𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀 𝑫𝑨𝑻𝑬 - Steven Hyde

fifteen

15|CHRISTMAS PT.1

Christmas. Marigolds favourite time of the year. She could spend time with her family, enjoy getting gifts and see peoples reactions when they opened hers. She was currently in the kitchen with her Aunt decorating cookies.

"So, Eric, have you made your Christmas list for Santa yet?" Kitty asked her son who was busy eating a decorated cookie.

"Well, um, I was going to, but then I turned ten." Eric stated sarcastically while biting the head off his ginger bread man.

"Steven and Goldie made theirs." His mother informed him as Hyde walked over with two sodas in his hands, passing one to the quiet girl.

"T-shirts." Hyde shrugged before sitting down at the small table in the room.

"Dresses." Goldie also answered.

"Well, I guess I could ask for a cassette player for the Vista Cruiser, like I have for the last eighty years, but I won't get one, so, I might as well just ask for a raincoat." He said impatiently, still trying to tell his mother what he really wanted rather than what she thought he wanted.

"Oh, so you want a raincoat." Kitty stopped what she was doing and said excitedly.

"Man, remember when you used to come downstairs Christmas morning and you'd see your stocking over the fire, you know, all filled with toys?" Eric reminisced to his best friend.

"Well, one year, I saw my mom's pantyhose on the radiator, and, uh, Uncle "Strange Man" sleeping on the floor." Hyde replied casually, earning sympathetic looks from the two women. "He had a red nose though. That's Christmas-y."

"Yeah, Christmas used to be so cool." Eric nodded before glancing at his cousin who wore a suspicious smirk. "Now its just another day."

"I think I can one up you with the shitty Christmas experience, sorry about the language Aunt Kitty." Marigolds smirk grew when she saw Eric flinch and Hyde lean forwards in interest. "My present last year for Christmas was two dead parents."

"Okay, change of topic." Kitty walked over to the three teenagers, clapping her hands to draw the attention to her. "It sounds like somebody needs a little holiday cheer. I know! You could direct the Christmas pageant at the church with Goldies help."

"Hey, yeah, that's the worse idea I've ever heard." Eric stated while waving his cookie around.

"Eric, you used to love that pageant when you were a little boy." His mother snapped back with pleading eyes. "And you need some Christmas spirit. And I already signed you up."

"Well, it was fun when we were kids." He turned to face Hyde. "Then again, so was eating crayons, but yeah, okay, I'll do it."

"Good. Okay, now, Steven." Kitty then faced her illegitimate son but was cut off by him clearly saying "no" with added hand gestures. "Oh, so you won't be in a show about how there was no room at the inn, even though this innkeeper gave you a room?"

"Your guilt has no power over me!" The boy tried to deny her wishes but caved. "I'll do it."

"Fa la la la la, la la la, boned." Eric sang mockingly.

"I'll agree now rather than be guilt tripped." Goldie raised her hands in defeat when her Aunts eyes turned to her.

~•~

Marigold sat bored on Hydes lap as Eric ran around looking at the set up of the pageant. The rest of their friends had also joined them to help, Fez and Donna at the table with Goldie and Hyde. Jackie was looking over the decorations of the church hall and

"Guys, check this out. It looks just like when we were kids." Eric ran over to them and gestured to the stage. "And look, the Wise Men gifts, gold, myrrh, and-"

"And?" Goldie watched as her cousin lifted the golden bowl to his nose and sniffed it.

"Hyde, I think this one is yours." He stated and put it back down.

"That'd be my baggie of frankincense." Hyde said happily, grinning to himself.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. First-time Director." The pastor approached the teenagers with the scripts. "I thought I'd direct, but the church board, whose average age us "nearly dead", feels that I don't speak to the younger generation."

"Oh, Pastor Dave, I loved last year's 'Silent Night, Jazzy Night'." Donna complimented the man. "It was really funny."

"It was a drama." Pastor Dave said monotonously.

"You guys, you guys! Great news." Kelso ran into the room panting. "'Rudolph', 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town', 'The Littlw Drummer Boy', they're all in TV this week. We can watch them!"

"Yeah. We can wear our PJs and eat gum drops and drink Kool-aid. Hooray." Hyde said with excited sarcasm.

"Yeah!" Kelso also cheered, not realising Hyde was being sarcastic.

"Okay, guys, let's talk about your parts." Eric changed the topic of conversation back to the pageant.

"Okay, Eric, I want to be the Virgin Mary." Jackie said cheerfully to the director. "See, she's pure and holy and rides a unicorn."

"No, uh, Jackie, she doesn't ride a unicorn." Eric replied after a long, confused pause.

"She does now." The short girl demanded. "A white unicorn with speckled. Write that down."

"Hey, is there anyone in this show who just kinda lies there and does nothing?" Hyde questioned, reading over the script with Marigold.

"Um, there's the baby in the manger." The boy replied.

"I call baby in the manger." Hyde raised his hand, knocking Marigold off his lap.

"Great, now my ass will be bruised." She sighed, standing up and taking a seat beside her boyfriend, not trusting his lap again.

"I can kiss it better." He said suggestively, earning grossed out groans from everyone.

"Uh, all right, Eric, I don't want to play Joseph as a carpenter." Kelso said after reading through the script. "Oh, how about if I play him as a space man?"

"Okay, uh, Kelso, I don't think Jesus was the son of a spaceman." Eric gently denied the boys idea.

"Oh, really?" The boy continued. "Where do you think God lives?"

"I am not listening to this conversation." Marigold buried her head in her hands.

"It's true, man." Leo spoke up from the side lines and pointed up.