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“Claire, can you get the book for me? It should be on the kitchen table; Dean was looking at it earlier.” Cas said pushing the coffee table out of the middle of the room. They’d need the space if they wanted to avoid someone tripping like last year.
Claire smiled. “You know you are kind of a doof right?” Cas just looked up at her and she held up her hands. “No offense. I just can’t believe you’re not embarrassed to do this.”
“Hey you loved this when you were young. Just because you’re little miss high school now doesn’t mean the tradition stops.”
“Little miss almost college, thank you very much.” Claire said stepping up to push the recliner out of the way too. “How long have we been doing this?”
Cas stood up and considered it, “Uh, well, I’ve been reading ‘The night before Christmas’ to you every Christmas since you were born. But you mean this, as in THIS, the skit? That been about…uh 10 years. Wow, has it really been that long? Huh, Yeah I guess it has to be because you were 8 when I married Dean.”
Claire laughed and flopped into the recliner and rocked. “I remember our first Christmas together. You started reading and Dean complained that it was boring and needed to be spiced up.”
“Yes, nothing quite like getting called boring by your new husband to make a guy feel good.” He turned on Claire and pointed. “And having your daughter AGREE with him.”
“Hey! In my defense, Dean was right. You gotta admit, it’s way better now.”
“Well sure, now that we have more people involved of course it’s better. It’s hard to read, dance and be funny all at the same time.” Cas complained but couldn’t really put any heat behind it. Claire was right. The Christmas tradition had become much more fun when Dean had entered the picture. And then when Dean had included Sam. And it got much louder when Gabe had joined in. Now it was a huge family production. The adults would read and act out the story while the kids sat and watched eating popcorn.
“Aw dad.” Claire rose from the chair and pulled him into a hug. “Don’t worry. My favorite part is when you read the end as Santa.”
“Thanks.” He hugged her back and pushed her toward the kitchen. “Now go get the book before I rope you into acting in this thing instead of just watching.”
“No thanks. I get to watch for another year before I have to be IN it.”
Cas grinned. “I thought you were ‘little miss almost college’?”
“Yes but as you pointed out. I’m ‘still little miss high school’ for now, so that grants me a pass.”
“Yes well next year prepare to act it out for the kids.”
Claire waved and walked off toward the kitchen. “My friends so better not find out about this.”
Cas shook his head as two arms wrapped around his waist. He felt a kiss dropped to his neck as Dean’s chin came to rest on his shoulder. “How embarrassed would she be if I invited all of her friends over next year?”
“You wouldn’t dare. She’d never speak to you again.”
Dean grinned and squeezed him again. “You’re right.”
“When are Sam and them coming?”
Dean held up his arm and glanced at his watch. “Should be any minute. Sam texted me that they were running late because Gabe lost the pipe and wreath, so they had to go into the attic looking for them. This is why I said we should keep all the props together.”
Cas turned in Dean’s arms and kissed him gently. “It’s their tradition now too. It wouldn’t be fair to keep all the stuff in our attic.”
“Whatever. So Mr. Narrator, what are you doing after the thing tonight?” Dean asked sliding his hands up Cas’ back. Cas laughed but took a step out of his arms.
“Same as you. Putting the kids to bed and cleaning up the living room after we mess it up.”
Dean grabbed Cas hand and pulled him back against his chest. “The mess can wait. It’s been forever since we got any time together.”
“And you think there will be time after we finally put the kids to bed and get our brothers to leave? Aren’t we ambitious?” Cas grinned but slid his arms around Dean’s neck and pressed against him. “I know December is tough, but we’ll make it through. We can always set up a trade night with your brother. One night he takes the kids for us so we can have a date night and then we’ll do the same for him.”
“Alright. But ask Gabriel. He’s much easier to manipulate.”
Cas nodded, “Yea, he’d probably sell his soul to see Sam naked.”
“Gross.” Dean grimaced and Cas laughed.
“Oh stop. Now come on and help me. We still have to make the popcorn and get the juice for the kids befor-”
“HO, HO, HO!” Gabriel yelled crashing through the door. The door slammed against the wall, which Dean had, thankfully, put a pad on for that very reason. Gabe and Sam were always throwing the doors open. Sam because he didn’t realize his own strength, and Gabriel because he liked to make an entrance.
“Uncle Gabe!!!” Mary and John came running down the stairs and Cas smiled before he kissed Dean’s cheek and pulled away again.
“Like I said, we can set up a trade. But for now, it’s time to get things started.” Cas headed into the kitchen and saw Claire lounged out on a chair with her feet on the table and the book on her lap as she held her phone above her head texting.
“Hey Claire thanks for getting me the book.” Cas said walking up to the table and smacking her feet to the floor.
“Sorry. Kind of figured when I saw Dean come downstairs you guys would want a minute.”
Cas opened the fridge grinning, “Aren’t you considerate?”
“That and Alex texted me and says Ben is going to be going to the Christmas bonfire tomorrow and I HAVE to be there. So I can use the car right?”
“As long as you’re home by 11:30 I don’t have a problem with it. But DON’T stay outside the whole time. Go in the car or inside the building, you’ll freeze to death, even if there is a bon fire otherwise.”
Claire jumped up and ran over to hug him. “Thanks dad! I’ll give the book to Dean. Don’t forget the marshmallows for the hot chocolate!” She called as she ran into the living room.
“We’re having juice!” Cas yelled but Claire’s voice floated back in.
“We are having hot chocolate!”
Not a second later Mary and Charlie were standing in the doorway to the kitchen with Claire behind them. She bent down and asked, “You want hot cocoa don’t you? You don’t want juice right?”
“Daddy you’re making cocoa aren’t you?” Mary asked with a tremble like she was about to cry. Charlie grabbed her hand and patted her arm.
“Don’t cry Mary. I’ll make you cocoa!”
“No Daddy will make you cocoa.” Dean said coming up behind them and gently pushing a grinning Claire out of the way. “You girls go play.” He patted Charlie and Mary’s head and they took off back out of the room.
“We’re having hot chocolate?” Sam asked pulling his hat off as he walked into the kitchen. Claire gave Dean a smug smile and waved as she followed the kids out.
“Apparently we are now.” Cas said as he grabbed a handful of mugs from the cupboard and the grabbed a handful of the plastic cups for the kids. No way was he going to listen to Dean complain about the chocolate mess if the kids got mugs.
An hour later everything was ready to go and everyone settled into their places. Sam and Cas sat on the couch side by side so they could pass the book back and forth to take turns reading. Claire was sitting in the recliner with Bobby in her lap and John leaning against her legs on the floor. Charlie and Mary were holding hands, sitting next to John on the floor. Dean and Gabriel were in the middle of the room ready to act out the story as Cas and Sam read. The props were on the side, easily reachable for when the time came to use them. The play started like it always did with Cas reading,
“Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.”
Gabriel squeaked a toy mouse and Dean turned to him and put his finger to his lips.
“Shhhh! You’re not supposed to be stirring!”
That got the kids laughing and the story continued that way. Dean and Gabriel danced like sugar plums, Gabriel even had a tutu, Dean had a tiara. They had a sleigh and reindeer to call out by name, they had the kids help them remember them. They had a Christmas sack that they had filled with little toys that they handed each kid, even Claire who claimed not to be a kid smiled widely when Dean handed her, her present. While Dean handed out presents Gabriel put on the Santa coat and beard and acted out the rest of the play in costume. Throughout the years they’d added little touches to their play like when Santa’s belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly, Gabriel would laugh and then let a plastic container filled with Jelly fall onto the floor. The little touches added an element to the play that made it special year after year. But then as it did every year the play had to end. Sam handed the book to Cas who smiled and nodded to Claire,
“But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
When the kids all erupted in yelling and clapping, Cas stood up and handed the book to Claire and pressed a kiss to her temple.
“Maybe next year you can help me read. Sam’s been complaining he wants to act.” He said off handedly trying not to appear that the offer meant the world to him.
Claire smiled and held the book to her chest, “Only if you promise to read the end.”
Cas kissed Claire’s head again and tried to hold back the emotion in his voice, “Deal.”
Christmas hadn’t even come yet and he was already excited for next year. Their traditions kept changing, and growing, but that was always for the best. Because every year was something new to look forward to.