Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nancy Drew was, in Frank Hardy’s opinion, very close to perfect. She had the bluest eyes, shiny hair, a warm smile, and a knack for mysteries so built into her she’d break if you took it out. Frank loved every aspect of her, and the aspects of those aspects, God, if he could put her under a microscope he’d love her down to every atom. 

There was one problem, though. 

She was really hard to buy for. 

He’d first notice when her birthday rolled around, their first “holiday” since they’d started dating a few months back. She refused to tell him one thing she wanted, insisted on the opposite, that she had everything she needed and presents weren’t really her thing. 

Frank didn’t really buy that, but he often settled for flowers and dinner over any other thing that Nancy apparently didn’t want. 

But that was April, and now it was Christmas Eve, only a day until the dreaded holiday where everyone was exchanging gifts. Nancy definitely got him one, she couldn’t hide her Cheshire cat grin whenever she mentioned Christmas. She kept insisting that she didn’t want anything, though. It was really starting to get to Frank. 

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that her neck looked so bare after ditching the locket she’d worn for years, courtesy of Ned Nickerson. 

Yeah, that was probably it. She’d worn a token of Ned’s love for her around her neck for years, and now she refused a single item from Frank. He couldn’t help being a little put out from that. 

That’s when he started to think Nancy was just being humble, or it was another deep-seated issue that stopped her from accepting gifts from him. 

Well, too bad Nancy. Frank thought to himself as he pulled open the double doors to Bayport mall. He was going to find the perfect gift for her if it killed him. And seeing all the commotion and insanity that was going on in just the food court Frank thought it very well could have. 

He had never been a fan of the crowds in the department stores around Christmas, but Frank had dawdled about what to get Nancy too long and was now forced to plunge headfirst into it. 

He’d do it for her. Obviously. 

The mall had been decorated for the season, the indoor palm trees wrapped in bright lights and giant ornaments beside the seating areas. Frank passed by a mass of people in line to take pictures with Santa, who, all things considered, could have looked a bit more jolly. 

When he entered the first store, he went over in his head what he had a million times already, 

What does she like? 

Detective novels, lockpicks, cassettes, otherwise old-fashioned things. 

Frank sighed to himself and shook his head as he wandered the aisles. Everything felt to impersonable, like anyone could give the thing to her and she’d have the same reaction. 

He picked up a little snow globe with a snowman inside.

Cute, but no. 

Some little stuffed bears. 

What, and replace Mr. Woogle Wogle? As if. 

New sweater, no, pair of jeans, no, even the jewelry was unappealing because Frank didn’t want to give her something too derivative of Ned’s locket from God. 

Store to store, pushing through and bumping elbows with what felt like hundreds of people and he couldn’t find a single thing. 

“God, this is hopeless.” Frank muttered dejectedly to himself as he took a seat next to the shoe department of another mall store. He pulled his sleeve up to look at his wristwatch. It was already late afternoon, and he needed to get home to get ready for the Christmas party Joe was throwing. He didn’t have time to get anything as grand as he’d hoped for. They were exchanging gifts that night. 

He stood on heavy feet, dragging them down the aisle as he considered the idea that he’d once again have to settle for buying her dinner. 

Then he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head toward it, he rested his hands on his hips as he contemplated it. 

Well, it was no locket, that was for sure. 

But it was something. 

***

The party had ended, the last of the guests shut out from the Hardy home. Joe drunkenly kicked a solo cup under the living room couch and yawned, collapsing on top of it. 

“Aaaaand good night, Joe.” Frank said, his low voice amused as he locked the front door. Nancy was grinning beside him. She decided to stay the night since she was just the slightest bit tipsy too. Plus, they hadn’t exchanged gifts yet. 

“Come on.” She whispered, and the two of them disappeared upstairs to Frank’s room. 

Nancy flopped backwards onto his bed, while Frank once again idled by the door. He closed it, watching Nancy lean sideways over the end of the bed. She dug through her bag on the floor before pulling out a small box. With that Cheshire grin back on her face, she sat up and thrust the box in his direction. 

“Merry Christmas, Hardy.” 

Frank felt his chest twist up with affection and anxiety. 

“Nancy, you really shouldn’t have.” 

“I wanted to.” 

Frank took the box from her and Nancy sat up against his pillows. She clasped her hands together as she waited for him to open it. He did, and he saw a set of collar pins made of shiny silver. They were simple, but Frank found himself smiling. He looked up at her, 

“Does my collar pop too often?” Nancy smiled back at him, 

“You wear so many of those damn shirts. But these can be for fancy occasions, or something. I just thought you’d look good with them on.” 

“Nancy, if you think that, I’ll pin my collar down every day for the rest of my life.” Frank said a little too seriously, looking her straight in the eyes. Nancy playfully rolled her own, but she didn’t stop smiling. 

“Do you like them?” 

“I love them.” 

He moved to sit next to her on the bed. 

“I, um. Damn, your gift was so good I feel a little embarrassed about mine.” Frank was blushing a little as he pulled his own box out and handed it to her. Nancy looked too surprised, 

“Wait, you got me something? Frank..” She chided, her face turning red too. 

“I know! You don’t like gifts. And it’s nothing special. You’re just such an enigma, I didn’t know what to get.” Frank let out a breath. He watched her unwrap the gift. Inside the box was a miniature magnifying glass. Nancy paused a little as she took it in her hand and examined it. She wasn’t saying anything, so Frank started to feel a little panicked, 

“I know you probably have a million of them. It just, um. Seemed good to have in a pinch. And..” He paused, wetting his lips a little before he continued, 

“Your passion for mysteries is one of the reasons I fell in love with you. It felt fitting to get you something that represented that. It’s not super romantic, I guess…” He trailed off again. His face was hot again, and he resisted the urge to pull at his collar. Luckily, he didn’t have time since Nancy was wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug, halfway on his lap. 

“I can’t believe you got this for me. It’s perfect.” Her voice was hushed, but in his ear Frank could hear it clear as day. 

“I love you..” She followed up, after Frank snuck his arms around her waist. Frank buried his face against her neck, 

“Me too. God. This holiday is so much better with you here.” He mumbled. Nancy giggled a little, and Frank felt the vibration in his grasp. 

“Don’t get too sappy on me.” 

“You kind of like it, though.” Frank murmured again, planting his lips against her neck in a gentle kiss. Nancy held him closer, if she could have. 

“Don’t I ever.” She sighed. 

They sat there a little while longer as the time slowly turned to midnight. They heard the chime of Fenton Hardy’s grandfather clock downstairs, and Nancy pulled away some to smile at Frank, 

“Merry Christmas. For real this time.” 

Frank grinned back at her, 

“Merry Christmas, Nancy Drew.” 

Chapter Text

Leave it to the Network to assign Frank and Joe Hardy a case on Christmas Eve. 

No, in fact, they should have expected this. It was just like the Network to refuse all help from the boys, until they needed someone to do grunt recon work on a holiday. 

But they couldn’t exactly refuse, now could they. 

Maybe it would be a chance to prove themselves to the organization, make the Gray Man realize they weren’t just a couple of kids, but detectives to be taken seriously. 

At least, that was what Frank was desperately trying to convince himself as he stood in the center of Bayport mall wearing a Santa Claus costume. 

“That’s right..” He mumbled to himself through gritted teeth, hands glued to his hips, “Just grin and bear it, Hardy. They’ll respect you in no time.” 

The goal was to go undercover at the mall and stake out a jewelry store nearby. There was talk in the Network that some kind of deal was to go down there, something to do with the terrorist organization they’d been at war with for years. Frank and Joe had been given a description of the guy who was supposed to be going to meet the jeweler, and they were supposed to stake the place out until it happened. Then they would contact the Gray Man and he’d send in the battalion. 

Only, it’d been nearly an hour and there was no sign of the guy. The giant white beard Frank was wearing was starting to get itchy, and the suit he was wearing was way too hot. Joe had taken a walk around the place to see if he could spot him anywhere, but evidently he had failed, since Frank saw his brother tromping back to him. 

Despite his uncomfortable state and the headache throbbing in his skull, he couldn’t help but grin as Joe walked up to him. 

“Hey.” He greeted him amusedly, lifting his Santa hat with his thumb to scratch at his forehead. 

The blonde Hardy brother was wearing a grinch-green coat, red and white stockings under black boots and a Santa hat very similar to Frank’s. To complete his look, a pair of plastic elf ears had been placed over the shells of his own. 

Like he had been for the past hour, Joe did not appear happy. He crossed his arms as he took his place next to Frank. 

“See anything?’ 

“Not a one. I’m starting to think the Gray Man did this just to mess with us.” Joe’s grip on his own arms tightened as he grumbled under his breath to Frank. Frank smiled a little, 

“The thought had crossed my mind too. But I think the humiliation comes as an extra perk to him. Our guy in the jewelry store keeps checking his watch.” 

“So our perp is late?” 

They didn’t have time to talk anymore, since a mother and her child approached them, asking for a picture. The camera around Joe’s neck was mostly for the mission, to catch the guys in the act before they sent the other Network agents in. It was also good for their cover, though, if the Santa’s workshop set-up and chair wasn’t enough. 

Frank awkwardly took a seat in the chair with the woman’s child, and Joe snapped the picture, 

“Photos will be available at the security office within the day.” He said with a smile. Frank stood from his chair and gave the pair a wave, 

“Happy Holidays.” He told them, one eye on the jewelry store the whole time. 

And then the Hardys returned to their posts, under the giant sign that said “Santa’s Workshop!” 

It grew silent between them, albeit not in the bustling mall. The jewelry guy continued to check his watch in between sales. It was a waiting game, for sure. 

“...Why did you get to be Santa?” Joe muttered to Frank after a while. The amused expression on Frank’s face reappeared. 

“Because I’m older.” 

“Bullshit.” 

“Because I’m more handsome?” 

“Okay, calm down, you’re dressed as a senior citizen.” Joe crossed his arms with an eye roll. Frank chuckled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. 

“I get to be Santa next time.” Joe insisted. Frank playfully rolled his eyes.

“As if, Joe.” 

“It’s not fair!” Joe suddenly exploded as he turned toward his brother with a glare, “All the girls and moms are staring at you, and I have to take the pictures.” 

Frank turned toward him with another grin, 

“So it is because I’m handsome.” Joe groaned in annoyance, 

“You sound like me.” 

“Now you know what it’s like!” Frank quipped as he turned back toward the jewelry store. Joe gave him a rough elbow. 

“I’m just saying.” The younger Hardy brother wouldn’t let up. 

“Joe, It’s the job.” 

“It’s demeaning.” 

“Well then give the Gray Man a piece of your mind.” 

“I’ll give you a piece of my mind.” 

Their mild argument was interrupted when they saw the jeweler talking across the counter to some guy. The man didn’t look anything like who the Gray Man had given them the profile of, but then again, he could easily be disguised, and the jeweler was handing him something in a small box. 

“Frank, it’s go time.” Joe said as he snapped a discreet picture of the interaction. 

“I know.” Frank mumbled back. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed the Gray Man, who answered in half a second, 

“There’s trouble, Hardys.” He heard the Gray Man’s posh British voice through the speaker. 

“No doubt. Send your agents in-” 

“No agents. Think you two can take that guy?” He asked. Joe swiped the phone and said into it,

“Judging by the uzi sticking out of his waistband, I’d say no.” He replied angrily. Joe had a habit of getting heated in these kinds of situations, especially when their backup was withdrawn. That happened way too often, Frank thought to himself. 

“Tail him, then. I’ll try to get a hold of somebody near there.” And then the Gray Man hung up. 

“That guy really bugs me.” Joe was frustrated beyond belief. Frank sighed, putting his phone back in his pocket, 

“I know. For now, though, we’ll have to-” 

He was cut off when he looked back at the jewelry store, and saw the man in disguise staring them down with wide eyes. Apparently, the Hardys weren’t as inconspicuous as they’d hoped. The man reached behind him, and Joe reacted in a second, 

“Watch out!” He yelled, shoving Frank backwards so they could hide behind the Santa’s workshop set-up. Bullets from the uzi showered their cover seconds later, and the Hardy boys heard instant screaming from the shoppers around. 

Soon the gunfire stopped and they took a moment before peaking overhead. The guy was running in the opposite direction, pushing past innocent onlookers with force. Frank yanked the Santa beard below his chin, and Joe tore off his hat. They both reached for the pistols they’d had hidden on them, Frank’s on his waistband and Joe’s in his boot. 

“What do you think Aunt Gertrude’s making for Christmas dinner?” Joe joked as the two of them made sure their weapons were loaded. 

“Let’s live long enough to find out.” Frank said, miles more serious. 

And they darted out from behind their cover, after the guy.

Chapter Text

Joe Hardy had a lot of bad ideas in his life. This one had to take the cake. 

It started as a joke, dressing up in the Santa suit and climbing up onto his friends’ roofs so he could deliver presents in a dramatic fashion. 

Only, the joke was rapidly turning into an emergency as he found himself stuck in Chet Morton’s chimney. 

The blood was starting to rush to his head, he’d been in there so long. Or he hadn’t? He was unsure of what the passage of time was like inside of Chet Morton’s chimney. 

He was also unsure why he had decided to dive in headfirst, but at least it gave him a nice view of Chet’s fireplace, and the present he’d dropped down in there. 

Maybe he could have just dropped it in the first place, but no, he had decided to commit to the bit and now he was in trouble. 

His arms were pinned to his sides, especially so in the big red Santa coat, but he briefly considered inching his hand into his pocket to grab his phone. 

Could he call Frank in a situation like this? 

Could he even get his phone to his ear in a situation like this? 

The answer to both of those questions was undoubtedly no. 

Frank would never let him hear the end of it, would make a crack everytime Joe was within ten feet of a fireplace. 

But Joe had to do something, it was getting hot and he was starting to feel dizzy. 

Suddenly, he heard footsteps in the Mortons living room. Judging by the fact that Chet’s parents worked nights, it had to have been his friend. 

“....Chet!” Joe called to him in a harsh whisper. The sound of a chip bag crinkling fearfully was heard. 

“Who’s there!?” Chet squeaked. 

“It’s Joe!” 

“Joe!? Are you dead?! Have you died and come to haunt me on Christmas Eve?” 

“No-” 

“Are you going to take me through my past and future to help me understand the value of human life and empathy!?” 

“Chet, no! I’m not dead, I’m in your chimney.” Joe deadpanned. 

“...My chimney?” He glanced over at the fireplace, where he saw the messily wrapped present sitting on the logs. 

And then Joe heard his friend scramble up from the couch and rush toward the fireplace. He saw Chet’s round face peeking at him from below, a perplexed expression on his face. 

“Hiya.” Joe remarked, the biggest smile he could muster with blood pooling in his eyes. 

“ Joe! What are you doing in there?!” 

“You saw the present, didn’t you? Think you can get me out of here? It’s kind of uncomfortable.” Joe started squirming around again. 

“Should I get the chimney sweep?” Chet asked, probably genuinely. Joe gave him a glare, 

“Just pull.” 

Chet reached high up into the fireplace, grabbing Joe by the shoulders of his coat and yanking hard a few times. It took a lot of effort, and a lot of tireless panting from Chet, but eventually Joe came loose. They both tumbled onto the ground as he fell into the fireplace, covered in soot and dust. Chet stared up at the ceiling, glasses dirty and vision hazy, 

“Wait til I tell my folks.” He managed a look in Joe’s direction, who was sticking halfway out of the fireplace with his legs propped up against its back wall. 

“Tell them what?” He asked with an upside down glance back at Chet. 

“Santa’s real.” Chet’s smile was lighthearted, albeit chiding. Joe threw some soot in his direction, but he couldn’t help but smile too.

Chapter Text

Nancy, Frank, Joe and Ned stood in a crowded semi-circle in the middle of the Drews living room, staring down a box of Christmas decorations. They had all been deemed decorators by Bess for the Friendsmas party (or whatever it was called) they were having that night. 

Nancy thought it was some slick way for Bess to force proximity between the four of them after her tragic breakup with Ned. She had to admit, they hadn’t hung out in that small of a group in months, and she understood why their other friends were tired of tiptoeing around them. Hell, she was tired of tiptoeing, especially now that she was dating Frank. 

But now that they were all there, sharing the same space after something so dramatic had happened, Nancy found it hard to breathe. 

Nobody else really knew where to start either. The awkward silence around that box of decorations was so thick one could cut it with a knife, and eventually, ever the mediator, Joe Hardy did. 

“Okay! Um. So. Decorations, yeah?” 

“Right!” Frank agreed, with what he wasn’t sure. He thought maybe this would be the time when they’d split off into predetermined pairs, preferably him and Nancy, and Joe and Ned, and they’d all decorate in silence to ease the pain of their existence together. But that wasn’t happening and so he was at a loss. He glanced at Nancy for help, who looked over at Ned. 

Ned wasn’t really that present, staring out the big front window, toward the street. He could have been plotting an escape route and Frank wouldn’t have blamed him. 

Joe started digging through the box of decorations, 

“I don’t usually do a lot of.. Decorating.” He told them with an awkward smile. Frank snorted a little, 

“No kidding. Last year at the New Years party he called it a wrap with some streamers, which fell down if you looked at them the wrong way.” 

Joe gave his brother a glare, but he saw Ned smiling just a little out of the corner of his eye. 

“Something funny, Nickerson?” He asked, mock challenge in his voice. Ned finally turned away from the window, meeting Joe’s gaze easily with an amused grin. 

“That’s just so incredibly you, Joe Hardy.” He crossed his arms. Joe was starting to feel hot under the collar from all the eye contact, 

“Like you could do better!” He burst out, arms flailing defensively before he tucked them under each other awkwardly. 

“I could teach you a few things.” 

“Like hell.” 

“Only if you’re teachable.” Nancy put in after her long run of silence. She put a sheepish hand on the back of her neck, “Which I am not.” The mumble of admittance was heard by all. Frank was very plainly surprised by this, his eyebrows raising halfway up his forehead, 

“ Really ! Nancy, I would’ve never guessed you were bad at this sort of thing.” He smiled at the slight blush on her face. 

“Patience is a virtue elusive to the great Nancy Drew.” Ned looked over at Frank with a smirk, who was surprised he had been spoken to at all. His smile widened, 

“What do you say Ned, should we give these two a lesson in interior design?” Ned was already eagerly nodding, and Frank received Nancy’s playful hand in his face, 

“Don’t get carried away.” 

“I’ll say.” Joe muttered, face heating up when Ned was right next to him suddenly. He was looking through the box with renewed energy. 

“Let’s see…” 

***

After a basic crash course in Christmas decorating and a thorough look in the box, the four of them fell into a surprisingly comfortable rhythm. They’d managed to get a tree up with minimal struggling and now were putting up different bits and bobs. 

Nancy and Frank were working on some garland around the entryway to the kitchen, Nancy on a step stool with Frank helping from the ground. 

“I’d say you’re getting the hang of this, Drew.” Frank said, holding one hand on her waist as she leaned halfway off the stepladder to reach the corner of the doorway. Nancy glanced down at him for a minute with a smile, 

“Third time’s a charm, they say.” She joked. She finished putting up the garland, and then purposefully tipped a little too far off the ladder. Frank’s eyes widened, lifting his other arm to catch her in both of them. Nancy’s own arms snaked around his neck and she put her nose to his, 

“Or maybe you’re just a really good teacher.” 

It was a Christmas miracle he didn’t pass out right then and there. 

“Very smooth, Nan.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Oh yeah.” 

She pressed her lips to his for a few seconds, only pulling away so they wouldn’t get lost in each other in the middle of the living room. 

“Ned seems to be doing okay, though.” Frank added. He nodded across the room, where Ned and Joe were in a similar stepladder situation, only Joe’s tipping of the stool was less purposeful, and more hazardous. Ned was practically encasing the blonde with his arms so he wouldn’t fall off while he decorated the fireplace. 

“Yeah.” Nancy agreed with a glance over, “Thanks for being a good sport about this.” 

“Not a problem. We actually have a few things in common, if you can believe it.” Frank’s words really did have an air of disbelief to them. Nancy’s eyebrows raised as he put her down onto the ground, 

“You two gonna make friends?” 

“I don’t know about that.” Frank chuckled awkwardly, “Might be too weird. But who knows. Crazier things have happened.” 

“And it’s the holiday of miracles~” Nancy replied mystically. Frank’s laugh was genuine this time. 

“Nancy!” Joe called once he’d safely gotten down the stepladder, “Help me with the food?” He just sounded like he wanted an excuse not to be decorating anymore. Nancy agreed though, leaving Ned and Frank in the living room to finish up. 

Frank wandered in his direction, watching Ned lift his forehead from the mantle with a tired sigh. He started fixing up the Christmas tree and its decorations. Frank idled next to him and halfway helped, 

“My brother give you a heart attack yet?” He asked once Ned acknowledged him. Ned’s smile was warm, 

“He’s not so bad.” There was more hidden behind those words, but Frank didn’t pry. His own grin was halfway amused, though, 

“Yeah. Good to have around if you’re in a life or death situation.” 

“Or a social one.” Ned quipped. 

“Very true.” 

They fell into silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. They were both shocked by that. 

“We kinda have something in common, huh?” Frank said after a while. Ned looked at him, surprised, 

“Like, decorating?”

“Yeah. Neatness and order, too, I guess. I saw you organizing the ornaments.” Frank teased, and Ned scoffed sheepishly. 

“It’s weird, right? To like.. Have something in common.” 

“ Super shocking.” Frank’s sarcasm poked through, which Ned laughed at. 

“I like your brother-” Ned said suddenly, but cut himself off in realization and blushed. Frank’s eyebrows raised even higher this time, 

“Yeah?”

“That didn’t come out right. I just mean. I spend a lot of time with him. And with the friend group and everything, you and I cross paths a lot. I guess it’s just nice to know we can.. Coexist.” 

Ned’s words hung in the air for a bit. Frank let out a breath and nodded, 

“I agree. I guess you’re not too bad, Nickerson.” 

“You either, Hardy. Even if I do want to punch your lights out sometimes.” 

“Same here.” 

They laughed again, but were interrupted by Nancy, 

“You two bonding over there?” 

“I’ve claimed Ned, Frank, don’t steal him.” Joe bounded over for the two of them, forcefully grabbing Ned by the arm and yanking him away. Ned and Frank made eye contact once again, sharing a playful eye roll at the usual antics they knew would ensue. 

At least, this time, they’d be able to roll their eyes together.

Chapter Text

Bess first saw it sitting on the mantle of her fireplace in her shared apartment with Joe. The tiny little elf decked all in red, with its mischievous smile striking fear into the hearts of many. For Bess, it was a little creepy, but mostly silly, and she was sure Joe had put it there to mess with her. It would be just like him to turn Christmas and the holidays into a big practical joke. 

Fine. She thought to herself, swiping the elf off the mantle, if that’s how you want to play it, then I say game on. 

***

It jumpscared Joe when he opened one of their kitchen cabinets, peeking halfway out of his favorite mug and Bess coincidentally nowhere to be seen. He grabbed his chest after jumping halfway out of his skin, before rolling his eyes as he plucked it out of its ceramic hiding place. 

“The hell..?” He muttered. Pulling out his phone and staring at the elf, he snapped a picture of it and sent it to Frank. 

Joe wrote: 

did you put this in my apartment the last time you were here

Frank wrote: 

Dude no 

Why would you even accuse me of that?

Joe wrote: 

then who did

Frank wrote: 

Probably your girlfriend?

Aren’t you a detective? 

Joe wrote: 

shut up 

Joe almost smiled, he was so impressed that Bess would even consider going the prank route during the holiday season. She had been very into the romanticism and whimsy since it was their first Christmas together, which he enjoyed, but he appreciated a little mischief too. Especially evident by the fact that he was tucking the elf away in his pocket to put it somewhere else for her to find. 

***

The bathtub, a point for Joe. 

The dashboard of Joe’s car, a point for Bess. 

Bess’s makeup bag, a point for Joe. 

One more for Bess when Joe found the elf in his cereal box. 

It went back and forth like that for a couple of days, coming up on a week until it devolved into something a little more maddening. 

Elf at the scene of dumped glitter all over the kitchen counter. Bess reluctantly cleaned it up. 

Elf present when Joe found his toothpaste tube squeezed out. 

Makeup products dropped to the floor, and an elf sat cutely on top of the lipstick. 

Soda on Joe’s leather car seats, with the elf at the steering wheel. 

And then finally, finally, Bess had had enough when it was nearly Christmas Eve and the “elf” had knocked her box of ornaments out all over the floor, rolling every which way. 

“Joe!” Bess called from the living room as she scooped up the little elf from the floor by the Christmas tree. 

“Yeah?” Joe yelled back, smacking aftershave on in the bathroom. 

“I’m tired of this.”

“Tired of what?” He turned to look at Bess in the hallway, where she was holding up the elf with her arm straight out in front of her. He faced away with a smirk and started putting his things back into the medicine cabinet, 

“Stop pranking me and admit I won, and then I’ll call it quits.” 

“Stop pranking you?! You’re the one who started this, I just played along because I thought it would make you happy! But these games have got to stop. It’s exhausting, and all my personal things are coming into play.” Bess tossed the elf on the counter beside Joe and ran a tired hand through her hair, leaning against the bathroom doorway. Joe looked at her through the mirror. His expression had slowly turned to confusion with her every word, 

“ I didn’t start anything, Bess. You did, when you left that thing in my mug.” 

Bess was taken aback this time, 

“I didn’t leave it there.” She told him, staring blankly at him in the mirror as well. Joe slowly turned again and leaned back against the counter, 

“..What?” 

“ You left it on the mantle, and then I put it on your dashboard. I just assumed you’d keep it going for a few days, not weeks. ” 

“Bess, I didn’t- I mean I never put that elf on the mantle for you to find. I thought you were adding a little spice to our sugar this Christmas, if you know what I mean.” 

“No, I don’t.” 

Both of them were thoroughly puzzled. They stood in that bathroom for a good minute or so before Joe put his hands on his hips and looked her dead in the eyes, 

“You know what this means, right?” He asked, a little incredulously. Bess instantly shook her head, 

“Don’t even say it. You’ll sound crazy.” 

“What other explanation is there!” Joe picked up the elf from the counter and held it up once more, 

“This thing is alive, Bess. It’s cursed. I’m throwing it out.” He pushed past her to do just that, leaving Bess stunned in the doorway. 

“...I’m not saying you’re right, but you should throw it in the dumpster down the street!” And then she followed him out. 

***

Frank sat on his couch, flipping through a magazine while Nancy did the same with T.V. channels. 

“...When do you think they’ll start to suspect us?” Frank said with a grin toward Nancy. 

“Probably once Joe cools his head.” Nancy’s smile was equally amused. 

“They’ll freak when they find out there’s two.” She continued. 

“It was the only way to trick them both. Either way, that’s when it’ll click, or Joe will really think they’re cursed.” Frank said as he reached forward, grabbing his phone from the coffee table to check his messages. There was a single message from his brother, and he couldn’t help but chuckle as he read it, all foreboding and ominous, 

don’t mess with the elf on the shelf.

Chapter Text

Frank and Nancy walked down the streets of the River Heights shopping district which, honestly, they couldn’t really call a “district”. It was more like a street or two with small shops which both of them had been to a hundred times, whether for business or not. That night, though, it was extra festive down there, almost every store was decked out in Christmas lights and it felt like their signs were brighter than usual. Against the dark, starry night sky Frank thought the mood was almost perfect. 

The only thing that would make it more perfect would be if it was a date, which it wasn’t. No, in fact, Bess, George, Ned and Joe were farther up the road while Frank and Nancy lingered behind after she had seen something in a storefront window she’d liked. Frank had waited because it was easy to. There was really no other place he’d rather be than right by her side in that moment. 

But it wasn’t a date, Frank had to keep reminding himself a hundred times because the mood, as previously described, was a little too good. 

Not a date, not a date. Ignore the fact that she’s perfect and perfectly single, Hardy, and also the fact that it's Christmas, the holiday where anything can happen and romance flourishes-

Frank’s delusional thoughts were interrupted when Nancy grabbed his arm to stop him from walking. It felt more like a tug, since he hadn’t realized she’d paused in the first place. 

“What’s up?” He asked as Nancy pressed her nose up against the glass of another store’s front window. 

“Just looking.” She hummed quietly, her eyes darting over everything in the display. 

“Last minute Christmas shopping?” Frank said as he watched her, and then looked down at his shoes on the snow-ridden concrete. 

“...Something like that.” Nancy replied absently, and as if on cue, her gaze trailed from the window to his face, where she stared at it with just as much concentration. 

The shape of his jaw, set firmly in what she knew was probably nervousness. His nose, sloped downward and crooked from a few too many bad guy run-ins, the way it was red from the cold, and the color traveled down his cheeks and over the tips of his ears. His hair which was dusted lightly with powdered snow, Nancy took in every detail while he was stuck doing the same with his shoelaces and had no idea. 

And then he looked up, and Nancy whipped her head back toward the store. Out of the corner of her eye she watched him crane his neck back to look at the sign. 

“Who’s into whittling? Your dad?” Frank seemed confused by Nancy’s interest in the small local business. She had absolutely no words to tell him her deliberate lagging behind the group had nothing to do with window shopping, but was instead a desperate attempt to spend more time with him alone. 

“Just an idea.” She told him sheepishly, waving her hand away and starting their walk down the street once more. 

Could I tell him? Or make a move or something? Tell him my hands are cold and I really need to warm them up in his jacket pockets? Nancy cringed at her ideas. She was so romance-averse these days she wasn’t sure how to approach the situation at all. 

And then finally, they stopped in front of a little boutique once more, staring through the window, feeling each other’s body heat as they stood arm-to-arm. 

“Bess would like that.” 

“...Yeah.” Nancy was completely preoccupied. Her fingers itched in her own pockets to move, her mouth dared to speak and she was becoming restless. Soon, her eyes settled on something taped above them, on the veranda hanging over the sidewalk. 

A mistletoe. 

A grin crept up her face. 

“Hey, Frank.” She said, elbowed him lightly in the arm. 

“Huh?” He saw her point upward and his gaze followed suit. When he saw the mistletoe he just about died with the exponential increase of his body temperature. Although, he had to admit, it warmed him up. 

“Oh. Nancy-” He’d hardly gotten the words out as he looked down at her, because the next thing he felt was her arms sliding around the back of his neck and pulling him down so their lips firmly met. 

Frank’s eyes widened plenty, his hands exiting his pockets but not quite sure where to go. Nancy’s fingers found the back of his head and played with his hair, and this time he could’ve sworn he was dead. 

The kiss itself was slow, warm, enough to keep Frank’s heartbeat going strong in his ears as his hands finally found Nancy’s hips. 

Is this what they call a Christmas miracle? He thought to himself in whimsy, not caring if someone chose to read his mind right then and there. 

And then it was over, almost as soon as it started, Frank thought. His lips felt cold the minute hers were gone, and he resisted the urge to hold her waist tighter and pull her back in for more. He just stared down into her ocean blue eyes while she smiled up at him too. 

“I… That was.. Woah.” Frank’s words were stupid, but the sentiment was there. Nancy chuckled a little in reply. 

They both heard a whistle from behind them, 

“Finally, huh?!” Joe yelled from a couple feet away. The rest of the group was behind him. Frank blushed something awful, and even Nancy was starting to turn red, 

“It was just a mistletoe, Joe!” She called back to him. Frank’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at that, but she gave him a smile, as Joe approached, that made him think maybe they were on the same page. 

“Yeah right.” Joe chided, but Frank couldn’t care less. He was practically beaming as they joined the rest of their friends as he thought about what it might mean that for the first time in his life, he and Nancy Drew were on the same page. 

Talk about Christmas Miracles.

Chapter Text

For Carson Drew, Christmas couldn’t come slow enough.

It reminded him of everything he didn’t have anymore.

As much as he loved Nancy, she was getting busier and busier around the holidays, whether it was because of her cases or parties or dates. 

And God , he missed Kate. 

He missed her every day when he had enough time to stop and think too long. At the office, after dinner when he’d nurse a glass of wine by the fireplace, but especially around Christmas time.

And as he sat in the kitchen that Christmas Eve, listening to Nancy and her friends exchange gifts, talk, laugh, he missed doing just the same with her and Kate. 

He remembered sneaking down the stairs with her in the dead of night and putting presents under the tree. Their whispering and hushed laughter as they tried not to wake Nancy up. He remembered Nancy in her little footy pajamas on Kate’s lap as she helped her unwrap the too-many gifts they’d gotten because they’d gone overboard again. 

And of course, he remembered when they’d finally get Nancy to bed once the exciting day had come to a close, and he and Kate would sit together on the couch. They’d put on a Christmas movie which was quickly forgotten as she snuggled up to him and their lips grew closer and closer, until they met in a heated kiss. Dazed and tired from the holiday crazies, the best way to end it was with each other, because even as Kate’s job pulled them both every which way, they were never satisfied apart. 

He still wasn’t. 

When he lost her, he remembered feeling numb, his body far away as he mind raced a mile a minute. What to tell Nancy and Hannah, what it meant for them, especially when he was sure her death wasn’t an accident. 

How he was supposed to live without her when they’d been together for so long. 

Come Christmas the next year, he wasn’t sure of the answer to that question, but he still put out presents, he still opened them with Nancy, did all the things they used to do. 

There were new things, too, a new, quiet normal after a couple of years without Kate. They’d gotten Togo and had a new tradition of stopping him from climbing the tree. Him and Nancy made it a point to get bundled up and walk around the neighborhood to look at all the neatly (and not so neatly) decorated houses. 

And Carson watched Christmas movies alone once his daughter was safely tucked in bed.  

As the years went by, the new normal turned into an even newer, more sad kind of normal, where he sat at the kitchen counter without Nancy, listening to her living her life while he was stalled trying to live his. 

He hadn’t realized how much he depended on Nancy, despite their tight-lipped nature regarding Kate. He hadn’t realized how many people he didn’t have once Nancy started to drift further from him, into adulthood. 

Carson got up from his spot at the kitchen counter, poured the tiny bit of wine at the bottom of his glass into the sink and washed it out. As he put the bottle back in the cabinet, he saw Nancy appear through the doorway with a beautiful smile that made his chest ache because she looked just like Kate. 

“Going to bed, dad?” She asked him as she leaned on the doorway. Carson returned her smile with half of one and nodded, 

“Think so, kiddo.” 

“Me and the others were thinking about walking down to Bess’s. Her mom made cookies or something.” She said it like it was silly, but he could tell she was having a good time. His smile turned a little brighter and he walked over to her, 

“Sounds good. Text me if you spend the night.” Carson told her, brushing a strand of her hair from her forehead. 

“Will do.” She pushed off the doorway and gave him a tight hug, 

“Love you, dad.” 

“Love you too, Nan.” She turned and left after that. 

As Carson climbed the stairs, he heard the noise in the living room start to dissipate as they left, and he retired to his room. His heart felt a little warmer then. 

He supposed Nancy wasn’t so far away. 

And maybe time would heal him, though it hadn’t done such a great job in the last 10 years. 

In the meantime though, he still had Nancy, and that was enough for him, even if Christmas wouldn’t really be the same as it once had been.

Chapter Text

Spending Christmas Eve at the Drew Residence seemed like a fantastic idea, though in hindsight the weather report should have been a prime indicator that it wasn’t. 

But now Nancy and friends were snowed in due to Illinois’ decision to pound wind and snow down onto them. It was a full out blizzard by the time the group was seated around the fireplace. 

“Isn’t this cozy?” Joe Hardy said from the couch, wrapping an arm around Bess’s shoulders. Frank rolled his eyes a little, though he had to admit he didn’t exactly mind being trapped in Nancy Drew’s living room. 

“Disconcerting’s more like it.” He put in as he huddled further against the armchair he was in. He glanced over at George, who was peeking outside at the raging storm. 

“It is really coming down out there. What’s going on on the TV, Ned?” She asked. Ned was playing with the antenna on top of the television set. 

“Basically nothing. Everything’s wiped out.” 

“Phone’s not working either.” Nancy told them as she walked into the room from the kitchen, “I tried calling dad down at the office, but it wouldn’t even go through.” 

“No TV, no phone, power’s out. What are we supposed to do?” Bess lamented. Nancy and Ned sat down beside her and Joe. George did the same on the window sill. 

“Wait until it clears up. It’s all we can do.” Ned sighed. They all sat around in silence for a bit, until Joe spoke up, 

“Isn’t this the part where we all share our deepest, darkest secrets?” 

“Why would we do that?” Frank asked, leaning his elbow against the arm of his chair. He was trying desperately to ignore the way Nancy was leaning her head on Ned’s shoulder. 

“Because we’re trapped and who knows when the storm will let up. We could all die here if this goes on much longer.” Joe made a point to flicker a flashlight in front of his face in a dramatic fashion. Ned chuckled a little, 

“Joe, it’s been, what, 20 minutes?” 

“How many groups of 20 can we stand before we perish?” Joe said spookily once again. Bess pushed him in the opposite direction of her, 

“Poor taste!” She couldn’t hide the fear in her voice. 

“Well if you want to share secrets, you go first, Hardy.” George requested boredly from her place on the window sill. Joe crossed his arms, 

“Fine. Uh… Sometimes when I can’t find my toothbrush, I borrow Frank’s.” The disgusted look on Frank’s face was enough to kill a man. Joe was lucky it didn’t do so on the spot as he met his gaze with an awkward smile. 

“You’re never finding it again.” Frank told him with that piercing glare. Joe put his hands up in surrender. 

“Who’s next?” He asked, with an intentional elbow to Bess. 

“Ughhhh, you’re lucky you’re cute.” She paused, thinking for a minute or two, 

“Sometimes when I can’t find my lash glue, I use my dad’s superglue.” Bess whispered to the group. George let out an exaggerated gasp, 

“How horrible!” 

“Sounds bad.” Ned said with a grimace. 

“I kissed my best friend’s best friend in middle school. She wasn’t that good.” George spoke up next. Bess furrowed her brows, 

“You weren’t your best friend’s best friend?” 

“It was complicated.” 

“Give me something juicier before I die of boredom.” Joe’s glance was toward Frank this time, who gave him a wide eyed S.O.S. that said ABSOLUTELY NOT. Joe grinned at him, but looked to Ned instead, 

“Ned???” 

“Hm… When I was 12, I tried to glue my neighbor’s cat to the wall.” 

Everyone was a little stunned by that one. 

“You told me you were into pranks, but wow. ” Nancy smiled amusedly at her boyfriend. 

“Oh, it wasn’t a prank. I just wanted to see if it would stick.” Ned corrected. Joe snorted a laugh. 

“That’s even worse.” 

“Well what’ve you got, Drew? I’m sure you’ve got plenty of secrets.” 

“Sure do. Comes with the trade. Confidential though, I’m afraid.” Nancy zipped her lips with a sly grin this time. The rest of them rolled their eyes. 

“Boringgggg.” Joe groaned. 

“I refuse to give into your little bottle episode, Joe.” 

“What about when you and Frank-” 

“ Joe. ” Frank stopped his brother with his short tone. 

“You and Frank, what?” Ned was rightfully alarmed. Nancy was rubbing a hand down her face in contemplation. It was clear Ned was probably not going to give up on the subject, and Joe had blabbed too much already. 

“We uh… Well we.. kissed..” 

“You kissed ?” Again, Ned’s voice was angry. 

“On a dare!” Frank swooped in to save the day, but Nancy looked at him with wide eyes, “On a case? A case! For um… We were undercover.. In a tight spot.” 

“You never told me about that.” Ned looked at Nancy with uncertainty. She put a hand on his arm, 

“I knew you’d be upset. But… like Frank said. It was just for a case. Our cover would have been blown if we didn’t.” 

“And we didn’t enjoy a minute of it.” Frank once again intercepted swiftly. Ned settled back against the couch again, thinking for what felt like a very long time. 

“...Okay.” 

“Okay?” Nancy asked him nervously. 

Before Ned could respond, the lights suddenly turned back on, and they heard the weather channel blaring from the TV once more. George peeked out the window and saw that the street was visible once again and the snow had died down. 

“...Looks like they got everything back online.” 

“Then let’s party!” Joe was quick to move on, and the group eventually fell back into, indeed, a lively party with banter, drinks, presents, and no mention of the conversation they’d had in the dark. 

Chapter Text

“Have you ever baked before?” Ned asked as he hauled an electric mixer from his kitchen cabinet to the counter. He set it down with a huff as he looked to Joe, who was going through their bags of ingredients with a puzzled look on his face, 

“Not in so many words, no.” He paused, and then looked at Ned, a shadow over his expression, “Well, my mom tried to teach me once when I was a kid. I burned the brownies. It was a dark day.” Joe made intense eye contact with Ned for a few seconds, before a mischievous grin spread across his face. Ned playfully rolled his eyes in response, 

“Okay, so brownies traumatized you, what about Christmas cookies?” He stepped over to Joe, standing shoulder to shoulder with him as he pulled the ingredients from the bags. 

“Never tried. But I’m guessing you’re going to teach me.” Joe gave Ned another cheeky smile as he laid his cheek halfway onto his shoulder. Ned’s smile back was genuine. 

“Well, I have a recipe. Thanks for helping me by the way.” 

“Sure thing. Anything to see your ass in an apron.” This time Ned shot him an annoyed look, but Joe was pleased to see the color seeping through his pale cheeks. 

“And, you know, to help the kids and everything.” 

“Uh huh. Right .” Ned replied, “The holiday charity event is tomorrow, so we have to make sure these turn out decent.” 

“I’ll try my best, Chef.” Joe promptly saluted, and the two of them started to prepare some simple sugar cookies. 

They managed to get all the ingredients mixed together without a major disaster happening. Eventually they had a couple balls of dough ready to be made into cookies. Joe plopped one of them onto a cutting board, where he blankly stared at the dough and the rolling pin beside it. Ned was washing his hands, oblivious to the way the blonde Hardy brother was putting his hands on his hips in confusion. 

“Uh.. Ned?” 

“Hm?” 

“Mind helping me out here?” Joe gestured to his predicament and Ned’s eyebrows raised in realization, 

“Oh! Of course.” He jumped into action, quickly drying his hands on a dish towel before coming to Joe’s aid. He peered over his shoulder from behind and gingerly grabbed Joe’s wrists between his fingers. He then guided Joe’s hands to the dough and helped him knead it out some,

“We can just flatten it out a little so it’s easier to roll…” Ned explained in Joe’s ear like he wasn’t rocking his entire world right now. Joe was having a hard time focusing on making his hands work when Ned’s hold on his wrists was so tender, and he could feel how his hands were still a little damp from the sink. Not to mention he was practically encased in all of Ned Nickerson, arms wrapped around his back and chin daring to rest on his shoulder while he helped. 

“Alright, that’s good enough.” Ned said suddenly, breaking into Joe’s thoughts. He swallowed thickly and nodded dumbly as he watched Ned pick up the rolling pin instead. 

“Go ahead and grab it.” 

“-What?” 

“The rolling pin.” There was the smallest hint of reprimand in Ned’s voice, which made Joe smile, despite himself. 

“Right.” He did so, once again feeling Ned’s hands over his own as he got him used to the motion of rolling the dough. 

“I think I like baking.” Joe commented, not embarrassed in the slightest at how breathless he sounded. He leaned his head back some to look at Ned with another smile. It rested on Ned’s shoulder again and their eyes met. Ned let out a breath of an amused laugh, 

“Oh it’s baking you like?” 

“Sure.” 

“Then look at the dough.” 

“But your eyes are so much more interesting.” 

Ned’s face heated up again, 

“ Joe. ” He chided, embarrassed. He had to admit he enjoyed Joe’s blatant attempts at flirting, even if it made him feel like he was going to spin out and die. 

“What?” Joe hummed in return. Ned briefly licked his lips, while his eyes darted to Joe’s, before he gave an answer, 

“...The dough’s ready. Let’s cut it.” 

Joe clicked his tongue, but obliged, and the two of them put the rolling pin down before picking out proper holiday cookie cutters to use. 

The two of them were still hip-to-hip while they cut out the cookies, Ned laying them out on a pan when they were done. Then they put the first batch in the oven with a sigh of relief from Joe. 

“Don’t get too relaxed, we still have a couple more batches to go.” Ned told him as he watched Joe plop down into a chair at the counter. He stretched his arms out in front of him and laid his cheek against one of them on the granite surface. 

“I’m out of batteries.” He lamented dramatically. Ned went around the corner of the counter to stand closer to him, 

“ Are you now?” 

Joe turned his head to face him, still glued to the side of his arm. 

“Motivate me.” It was a simple request that felt more like a loaded gun. Ned moved his head down, leaning his chin against his arms which were crossed on the counter. They were in each other’s personal bubbles for the third time that day, 

“Come here, then.” 

Joe hadn’t expected that, at a loss for words with a red face just like Ned had been a couple minutes ago. 

“I- Uh.” Nothing competent came out of Joe Hardy’s mouth as he moved toward Ned and connected their lips in an awkward, sideways kiss. Ned lifted his head so it was more proper and Joe scrambled to follow, lest their kiss break. He knew he wouldn’t get another until they were done. 

Joe thought in that moment that Ned knew how to catch him off guard just as much as he did, especially when the quarterback’s teeth caught his bottom lip when he pulled away. 

“Good?” Ned said quietly as he stared into Joe’s swirly blue eyes. 

“Yeah.” Joe replied almost immediately. 

“Then let’s finish so I can make you feel even better.” Ned even gave him a wink with his return to the kitchen, and Joe couldn’t stop his jaw from dropping a couple inches, 

“I really do love baking.” 

“Christmas too, I’ll bet.” Ned joked with a smile. 

“Yeah. Christmas, charities, cookies, whatever.” Joe replied as he returned to work too. 

Anything to be close to you. He neglected to add. 

But Ned knew. 

With Joe Hardy, it was easy to know.

Chapter Text

George didn’t hate Christmas. She rather enjoyed hanging out with her friends, exchanging gifts and all the likes. But when Bess suggested they all bundle up and go around caroling, George had attempted to politely decline. The idea of banging on people’s doors and berating them with campy Christmas songs was less than appealing. 

“George, you scrooge! You never have any fun!” Bess had accused her of being a buzzkill around the holidays, which wasn’t true. She just didn’t feel like embarrassing herself in front of her own neighbors. It sucked even more because the rest of the group seemed to be interested in the idea, or at least, weren’t actively voicing their opposition. 

Cowards. George thought to herself. 

A few days later she’d found herself sitting on Deirdre Shannon’s couch lamenting about the whole thing because why should she get called a buzzkill for wanting to avoid public humiliation? 

Deirdre thought it was funny, because of course she did, snickering to herself as she brought George a cup of cocoa, 

“George, I’d like to think you and I are… friend-ish now. But I still find it easy to laugh at you in this situation.” She told her, and George rolled her eyes. 

“Friend-ish?” She eyed the way Deirdre’s arm had drifted atop the back of the couch, right behind George. 

“Do you prefer frenemies?” Deirdre asked hotly, pulling her arm away and awkwardly fiddling with her cocoa. Her face was slowly turning an amusing shade of red. George smiled just a little, 

“Whatever. You’re supposed to be helping me! How can I get out of this?” She chided Deirdre, gently swatting her knee. Deirdre huffed out a long sigh after thinking for a while,

“I don’t think you can. That cousin of yours is very persuasive.” 

George leaned her head back and groaned, 

“Can’t you at least come with me?” She earned laughter from Deirdre, 

“Oh. Oh no. I wouldn’t be caught dead doing that.” She added extra emphasis by shaking her head a hundred times. George was the one to sigh this time, running her hand over her face, 

“I hate you.” 

“You like me enough to sit here and tell me all your problems.” 

“And you don’t like me enough to help me?” 

Deirdre let out a dramatic gasp, 

“How dare you accuse me of such a thing? Any sane person would want to avoid execution by public group singing.” 

George gave Deirdre a glare. And then she paused, and a grin came over her instead, 

“You said Bess was persuasive.” 

Deirdre was suddenly nervous, 

“Yeah?” 

“So persuasive if I said good old Deedee just had to come, she’d get your ass in the group in five seconds.” 

“ George don’t you dare.” 

But she did. Called up Bess almost immediately, which brought them to Christmas Eve, where the Drew Crew was walking down the streets of River Heights singing to anyone who would listen. 

George and Deirdre were lagging a bit in the group, speaking to no one but especially not each other. 

“...Are you actually mad at me?” George eventually broke the silence. Deirdre’s face twisted up in contemplation before exhaling exaggeratedly, 

“..No. I wish I was. I mean, I’m not thrilled to be yucking it up with Drew’s loser friends-” 

“ Hey! ” 

“You know I don’t mean you, George. In fact, I guess I don’t.. Mind it so much if I’m with you.” Deirdre muttered out the last part, turning her head away and pulling her winter hat farther down her head, as if that would hide her embarrassment. George felt a warm smile pull at her face, 

“..Yeah. I know what you mean.” She reached a gloved hand over to Deirdre, pulling the latter’s arm from her jacket pocket and intertwining their fingers. Deirdre still refused to look in George’s direction, but she squeezed her hand and hummed contently. 

“Hey guys!” Joe called from the front of the group, “Bess wants to do Silent Night next, what do you think?!” 

“I think that would put people to sleep, Hardy!” Deirdre yelled from the back. George was still smiling despite her temper. Maybe because of it. She couldn’t deny that there was something about Deirdre Shannon that she was drawn to. Apparently, their mutual hatred of Christmas caroling was drawing her in even closer. 

She didn’t mind in the slightest.

Chapter Text

The Secret Santa party was Joe’s idea. Whose else could it have been? He made all his friends get together and pull names out of a hat a couple weeks before Christmas so they could secretly give gifts to one another in the spirit of the holiday. 

Pretty much everyone except Frank was excited. The concept of getting a present for someone he didn’t know well was nerve-wracking. He could only cross his fingers and hope he got his own brother and not Burt or Dave. 

The day arrived, where the usual cast of characters were sitting in a circle in the Hardys expansive living room in various couches, armchairs, and the floor if one was unlucky. 

Ned was on the couch with his arm around Nancy’s shoulders, while Frank and Callie shared an armchair by the fireplace across the way. George was sitting a cushion away from Nancy, boredly scrolling through her phone, only glancing up to see Burt and Dave return from the kitchen with a six pack of beer. Chet was unlucky. 

“Burt and Dave, two guys after my own heart!” Joe exclaimed as he took one of the beers from Dave, who, despite his statement, was now sitting a little too close to Bess on the loveseat for the younger Hardy boy’s liking. 

There was a pile of presents in the middle of the room, on the coffee table and Joe was excitedly digging through them all. 

“Okay, let’s see here…” He mumbled to himself as he looked around, putting the bottle to his lips. 

“Anyone else want one?” Burt interjected, taking a seat on an ottoman near George. 

“Christmas isn’t about getting shitfaced, jocks.” Callie retorted with an eye roll. Burt and Dave glanced at each other and shrugged. 

“Whatever.” 

“Nah, Callie’s right. It’s about getting hilarious gifts for each other in front of an audience!” Joe declared with a grin. Frank suppressed a sigh. 

The group agreed that they’d all open their gifts, and then have a massive guessing session. They all tore open their presents, excited to see what their secret santa could have possibly gotten them. Burt and Dave got each other, coincidentally, each getting the other a custom Christmas patch for their letterman jackets. 

“Dude…” Burt gave Dave a surprised, and rather heartfelt look. 

“Dude.” Dave was just the same. Joe was ecstatic at the toolbelt received, complete with a couple screwdrivers and a hammer in its pockets. He looked excitedly to Chet, who couldn’t hide his grin, 

“Please tell me…” Joe trailed off as Chet nodded a million times, 

“Who else? You need something to hold all your tinkering tools.” Joe clapped his buddy on the back in appreciation. Frank chuckled quietly at the way they were both beaming, and looked down into the box he’d just opened. He was kind of surprised, heart jumping up into this throat when he saw a small book. He pulled it out and opened it up, flipping through the pages with his pulse racing a mile a minute. Inside were a bunch of stamps of different locations, both inside and outside of the United States. Along with the pictures, Frank recognized the book as a sort of memorabilia of the places he and Joe had been to for their multitude of cases. Instinctively, he looked up and stared Nancy in the eyes. 

“You..?” 

He was interrupted by a squeal from Bess, who was holding some makeup palettes in her hands, which she’d evidently gotten as her gift, 

“Nancy! I know this was you, I was literally just talking about this collection.” 

Nancy’s gaze left Frank’s as she tried to suppress a smile in Bess’s direction, 

“Nice deduction, Bess. You got me.” She told her, and Frank watched the two of them share a friendly hug. Then he heard a light scoff from beside him. He turned and looked down at Callie, who was doing the same up at him, 

“I’ve been working on it for a while. You know, I’ve been with you to a lot of those places, helping you and Joe. I thought you’d figure it out.” She sounded easily disappointed. Frank instantly felt guilt well up in his chest. 

“Callie, I.. Thank you. I love it.” 

“...Yeah. No problem.” Callie muttered as she picked at the tissue paper of her gift. It was quiet between them in their little bubble before George awkwardly approached them, pointing to Callie’s gift. It was some small spiral-bound notebooks. George gave Callie an equally awkward smile and wave, 

“Hey. I’m your secret santa, by the way. I thought I’d save us both the embarrassment.” 

Callie looked down at the notebooks, 

“They’re cute, thanks.” She mumbled. 

“Cool. Good talk.” George paused and acknowledged Frank as well, “Hey, Frank.” 

Frank just hummed in response as he watched Nancy scrutinize every guest at the party. She was clutching a small box that appeared to be made for jewelry. She glanced at the tag every now and then until her eyes fell on Bess, 

“Did you get me too?” She asked. Bess sealed her lips and threw away the key. 

“This is totally your handwriting, though.” 

“Had to fool you somehow.” Ned said from beside Nancy, still glued to her. Nancy glanced up at him with an impressed grin,

“You pulled the ole handwriting switcheroo, Nickerson? I should have known. The bracelet is beautiful, thank you.” She pecked his lips with a kiss. Frank grimaced to himself, even more so as he felt Callie leaving his side in the arm chair, and then watched her grab a beer and leave, toward the kitchen.

“It was nothing.” Ned said after Nancy pulled away. She was scanning the party once more, 

“Who got you, then?” 

Ned looked at his own present, a six pack of plastic razors. 

“Uhhh. I can’t imagine.” 

“Was it you, Frank?” Nancy asked him with a grin as Frank got up from his chair to follow Callie. He was a little too preoccupied to be thrilled by her smile, but luckily Chet responded for him, 

“Nah, I think Frank’s mine. Nobody else would get me a new glasses case, cleaning rag and spray and everything.” 

“Bingo.” Frank said quietly as he pointed at Chet, and then left toward the kitchen. Nancy watched him go with a slight furrow in her brow. 

“Bess is definitely mine.” George told them, holding up a tube of mascara. 

“You should just give it a try!” Bess exclaimed as she crossed her arms. A look of realization then passed over Ned, 

“So then…” His expression turned into a deadpan in Joe’s direction. Joe gave him the most awkward smile a man could, 

“...I ran out of time.” 

“You planned this thing!” Ned tossed his gift bag in the blonde’s direction, and everybody laughed. 

It was a successful secret santa party. For the most part, anyway.

Chapter Text

Ugly sweaters, according to Nancy Drew, were a mandatory holiday tradition. Therefore, when it was her turn that year to host the Christmas party with her friends, she decided she’d theme it in such a way so that everyone would have to wear one. The turnout, as she expected, was hilarious. 

The doorbell rang as her first guests of the night arrived. She smoothed out her sweater, which was more of a sweater-dress than anything else. It was a white turtleneck, decorated to look like it was a snowman. Nancy liked it, actually, though she was sure to get a few jokes about it. She pulled open the door to see Bess and George standing together. 

Bess wore a green v-neck sweater under a turtleneck as well. The sweater itself was adorned with rows of green pine needles, ornaments hanging from each of them. Beside her, George was wearing a sweater with the biggest grinch face Nancy had ever seen on it. Behind the grinch was a red and white pattern that was pretty corny. 

Nancy grinned when she saw her best friends. Bess crossed her arms, the ornaments on her sweater clinking slightly, 

“Nancy! That sweater is not ugly in the slightest!” She exclaimed as Nancy let them inside. 

“What are you talking about? These things are atrocious.” They heard another voice say as he came out from the kitchen. It was Ned, wearing a sweater very similar to Nancy’s, though he’d neglected to wear the dress version of it. 

“God, and you matched? Not cool, Drew.” George droned. It was sarcastic, Nancy could tell, since George was suppressing a smile as she took a seat on the couch. 

“It’s true, though! We’re all going to look like idiots, while Nancy and Ned do their cute couple thing.” Bess plopped down into an armchair and sighed dramatically. 

“Maybe Joe will match with you, Bess.” Nancy tried to console her friend. As if on cue, the doorbell rang once more, followed up by some excitable knocks. 

“Door, Ned?” Nancy requested. Ned nodded, 

“Sure thing.” He tugged the door open, and sure enough, Frank and Joe Hardy stood on the porch with a gaggle of others lagging behind them, 

“Are we late?” Joe chimed with a smile. He wore a red sweater with a t-rex on it, draped in Christmas lights and complete with a star on its head. Below the rex were the words Tree Rex in big, white letters. Ned shook his head, 

“Not hardly.” He told him, moving to the side to let the brothers inside. Bess glanced over at Joe from her armchair, 

“Well.. Close enough. You’re with me tonight, Hardy.” Bess beckoned him over with her finger, and Joe looked at her with surprised eyebrows, 

“Already? Okay.” He gave Ned a wink and then promptly dashed over to Bess, squeezing in the chair beside her. 

Frank had wandered in at this point, and Ned was eyeing his sweater, 

“Uh, star wars, right?” He asked. Frank pinched the bottom of his sweater and held it out a bit for them both to see. It was light blue with some of the combat walkers on it. 

“Yeah, yeah. I didn’t know if anyone would recognize it.” 

“What is it?” Nancy clued into the conversation, getting up from the couch and making her way around it toward them. 

“Star wars. They’re um.. AT-ATs.” Frank was blushing a little as Nancy stared at him curiously. Then she smiled, 

“Cool. I don’t know a lot about it, but cool.” She lightly smacked him on the arm, “Could’ve gone uglier, in my opinion.” She gave him a wink, before turning away with Ned back toward the others. Frank didn’t have time to be breathless because the rest of his friends, namely Callie and Chet, were coming in behind him. 

Callie’s ugly sweater was pretty standard, decked out with a Christmas tree and strands of lights down the arms of it. Chet, on the other hand, wasn’t even wearing a sweater. He was wearing a big hat, reminiscent of Merlin’s, only it was a big, bright green Christmas tree. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks when he walked in. Chet stopped too, awkwardly pushing his glasses up his face, 

“Uh… What?” 

“Chet.. What are you wearing?” Joe asked. 

“I thought we were all wearing ugly Christmas hats..” Chet paused, “Say.. you guys aren’t-” He stopped abruptly again, an embarrassed blush spreading across his face, 

“I don’t know how I messed up the invitation.” He mumbled. The group tried not to laugh at his expense, but it was pretty funny. 

Finally, Burt and Dave arrived, wearing matching sweaters that both had Santa playing golf on them. Ned was confused by his friends’ choices, 

“Why are you matching? Also, golf?” 

“We couldn’t find football. This was close enough.” Burt told him as he closed the door behind him. 

“Right… And you’re matching because..?” Ned once again trailed off. Burt and Dave looked at each other, then him, and shrugged, 

“We have no idea.” 

The group fell into a cheerful rhythm for their party, with everything young adults could possibly do at a holiday get-together. They had an unofficial contest for who had the ugliest (and least ugly) sweater. Chet won honorable mention for ugliest hat, while they all agreed that Callie’s classic Christmas tree sweater was the worst of the bunch. And of course, majority ruled that Ned and Nancy had cheated with their couples sweaters, which were, in fact, not ugly at all. 

Nancy hummed to herself as she watched her friends argue over what Christmas movies to throw on for the rest of the night,

Best Christmas Ever. She thought warmly to herself.