Shelby Oneshots

❤️Arthur- Changed Christmas

The house had never been so loud. They'd thrown parties and celebrations previously, but this event was a whole new sound level. Trying to put their children to bed on Christmas eve had proved much more difficult that previous years. Perhaps it was their ages and their new found love for father Christmas which added to the struggle

"Billy, go upstairs and put on your pyjamas. Lucy, that whiskey is for santa! Maggie, stop running around. Oh great. Now the damn dog has joined in," y/n cried out just as the dog began running with Maggie. Arthur quickly grabbed the glass of whiskey from Lucy's hands and placed it out of her reach

"When is father Christmas coming here daddy?" Billy asked as Arthur lifted him up into his arms

"When you're all asleep in bed" he replied, exhausted. Suddenly, they heard a bang and went running to the sound of their daughters tears

"Oh darling, that's why we tell you not to run. Are you hurt?" She shook her head and allowed y/n to kiss her cheek, making any fear of pain melt away. Y/n carried Maggie and Arthur had the other two children as they walked up stairs and put them into bed, tucking them in nicely

"Now close your eyes and when you wake up, there will be presents under the tree," Arthur promised, making them squeal with excitement

"Seriously? You just had to mention the 'p' word didn't you?" Y/n asked, shaking her head in annoyance. Once they were sure the kids would settle down for the night, y/n and Arthur went into their bedroom and flopped down on the bed

"Wow, 2am, not bad" Arthur chuckled, checking the time

"I think they have drained my Christmas spirit"

"We still have to put their presents under the tree," he reminded her, the pair of them huffing in annoyance. Christmas was a magical day. Christmas eve was hell on earth. Its fine when you're kid or a childless adult. You only have to worry about toys and alcohol. But when you're a parent, it's like priorities change and you work so hard trying to make it a perfect Christmas that you end up with a vendetta against father Christmas.

"Honey"

"Hmm"

"Can we close our eyes for five minutes?"

"Please"

And just like that, the couple were out like a light. Arthur wrapped his arm around her waist securely, terrified something may happen. The very next morning, they were woken up to the giggling sound of children bouncing on their bed

"Can we open the presents now?" They asked excitedly as the two adults groaned. Their eldest, Billy, was only 5 and his most wanted gift was a toy plane. Maggie, who was 4, had asked for everything on the planet and couldn't make her mind up. The youngest, Lucy, was only 2 years old so her presents mainly consisted of annoying toys that Arthur would step of every time he tries to enter her room

"Five more minutes" y/n begged but they just laughed at her pitiful attempt to sleep longer

"Daddy, pwease can we get our pwesents?" Lucy asked Arthur as Billy told her what to say through terrible whispers

"Ugh. Alright then. Go and get your slippers on," the kids ran out of the room excitedly and to their bedrooms

"Thank you for sorting out the presents last night. I was wiped out," y/n said, kissing the back of his neck as he sat on the edge of the bed, having a cigarette

"What?" Arthur asked

"What's wrong?"

"Darling, I didn't sort out any presents" simultaneously, the pair looked at one another and gulped

"Shit" scrambling out of bed, they just managed to get the kids before they went downstairs. Crouching infront of them, Arthur blocked any of them from going downstairs

"Hurry up daddy. Father Christmas left us presents!!!" Maggie bounced up and down excitedly

"Before that, mummy and I have a fun game for you all. Don't we mummy?" Arthur looked to y/n for help because he couldn't think of anything on the spot

"That's right my babies. And the winner of the game can have cake for breakfast. Best part, there are 3 winners of the game!" The kids cheered whilst y/n looked around nervously

"What's the game?" Billy asked

"Right...the game...well...its very simple...erm...we'll all go Lucy's room and ill shout out items. You three then look around the room and first person to find it, wins that round. For example, if I shout 'something green' then you all have to find something green"

"Can't we just open presents?" Maggie asks

"Nope, we're playing this. Come on," they all went to Lucy's room as Arthur panicked, quickly putting the presents from the hiding spot in his wardrobe to the Christmas tree downstairs. Halfway through their game, Arthur came in

"Who wants presents?" They all ran off to open the gifts

"I can't believe we let them tire us out like that," y/n told him, hugging him around the waist

"We used to dance til 5 in the morning. What happened to us?"

"We got old honey," y/n sighed

"Fuck. Right, let's go watch the kids open the presents," he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in for a sweet kiss to the head. As they walked downstairs, all the kids were sat waiting to open their presents

"Come on then. What did father Christmas bring?" Arthur boomed, immediately allowing them to tear into the wrapping paper to uncover their presents. As y/n watched Arthur help Lucy open her presents, a cup of tea in hand and grandma slippers on her feet, she realised that growing old is the best thing nature can bring