Nadolig Llawen i Bawb

[branbach]

Christmas morning breaks brilliant and glittering, with a fresh coat of snow covering the path to the door. It's the first Christmas in the cottage, and Bran and Will are both determined that everything will be perfect, and so elated that whatever happens, it could hardly be anything but. It begins with the little gifts, left in stockings over the

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[llewych_will]

It's not quite the loud, crowded Christmas Will was used to back home, but as he leans his shoulder against Bran's, looking at the family they have here, he finds he's quite content with how the day has turned out.

[branbach]

Bran slips an arm around Will when he leans against him, tapping lightly at the edge of the paper crown with a smile. "Happy Christmas, cariad."

[llewych_will]

"Happy Christmas," Will repeats with a soft sigh of contentment. "It's really been a good one, hasn't it?" Which is important to Will, because Christmas is important to him.

[branbach]

"Perfect," Bran confirms, glad to hear Will say it. Oh, he loves the holidays as well, of course, but his main goal has been to make sure Will enjoys himself.

[themusicaltwin]

Paul was toasty, and full, and content. He didn't mind a quiet Christmas, and it was certainly better than the total disorientation he'd been feeling last year at the same time, only a few days onto the island. Besides, this time he had his flute.

Which he'd just finished playing (a haunting round of Greensleeves, or What Child Is This? since it was Christmas), and lowered it to his lap. "I think I'll have a another cup," he said. "Would anyone else like one?"

[branbach]

"Love one," Bran says, not really wanting to get up from sitting against Will to acquire his own. "Diolch. Thank you. And I think there are still chestnuts, if you want them."

[themusicaltwin]

"You would think," Paul said, "that we'd get tired of these. But I don't, ever. I suppose it might just be because we only ever have them once a year."

[branbach]

"Especially here," Bran points out. "The whole plant just goes away, after."

[withoutasea]

Coming later than she'd meant to, Jenny arrived in the snow. She knocked before entering, pushing the fur-edged hood of her cloak back from her shoulders. She'd bought small gifts for the boy that she would have as a son and his beloved, not much -- a garland of evergreen and mistletoe, a blessing for youth and love.

"Forgive me for coming late," she said, dipping at the knee and curseying low, and with grace. "A merry Christmas to you, my hearts."

[branbach]

"Merry Christmas," Bran echoes, ushering her in. "I'm so glad you came. Come in and have some tea?"

[withoutasea]

"Tea would be wonderful, truly," said Jenny, unfastening her cloak and setting it to one side. She wore the red woolen gown that she had worn in Camelot, the circlet of gold against her forehead.

"I fear that I have developed a taste for it since coming here."

[branbach]

"It's addictive," Bran says with a smile, pulling out a chair for her. "Do sit down. How was Summerfell?"

[elflordmcgee]

How Abby had conned him into this...well, he knew exactly how. He should have been spending time with his sister and the rest of his family.and instead he was on the island. It wasn't entirely so bad except during the holidays that were always family events. He'd occasionally had to miss them because of work, but he'd been in the area.

"Thanks for having me," he said, smiling a little. But any friends and family of Abby were his, too.

[branbach]

"Oh, we're glad you could come," Bran assures him. "There are supposed to be people around, at Christmas."

[elflordmcgee]

"I don't think we've officially met," Tim said, holding out a hand. "Tim McGee." He'd seen the guy around. It was a little hard not to notice him, just like the purple girl and the green girl and the guy who was from Star Trek something or other. But it was rude to stare.

[branbach]

"Haven't we?" Bran grins. "I suppose not. I forget that, it seems like everyone knows everyone else, here. Bran Davies. A pleasure."

[abbysciuto]

Abby had been absolutely thrilled to be invited to a meal where she didn't have to cook. Not that she'd minded yesterday because it'd been really fun, but it had also been really tiring, even with all her helpers.

Today she'd invited Tim to come with her because, well, he was family and Bran was family and it worked better that way. She'd arrived with some brownies she'd saved from the hordes yesterday and kissed both Bran and Will hello before settling down in front of the fire to warm up.

"Snow is pretty but way too cold," she says firmly, as if that's actually going to change the way the weather works.

[branbach]

"Of course it is," Bran says, pressing a cup into her hand. "Fortunately, we have the capacity to change that. Well, inside, at least."

[abbysciuto]

"Yes, insulation and heat and warm drinks are a nice invention," she agrees, taking the cup and inhaling the aroma of the cider instead of drinking it. It smells almost too good to drink, which is a problem.

"And that goose smells fantastic, by the way."

[branbach]

"Thank you," Bran says with a broad grin. He's rather pleased with himself over the dinner. "If it tastes half as good, I'll be glad."