The Blue Danube [OLD]

- 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔶 𝔬𝔫𝔢. ﾐ

"Is not!" George shot back with a grin, revealing his sharp canines.

"Is too!"

"Guys!" Paul giggled, holding up his hands to silence them. "Let me open them, will ya? I'll decide for meself." With that, the three waited, smiling excitedly as he took Ringo's first. It was a large basket that had a lid placed on it. Paul lifted it to reveal what was inside, pulling them out as he went. There were two books; A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - and a jar each of fresh strawberry and apricot jam, and a pair of large brown leather boots with heels that were a few centimetres in height.

"Shit! These are so good!" Paul exclaimed with a wide grin, looking terribly excited as he looked over the items, beginning to undo the new shoes to pull them on. "I haven't gotten new shoes in so long. Thanks, Ringo, honestly!"

"I know you struggle with readin' books," Ringo smiled shyly, rubbing the back of his neck. "but I thought it'd be good practice to give ye some. Charles Dickens is pretty good."

"I love readin'! Even if I can't really read.." Paul shrugged, standing up and looking down at the boots; they reached up to his mid-shin.

"Fashionable!" John commented. "They suit you."

"I know, right? All the ladies will be swoonin' for me in the street." Paul jokingly posed with a hand on his hip and the other behind his head, making a stupid face, George giggling at his antics.

John coughed loudly, piercing him with a look - Paul stopped and knelt down to kiss him on the cheek with a fond smile, running a hand through his fluffy auburn hair.

"Kiddin'. You own my heart."

"Bleugh!" George pretended to stick a finger down his throat and throw up, making John chuck one of the books at his face. He recoiled with a yelp, managing to block the attack at the last moment. "Hey!"

"Serves you right." He grinned slyly.

"Open George's now!" Ringo suggested, pushing his badly-wrapped present across the floor to Paul. The doe-eyed boy sat down next to John, their shoulders brushing as he reached to grasp it.

"Yeah! Open mine!" George brightened, watching eagerly as Paul began to peel the crumpled paper away. Inside were two ink pens for drawing, and a bottle of black ink, along with some purple ink - and a little box that had various oil pastels.

"Oh, wow! This must've cost you a fortune, Geo! Thank you so much!" Paul examined the pens with a grin.

"It's fine," George shrugged it off. "in case you want to do drawings and stuff, ya know?"

"Drawing is fun, I do like to do it sometimes." Paul agreed. "Never used oil pastels before, should be fun!" With that, he gently placed the stuff aside with Ringo's before picking up John's.

The present John had gotten was wrapped with cream paper and tied with white string, and the paper was littered with little sketches of funny faces that he always liked to do. Paul's eyes glittered adoringly at the drawings, always having loved John's drawings. The prince found out recently that he had kept all the sketches he had ever given him, keeping them carefully stacked in a drawer. It made his stomach burst with butterflies to think that Paul enjoyed his drawings.

"I love those drawings you do, John!" George spoke up, peering at the present. "They're so cool."

"Thanks," John felt abashed at the praise.

Finally, after a few seconds, Paul began pulling apart the wrapping with delicate fingers. Paul gaped at what was inside, both George and Ringo letting out awed gasps as the raven-haired boy held it in his hands to examine it.