Chapter Text
Y/N’s POV
We have been climbing these stairs FOR HOURS.
“One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three....are we there yet?” Peter counts.
“Not yet.” I say.
“Boy, there sure are a lot of stairs here! One thousand seven, one thousand eight, one thousand nine.” Peter continues counting.
Why can’t I shake the fact that I’m being followed?
Anyway, we arrive in a dusty attic.
This looks like where someone would get murdered in a horror movie.
“Hello? Hello!” I call out into the attic.
Oh shit, are we going to get murdered?
“Do not be afraid, my friends, it is I, Francis, who has come to pay you a little visit.” Francis calls out into the attic.
An angel tree topper bursts her head out of the trunk
“Francis?” She calls out with a French accent, sounding like she is meeting an old friend.
“Angelique.” Francis says, the same Platonic tone in his voice.
“Ah, Francis, eventually, I thought we were to be locked off in this dusty attic forever.” Angelique says.
“Ah, Angelique, my good friend, it is good to see you after all these years.” Francis says.
“It is good to see you too, Francis.” Angelique says.
I clear my throat because we are getting off track.
“Oh, yes, this is Y/N, our guest.” Francis introduces.
“Pleased to meet you.” I say.
“And this is Angelique. She is the castle decorator.” Francis says, motioning to Angelique.
“You mean I was the castle decorator? I am not responsible for this baroque atrocity. If I was in charge, the castle would be complete with light and beauty.” Angelique rants.
“Ah, my friend, that is why we have come. Gather round, my children, we are planning the greatest Christmas celebration ever!” Francis exclaims.
“Yay!!!” A boatload of Christmas ornaments cheer.
“No! Stop!” Angelique yells.
“What is it?” Francis asks.
“Why do you raise my hopes? I mean, um, their hopes. Only to have them dashed? Well, no more.” Angelique exclaims.
All the ornaments turn away in disappointment.
“But it's Christmas Eve, without you, we'll never get the castle decorated in time.” I plead.
“Ha! Christmas! I refuse to hope for it anymore. I will not be disappointed again.” Angelique asserts.
“But this is to be the greatest celebration ever! We cannot do it without you.” I declare.
“But, of course, you cannot. Christmas takes planning and organization. No! No! I won't do it! It won't change anything!” Angelique yells.
“I believe it will.” I say, then I start singing, There is more to this time of year than sleigh bells and holly, mistletoe and snow. These facts will come and go much deeper than snow, stronger than the strongest love we'll know. We'll ever know.
I start going to the ballroom and the ornaments follow.
Wow, it takes a lot less time going down the stairs then climbing up them.
I start singing again.
As long as there's Christmas, I truly believe that hope is the greatest of the gifts we'll receive. As long as there's Christmas, we'll all be just fine. A star shines above us, lighting your road and mine.
Arthur starts singing
Just as long as there's Christmas, there will be Christmas pudding, tons of turkey....
Tino starts singing.
And cranberry sauce and mince pies if we're good.
Francis start singing
Loads of logs on the fire.
The ornaments start singing
Lots of gifts on the tree, all wrapped in red ribbons…
Peter starts singing.
Wonder if there's one for me?
Arthur starts singing again.
We are due for a feast, where on earth do we start?
A random feather duster starts singing.
I may wear my tiara, from Montmartre.
Arthur starts singing.
All the silver will sparkle.
By now we have started building a Christmas tree out of random non sentient objects.
Tino starts singing.
And the china will gleam.
Francis starts singing.
And we'll all be shiny as a brand-new centime.
Peter starts singing
After dinner, we'll play games.
Tino starts singing again
'Till the morning breaks through.
Francis starts singing.
Then we'll meet in the garden, this is what we shall do.
Peter starts singing.
We will build us a snowman that will reach up to the heavens.
I star singing
It will stay up until July.
“What are you doing here? Stop, stop, stop. Put me down! Put me down!” Angelique yells as we lift her up to put her on top of the “tree”. “Uh, this is ridiculous, everyone knows that the lights go ahead first. I don't want to go all the way up there on the top.”
Sorry that I’m not a professional, unlike SOMEONE I won’t name who won’t help us.
Everyone but Angelique sings.
As long as there's Christmas, I truly believe that hope is the greatest of the gifts we'll receive.
I stop singing, but everyone else is still singing.
As long as our guiding star shines above.
I start singing again and everyone else stops singing.
As long as there's Christmas, we'll all be just fine.
Everyone else starts singing again.
There'll always be Christmas.
I’m the only one singing.
Then there always will be a time as the world is filled with peace and loooooOOOOVE!!!!
“We're going to have the greatest Christmas ever!” Peter exclaims.
“Oh, I hope so, Peter.” I say to the small teacup.
The huge ornament tree falls down, and they begin to scurry about to get to work.
“You, on the left, you on the right, follow me. There is decorating to be done!” Francis directs.
“Yes, yes, but keep in mind. Gilbert mustn't find out!” Arthur says.
That definitely won’t jinx us!
Gilbert’s POV
“Christmas? She's planning Christmas?!” I yell.
Forte has just told me that Y/N is planning to celebrate Christmas!
“Yes, awful, isn't it?” Forte says.
Y/N wouldn’t do something like that… would she?
“Maybe she doesn't know how I feel about Christmas.” I say.
“But she does know. She just doesn't care.....like I do. She's actually trying to bring Christmas back to the castle...and you know how much we despise Christmas.” Forte says.
“The day my life ended…” I say as women in white dresses run through my mind, the beggar woman who was actually an enchantress, and the pain of turning into… this.
“But we have come so far since then...we have risen above the tragedy.” Forte says.
“Where is she?” I say, frustrated.
“I believe she's gone to the boiler room...or then a little birdie warned me.” Forte says.
“He-he. Tweet, tweet, tweet.” A flute or something like that says.
Y/N’s POV
I’m standing in the doorway to the boiler room.
“Dive!” An axe says, then chops some wood.
“Hey, come get out of the road, watch it here.” An oil bucket yells at me.
“Oh, excuse me.” I say as I jump out of the road.
“Alright, you guys, now get back to work. The castle doesn't heat itself, you know!” The axe from before says, then he notices me, “Oi. Well, what have I done for you, lady?”
“I'm looking for a log.” I exclaim.
“Alright. Logs we have. We have hard work, soft wood, we have it all, birch, maple, pine, oak, oi! Concrete, my head, don't worry, it'll pass. Then make up your mind already!” The axe lists.
“It is alright if I just browse.” I ask.
“Suit yourself, take your time. Me, I have work to do.” The axe says before going back to chopping wood.
I examine a log.
This one’s too big.
What about this one?
No, that one’s not big enough.
That’s a stick.
And this one looks like it got put through a meat grinder.
The boiler begins to overload and everyone stands back to watch it.
It lets out steam and cools off
“Hey, what am I paying you for? Being boring? Do that on your own time. Get out of here.” The axe yells at me.
“Yes!” I exclaim, dropping the log that looks like it went through a meat grinder and picking up another log.
Now this one is perfect.
I turn around and see Gilbert.
“Oh, hi Gilbert.” I pause and look at the fourth wall, then I look back, “GILBERT!!???”
I hide the log behind my back.
“What are you hiding?” Gilbert asks, the discord in his void growing, then he swoops around and catches my log.
Ok, that sounded wrong.
“It's a Yule log.” I say.
“What?” Gilbert asks, confused.
“A Yule log. It's a wonderful tradition. One log is chosen by the divine council of the log, and then everyone in the house touches it and makes a Christmas wish.” I explain, “I’m just kidding about the divine council of the log.”
“Wishes are foolish. You made a Christmas wish last year, is this what you wished for?” Gilbert asks.
“No, but I'll keep wishing.....and if the log is burned on Christmas morning-” I exclaim, but Gilbert cuts me off and throws the log into the boiler.
RIP log, you will be missed.
“There will be no Christmas.” Gilbert fumes.
“But…” I protest.
“NoooooOOOO!!!! I am the master here.” Gilbert yells.
“How can you be so selfish?” I proclaim
“You cannot possibly understand...you have no idea what it's like to lose everything, to be trapped in your own castle to be a...a…” Gilbert rants.
“A prisoner? The only one holding us prisoner here is you. Well, I'm not giving up!” I say, then I walk out.