Work Text:
December 1902
Ever since he arrived at the London Institute three years ago, Matthew Fairchild adored the mundane tradition of Christmas. With the exception of his own parents, the Enclave were ever so clearly a tight knit group of Shadowhunters who revel in London’s atmosphere during the winter months. It wasn’t until Matthew became parabatai with James Herondale that his family became more involved in the local customs yet again. A Christmas ball was in the works, and Matthew assigned himself to the task of decorating.
While the London Institute was a large domain, the Herondales scarcely had visitors beyond their circles: the Lightwoods and Matthew’s family. This meant that the institute head, Uncle Will, would have to hire additional staff for the planning of such an event. Matthew overheard his uncle and aunt discussion about expending their finances yet maintaining the reputation of the institute as a symbol of prosperity. He boldly interrupted their private conversation to volunteer himself, and accidentally his peers, for the task. The delight on both of their faces was worth the risk of the wrath of his dear friends.
“Tom, kindly pass the garland over here,” Matthew was upon a stool and attaching the long pine needle garlands on one of the various arches throughout the building. He received a warning noise as Thomas tossed the decoration up his way, the boy was unfortunately not on a stool and therefore not able to reach up to Matthew’s extended hand in the first place. Matthew wondered if Thomas would ever have a growing spurt like his cousins, or would he forever be even smaller than Lucie Herondale herself. “Viola!”
Matthew hopped down from the stool to admire his handiwork, meanwhile Thomas was brushing off pine needles off of every inch of his body. “I’m shedding like your dog.”
“That you are,” Matthew laughed and proceeded to help dust his dear friend off. “Time to hang the mistletoe!”
“Enjoy,” Thomas fled as Matthew bent down for the bushel. Matthew gasped belatedly at Tom’s disappearance and huffed at no one in particular. He still smiled and gazed adoringly at the flowers.
“I wonder if my first love will kiss me under the mistletoe this year?” He mused, then hummed a carol as he stepped back up the stool.
Christmas Day drew nearer, and the air of the institute was festive as each wing of the building was completed with decoration. Matthew was admiring the placements of a mistletoe plant above him when a shoulder and corner of a book bumped against him. He turned to chide his parabatai about walking and reading but face up to the most handsome man he ever had the pleasure of knowing, beside himself of course.
“Oh Mr. Herondale!” He greeted with a teasing smirk and his uncle’s stormy blue eyes twinkled in amusement.
“Apologies Matthew, I wasn’t looking were I was going,” Uncle Will chuckled, snapping his book shut with a bookmark saving his spot. “If you stand there all day I’m sure someone’s ought to give you a kiss.” He winked and Matthew raised his eyebrows.
“Your mistake sir, is acknowledging that we both are underneath the mistletoe!”
“That is true, I am bond by the laws of the mundanes to press a kiss upon your head then,” Uncle Will leaned in and did just that, as well as ruffling the top of Matthew’s head. Matthew let out an offended noise at the injustice of ruining his perfect do.
“Uncle Will, you know better than to undo my gloriously combed hair!” Matthew complained, following the man, who was conveniently and suddenly absorbed in his novel again.
“-there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.” Uncle Will read from his book, which Matthew now realized was a Dicken’s quote. His uncle smiled wickedly and Matthew narrowed his eyes at the challenge. At once he took chase, their laughter echoing the halls leading right to the training rooms.
“Your energy exhausts me already,” a warm and familiar female voice said from the training room when Will and Matthew entered. Aunt Tessa and Lucie were standing in gear, and seemingly having a break from or finished with their training. Lucie was patting herself with a cloth and here eyes lit up upon Matthew’s arrival. Matthew leaned in the doorway to catch his breath as Uncle Will greeted his wife, offering his free hand. While Aunt Tessa chided Uncle Will about reading to avoid his institute duties Lucie skipped over to Matthew’s side.
“Will you do a round with me Matthew?” She redid her braid as she spoke, and stared with baby blues wide open while her cheeks were flushed from exercise. Matthew smiled down at her a moment, disguising his breathlessness as being from the chase and not something else. Besides, he normally wasn’t in the training room during the ladies session.
“Alas it seems your father tricked me into taking some time to train today, leading me here under the pretense of cheer.” Matthew grinned at Lucie’s giggles, and she shook her head at him.
“Jamie told me all about your tactics at the Academy, to avoid training.” She recalled a memory.
“Don’t begin to speak of that wretched molding penitentiary,” Matthew lamented. “Where I scarcely had the time to myself.”
“Jamie said you did it on purpose, to attract his friendship.” Lucie reminded him as only a pestering younger sister would.
“You wound me, Jamie is always concocting outrageous tall tales, I have a mind to take his books off of his hands if it means he will cease to slander my name,” Matthew teased right back, both knowing who was the real storyteller of the pair.
“Lucie, your father and I have some business to attend to,” Aunt Tessa and Uncle Will appeared besides them, and Matthew realized they were completely blocking the exit of the room.
“Wasn’t Matthew to train with Father?” Lucie wondered and they both stepped aside.
“Your mother is correct, I was distracting from my various duties,” Uncle Will waved his hand distractedly and Matthew knew when the discussion needed a subtle interruption.
“I certainly did not agree to such a proposal, Lucie, but I’m sure the business is much more pertinent.” Matthew pointed out, and Aunt Tessa nodded at his words. Matthew wouldn’t be opposed to training with Uncle Will, but he was older and understood slightly better than Lucie how time consuming the duties of a Shadowhunter could be, especially with his mother as the Consul herself.
“We will send for you for supper, you are always welcomed Matthew,” Tessa reminded him, and placed a sweet peck on both of their cheeks. Lucie whined a short ‘Mam’ in Welsh, clearly embarrassed, but Will smiled knowingly at Matthew and pointed up at the door. Matthew glanced to see a small mistletoe, and remembered whose bright idea it was to place one there days before.Matthew gave the couple a wave as they departed, moving to leave himself.
“Oh a mistletoe!” Lucie exclaimed, and Matthew turned to face Lucie at her revelation.
“Yes, it seems the shadowhooligans were up to mischief again, placing the mistletoe in nearly all of the doorways.” Matthew admitted with a laugh.
“Mother must have noticed,” Lucie nodded at Matthew.
“She is very perceptive, considering we were standing underneath it for a time.” He agreed sheepishly. Lucie smiled her small bashful smile whenever someone would compliment her, or admire her studiousness. Matthew hadn’t the faintest why she would be so shy, until he realized she was expecting him to kiss her.
“Matthew-” Lucie began but before she could potentially expression a refusal, or worse, propose she offer him her first kiss, Matthew leaned down and pressed a peck on her nose, then poked it with a ‘boop!’. If he treated her like her family had, she wouldn't have to worry any longer about such a possibility. He could see her shoulder relax slightly after he chuckled from his ridiculous action.
“A Christmas Kiss for a Christmas Miss,” he smiled. Lucie laughed and covered her mouth, clearly surprised yet pleased. “Now, now, I’m sure you have an anecdote to send to your precious Cordelia,” he encouraged, and Lucie narrowed her eyes at him.
“Do I?” She turned around and glanced once more over her shoulder. “I have a suspicion you are sending me away Mr. Fairchild.”
“In fact I have the most important business with my own dear parabatai, Miss Herondale.” Matthew excused himself and waved a skeptical Lucie behind.
It was still early enough in the afternoon that Matthew went straight to the clubroom down in London. He found Jamie lounging upon his window seat and Chris absorbed in his experiment at the desk. Neither noticed his presence, for now. Matthew leapt upon the sofa loudly, landing on his back with a loud dejected sigh. He could hear the book in his parabatai’s hand snap shut, but Christopher simply glanced up at Matthew with a kind smile before absentmindedly dipping his sleeves in pen ink.
“Afternoon, gentlemen,” Matthew sighed from his spot, and flailed his arms about until finally Jamie emerged above him to catch his hands. The contact was reassuring, and Matthew could feel his overwhelming energy from the day dissipate. He hummed and closed his eyes, keeping Jamie in place as he sunk further into the couch. Jamie grunted a complaint, tugging a little to be released.
“May I at least sit?” James pleaded, and Matthew opened one eye to let his parabatai free. He lifted his head so James could position himself at the end of the sofa, and Matthew’s head on his lap. Matthew glanced around the club room and noticed the small decorations hanging from whichever possible. None of his friends had the expertise and patience of Matthew for interior design, but the effort was there. Matthew smiled at the unusually square wreath with flowers and the like stuck together in a fashion that probably made more sense to Christopher. There was a garland much like the ones at the institute that was the appropriate height for Thomas to reach, as it was tied with bows like Matthew has taught him the other day. Lastly the fireplace had cards upon the mantel, written in James’ careful script, with the names of them four, as well as Lucie and Anna.
“You’ve outdone yourself,” Matthew’s eyes shone and he quickly wiped his eyes. He felt Jamie’s belly rumble with short laughter.
“That’s the expression you had when you first saw Christmas at the Institute.” Jamie remarked. “You always attended the ball, but you never knew what it took to bring everything together. I admit I never gave it much thought until you began your mission this year. I know it’s not precisely aesthetically pleasing-”
“It’s perfect,” Matthew murmured, and let out a small yawn. He managed to glance up at Jamie who was already reading with his elbow on the sofa and book propped at a comfortable angle.
“We didn’t know where to put this piece,” Christopher came up to the couch and tossed a plant on Matthew’s face. Matthew sneezed as James immediately picked it up.
“Chris, Matthew is trying to sleep…” He explained.
“Oh sorry,” Christopher shrugged on his jacket and patted the heads of the parabatai. “I need to get more ingredients from the shop anyhow.”
“”What-” Matthew rubbed his tickled nose with his sleeve but the scientist had already left the room.
“He’s got the list you made and is just picking up, the shopkeep knows what he can’t have.” Jamie assured Matthew.
“That’s reassuring,” Matthew was finally composed from the assault on his face and glanced up at Jamie with a small stem of mistletoe between his fingers.
“I didn’t want to explain to Chris why I didn’t want to put up the mistletoe… for obvious reasons.” James shrugged. Matthew chuckled and plucked it from Jamie’s grasp.
“The law is hard but is the law.” Matthew recited.
“Excuse me?” James’ eyebrows shot up and his golden irises widened.
“There is mistletoe, and you must kiss underneath it.” Matthew explained. James shifted under Matthew’s head as he shook his head.
“I highly doubt any mundane tradition is of value to Shadowhunters…” He trailed off and shrugged. “Oh well.” He dropped the stem and pressed his lips on Matthew’s forehead, to Matthew’s surprise. “Now you will rest peacefully I assume?” He pulled away just as suddenly with a small smug smile reminiscent of his father.
“Oh...” Matthew smiled wide at James’ cool demeanor disappear before his eyes at his word, blushing madly. “Oh, Mr. Herondale!”
“Oh shove off!” James moved to get up off the sofa and Matthew clung to his hips and they collapsed in a fit of laughter and bumping against the coffee table and floor. The fireplace was crackling, spreading warmth all over Matthew’s body as he rested against his defeated parabatai’s torso. James let out a long deep sigh and opened up his book above his head, his curls curtained upon the rug. Matthew smiled fondly and he closed his eyes, falling into a deep slumber at the comfort of the Herdondales, in the clubroom belonging to his friends, with the knowledge that he was surrounded by an adoring circle despite all the strife that was the burden of being a Shadowhunter.