Chapter Text
You and your beloved walked through the market, you were grabbing your weekly groceries and it just so happened to fall on the day he'd returned from the medical station. Despite your insistence he stay at your place and rest, the commander was even more so that he couldn't stand sitting around anymore.
You had been just denying the booth's vendor, you did not need a cake filled with dried fruit, when you noticed your dear commander peering at and turning over a red, fur trimmed hat.
"Wolffe...?" you called his attention and the moment you did, he retracted his hand "All set?"
"I am" he nodded stiffly
You cracked a smile and, grabbing his arm, continued your shopping.
But as the outing continued...you started to take notice how he seemed to peer at all sorts of goods but never said anything about it. You weren't really sure what he was doing, but it was slowing down your grocery run...and some of the items you've been collecting are cold goods.
By the time you were at the end of your list, you gave him a soft frown
"Alright, mister, what's the big deal?"
Your boyfriend matched your frown and narrowed his now mismatched eyes.
Your gaze floated along the red, angry scar but you shifted it before he made a comment.
"What's my deal with what?"
"You've been dragging your boots this whole trip!" you huffed crossing you arms "Are your injuries bothering you?" you added in a quieter tone
"No, they're fine" he grumbled, his frown growing "You're done here right? Let's go back to your place then"
Wolffe didn't give you a chance to reply, he grabbed your arm, circled it with his own and took your bags in his other arm before herded you towards your home.
The next few days came with similar events. All where you noticed your lover acting strange when it came to life day items. Be that decorations, goodies, apparel...you name it.
But every time you asked you were met with a similar stone wall. The 104th Commander was an exceedingly stubborn man...and you were unabashedly seeing that side of him in all its entirety. Which only added to your bad mood. Finally you couldn't take it anymore.
It was around dinner time when you went to your living room only to find Wolffe was looking through a flimsi catalogue that'd been left in your mail slot.
"What you doing?" you asked standing in the living room with a brow raised
Wolffe sat straighter and fixed you his own annoyed look.
"Nothing" he lied "Just looking at the stupid stuff in your mail"
Your gaze drifted to the catalogue he'd promptly shoved under the other flyers.
Confusion painted across your features. Why was he hiding it...?
Wolffe looked away upon your scrutinizing
"Okay, what is going on?" you demanded "The last few days you've been acting weird and now this...are you not feeling okay? Do you want me to cal-"
Your words were ceased with a large hand placed across your mouth. With an angry squawk you batted at his arm
"'m fine. Just wanted to look" he grumbled a faint colouring dusting his cheeks
Your hands paused, one mid prying his fingers away and the other on his wrist as your brain pieced it all together.
Wolffe had been acting strange about holiday things...the putzing in the market, the hiding the catalogue and all the other situations that happened across the last few days. He'd been doing so because he was interested in all the life day festivities...and you had been-
Your heart sank to your stomach and there it turned like your dryer as realization formally hit you.
You were too busy being wrapped up in your distain for the holidays you didn't even think for a moment what Wolffe wanted.
You recalled the way Wolffe's gaze tended to linger on the glittering decorations, how his hand kept reaching out to drag his finger tips across the furs and greenery, how he poked and prodded at several children's toys, and how he seemed to lean closer to the stalls cooking holiday goodies.
Now thinking about it...the one that really should've clued you in was how his gaze studied couples and families enjoying all the activities the holidays had to offer.
He allowed you to move his hand from your mouth. You brought it to your chest as your gaze locked on his flustered form.
"You...never got to celebrate life day before...have you...?" you asked softly
He didn't turn to look back at you, frown etched into his face and brows knitted down in disapproval.
You felt so much worse than you had only a moment ago.
You were right...Wolffe just didn't want to say it.
You took a step closer to him and sat on the cushion to his left, still holding his hand but settling it on your lap.
"I'm sorry, I didn't even think about that..." you whispered guiltily "I was being selfish and cruel..."
At these words, your lover turned your way. Though his face didn't tilt to meet your gaze, his hand met with his other and your own upon your lap.
"Life day has always been a crappy time for me in the past." you explained gently
You leaned over to peek at your beloved to see he flustered look still upon his face, and cracked a smile
"But I don't mind celebrating it...if you want"
"You hate it" he pointed out in a low grouch
"I think I can suffer it...that is, if its for you" you teased
You got a grunt in response as his face pressed to your hair to hide
"So...what do you want to do first? A tree?" you asked leaning into his form
Wolffe was stubbornly silent, but you felt his grip on your hand tighten the tiniest bit. With a smile, you separated from his hold and rushed off into your home
"Where are you going?!" his bellow followed you as you dove into the spare room
"JUST WAIT THERE"
In only a handful of moments later, Wolffe sat amongst the boxes of decorations you had dug out of storage. He looked absolutely enthralled by everything...but maybe a bit overwhelmed as well.
"I...uh...don't know what goes where" He admitted quietly
"Alright, well, you decide what ornaments you want up on the tree...and I'll put the tree up! We'll start there" you offered
Your commander nodded as he began digging through the box of glittering baubles.
"There...there seems t' be an awful lot t' this life day" he mumbled holding up a star for the top of the tree
"There are a lot of traditions..." you mused, but changed tune once you saw the overwhelm start to flood his form "but why don't we just make our own traditions?"
Wolffe stared at you for a moment before nodding, a small smile on his face
"I like that" he nodded looking back down at the decorations "'make our own traditions'"
You smile brightened as you made your way over to him. His arm reaching for you, looping around your waist and yanking you to his lap.
"Can we keep this tradition?" he breathed against your lips
You raised a brow in confusion, but you noticed his lashes flicker up then return his gaze to your own. You glanced up to see fake mistletoe above your head, being held by his other hand.
You let out a soft giggle and nodded, leaning the feather's width left between you to capture his lips in a holiday kiss
Epilogue Warning: Children! And children being children 🤣 (Left open ended, said sons could be adopted, birthed or a combo) Occurs some undisclosed time later, up to you how long.
This portion was written to: We Wish You a Merry Christmas by John Denver and the Muppets
"So THAT'S why Daddy always gets excited for life day" Your son beamed, pushing his top half out of his sheets as if he'd come upon the best discovery
"Mmmhm...and we almost didn't have it" you reminded softly as you gently rolled him over and retucked his blankets in "Because I hated it so much"
"I think that's crazy" came a voice from above you, your other son grumbled
"What's crazy...is that you are not asleep yet!" you huffed then wrestled the second one back into his bedding. "Goodnight my two monsters. No waking your parents up...again"
You narrowed your eyes and made the 'i'm watching you' motion as you left the room
Giggles sounded from the bunk beds and as you began to shut the door, you stuck your head back in
"I mean it! Unless theres a fire, someone got murdered, is being murdered or there's a break in. Tonight you have to stay out!"
"Fiiiiiiine" they whined in unision
You had severe doubts, but you'd take what you could get.
You raced back to your bedroom and shut your own door before sliding into the sheets and curling up against your beloved.
"Took you forever" he grumbled playfully, trailing a hand down your side "Boys being pain in the shebs?"
"They're your sons" you reminded
Wolffe only laughed softly and kissed your forehead. His arms pulled you tight, cozy and secure against his form.
"We had a good life day" you yawned
"Mmmhmmm...second best one" your ex-commander rumbled kissing you softly
"Second?" you asked as you pulled away. Your gaze lingered on his face and your palm traced his cheek delicately
"Best life day goes to the one I turned you around from being a bah humbug" he teased patting your bottom in emphasis of his 'bah humbug'
You only rolled your eyes playfully
"Yes, well, this bah humbug just bribed the boys into staying out all night." you then added in a low whisper "The bed is all ours"
"Oh really...~?" He cooed as his lips captured yours.
Just when things were about to get good though...
"BUIR!"
You both groaned in frustration.
Wolffe then glared at the door as if awaiting the rest of the words that inevitably followed
"MY STUPID BROTHER JUST PUKED!!!"
"Well...they didn't come in the room" you pointed out softly
But that's when the famous eye-roll made its appearance
"Don't move. I'll handle this an' then we're starting off right where I was interrupted" He grumbled getting up from the bed
"Oh yeah?" you teased "Gonna be a super awesome buir and handle this all on your own?"
Wolffe scoffed and leaned over your side of the bed in your face
"A kiss before I head into that nightmare?" he glanced up then returned his gaze to hold your own
Upon looking up, you saw the mistletoe. The beginnning of all your traditions.
You laughed softly and pressed your lips to his