Vigilante: Prompt Fills

Christmas Special!

Eli hadn't glared so viciously at a man dressed as Santa since a mall Santa dropped him back when he was six. His mother still had the picture to prove it.

Of course, Matthew just grinned like the idiot he was. Not for the first time, Eli considered leaving him. Then he realized he'd have to go back to eating cup noodles and toast and decided he might as well stick it out. He still kept glaring with as much indignation as he could muster.

"I look stupid," Eli said, and was surprised he'd managed to speak through his rage.

"Well, I think you look great," Matthew said, as if Eli cared about his opinion. Especially when he looked just as ridiculous. Of course, he had to say Eli looked great if he stood any chance at all in convincing him to go to the library to look like an idiot in front of a bunch of parents and their kids.

"And I think you look like an idiot, but that's never inspired you to change." Matthew actually snorted at that, because apparently Eli was not to be feared anymore. Eli supposed he'd have to banish Matthew to the couch sometime soon.

"Oh come on, where's your Christmas cheer?"

"It died when you decided a stepladder was an acceptable gift." Eli thought, almost gleefully, of the coal awaiting Matthew under the tree. It helped to soothe his vindictive little soul.

"To be fair, you're always asking for help getting stuff down from the top shelves."

"Because you put things there on purpose!" Eli was so angry by that point, he actually stomped. It would have been more impressive without the delicate little jingling from the bell attached to his shoes.

Matthew was very clearly holding back his laughter. Something that was doing nothing to help Eli's mood. Of course, by that point, Eli doubted anything would manage that particular feat. Still, Matthew didn't have to be extra dickish.

"Come on, it's only for a little while," Matthew tried once more. "Do it for the kids," he added when it became obvious Eli wasn't giving in.

"I don't like kids." Eli thought about his little cousins running around, screaming their lungs off and had to suppress a shiver.

"Well, do it because it's the season for giving?" The look Eli gave Matthew told him just what he thought of that particular reason.

"Since when does giving mean dressing up like a theme park mascot reject?"

"Well you can't really go in jeans and a hoodie. That's not festive enough." Eli was about one second away from slamming his festive shoe into Matthew's festive shin. "I'll bake that chocolate cake with marshmallow creme you like." Matthew let out a resigned sigh because he'd been trying to get Eli to eat healthier. So far, he was failing spectacularly.

For a moment, Eli seemed to struggle with the offer, his brow furrowing and lips twisting a he thought it over. Matthew waited patiently, the slightest of grins on his face as he awaited the inevitable result.

"Fine," Eli said with a sigh of defeat.

And that was how he found himself standing next to Matthew—who was fully decked out as Santa—wearing a ridiculous elf costume. He did his best not to glare. Apparently he'd scare the children.

"And what would you like for Christmas?" Matthew asked a little boy that couldn't be more than six. Eli found it very difficult to not roll his eyes.

His head was hurting from the constant noise of the crowd waiting and there was a child in line that he was certain had been crying for what felt like an hour. Not for the first time, he had to reconsider the worth of a cake. After all, his birthday was only a couple months away.