Chapter Text
Azriel spent the afternoon essentially blocking Cassian’s attempts to create a disaster in Gwyn’s bed and breakfast. Cass held to Gwyn’s decree to leave the breakables alone but that didn’t keep him away from the other decorations. He hung a wreath from the corner of the hall tree in the foyer, strung lights between the dining room sconces, created miniature battlefields in the hallway tiny holiday town, and generally put everything where it didn’t belong. Once Azriel noticed Gwyn’s eyebrows climbing up her forehead at the sight of Cass putting garland on the backs of the couches, he had snatched Cass and redirected his efforts to the banisters.
While Azriel corralled Cass, Rhys helped Seryn return the holiday town to a peaceful state.
“And this is why Cassian is forbidden from decorating,” Rhys was explaining as he removed a sleigh from where it was crashed into the front of a mercantile. “He unintentionally sows chaos and discord when it comes to this sort of thing.”
“Seems a little ‘tentional,” Seryn said. She picked up a couple snowmen from Cassian’s Snowmen Special Forces Unit (he had been very clear about that) and put one by the post office and another by a house that looked like the bed and breakfast.
Rhys smirked. “It does, doesn’t it?”
On the stairs, Cass waved a hand at the holiday town. “It looked more fun the other way,” he said. “The Snowmen SFU was going to infiltrate the caroling base.”
“So that’s why the carolers are behind the barber shop,” Azriel said. He was looking down at the scene over the side of the stairs.
“It’s their secret lair,” Cass said.
Seryn tilted her head to the side and glanced up at Cassian. “Aren’t lairs usually underground? Ms. Arthurs says they are.”
Azriel half-smiled. Excellent point, one that made Cass huff.
“Is Ms. Arthurs your teacher?” Rhys said as he began to extract the carolers and hand them to her to place.
“Yes,” Seryn said with a firm nod. “She’s very nice, she’s going to let us decorate cookies.” She took a caroler from him with a quiet thank you and set the little lady by a different house. “And we get to sing two songs at the Christmas play and most years kindergartens only get to sing one ‘cause the principal says we’re a handful.”
“You’re already in kindergarten?” Cass said, leaning over the handrail. “Stop growing up already, next time I come by you’ll be in high school.”
Seryn put her hands on her hips as Rhys placed another caroler beside the one she had set down. “You knew I was in kindergarten.”
Cass grinned. “Maybe. But still, slow it down.”
Az threaded the garland through the railing. Cass was on garland-holding duty now, which meant he was covered in strands of garland. Gwyn had called him the abominable Christmas tree when she had passed by not too long ago, cheerful red and green duvet covers in her arms as she headed to the next floor.
“I guess you like singing then? Like your mom?” Rhys asked Seryn.
“I love it,” Seryn said, all enthusiasm. “I can’t play any guitar like her yet, but I dance.” She bounced just a bit on her toes and then calmed down so she could continue fixing the mess. “Do you like the Nutcracker ballet?”
“I’ve seen it a few times,” Rhys said.
“Have you seen it?” Seryn asked, and Azriel realized she was addressing him.
“Yes.” Azriel remembered being dragged to the ballet by Rhys’ mom for “cultural events” along with Rhys and Cassian and Rhys’ sister. They had been to at least three versions of the Nutcracker by the time Az was eighteen, and he had been eleven when Rhys’ mom had practically adopted him. He spent far more time at Rhys’ house than his own and he had unofficially moved in by the time he turned twelve.
Seryn's grin was bright. “Do you know the mice in it?”
“I think so…”
“I’m going to be a mouse this year,” she said, “We’re getting grey tutus and everything. It’s got a tail. I want to put a bow on mine.”
“I think you should be the mouse and the swan,” Cass said, shoving more garland at Azriel as they made their way up the stairs. “You’d be good at both.”
“There’s lots of mice and there isn’t a swan,” Seryn said, confused.
“Wrong ballet, Cassian,” Az said.
“No, there’s definitely a swan.” There was a glint of glee in Cass’ eyes. Great, and now he was in a contrary mood since he had been demoted to bearing garland. “A big fluffy swan.”
“There’s a fairy and snowflakes and polish-belles. No swans,” Seryn said, her expression serious even as she got the name of one of the characters wrong. “It’s not the swan one.”
“Are you sure?” Cass teased, “Isn’t there a Dance of the Swans? A swan fairy?”
Seryn rolled her eyes and ignored him as she took another caroler from Rhys. Az glanced over to see Rhys looking at the girl in an amused, curious way, maybe considering how smart she was for not letting Cassian aggravate her too much.
Almost all of the carolers were back in places that made sense. Now they had to find the barber who had gone missing. Azriel glanced at Cassian. Most likely Cass had turned the barber into some kind of evil mastermind and hidden him somewhere in the small sculpture town.
“Seryn,” Gwyn called from one of the floors above them. “Can you come give me a hand?”
“Yes, one second!” she called back. She handed the last caroler back to Rhys. “That one is the choir director, so she goes at the front. I’ll be back!” Like a wink, she was away and rushing up the stairs. Az started to caution her to be careful in her socks on the wood staircase—
“Slow down, Ser,” Gwyn said from far off, having overhead her running, “We couldn’t get to the hospital if we wanted to, so don’t crash down the stairs.”
“Yes, ma’aaaam.”
Rhys set the caroler down and then walked over to lean against the bottom of the stair railing. “How did Nesta take the news of us getting stuck?”
“Oh, you know, she was thrilled at our brilliant planning. She might have reminded me once or twice that she told us we shouldn’t drive,” Cassian said, but the hint of embarrassed red in his cheeks betrayed him. “She’s also glad we’re alive and that Gwyn’s letting us stay. We owe her a massive favor.”
Rhys nodded. Azriel felt like they owed her more than a favor, but since she wouldn’t accept money or anything, he wasn’t sure how they could repay her except with a favor. She was going to have to put up with them for a few days.
Rhys fussed with some of the garland at the end of the railing, straightening a bit of ribbon. “Feyre said to tell you both that we’re all idiots. She loves us, me the most obviously, but we’re all morons. And I have to tell you because she’s going to make sure that I did.” Rhys shrugged. “So now you know what to tell her when she texts.”
“Good job,” Cassian said.
“She already texted us,” Azriel said.
“I left my phone in the living room,” Cass said, “What’d she say?”
“Same thing. That we’re idiots but she loves us,” Az said, “I guess she wanted to make sure we got the message.”
Rhys snorted. "Like I wouldn't tell you that you were idiots."
"You were the one doing the actual driving," Azriel said.
Cassian laughed. "That makes you the biggest idiot."
Above them, Seryn poked her hand through the railing and waved. “Uncle Cass, Mom said to tell you that Aunt Nesta texted her because you weren’t texting her back and she wanted to tell you that there are extra clothes for you in the storage closet if you guys need to change clothes.” She went on her tiptoes and leaned over the railing a bit. “And Mom said that she doesn’t mean to eavesdrop but you’re all loud so you must not care.”
“Thanks, mouse,” Cassian said, “Thanks, Gwyn!”
“Mhmm,” was Gwyn’s hum of a reply. Az could hear her soprano in the sound. “If you all want to get changed and then decorate a little more before dinner, go for it. You must be miserable in those damp clothes, I forgot you had extras here, Cassian. But—”
“We won’t touch the breakables,” Rhys said, lifting his voice.
“You and Az can,” Gwyn said. She appeared at the railing behind Seryn, her arms on either side of her daughter, her hair escaping its ponytail. “Just you two though.”
“Seriously?” Cassian complained, “I’m texting Nesta to tell on you.”
“Because Nesta is certainly going to side with you over Gwyn on this,” Rhys said. He was looking at Seryn again as Gwyn whispered to her and tickled her side, the girl’s hands lifted to smother her giggles. For a second, his violet gaze flicked to Azriel and then he shook his head. “Nesta’s loyal.”
Did Rhys expect him to argue? Nesta was fiercely loyal to the people she befriended. He would know, he considered her a close friend as well as practically a sister-in-law. Azriel’s hand darted up and caught the garland that Cassian flung at him.
“Keep going,” Cass said, “If this is my only job, I’m going to be great at it. Don’t hold me back.”
“As if I would,” Azriel said.