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Two days before Christmas in Washington, D.C., the city is wrapped in a winter wonderland. A few soft, gentle snowflakes fall from a pale, gray sky, dusting the streets and rooftops with a pristine layer of white as Luke walked down the sidewalk, with Roxy by his side. The chill in the air was crisp, but it was invigorating, and the rhythmic crunch of footsteps on snow underneath the two of them was a soothing backdrop to the season’s festivities that were taking place around them.
The National Mall sparkles with festive lights, each one glowing warmly against the backdrop of the cold. The iconic monuments and landmarks are adorned with strings of twinkling bulbs, casting a magical glow over the pathway as they continue on their walk. Along the sidewalks, storefronts are dressed in their holiday best: wreaths, garlands, and glittering ornaments frame windows filled with holiday cheer. All of the decorations reminded Luke of Penelope’s apartment. Which is where he and Roxy would be going later this evening.
Everywhere he looked, there was a sense of joy and anticipation. Families are out and about, wrapped in cozy scarves and hats, their laughter and cheerful conversations mingling with the crisp winter air. Children clutch hot cocoa mugs as they gaze in wonder at the dazzling lights and the soft snowfall. Street performers, clad in festive attire, add to the festive spirit with carols and cheerful tunes. It made him happy to see the world at such peace, especially since serial killers always tend to take the holiday season off, making it easier for him to enjoy the holiday festivities. This year was going to be a lot different than the past few, because instead of taking a road trip back to New York, he was spending the holiday down in D.C. with Penelope. She had the next few days planned out between baking cookies, watching movies, going sledding, wearing matching pajamas, the list she made went on and on.
Luke had no clue how she planned for them to do all of those things within their five days off of work, but as long as she was going to have a good time, it didn’t matter to him what they were going to be doing. He would be at home right now, but he decided he had to get Penelope a present, even though the two decided that spending some alone time together was enough of a gift.
He walked through shop after shop, trying to find the perfect gift to get her. After a while he and Roxy eventually compiled a few bags with a few little things in it, which he thought would look cute on her desk. No one on the team had to know where or who it was from.
Their relationship was fresh, they have only been together for about two months, but they decided to keep it a secret from the team for now. PDA was always kept to a minimum in the workplace, but outside of work, Luke found himself always lingering around the inside of her apartment. Whether they were just having a bottle of wine after a tough case, or just watching her do the basics around her apartment while she fed him bunches of carbs.
He thought about her the whole entire walk home, only being pulled from his thoughts when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Stepping aside he ordered Roxy to sit, which she quickly obeyed, and he pulled out his phone. It was a text from Penelope.
‘See you soon Luke!!’
Luke smiled looking down at his phone. He was more than excited to spend one of his favorite holidays with his favorite person.
‘See you soon Chica!’ He responded before shoving his phone back in his pocket.
Once he and Roxy made it home, he set all of the bags down on the table, and brushed all of the snow off of her fur. Before they left for Penelope’s he needed to change into fresh clothes, wrap her gifts, and find Roxy’s new bandana that he had gotten for her.
He let out a sigh after drying the snow off of his hands. “The next few days should be fun, especially now that Penelope doesn’t force me to sleep on the couch when I spend the nights.”
Roxy looked up at him from her spot on the floor and just tilted her head and barked.
Luke laughed. “Yeah, yeah. Okay, I have to go get ready. Please do not snoop through those bags.”
Luke gave Roxy a playful wink before heading toward his bedroom. As he walked through the hallway, he could hear the faint murmur of carolers from a nearby street and the distant hum of holiday decorations being adjusted. His house was cozy and warm, a welcome contrast to the frosty chill outside.
Roxy trotted over to the bags, her curiosity piqued despite Luke's playful warning. She gave a little sniff, her tail wagging as she carefully nudged one of the bags with her nose. The rustle of the wrapping paper inside made her ears perk up, but she quickly settled back onto her spot on the rug, clearly excited but determined to stay true to her promise of not snooping.
Luke reemerged from his bedroom, now dressed in fresh clothes and ready for the festivities. He paused in front of the mirror to adjust his holiday sweater. Penelope had made it for him last week while she was struggling with a cold. It was now one of his favorite sweaters, especially because she had told him that she was going to be making herself a matching one. Satisfied with the way it looked on him, he grabbed the wrapping paper and ribbons and headed back to the bags.
He carefully opened one of the bags, taking out the presents he had bought for Penelope. As he began wrapping each gift, he hummed along to a Christmas carol playing softly in the background. The rhythmic crinkle of the wrapping paper and the snap of tape filled the room with a festive cheer.
Roxy watched him intently, her eyes full of curiosity and excitement. She let out an eager bark now and then, as if to say, “Hurry up! I want to go see Sergio and Penelope!”
Once the gifts were wrapped and neatly stacked, Luke picked up the bandana he had gotten for Roxy, a vibrant red and green plaid pattern that would perfectly complement the festive season. He carefully fastened it around her neck, giving her a gentle scratch behind the ears.
“There you go, girl. You look absolutely festive,” he said with a grin. Roxy’s tail wagged furiously in response, and she gave a happy bark.
With everything ready, Luke grabbed the gifts and his coat, making sure Roxy was comfortably bundled up in her new bandana. The two of them headed out into the crisp winter air, ready to embrace the holiday spirit at Penelope’s.
-
The drive to Penelope’s was not long, Luke made sure to pack some food for Roxy and some clothing for himself since they would be staying over at her apartment for a few days.
This was going to be the first time he would spend more than just one night with her, and he was quite excited for it. Since their relationship was private and kept secret, their alone time is always kept to a minimum, the next five days he was determined to make the most of and learn a lot about her.
When they arrived outside of her apartment, Luke grabbed his bookbag and her gift bag before picking up Roxy’s leash to head indoors.
“Ready to go have some fun?” He asked her as she hopped out of the car. She barked in response and wagged her tail happily. “Good, me too.” Luke said with a soft smile as he locked the doors to his truck.
The pair walked inside the apartment building and up to Penelope’s door. He rang the doorbell and soon heard her footsteps approaching on the other side of the door.
Penelope opened the door with a warm smile that lit up her face. “There you two are!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She greeted Luke with a soft kiss on his lips before stepping aside to let them in. “Now come on in, I’m just finishing setting up the table for our gingerbread houses.”
Luke grinned, feeling the festive spirit as he stepped inside. He unhooked Roxy’s leash, allowing her to explore the apartment freely. Roxy wasted no time, her tail wagging as she sniffed around, clearly delighted by the new surroundings, and eagerly searched for Sergio.
He set his bags down on the sofa and turned to Penelope. “Is this a competition, or are we going to try and build a house together?” he asked, a playful glint in his eye.
Penelope’s lips curled into a mischievous smile as she walked toward the kitchen, where the gingerbread house kit and an array of colorful decorations were spread out on the table. “Hmm…” she hummed, pretending to deliberate. “I like the idea of it being a competition,” she said with a cheeky grin. “Let’s see who can create the most impressive gingerbread house. Loser has to do the dishes!”
Luke laughed, already feeling the friendly competitive spark. “You’re on,” he said, following her to the table. “I hope you’re ready to be dazzled by my architectural skills.”
Penelope winked at him, her excitement palpable. “We’ll see about that! I’ve been practicing my icing technique.”
He knew he was to get absolutely demolished in this competition but that wouldn’t stop him from having fun.
The next thirty minutes were filled with laughter and Christmas music. Luke’s house kept falling apart so the decorating was not going as planned. Penelope’s on the other hand was going just as she had planned. The frosting technique she talked about was really making it all come together.
Luke had just managed to get his gingerbread house to stay standing when a knock at the door interrupted his concentration. He glanced up, puzzled. “Are you expecting anyone?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.
Penelope shook her head, her brows furrowing in curiosity. She pulled out her phone and checked the security app. “Oh, it’s Tara,” she said with a smile, setting down her icing bag. “Looks like she has a gift for me. Hold on, I’ll be right back.” She paused, glancing over her shoulder at Luke with a playful smirk. “Try and fix that disaster of yours while I’m gone.”
Luke chuckled and nodded, turning his attention back to his gingerbread house. He hoped Tara wouldn’t notice the matching holiday sweaters he and Penelope were wearing, he wasn’t sure how to explain that just yet.
Penelope opened the door to find Tara standing there, holding a neatly wrapped gift. Tara was dressed warmly for the winter weather, her cheeks rosy from the cold. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Penelope’s festive sweater and the one Luke was wearing.
“Hey, Penelope!” Tara greeted with a cheerful smile, then her gaze shifted to Luke behind Penelope. “Oh, hi Luke. I didn’t know you were here.”
“Hey, Tara!” Luke said, waving with a grin. “Nice to see you too.” He added, rolling his eyes.
Tara’s eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the scene, the matching sweaters, the cozy apartment decked out in holiday decorations, and the sight of Luke and Penelope clearly enjoying themselves. “I didn’t realize you two were so… festive together,” she said, her tone a mix of surprise and curiosity.
Penelope’s cheeks flushed slightly as she took the gift from Tara. “Yeah, Luke’s been helping me with the gingerbread houses. We’re having a bit of a friendly competition.”
Tara’s eyes flickered with realization, and she looked back at Luke with a newfound understanding. “Oh, so you two are, like, really into the holiday spirit,” she said with a grin, her tone now teasing. “I guess I should have guessed from the matching sweaters.”
Penelope laughed nervously, trying to deflect the attention. “Well, we’ve been having a great time, and it’s just a coincidence that we’re wearing the same sweater,” she said, trying to sound casual. Penelope quickly unwrapped the gift from Tara, revealing a beautifully crafted holiday ornament. “This is lovely, Tara. Thank you so much,” she said, genuinely touched.
“No problem,” Tara replied with a smile. “I figured it would be a nice addition to your collection. And I have to admit, this gingerbread house competition sounds like a lot of fun. But I don’t want to keep you held up, so I better get going.”
As she turned to leave, Tara’s eyes flicked back to Luke and Penelope, her expression shifting to one of playful curiosity. “Before I go,” she began, a teasing tone in her voice, “I couldn’t help but notice something.”
Penelope looked up from admiring the ornament, her face flushing slightly. “Oh? What’s that?”
Tara’s grin widened as she gestured between the two of them. “You two seem pretty cozy. And matching sweaters? That’s quite the commitment to the holiday spirit.”
Luke and Penelope exchanged a glance, both blushing and smiling awkwardly. Penelope cleared her throat, trying to maintain her composure. “Well, it is the season for festive outfits and I told you it was just a coincidence.”
Tara raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on her face. “And here I thought you two were just very dedicated to gingerbread house decorating. But from where I’m standing, it looks like there’s more to this holiday cheer than just the sweaters.”
Luke chuckled, shaking his head. “I guess we can’t hide it anymore. Yes, we’re together. But we’re still in the middle of our competition, so I’d appreciate it if you don’t go spreading it around too quickly.”
Tara laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me,” She paused, “For now. But I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this gingerbread house showdown from social media. It sounds like you have some big competition Alvez.”
With one last wink, Tara waved goodbye and headed toward the door. Penelope and Luke watched her leave, their expressions a mix of relief and amusement.
As the door closed behind Tara, Penelope turned to Luke with a playful grin. “Looks like we’re officially outed. Ready to finish this competition?”
Luke grinned back, taking her hand. “Definitely. And don’t worry, I’m more than ready to prove my gingerbread skills.” He looked her in the eyes and paused. “However, I have something to give you first.”
Penelope parted her lips and tilted her head. “Luke, we said no gifts!”
He let go of her hand and threw his hands up softly, shrugging. “I couldn’t help it. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, and you are my favorite person.”
His words made her face flush, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Well, I guess this is fair because I got you something too.”
Luke’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really? I’m intrigued. Where is it?”
Penelope’s smile widened as she gestured toward her bedroom. “My gift to you is hidden in my closet. I’ll be right back.”
Luke nodded, watching as Penelope slipped away. As she entered her bedroom, she carefully retrieved the gift she had hidden for him, a small, beautifully wrapped box with a festive bow. She took a deep breath, hoping he would like it.
When she returned, Luke had already pulled the bag from the couch and was eagerly waiting for her to go through it. She handed him the box in her hands and took the bag he was holding. Penelope pulled out several small trinkets: a delicate snow globe with a miniature winter scene, a personalized keychain with their initials, and a few other charming holiday-themed items. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she examined each piece.
“This is amazing, Luke,” she said, her voice full of appreciation. “I love each of these little gifts. They’re perfect. You even picked out a little toy for Sergio.”
Luke smiled, his heart warming at her reaction. “I’m so glad you like them. I thought they’d add a bit of holiday magic.” His expression turned mischievous as he reached down onto his lap and picked up the small box. “Okay, now it’s my turn.”
Penelope’s eyes widened in curiosity as he carefully unwrapped it. When he opened it he revealed a charming little surprise inside. It was a hand-crafted ornament of a gingerbread couple, each one personalized with their names and a tiny date that read “2024.”
“Oh, Pen, this is so sweet!” He exclaimed, his eyes shining with emotion. “It’s absolutely perfect. I love it.”
She smiled, clearly pleased with his reaction. “I’m glad you think so. I wanted something that we could hang on the tree every year and remember this Christmas. Our first Christmas together.”
Luke reached out and hugged her tightly, his heart full of warmth and happiness. “Thank you, Penelope. This means so much to me.”
As they held each other, Roxy padded over to join them, her tail wagging as if she knew exactly how special the moment was. The apartment, filled with the twinkling lights and festive decorations, seemed to glow even brighter with the love and joy they shared.
With their gifts exchanged and their holiday spirits lifted, they returned to their gingerbread house competition, the atmosphere even more filled with laughter and cheer.