I'm super duper late to this, but I'm here now to share a little bit of chapter five of Muddle Through Somehow, my Veilguard Christmas story.
Thanks to everybody who tagged me in this @frotees-corner, @adejareve, @dags-over-caravans, @epiphany-jones and @sorrygoldfish. Love seeing all your WIPs. Not tagging anyone because I think this has done the rounds already. But if you see this and want to join in, consider this your tag!
“I don’t understand why I was given this … honor,” Lucanis says.
“Tilt your head up,” Neve tells him, a little testily. “I need to get the underside.”
When he doesn’t immediately comply, he gets a palm to the forehead, forcing him into position to have the bottom of his beard sprayed white with aerosol dye.
“Pretty sure it’s because you’re the only one with a beard,” Rook tells him.
She pulls on her hat, — complete with large felt ears and a jingle bell on the end — to finish off her elf ensemble. They’re all dressed in red and green outfits with even more jingle bells attached to the collars.
“I may have gotten a little over-eager with the glue gun,” Bellara admitted, as she handed Rook her outfit. “But Neve said we should make sure it’s fun for the kids, and who says no to jingle bells?”
“Right,” Rook said, forcing back a grimace. “Who says no?”
She’s gotten off easy, however, compared to Lucanis, who Neve pulled from his BMW as soon as he arrived and forced into a fake-fur trimmed Santa suit.
As soon as they pulled into the parking lot of the dock town community center, Neve’s stormy mood switched over to a sort of manic determination. She organized people into groups, mapped out routes through the neighborhood and has threatened them all, with spray can in hand, not to break the illusion.
“You’re elves!” she instructed. “Act. Fucking. Jolly.”
“Ay, careful,” Lucanis says, as Neve sprays him with a heavy hand. “We could have bought a fake beard.”
“I could be Santa,” Taash offers. “I think I’d look nice with a beard. Could be interesting to try it.”
They stroke their chin thoughtfully.
“Hm,” Harding says. “I’ll have to see what I can do to get your cheeks nice and rosy.”
She throws Taash a wink, and they immediately turn pink.
“Mission accomplished,” Rook says, passing by.
She searches through the back of the van until she finds the spare soundproofing foam. A little electrical tape and finagling, and she thinks she’s got the right shape.
“Lucanis, think fast!” she calls, and tosses the makeshift foam ball in his direction.
He catches it squarely in the stomach with an “Oof.”
“Hey, keep still,” Neve scolds him.
The motion required to catch it has caused her to spray a line of they dye up into his hair. She hums thoughtfully.
“Actually, we should probably cover your hair too. It’ll look weird with the white beard otherwise.”
Lucanis shoots Rook a pleading look, but she’s definitely not getting between Neve and her goals tonight. She holds her hands up to let him know she’s not coming to his aid.
“Fine,” he says, bowing his head for easier access. “Let’s get this over with.”
