Avengers/X-Men One Shots - The Blood/White Phoenix Saga

ONE-SHOT LXXXIV: A Family Dinner (A Christmas One-Shot)

Set between White Phoenix 10 and White Phoenix 11

Wolfgang von Strucker-Barnes

'Wolf, I don't think Mom and Dad will like you sneaking up on them at 7 in the morning,' Emily spoke from where she was baking the Christmas cookies.

'I just wanna see what they're doing, if they're up yet.'

'Wolfgang Steven Barnes, do not go up there. Mom and Dad are most likely still sleeping,' my older sister practically barked at me.

'I just wanna see. God, you're such a parent.' I ran up the steps two at a time, ignoring my sister's protests. I traipsed quietly down the hall to my parents' bedroom. The door was still closed. I remembered they always closed the door for more - ah, personal activities. And that was very rare. Ever since our schooling had been near top priority for most of the year, as well as other family activities, I remembered my Dad complaining he couldn't find the time to get all cuddly with Mom. Eck, I thought to myself. Why do parents have to be so disgusting all the time? I half-opened the door and peeked in. My Dad was laying on his side, chest bare, the sheets all tangled up in a mess, my Dad's feet resting on my Mom's. She was on her side as well, her bare shoulders just dwarfed by my Dad's large arms near hugging her from behind. My sister said it was called spooning. Just then I heard my sister come up from behind me. She peeked in.

'Ewww. I cannot un-see that,' she said, turning away from the door.

'Neither can I. Why on all days did they choose to be disgusting and weird on Christmas?'

'Well... I can think of one reason,' she whispered, leaning against the wall, examining her fingernails.

'What, Emily?'

'They have been rushing around for most of the year, and - I think they wanted time off.'

'Yeah, sure,' I scoffed. 'Think what you like, but they're just being purely disgusting.' Just there was a stirring noise from inside the room, and I peeked in to see my Mom moving around in the sheets. My Dad was moving too, and he leaned over and pecked her cheek gently.

'I think our children are up,' I heard him mumble. He tried to get up, but she pulled him back to the bed.

'No... no - stay. Stay.' He laughed and let his human hand skim over her vibranium arm.

'Merry Christmas,' he said in his deep, rough, morning voice. He hadn't quite woken up yet, and neither had she.

'It's Christmas already?' she mumbled.

'It is too. In fact, I think I smell cookies.' My Mom opened her eyes fully and she sat up. I was stirred from watching my Mom and Dad wake up by Emily. She was holding out two party poppers. A weird glint was in her eye, and she looked like she wanted to cause some trouble. Just then, she burst into the room and started exploding the party poppers.

'MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!' she screamed at the top of her lungs. I ran in soon after and began to pop the poppers. My Mom threw the covers over her head, giving out a groan.

'Not the party poppers again! You did that for your dad's birthday and then for mine. What is wrong with you children?'

'Hon, welcome to the world of parenting,' my Dad said. 'Merry Christmas.' He kissed her on the cheek again. A very little person was crawling on the bed, and then she started to jump on the bed. My Mom yelled out again.