crossover_chick | 25 Days of Multiverse #20

We're into the home stretch before the holidays! But before we get to our drabble of the day, I have another bit of fic that I owe you. In honor of the anniversary of "Forgetting You," I present you with Chapter 23 -- aka the one that still makes Forgotten Vows wake up screaming sometimes. It even comes with a soundtrack: In The Dark, by The Birthday Massacre, which also lends its name to the chapter title.

Chapter 23 on FF.net
Chapter 23 on AO3

Now that you've had your daily dose of darkness, let's have something that's also tear-jerking, but in a much better way:

Day Twenty:
“This is your letter to Santa?”
Chester nodded. “Yeah. Is it bad?”
“No, no, it’s fine, it’s just–” Victor peered at the lines of words. “You wish him a merry Christmas and promise him cookies and his reindeer carrots. Very polite, to be sure – but what about your presents?”
Chester smiled rather shyly. “Mommy and I already got what we wanted most.”
Victor stared at him a moment. This little boy who hadn’t known him for ten years and yet still called him ‘Father.’ Tears welled up in his eyes. “Oh Chester,” he whispered, hugging him tight, “so did I.”

Yes, I know bringing up that other NaNo I still need to finish might not be the smartest of ideas, but damn it I wanted to write something from "The Tale" Verse. As I've mentioned before, the ultimate ending of that story will involve Victor having to go away with Death for ten years, only to reunite joyously with Alice -- and his son, whom was born while he was in absentia. This is their first Christmas together after that, and -- I couldn't help making it sweet. :) Chester's heard a lot of stories about his dad from his mom and her friends, and he's just thrilled he actually gets to know the guy now. There was a little awkwardness at first, of course, but Chester was willing from the start to accept him with open arms. Hopefully one day I'll be able to write that out so you can see it in person. Oh, Forgotten Vows Verse, why are you so big and sprawling? Oh, NaNo projects, why do you only interest me in November?

Oh, btw, the carrot thing is part of the European traditions about Santa. I believe over there they leave out a carrot for the reindeer and a mince pie for the man himself. I think that's really cute and decided to use it. Why don't American kids think the reindeer get hungry? *would have gladly left out carrots*

All righty, your fic update for the day! I know it's kind of early, but I'm a vague state of not knowing if I'm doing a night housesitting shift or not, so I figured I'd get it up now and out of the way. Enjoy all your reading material!