Christmas Firsts
Summary: A tale of Christmas first with our favorite blended family. Merry fuckin’ Christmas, folks!
Word Count: 3.5 k
And away, and away we go!
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~2018~
“How do we want to spend Christmas this year?” Finn asked one night in early December after Mason had been put to bed.
She shrugged. “Same way we always have? Quiet morning here, then spend the day with Mom.”
“Okay. If that’s what you want to do, we can do that. Do you want me to get us a small tree to put up and decorate?”
“Yeah, that’d be great,” she smiled over at him, then frowned. “Wait… Why are you asking me what we want to do?”
“It’s Mase’s first Christmas. I know things are the way they are with your family. But if you wanted to see them, or for them to see Mase, then I’ll support that. You know I will, Ness. But I figured we should talk about it, rather than just assume that we would do what we’ve done the last few years.”
“You,” she said, her smile back in full force as she kissed him, “are fuckin’ amazing. And I guess we should probably try Christmas Eve dinner with my family at least. Not actual Christmas though. I like what we have already.”
“Okay, babe. We’ll do that then.”
“Oh! Do you think on Christmas Eve after dinner we can drive around and see the lights? Oh, Mase would love that!”
“Of course, baby.”
So the next weekend, they helped Carol pick a tree, and picked a small one out for themselves. Christmas had always been the couple’s favorite holiday, and getting to watch their son’s eyes light up with excitement at all the colors decorating the trees only added to their joy.
On Christmas Eve, they made the trek over to Vanessa’s parents, Vanessa’s leg bouncing the entire time. “If you’re this stressed, I can just keep driving. We can show Mase the lights, and then we can go home.”
“No…. No… I told them we would come. No… I’m fine, love.”
His hand reached across the seats to rest flatly on her thigh, doing very little to keep her still. “We don’t owe them anything, Ness.”
“No, I know that. But I-”
“I know,” he nodded sadly. He knew Vanessa would keep trying to fix her relationship with her family until the world stopped turning. And he would help pick up the pieces every time they failed her.
So he bit his tongue, and smiled politely as he greeted her family. And he sat there with the same tight lipped smile as he listened to Vanessa try and catch her parents on the things she’d been up to since they last saw each other. And his hand squeezed Vanessa’s as her sister interrupted each tale with the same tale that was somehow better. And when Vanessa’s chair scraped back harshly, tears brimming in her eyes, he grabbed Mason, muttered a quick thanks, and quickly followed her out the front door. And he held her to him as her tears stained the collar of his shirt. “Shh,” he soothed, a hand running up and down her back. “C’mon, we’ll get some hot chocolate and we’ll go see the lights. And we’ll get our boy ready for bed, and we’ll wake up tomorrow, and it’ll be Christmas, and everything will be okay.”
“Why do I keep bothering, Finn? When will I finally learn?”
“Hey, look at me. None of this is your fault. Not one bit of it. You have such an incredible heart. And I am so fuckin’ proud of you for wanting to keep trying with them. And I’m not going to tell you what the right thing to do here is. If you want to keep trying with them, I will support you every time. And if you want to stop trying with them, I’ll support that too. But you have to decide that for yourself, Ness.”
“It’s not fair…”
“I know, baby, I know.”
The tears dried, and her smile returned slowly as they walked around their town, sipping their hot chocolates, and watching Mason’s wide eyes droop lower and lower until he finally dozed off on Finn’s shoulder. And Vanessa let the better part of Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day spent with her little family override a bad dinner.
~2020~
It was the Saturday before Christmas as they sat around the dinner table in the bigger apartment, trying to figure out just how they were going to spend the holiday. Things were tense as Finn and Vanessa were still at odds about what the living arrangements would look like once the baby was born, but they were tabling that argument for after the holidays had passed. “So, how do you want to do this, Finn?” Vanessa asked. “I know we usually go to my parents and try to stomach as much Christmas Eve as we can. But I’m not expecting you to suffer through that with me considering… So, do you just want to take Mason around to see the lights on your own? And then we can both be here in the morning, do our small thing, then go to Mom’s?”
“I’m not gonna take Mase to see the lights without you, Ness. I’m not gonna say no to skipping dinner with your parents. But take Mase with you. And we’ll meet up at like 7 to go around and see everything? Then I’ll help with bedtime and crash on the couch if that’s alright. So that way I’m here when he wakes up.”
“Yeah. Yeah, that works.”
“And Ash, you’re more than welcome to join whatever parts you want. My mom’s bugging to meet you actually.”
“Yeah, love, what are you doing for the holiday?”
Ashton shrugged. “Normally I’m finishing tour at this point, and then flying home. But because of covid and everything… I dunno. I guess I’m here this time. Um, so yeah. Love to meet your parents, baby.”
“No, you don’t,” both Finn and Vanessa told him.
Ashton looked at them in confusion. “Uh… is there something about your family I should know?”
“Finn and his mom are my family. They have been for a while. Because my actual family… well…”
“There’s a reason we try to limit contact with them, “ Finn said, giving the polite answer. “We try to give them the benefit of seeing them around the holidays. But, well… go to dinner and you’ll see what we mean.”
“Lovely…”
Ashton got an exclusive insider look to the Parker family’s… eccentric behavior as he accompanied Vanessa to Christmas Eve dinner with Mason. “You must be the new boyfriend,” Mr. Parker greeted.
“Yes, sir,” Ashton told him, shaking his hand. “I’m Ashton. Pleasure to meet you.”
“Finn won’t be joining us?” Mr. Parker asked his daughter.
“No, Dad. We’ve been over this, Finn and I aren’t together anymore.”
“Mmm, yes… and the new boyfriend is a drummer. How delightful.” He turned on his heel to walk to the dining room, leaving Ashton and Vanessa standing there in the entrance to the home.
Ashton’s jaw ticked slightly. “Wow.”
“I told you,” Vanessa warned him.
“And the rest of your family?”
“Just as bad if not worse.”
“Awesome… Let me know when you wanna bail.”
“Usually before dessert.”
“Awesome…”
Ashton and Vanessa endured the awkward dinner, of Vanessa’s sister, Erica, dominating the conversation about how well her and her husband were doing, with their young son only a few months younger than Mason talking up a small storm. But the breaking point was when Mason got Ashton’s attention to ask for another bread roll. “Papa,” Mason said, diverting all the attention to him as he pointed at the roll on Ashton’s plate.
“Oh, Nessie…” Mrs. Parker said mournfully.
Ashton’s jaw ticked again, but he kept quiet. Instead, he made a small show of tugging Mason into his lap, and letting the boy help put butter on the roll, which Mason then ate happily still in Ashton’s lap, much to the horror of the Parker family.
Vanessa however, wasn’t going to be as quiet. “I’m sorry?” she asked sweetly.
Mr. Parker just cleared his throat and shot Ashton and Mason a pointed glance while her mother hissed under her breath, “You really think that’s wise?”
“Mason chose that’s what he wants to call Ashton.”
“Yes, but Finn-”
“Is his dad, yes. Mason knows that. And he knows that Ashton is his papa. I’m failing to see what the problem here is, Mother.”
“You shouldn’t be encouraging Mason that way is all, Nessie,” Erica said sharply.
“In what way, Erica? Encouraging my son to speak? I thought you’d all be happy that Mason is talking now. You were all so terribly worried.”
“Yes, but we didn-” Erica sputtered.
“No, I’m fully aware of what you all mean,” Vanessa cut off. “And I’m sure if I had brought Finn along, you would have found a way to critique that as well. So, same time next year, yes?” Her chair scraped back, and Ashton wasted no time in following suit. “Merry Christmas, everyone,” Vanessa said with a bright smile before heading out of the dining room.
“I’d say it was nice to meet you all, but it really wasn’t. In fact, you’re kind of awful. But thank you for dinner,” Ashton told them before following Vanessa out. “You alright?” he asked her in a low whisper.
She sniffed back tears and cleared her throat. “I will be.”
“Is Finn’s mom nicer?”
“So much nicer. Love her. And she is really excited to meet you. Alright, Christmas Eve take 2! Lights!”
When they met up with Finn, he had a tray of hot chocolates in his hand. “How long did ya last?” he asked.
“Still can’t make it to dessert,” Vanessa reported, taking a deep drink from one of the cups. “Ah, that’s better. Ready?”
As Vanessa took Mason’s hand and they started walking up the street, Ashton hung back with Finn. “So we just let her family treat her like that?” Ashton asked.
Finn nodded sadly. “Yep. I fought for six years for her to cut ties. And we’ve made a lot of progress in my opinion. Most of her interactions with them are only through the phone. But yeah… for some reason she still can’t let Christmas Eve dinner go. And every year it ends the same.”
“And we just have to let her keep doing it, don’t we? Until she decides for herself enough is enough.”
“Yep.”
“Fuck…”
“Mhm,” Finn said. “But this is the cool part. You see her right now?”
Ashton’s gaze flickered ahead to where Vanessa was crouched next to Mason, her face lit up in the Christmas lights she was pointing out to her son. “15 minutes she was on the verge of tears. And now… wow,” Ashton breathed in amazement.
“Yeah. She’s badass that way. Give her a hot chocolate, show her some Christmas lights, and it’s nothing but a bad dinner.”
“Noted,” Ashton chuckled.
When Mason started to yawn, the family went home. And in the morning, Ashton and Vanessa were woken up by the boy crawling into bed with them. “Momma! Papa!”
“Morning, sweet boy,” Vanessa said sleepily. “Go check the living room for a surprise. Papa and I will be right there.”
And Mason rushed out of the room, Ashton chuckled. “Nice way to give us a few minutes.”
“Shh!” she said, pressing a finger to her lips. “Listen.”
“DADDY!” Mason squealed from the living room followed by Finn grunting for air.
Ashton laughed. “Good one.”
“Alright, Mase, where’s Momma and Papa?” Finn’s voice asked, growing louder as his footsteps sounded in the hallway.
“No!” Vanessa squealed, throwing the covers over her head. “You can’t use my trick on me, Finn! I already got the Mase alarm clock! I hit snooze! No!”
“Fair is fair!” Finn laughed before tossing Mason gently onto the bed. “Get ‘em Mase! Say ‘wake up, it’s Christmas!’”
“MOMMA! PAPA!”
It took a lot of laughter, and about an hour to get them all out the door and over to Carol’s for Christmas, where the woman already had breakfast ready. After greeting her son, grandson, and Vanessa, Carol turned to Ashton. “And you must be Ashton. Oh! It’s so nice to finally meet you!”
“Nice to meet you too, Carol.”
“Papa!” Mason told Carol, pointing up at Ashton.
“Oh, is this your papa, Mase?”
Mason nodded. “Papa.”
Carol somehow managed to smile even brighter. “That’s wonderful. Welcome to the family, Ashton. And Merry Christmas.”
~2021~
“Hey, Finn, can we talk about Christmas?” Vanessa asked.
Finn sighed, running his hands through his hair. “It’s Bailey’s first Christmas. So, no. I want to be there for it.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Ash is going to Australia, and you wanted to take the kids with you. That’s what you were gonna ask, isn’t it? I’m sorry, Ness, but no. And no, we can’t compromise by saying that me and Mom will come with. It’s my first Christmas with Mia, too. I wanna be here. I wanna be home.”
“I was actually going to ask if it’s okay we do Christmas at mine and Ash’s. Because his family agreed to fly out here for the holiday because me and you already have our tradition that works.”
“Oh… Well… shit, yeah. Yeah, we can do that. Fuck. Sorry.”
Vanessa chuckled. “You really thought I was gonna ask to take the kids to Australia for Christmas? Are you insane?”
Finn laughed a little with her. “Alright, I said I was sorry. I should know better than to jump to conclusions. Christmas Eve? Hot chocolate? Lights? 7?”
“Yep! We’re having dinner first, if you and Mia wanna come.”
Finn sighed again. “Ness… I thought we were like really done with your family after Mase’s birthday.”
“Jumping to conclusions again, Finn. No, we’re having the guys over for dinner as like a band family thing. You guys are welcome to join us. But if you and Mia have plans… No biggie.”
“Nah, she doesn’t… her family’s kinda like yours. We’ll be there.”
“Great! Dinner’s at 6.”
After a Christmas Eve where Vanessa finally made it to dessert without getting so angry she saw red, and trapezing around the neighborhood to see the lights, she crawled into bed with Ashton, her cheeks sore from smiling. “Good day?” he asked with his own smile.
“The fuckin’ best. And tomorrow is gonna be just as amazing. I can’t wait to meet your family.”
“They can’t wait to meet you guys either. Fuck, tomorrow’s gonna be great.”
They awoke in the morning to Mason pouncing on their bed with a yelled, “Momma! Papa!”
“Morning, sweet boy,” Vanessa smiled groggily at her son. “C’mon, let’s go get Bailey.”
“Daddy?”
“Yes, when Daddy gets here with Mimi and Nana, we’ll open presents.”
“Mimi, Nana?!”
“Yes, they’re coming too! C’mon!” she said, matching his excitement as she rolled out of bed.
“Papa!” Mason urged, tugging at Ashton’s hand.
“Hmm? Yeah? I’m up…” Ashton’s voice rasped, still heavy with sleep. “I’ll start breakfast,” he yawned.
Ashton was in the middle of doing just that, while Vanessa got Mason and Bailey set up at the table when the doorbell rang. “Daddy!” Mason screeched, climbing down from his chair and racing for the door. Only when Mason reached up to open the door, Finn wasn’t on the other side. “Momma!” he yelled for assistance.
“I’m right here, Ma- oh, hi!” Vanessa smiled, recognizing the two women and the young man on the porch as Ashton’s family. “I’m Vanessa. This is Mason. Please, come in. Ash, love!”
Ashton’s head peeked around from inside the kitchen, “I’m a little bu- MUM!” There was a clattering from inside the kitchen that could have been either Ashton turning off the stove, or Bailey knocking her bottle to the ground before Ashton was running through the house and crashing into his family. “You’re here!” he cried, his voice slightly muffled from the way he had buried his face in his mother’s shoulder. “God, wow…” he pulled back, a wide grin on his face, his eyes shining. “Uh… shit… Mum, Lauren, Harry, this is my girlfriend Nessa. Nessa, this is my family.”
“Hi, sweetheart,” Anne said, pulling Vanessa in for a hug. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
“I could say the same thing,” Vanessa laughed, giving Lauren and Harry a hug hello as well.
“Momma…” Mason whispered, his eyes wide as he peered up at all the adults around him.
“It’s okay, sweet boy,” Vanessa assured him. “This is Papa’s family.”
“Papa?” The single word held two very different questions when uttered by Anne and Mason.
“Yeah,” Ashton answered, picking up Mason and placing the boy on his hip. “That’s what he calls me. Mase, this is my Momma. And my brother and sister. Can you say hi?”
“Papa,” he said, shaking his head.
“Oh, that’s adorable!” Lauren cooed. “He’s three right?”
“Yep,” Vanessa told her. “Please, make yourselves at home. Ash was in the middle of making breakfast.”
“See, Mum? I told you,” Harry said. “Mum thought it was too early to be here, but I told her it’s Ash, so he was probably already up making breakfast. He always did wake up earlier than the rest of us.”
“Yeah, c’mon,” Ashton said, waving his hand over his head as he walked over to the kitchen. “I already got the coffee goin- Bailey! Why didn’t you say anything, silly girl?” he asked Bailey who was still in her high chair, munching happily on the Cheerios Vanessa had placed on the tray for her.
Bailey just offered up a giant grin, revealing a small smattering of baby teeth, that had Ashton’s family awwing. “So this must be Miss Bailey,” Anne smiled.
“That would be her,” Vanessa said proudly.
“And she’s also… Finn’s? His name is Finn, right?”
“Yes,” Vanessa nodded. “And he should be here soon, so you’ll get to meet him as well as his mom and girlfriend.”
“The whole family.”
“Exactly,” Ashton said, passing out steaming mugs of coffee before resuming cooking. “Sugar’s on the counter. Creamer’s in the fridge.”
Happy chatter and the smell of breakfast filled the kitchen as the adults made conversation of catching up, as Ashton had done a stellar job of filling in both his girlfriend and family on all the important details, so it felt more like a family reunion than meeting family for the first time. Harry was helping Ashton with getting plates of food for everyone when there was a sharp knock on the door before Finn’s voice filled the air with a loud, “Merry Christmas! We’re here!”
“Daddy!” Mason screeched, running for Finn. “Mimi, Nana!” they also heard the boy say, before. “Daddy… Papa.”
“Oh, is Papa’s family here already?” Finn asked, coming into the kitchen with Mason on his hip, Carol and Mia right behind him. “They are! Hi, I’m Finn. This is my mom Carol, and my girlfriend Mia. You must be Anne, Lauren and Harry.”
More hugs hello and murmurs of “nice to meet you”s sounded around, before Finn hugged Vanessa hello, pressing a swift kiss to the side of her head. “Merry Christmas, Ness.”
“Merry Christmas, Finn,” she returned the warmth.
~2024~
Bailey’s first Christmas set a new precedent for the family that carried through, so when it came time to decide what to do about the first Christmas with the twins, there was no discussion about what to do.
After a Christmas Eve spending touring the neighborhood to look at the lights, Finn took Bailey and Mason home, leaving Ashton and Vanessa to be woken up by the crackling of the bay monitor rather than Mason and Bailey jumping on top of them.
“Merry Christmas,” Ashton mumbled sleepily, a lazy grin on his face.
“Merry Christmas,” Vanessa answered with a kiss. “Ready for our babies to have their first Christmas?”
“Not even a little bit,” Ashton chuckled. “But Mum’s excited to finally meet them. So are Lauren and Harry. And I’m excited to see them again.”
“I know you miss them,” Vanessa said, acknowledging the part her husband was leaving out. “Maybe now that the twins are bigger we can take a family trip to Australia next summer. What do you think?”
“It’ll be winter there.”
“So we’ll have Christmas in June!”
That got another giggle from Ashton. “How about we have Christmas now. Because it’s actually Christmas. But, we’ll definitely talk about a family trip to Australia later cuz I really like the sound of that.”
“Deal! Now let’s go get those babies of ours before they really start screaming.”
~2026~
Breakfast dishes were stacked in the sink a mile high, wrapping paper was thrown all about the living room floor, and the house was alive with the shrieks of children laughing, and the adults chattering comfortably.
Vanessa sighed dreamily, hands wrapping around her second cup of coffee, leaning into Ashton’s side. “You alright, baby?” he murmured low in her ear, shifting slightly to pull her closer.
“I am… so fuckin’ happy,” she choked out, giving him a watery smile. “Like… I can’t put it into words how happy I am. How… I didn’t think this was possible for me. But… here I am. I woke up to four children screaming at the top of their lungs for their parents to wake up. And we were all here together already, under one roof. I am with the people I love most in the world. It’s fuckin’ Christmas. And it is utter chaos. But I’ve never been happier.”
“Merry Christmas, baby,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“Merry Christmas, love.”
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