything?" She asked him

"Yep. Even got Charlie a little extra something." He replied

"And what about me?" She smirked

"Well you'll just have to wait and see." He replied with a smirk on his face before kissing her again and strolling off further down the mall.

"Wow. You both were quick. No music store to mess around in or Nintendo game system launch to play around on for hours?" Hermione rhetorically asked. Both FP and Fred had no reactions, just smirks on their faces as they were reminded of the year before, in which they spent all their hours at mall playing with guitars and drum kits in the new music store and playing Super Mario on the recent Nintendo game console that had been released that year.

"It wasn't that deep babe. We still got your presents in the end." Fred reminded her

"Whatever." Hermione said before rolling her eyes.

The adults conversation was interrupted by the yelling two year old they had with them.

"Mommy Santa!" The two year old squealed pointing excitedly at Santa's Grotto right in front of them a few yards away.

"Have we got time for a quick visit?" Alice asked

"I'm not standing in line with all those bratty kids. What if one of them bites me?" Fred joked, earning a smack to the chest from Hermione.

Alice rolled her eyes before lifting Charlie out of his stroller and handing him to FP. "Here you take him."

"Wait what? Why me?" FP asked as he

"Because I've had him all day. Besides, I still have shopping to do." She took ahold of Hermione's hand and began to drag her away. "Have fun!" She waved off, leaving FP and Fred with the young boy.

"The lines not that long, we'll only be here for a while." FP told Fred, trying to assure him

"We?! I'm going back to the music store. Have fun buddy!" He laughed as he pat him on the back and rushed off. It was just FP and Charlie.

FP was right when he said he wouldn't be in the line long as it only took a good ten minutes until it was finally Charlie's time to sit on Santa's lap.

He put the brakes on the stroller and left it on the side before lowering the tot to the floor so he could walk him over to Santa. "Okay buddy you know what you're gonna wish for for Christmas?" He asked the little boy.

Charlie responded nodding his head excitedly. He knew exactly what he wanted from Santa.

"Okay let's go." He said to the tot holding out his hand for him to hold. He walked him up the few steps towards the man in the red suit and giant chair.

"Ho Ho Ho! Who do we have here?" The man asked through his tangled beard.

"Hey there. This is Charlie. Say hello to Santa buddy."

Charlie was too busy staring at the man in red. He was so in awe of him and FP found it adorable. He picked him up and placed him on his lap, standing at the side by the two elves to give Charlie and Santa a minute.

"And what would you like for Christmas little one?" Santa asked

Charlie wasted no time in telling the man his biggest wish. "I- I want Mommy t-to buy Daddy sneakers." The little boy let out, and it absolutely melted FP's heart. He could've asked for a new truck or a puppy but no, he wanted his Mommy to get his Daddy a present.

"Well that's very generous of you!" Santa smiled. "I'll make sure to tell my elves." He lowered the little boy off his lap and he immediately walked over to his father, who was standing there still with the heartfelt feeling in his chest of his sons Christmas wish to Santa.

He pulled the little boy down by his hand and then picked him up in his arms, planting a huge kiss on his cheek. "Say bye and thank you to Santa buddy!" He said to the tot.

"Bye bye Santa, thank you!" The boy said cheekily as his father walked off with him, pushing the stroller along with one hand and holding him in the other.

"You know, it was very nice of you to ask Santa to help me and Mommy." He continued to tell the child

"And that's exactly why I'm going to call the elves tomorrow and make sure they give you extra presents for being so kind." He finished

"Yay! Thank you Daddy!" Charlie expressed happily.

"No problem buddy." FP said to him as they walked further into the mall.