Merry Christmas to my recipient! I took prompt 3 “Scott and Virgil being best friends” as the prompt for this story.
Trigger warnings for small mentions of alcohol and the possible non-magical existence of Santa.
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“Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh”
Virgil sat in the lounge playing the piano. He wasn't exactly sure when he'd started singing the lyrics to the Christmas songs he was playing, but oh well.
He also knew he should go to bed, since it was past midnight on Christmas Eve, so technically Christmas Day. Everybody else had retired a while ago. But he'd not had a chance to play Christmas music much with so many pre-Christmas rescues, and Scott had landed Thunderbird One a few minutes ago. He'd at least wait for his big brother to appear from the launch chute and push him Merry Christmas.
Come to think of it, Scott was taking a while. He was normally super efficient with post-flight checks and straight back to the lounge.
“Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way”
Right on cue, the wall over the other side of the lounge began to turn, indicating Scott's arrival.
Except the wall didn't complete its turn as it got stuck half way round.
And the person in the launch chute didn't look like Scott Tracy.
It was Santa. With a fake large stomach and a bag of presents which was currently preventing the wall from completing its turn.
Virgil was forced to change the song immediately.
“Wheeeeeeeen Santa got stuck in his launch chute”
Scott adjusted the bag of presents and the fake belly and stumbled out of the turning wall with none of his usual grace.
Virgil continued to play the tune and asked “How was the rescue?”
“Wasn't a rescue.” Scott replied, putting the bag of presents down and wandering across the lounge. “I got there and the local authorities had it all in hand. If anything, I made it worse by having a lot of drunk bystanders trying to walk on thin ice to get a better selfie with One. Thankfully the ice didn't crack.”
Suddenly, both shouted in sync, “ACHOOO! ACHOOO! ACHOOO!”
They both laughed.
“We can't not do that can we?” Scott asked.
“Absolutely not. It's tradition.”
The tradition had begun when Scott and Virgil were small, and their mum would play the song. It was always the first bit any of the children learned. Scott was a teenager when Alan came along but he still joined in with enthusiastic Achooo!ing.
Now Virgil was the pianist rather than their mum, and they still made the noise every time.
“Speaking of traditions” Virgil continued “are you going to explain your current attire, or just carry on like you're dressed in your standard clothes?”
“It's a Santa outfit” Scott replied.
Virgil waited.
Clearly no further explanation was being voluntarily offered.
“Scott, why are you wearing a Santa outfit?”
“To be Santa.”
Virgil took a big breath. “Scott Carpenter Tracy, for what reason or event have you decided to be Santa and wear your current attire?”
Virgil held down a chord in It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas and looked at his brother expectantly.
“To eat that mince pie” Scott replied, pointing at the mince pie that had been left on the desk, along with a glass of sherry and a carrot for the figure he was currently dressed as. “Ooo hang on, who made them?”
Virgil laughed and carried on playing. “I did, you're safe. At least I hope that's your opinion.”
Scott was already eating it. “Excellent!” he replied with his mouth full. Once he'd finished “Apple will always be my favourite, but these are a close second.”
“Soooo, late night baking and Christmas tune playing?” Scott continued in a questioning manner, leaning on the piano. “What's up?”
Scott knew his brother so well. And Virgil knew Scott back. They'd been best friends for so long.
“Nope! No explanations until you explain the costume.”
“OK” Scott sighed. “I bought the outfit last week thinking I'd dress up on Christmas Eve, we'd all be in the lounge, I'd hand out some party food, you know, really get into the Christmas spirit. It's been so long since we had a real family Christmas. But I've been on back to back rescues this afternoon and evening, so no party, and I thought well at least I'll deliver presents in the outfit and give anybody still up a laugh. And I think it's worked?”
Scott looked at Virgil with a questioning look, but it was mostly hidden by the massive fake beard.
Virgil smiled. “It worked.”
“Soooo, the pies and the piano after midnight?”
“Similar story” Virgil responded. “I wanted to play and I wanted to bake, but rescues and everything else got in the way and I just wanted to make sure I'd … been Christmassy.”
Scott smiled. “You did it without wearing a crazy Santa outfit though.”
“Oh I'd have worn it better.”
“You would. The trousers are above my ankles.”
They both laughed.
Virgil began to play We Wish You A Merry Christmas.
“Virg?”
“Yeah?”
“Merry Christmas. And thank you for always having my back.”
“Merry Christmas to you too. And thank you for always having mine”
Scott smiled, and then the smile became a yawn. “We should probably go to bed.”
“Doesn't Santa need to deliver his presents first?” asked Virgil, nodding his head towards the bag that was still on the other side of the room.”
Scott went over and arranged the presents from the sack under the tree.
Virgil finished We Wish You A Merry Christmas with a flourish, and they both headed out of the lounge for some well deserved rest.
