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rsadelleSummary: Five Seguin-Brown family Christmas traditions.
Notes: Tyler Brown loves Christmas, and I love writing Tylers fluff. Title from "Christmas Is All Around" from Love Actually.
Story on AO3
1. The Christmas Tree
Tyler leans in to unbuckle Josh's seat belt and asks, "What are we going to do when we're in the Christmas tree lot?"
"Find a tree!" Michael yells.
"Yep," Tyler says, ignoring Segs' quickly stifled laugh from the other side of the car. "What else are we going to do?"
"I know, I know," Josh says. "Hold hands!"
"That's right," Tyler says. He lifts Josh down onto the ground and turns his attention to getting Andy out of his car seat. He holds both of their hands while they walk around the car. Michael is out of the car and Segs is lifting Eva out of her car seat to put her into the carrier strapped to his chest.
Michael steps away from the car and takes Josh's other hand. They chatter at each other for the time it takes Segs to get Eva settled, and then Tyler locks the car. They look carefully before crossing the parking lot to the fenced in area holding Christmas trees.
Michael tries to run ahead, pulling on Josh, who pulls on Tyler. They're four and a half, so Tyler now has a lot of experience with how much he can let them do that and how to keep them from pulling away from him. He does let them decide where to look first, the rest of them following where Josh and Michael lead them.
They go to a tree that's not even as tall as Tyler, but that's very full with a lot of branches.
Andy says, "Soft," and reaches out to touch it. He looks confused for a second before his face crumples. "Not soft," he wails.
Tyler throws a look at Segs, who crouches down to deal with it. Sometimes division of labor is necessary, and for this trip, Tyler is in charge of the tree and Segs is in charge of the kids.
"Let's see if we can find a bigger one," Tyler says to Josh and Michael.
With Segs behind them with Eva and Andy, Tyler lets Josh and Michael tug him around the lot. Segs brings Andy and Eva to join them after Andy calms down, and then they look at almost every tree there.
Tyler guides Josh and Michael away from the trees that are too big or too small, but otherwise lets them make the choice, and they agree on a large, fluffy tree that will look perfect in their living room.
"Careful," Tyler says when Andy reaches out toward it. "It's not soft."
Andy touches the tree carefully, then turns to smash his face into Segs' leg. Segs puts his hand on the back of Andy's head.
Tyler leaves the kids with Segs while he tracks down an employee to take care of wrapping their tree. While the employee deals with the tree, Tyler and Segs take the kids back through the lot to the front to pay for the tree. They're also selling hot chocolate, and Tyler and Segs have a quick, coded discussion about that before Tyler asks the kids, "Who wants hot chocolate?"
Josh, Michael, and Andy all chorus, "Me!"
The pink-cheeked girl behind the counter says, "I can put some cold milk in the kids' so it's not too hot."
"That would be great, thank you." Tyler turns to Segs. "Do you want some?"
Segs shakes his head. "I'll have some of yours and whatever the kids don't drink."
Tyler orders three small cups for the kids and one regular cup he and Segs pass back and forth. Their tree is ready before they are, but it's not too cold to stay outside for a little longer - one of the advantages to Dallas - so they hang around while the kids drink their hot chocolate. Andy, predictably, spills some of his, and then tries to pour out more to see what it will do when it beads up on his waterproof coat.
"No." Tyler rescues the cup from being poured everywhere. Andy cries, but Tyler stays firm. "You can have it back when you're ready to drink it."
Andy fusses for another minute, then holds his hands out. Tyler gives the cup back to him and watches while he carefully drinks from it.
Tyler puts an arm around Segs and hands him his cup. "You might not get any of the kids'."
"Maybe not." Segs leans into Tyler's shoulder and sips from the cup.
The boys are fine, so Tyler reaches out with his free hand and runs a finger down Eva's cheek, the one not smashed against Segs' chest.
"She fell asleep once we started looking at trees," Segs says.
"She'll help next year." Tyler bends to kiss the top of Eva's head.
"She'll be a terror next year," Segs says. "We'll have to keep track of all four of them running around in here." He's looking at Tyler with a fondness that belies the doom and gloom of his words.
Tyler can't resist him, and he leans in to brush a kiss over Segs' lips. Segs grins at him brightly before he finishes off their hot chocolate.
"Is everyone done?"
Michael is, Josh gulps down the last of his hot chocolate, and Andy offers his mostly empty cup up to Segs.
Tyler gathers up the cups and throws them away while Segs says, "We're all going to hold hands while Papa carries the tree."
Packing up four kids into the car and getting the tree secured to the top of it takes a while, even when they put the kids in the car first so Segs can help tie down the tree.
"I need a nap," Segs says in an undertone once Tyler has started the car and the Christmas playlist he has on means their voices won't reach the kids in the back.
Tyler chuckles. "You have fifteen minutes until we get home."
Segs doesn't fall asleep, but Andy does, and Eva wakes up crying just as they pull into the driveway.
Tyler lets Josh and Michael out of the car while Segs gets Eva out of her car seat. He can hear Segs talking to Eva while he picks up Andy's sleeping deadweight. He holds Andy against his chest with one arm while he unlocks the door to the house.
Marshall comes running, and Tyler reminds the twins to take off their shoes before they go any farther into the house. Tyler takes Andy up to his room and puts him to bed, then goes downstairs and brings the tree in.
Segs puts Eva down in her playpen, which is more to keep the boys and Marshall from accidentally hurting her than to keep her confined, and helps.
"Stay back until Daddy and I get the tree set up," Tyler tells Josh and Michael. "We don't want you to get hurt."
The twins stay out of the way, but it takes Segs snapping his fingers at Marshall twice before he isn't in danger of either tripping them up or knocking anything over.
It doesn't take long after that for Tyler and Segs to get the tree into the stand, and Tyler gets some water to pour into it before they fully unwrap the tree.
When they let the kids come closer, they come right up to the tree, and Josh says, "It's so big."
Tyler looks down and puts his hand on Josh's shoulder. "It is. Are you ready to decorate it?"
"Yes! Will you pick me up to put them up high?"
"I will." Tyler grins at him, and at Michael, who's still just staring at the tree. "Let's put the lights on first."
The twins' attempt to help with that means it takes twice as long as it would otherwise.
Andy comes down the stairs while they're still on the lights. He's taken his shirt off, which is a phase he's in, and one Tyler and Segs don't have much ground to discourage, and he goes straight for Segs, who is closer, and says, "Daddy, I need juice."
Segs goes to the kitchen and comes back with a juice box Andy holds with both hands. He watches the rest of them finish wrapping the lights around the tree before he holds up the juice box and says, "Done."
Tyler is closer this time, so he takes it from him and throws it away in the kitchen. When he comes back, Segs is opening up the first box of ornaments. They have some really delicate ornaments, but they're either still packed up in boxes in the garage or on the small fake tree on the mantel where they can't get knocked over. That means they can let the twins hang up whatever they want, and Andy only needs a little help.
Josh and Michael get completely absorbed in the task, hanging up ornaments as high as they can reach all around the tree, and then demanding Tyler and Segs hold them up to hang some up higher than that. Andy is still young enough that he loses interest after a little bit and goes to play with the shape sorting cube he left out on the floor earlier.
They get most of the tree covered, and Tyler stands back, Josh in his arms. "What do you think? Are we done?"
Josh looks at the tree for a minute, and so does Michael where Segs has him.
"One more," Michael says, and Segs holds him up to fill in an empty spot on their side of the tree.
"Good now?" Tyler asks. "Is it ready for the star?"
"I want to do it!" Josh says.
Tyler forestalls any argument by saying, "You're going to do it together." He gets the star out and lets Josh and Michael take either side of it. He and Segs each keep one hand up to catch it if they can't quite get it, and between the four of them, they get the star on the tree. Tyler plugs it into the tree lights.
Tyler gets Eva out of her playpen and says, "Andy, we're going to turn on the tree. Do you want to come see?"
Andy leaves his toys and comes to stand next to Tyler, one arm wrapped around his calf. The twins come over to them too, and Tyler nods at Segs to plug in the tree.
There's a chorus of oohs from the boys when the lights go on, and Eva babbles something that isn't a word. Tyler looks at her, and at the boys, before he looks up at Segs, who is watching the five of them with a soft smile on his face.
Tyler holds out his hand, and Segs comes over to take it and stand next to him.
"It's a good tree."
Tyler presses a kiss to Segs' cheek. "It is."
2. Santa Claus
Segs says, "Hold hands, please," and then comes around the car with Josh and Andy. Michael grabs Josh's hand.
Tyler lifts Eva out of her car seat and tucks her close to his chest - they're not going to be here long enough to bother with the carrier - before he shuts the door.
Segs goes ahead with the boys, Tyler walking behind them to be another pair of eyes to watch for cars.
There's a rush of warm air that blows over them when they walk into the mall.
Josh and Michael start to run ahead, and Segs calls after them, "Stay close."
They only slow down a little, and Segs has to call after them again to get them to really slow down enough that Andy can keep up with them.
Josh circles back to take Andy's hand and tug him along. "We're going to see Santa," he says. "Come on, come on."
"Don't pull your brother off his feet," Tyler says.
Josh stops pulling so hard, but Andy takes a couple of running steps to keep up with him.
Tyler looks ahead for Michael. He's hanging onto the side of a decorated bench waiting for them, and he takes off again, staying just a little ahead of them, when they catch up to him.
Segs glances at Tyler, who steps around Andy and Josh. "I've got it."
He takes a couple of quick steps so he can stay with Michael. He lets Michael run ahead a little, stepping around shoppers to follow him. At least Eva is calm, looking around without fussing.
They get to the line before Segs and the other boys do, and that's when Tyler catches Michael's hand. "We have to wait our turn."
"But I want to see Santa."
Tyler crouches down to Michael's level. "I know. But so does everyone else in line. We have to wait our turn, okay?"
Michael sticks his bottom lip out, which Tyler is pretty much immune to by now. When that doesn't make Tyler budge, Michael says a sulky, "Okay."
Tyler stands up, just as Segs and the other boys reach them. Segs raises his eyebrows at Tyler. He shakes his head to let Segs know he's got it, and they let the boys mill around at their feet.
The line moves slowly, with every kid in front of them needing to tell Santa what they want and get their picture taken.
Tyler and Segs take turns distracting the boys so they don't melt down before they get to the front of the line. Eva is easier; she's in a good mood and just needs a little bouncing and attention to keep her that way.
When they get close to the front of the line, Tyler crouches down and has the boys watch the people ahead of them. Josh and Michael are old enough to remember doing this last year, but it's mostly new for Andy.
The preparation works, and they take their turns sitting on Santa's lap and getting their pictures taken with a minimum of fussing. It's only when they go to take a picture with all of them that Andy turns away from Santa and says, "No, Daddy."
Segs scoops him up and says, "You can sit with me." It's enough to forestall any other fussing, and they settle in around Santa, the twins on his lap, Andy and Segs on one arm of Santa's chair, Tyler and Eva on the other.
They take two pictures, one by the professional photographer, and one that one of the assistants takes with Tyler's phone. Santa gives the twins, Tyler, and Segs mini candy canes, and Andy a piece of chocolate, and they move out of the way so the next kid can visit with Santa.
Segs opens the candy wrappers for the boys while Tyler gets his phone back and takes the information about when they can pick up their other photos.
Tyler operates his phone one-handed, the other arm holding Eva, and sets the photo of all of them with Santa as his lock screen. Then he texts it first to Segs and then to the family group text that includes all the grandparents, Tyler's brother and Segs' sisters, and a collection of other friends and family who like the constant kid updates.
Then he holds the phone out so Segs can see it without having to mess around with his phone.
Segs looks at it, and then he pulls the candy cane out of his mouth and smiles wide and bright. "We have the cutest kids."
Tyler smiles back at him. "We do."
Josh tugs at the hem of Tyler's shirt. "I want to see."
Tyler keeps smiling while he crouches down to show those very same cutest kids the picture.
3. Christmas Cookies
Tyler moves the playpen into the kitchen so Eva can be near them even though she's too young to help with the cookies. Once he has her settled, he pulls a chair over to the counter for Andy to stand on and lets Josh and Michael drag their stools over so they can reach the counter too.
Tyler supervises handwashing and ties on the boys' aprons, and then he lets Andy peel the wrapping off of the butter while Josh and Michael crack eggs into smaller bowls. He measures out sugar into three different measuring cups so they can each pour some of it into the large bowl.
"I want to mix," Josh says when Tyler plugs in the hand mixer. They have a stand mixer, one of the things Segs got to fully outfit the kitchen for Tyler, but the kids have more fun with the hand mixer.
"Me too," Michael says.
"Me," Andy says, dragging out the vowel.
"You can take turns," Tyler says. He lets Andy start, since Josh and Michael are older and have developed a little more patience. Andy can't actually mix it himself, of course, but Tyler lets him hold the mixer and puts his hands over Andy's when he turns it on. He keeps one hand there while he turns the bowl under the mixer, and after a minute, he turns it off and lets Josh and Michael have their turns.
Once they've creamed the butter and sugar, Tyler checks the eggs for eggshells, and then lets Michael and Josh pour them into the large bowl. He adds the vanilla, and then he lets the boys take turns mixing again.
When the batter is well mixed - maybe over mixed, but it's worth it to make the kids happy - Tyler measures out flour and lets them pour that into the bowl while he puts in salt and baking powder.
Tyler stirs the dough first, just enough that the boys won't get flour everywhere, and then he lets them take turns.
They still get flour on themselves and the counter, but it's not as bad as it could be, and it's only going to get worse when they roll out the dough.
Tyler takes over at the end, to make sure everything is completely mixed in.
"Now we get to cut them out," Michael says.
"Not yet," Tyler says. "We have to put the dough in the refrigerator for an hour."
"An hour? That's forever," Josh whines.
"It's not that long," Tyler says. "It'll make the cookies taste better. Let's wash our hands, and then you can take Marshall outside to play until it's time to cut out cookies."
After the boys wash their hands, Tyler takes off their aprons, wipes up the worst of the flour all over them, and sends them to get their shoes and coats.
The kitchen is at the back of the house, so he can glance up every few minutes and keep an eye on them while he's cleaning up the mess. It's not so bad yet, but he's expecting it to be much worse when they roll out the dough, and it'll be easier to deal with if he cleans as he goes.
Once the kitchen is clean, Tyler picks Eva up out of her playpen. "How about you, Miss Eva? Do you want to go outside?"
She babbles at him and grabs at his cheeks. Tyler puffs them out to make her laugh, and then kisses her forehead. "Let's go outside."
He looks out on the boys, then bundles Eva up, puts on a coat, and takes Eva out into the backyard. It's cold, but they'll be okay for a little while, and he grabbed a blanket he puts down on the grass for Eva to lie on.
When Eva stops enjoying pulling at the grass and starts to fuss instead, Tyler picks her and the blanket up.
Josh runs over with Michael, Andy, and Marshall hot on his heels. "Is it time for cookies?"
It probably hasn't been an hour yet, but by the time everyone gets washed up, it'll be close to it.
"Yes." Tyler opens the door and gets the boys to take off their shoes before they track dirt all over the house.
Eva gets a change of diaper before she goes back in the playpen, and Tyler has the boys wash up and put their aprons back on.
They start with just part of the dough. Tyler lets Josh sprinkle flour on the counter, and Michael gets to spread it out more when it doesn't cover their workspace even remotely evenly.
Tyler lets the boys take turns rolling out the dough, his hands on the rolling pin with theirs to keep it mostly even and make sure the dough gets all the way rolled out.
"Now," he says when they have a flat expanse of dough, "you can cut them out, carefully." He gives the boys the bowl of Christmas cookie cutters he separated out from the others and lets them choose which ones they want to use.
Josh and Michael only need a little help. Andy can press the cookie cutters into the dough, but doesn't have the coordination to go farther than that. Tyler picks his cookies up and puts them on the first parchment-covered cookie sheet for him, and he nudges Josh and Michael's around a little so they won't all merge together into one giant cookie.
Segs gets home from practice while they're rolling out a second handful of the dough. Marshall runs to greet him at the door, and then they both come into the kitchen.
"Cookies?" Segs asks.
Michael says, "Yes," and Josh says, "We made them."
"I help!" Andy adds.
"Good for you." Segs kisses all three of the boys on the top of their heads.
Tyler turns his head to kiss Segs without moving his hands out of their work space. No need to get flour on more of the kitchen than he needs to.
The commotion makes Eva fuss.
"She probably needs a bottle," Tyler says.
Segs goes over to pick her up. "Is that it? Do you need a bottle, sweet girl?" He rocks her while he moves around Tyler and the boys to heat up a bottle for her.
The kitchen gets mostly quiet again once Segs gives Eva her bottle. Tyler gets the first sheet of cookies in the oven, and lets the boys fill up the other cookie sheet and a couple more pieces of parchment with cookies.
Segs puts Eva in her high chair, turned so she can see them all in the kitchen, when she's done with her bottle, then asks Tyler, "What are we having for lunch?"
"Just sandwiches. I think we're almost done with this. Can you start them?"
"Yeah," Segs says. "I got it." He gets sandwich makings out and starts putting together sandwiches for the five of them.
It doesn't take long for the boys to be more interested in sandwiches than cookies they can't eat yet. Tyler has them all wash their hands and sit at the table, and Segs takes them each a sandwich with a side of carrot sticks and hummus.
Tyler rolls out the rest of the dough and cuts cookies much faster than he could while the boys were helping. Segs stands around watching him and steals a piece of dough that he pops into his mouth.
"You're setting a bad example."
Segs laughs and presses a loud kiss to Tyler's cheek while he steals another piece of the dough.
Tyler shakes his head and finishes putting cookies onto parchment, and then swaps the cookie sheet in the oven for the one waiting to go in when the timer goes off.
He and Segs take their sandwiches to the table to eat with the boys, turning Eva's high chair more toward the table so she can be part of the meal. The boys tell Segs all about making cookies and playing with Marshall outside, and Tyler gets up every seven minutes to check on the cookies and swap the done ones for some still waiting to be cooked.
"Now we get to decorate," Michael says when they're all done with lunch.
"We have to wait for them to cool," Tyler says. "And it's nap time."
"I don't want to take a nap," Michael says, just on the edge of too loud.
"I'm going to take a nap," Segs says. "Do you want to come nap in the big bed with me?"
Michael wavers, but when Josh says, "I do!" he says yes.
"I nap too," Andy says.
"You too," Segs says. "Everyone use the potty first."
In the general chaos that results from that, Tyler presses his lips to Segs'.
"Are you coming too?"
"Maybe in a bit. I'm going to finish the cookies and get things cleaned up out here."
"Okay." Segs slides his hand across Tyler's stomach. "You want Eva down here with you?"
Eva is still happily grabbing at the tray of her high chair, so Tyler says, "Yeah, she's fine."
Segs kisses Tyler's jaw, and then he gets the boys to go upstairs with him.
Tyler picks Eva up and kisses her forehead. "Do you want to go back in your playpen? It's probably more fun in there now that everyone else is gone." He puts her down, and she immediately grabs for the nose of her stuffed elephant.
Tyler puts on his Christmas playlist and sings along softly while he finishes up the cookies and throws together some frosting. It can sit in the fridge until they're ready to decorate later.
By the time the kitchen is clean, Eva is completely out, face smushed into the floor of her playpen while she sleeps. Tyler picks her up carefully, and cradles her to his chest while he goes up the stairs.
The boys and Segs are all asleep in Segs and Tyler's bed. There's just enough space for Tyler to lie down on one side of the bed with Eva on his chest. He doesn't quite fall asleep, just dozes for a while, and comes all the way awake when Segs gets out of bed.
Tyler gets up with Segs, taking Eva with him and putting her down in her playpen again. They have a few minutes to talk, Tyler asking about practice and Segs asking about Tyler's morning, before the boys start coming down the stairs.
Andy is the slowest to wake up, and he holds his arms up to Segs to be picked up.
Michael hangs onto the edge of the counter, pulling himself up to look at the cookies. "Can we decorate now?"
"Wash your hands first." Tyler supervises that, ties on the twins' aprons, and gets them set up with frosting, some in a bowl and some in icing cones, sprinkles, and colored sugar.
They're getting better at it, both of them able to draw a little bit on their cookies instead of just slapping frosting on and throwing all the sprinkles it can hold on top of it.
Segs helps Andy wash his hands and put his apron on when he wakes all the way up, and Andy is still at the slather frosting on in giant blobs stage.
Segs decorates a couple of cookies with the boys, and Tyler takes over the other half of what they made, doing thin layers of icing with sprinkles or sugar on some of them and neatly piping designs onto the rest.
"I want to eat it," Josh says, holding up one of his cookies. He's managed to pipe something on it, but that's on top of a thick layer of frosting and he's thrown colored sugar on top of the whole thing.
"We have to take a picture first," Michael says.
Tyler washes his hands and gets out his phone to take pictures of the boys and Segs holding up their cookies, and then a few more of the rest of the cookies.
"You can each eat one," Segs says. "The rest of them are for later."
They boys end up eating the cookies they decorated with the most frosting, Segs eats one of the ones Tyler piped an approximation of the Stars logo onto, and Tyler takes one of the half-sprinkles, half-sugar ones Segs did.
They get the boys cleaned up after that, and they leave the cookies out for now so the frosting will set. They'll put them on plates to send home with both sets of Benns later.
4. Stars Holiday Skate
Tyler and Segs get the twins out of the car and give them each their skate bags before Segs lifts Andy out of the car and Tyler picks up Eva. Segs has the bag with skates for Tyler and Andy, and Tyler has the diaper bag. There was a time when they didn't have to bring anything to this party but Tyler's skates, but those days are long past.
The twins run ahead once they get inside, dashing for the locker room so they can get out on the ice. Tyler and Segs follow more slowly, at Andy's pace. It's straightforward enough and there are enough people who know them around that they don't have to worry about the twins getting lost.
The twins are already sitting on the bench at Segs' stall, their feet dangling off the floor while they pull their shoes off, when Tyler and Segs get to the room.
Segs lifts Andy up to put him on the bench next to the twins, and kneels down to swap Andy's shoes for skates. It takes him just about as long as it takes the twins to get their shoes off and their skates on their feet, and then he moves down the line and ties Josh and Michael's skates for them.
Josh slides down off the bench onto his feet and takes a couple of wobbly steps. "Can we skate now?"
"Just a minute," Segs says. "Papa and I have to get our skates on."
Tyler helps Andy get down one-handed, and sits next to Segs. "We should've brought the car seat in."
"I can hold her," Sam says. Tyler didn't notice her coming over to them.
Tyler looks up and smiles at her. "Thanks." He hands Eva over, shushing her when she makes a noise. "Go on. You love Aunt Samantha."
"I can hold her for a while if you want to skate with the kids," Sam says. "I'm not going out on the ice."
"Oh yeah?" Tyler sits back down and unties his shoes. "You okay?"
"I'm great."
Tyler looks up to see the soft smile spreading across Sam's face.
"I'm pregnant."
"Hey, that's great." Tyler stands up again and hugs her, with Segs right behind him to do the same.
"Bennie," Segs calls, "you've been keeping secrets."
Jamie comes over and puts his arm around Sam's waist. "We just started telling people."
"We wanted to wait until we were out of the first trimester," Sam says. "Four months now." She pats her stomach, where she isn't quite starting to show yet.
"Congratulations," Tyler says. "That's wonderful."
Sam leans against Jamie, both of them positively beaming.
"Papa," Josh tugs at Tyler's jeans, "I wanna skate now."
"Okay," Tyler says. "Just a minute. Why don't you go see if Natalie's ready to go with us." He focuses on getting his skates on, and then he stands up and looks for the kids. Segs already has his skates on, and he's carrying Andy and chatting with Jamie while the twins and Natalie head out toward the ice.
"You're too slow," Sam says, following his gaze.
"Only because I got waylaid by you." Tyler squeezes her arm. "Congratulations, really. I'm excited for you." Tyler's been there for some of the conversations about how much she wants to have another baby, and how hard it's been even though they've been trying.
"Thank you." Sam takes a deep breath as they start walking toward the ice. "I'm still worried something will happen, but we made it through the first trimester, so it's all hormones and weight gain from here."
Tyler chuckles. "And then a baby." He reaches over to chuck Eva under the chin.
"And then a baby," Sam says. She looks down at Eva. "Did you want her back?"
Tyler looks out to where Segs and Jamie are skating with the kids. "In a bit," he says. "I'm going to go skate, if you won't be lonely."
Sam laughs and gestures at the other women not joining in on the skating portion of the party. "I think I'll be okay."
Tyler smiles at her and heads out onto the ice. Segs has Andy and is skating along with him, since Andy is the one still learning to stay on his feet on skates, while Jamie has the other kids hooked up with sticks and a puck.
Tyler heads over to Jamie, and they spend some time working on stickhandling with the kids. Nothing fancy, yet, just letting them practice carrying and passing. Their passes miss more often than not, and Tyler grabs one of the spare sticks from the side of the rink so he can help corral the game.
Jordie and Emily show up late, which isn't a surprise, and when they circle around their small group, Natalie skates as furiously as she can towards Emily.
"Aunt Emily, you have to play with us. You're better than Daddy and Uncle Tyler."
Tyler and Jamie share a rueful look, and Emily laughs outright.
"Sure thing, kiddo. Let me get a stick."
Emily skates for the boards to do just that, and Jordie comes over to stand with Tyler and Jamie.
Jordie pats Jamie on the shoulder. "It's good for her to have a female role model."
Jamie rolls his eyes. "You only think that because it's your wife she's looking up to."
Jordie shrugs. "You all know I got the best one. I mean, you," he says to Tyler, "don't even come close."
Tyler would flip him off if there weren't kids around, but as it is he settles for copying Jamie's eye roll, and then hands Jordie the stick he's been using. "I'm going to check on my other kids. Have fun."
Behind him, Jamie says, "You've got this, right?" and then skates to catch up with him.
When they reach the boards, Jamie leans across to kiss Sam, and then she hands Eva over to Tyler. "The kids found a better option, huh?"
"I guess so," Tyler says. He kisses Eva's forehead. "You still think I'm the best, right?"
Eva babbles at him and grabs for the collar of his shirt.
"I hate to break it to you," Sam says, "but that's not going to last either. Emily's always going to be the cool aunt. Even if they have kids."
"You're probably right," Tyler says. "And I'm not even the fun dad." He looks for Segs, who is pulling Andy along faster than he would be able to skate by himself.
"You do all right," Sam says. She waves at the ice. "Go get in on that. Andy's not old enough to think Emily's cooler than you yet."
Tyler laughs and takes Eva over to where Segs and Andy are. Segs makes a wide, slow turn and skates backwards toward them so Andy can see them.
"Papa, we go fast!"
"I see that."
Andy drops Segs' hands and holds his hands out to Tyler. "Papa, go fast."
Tyler hands Eva over to Segs and holds Andy's hands. "Okay, ready?"
"Yes!"
Tyler starts slow, keeping an eye out behind him so he doesn't run into anyone, and then speeds up a little more, listening to Andy's delighted laughter. They do a wide circle around Segs and Eva, and then slow down and head in toward them.
"Do you think you can try to skate by yourself?" Tyler asks Andy.
"Uh-huh," Andy says. He keeps hold of one of Tyler's hands while he skates, but it's slow enough that Tyler and Segs barely have to put in any effort to keep up with him.
"You lose the kids to Emily?" Segs asks.
"Yep." Tyler looks across the ice, to where the crowd of kids around Emily and Jordie has grown. "Is she the whole team's cool aunt?"
Segs chuckles. "I think so." He takes Tyler's free hand and laces their fingers together. "I still think you're cooler."
Tyler brings their hands up and kisses the back of Segs' hand. "You'd better."
Segs pulls at him, just enough to slide himself closer. "Always."
5. Christmas Morning
Segs and Tyler went to bed not long after the kids, just enough later that they could get everything set up downstairs, but it's still too early when their door opens and Josh and Michael come in.
"Papa." Josh pushes at Tyler's shoulder. "Papa, wake up, it's Christmas!"
Tyler can hear Michael trying to wake up Segs on the other side of the bed. Segs has gotten better at waking up since they had kids, but he's still not a morning person, and he just groans.
Tyler looks at the clock, then squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. It's way, way too early, even for him, even for Christmas.
"It's still early," he tells Josh. "Why don't you come up here with us for a bit." He lifts Josh into bed, then leans over Segs to lift Michael up too.
"But presents," Michael says.
"I know you want your presents," Tyler says. "But it's really early. Let's wait until Andy and Eva wake up, okay?" He pulls Michael into a hug. "You can stay here with us until then."
Segs wakes up enough to put his arm over Josh. "They'll be up soon."
Josh and Michael more or less settle in, making themselves comfortable and taking up a conversation that doesn't require adult input and lets Tyler and Segs drift back to sleep. Or Segs anyway; Tyler just dozes for a while, until their door gets pushed open again and Andy comes in rubbing at his eyes.
"Papa, is it Christmas?"
Tyler sits up and lifts Andy up onto the bed. He kisses Andy's cheek, and that's when Eva starts to cry over the baby monitor. "Yes, it's Christmas." Tyler reaches over the kids to shake Segs' shoulder. "I'm going to get Eva."
Segs murmurs a sleepy agreement, and Tyler turns on the bedside lamp before he leaves the room. Between that and the boys, Segs will probably be mostly awake by the time Tyler gets Eva up and changed.
"Hey, baby girl." Tyler lifts Eva out of her crib. "Let's get you a clean diaper, and then we'll go downstairs and get you some breakfast." He talks to Eva while he changes her, and then he snaps her Christmas onesie closed again, and takes her into his and Segs' bedroom to let Segs hold her while Tyler washes his hands and brushes his teeth.
Segs is the one to say, "Let's go see what Santa left for us," when Tyler's done.
They boys tumble out of the room and down the stairs. They know they have to wait for Tyler and Segs to join them before they can open anything, so Tyler takes a minute to kiss Segs.
"Merry Christmas."
Segs smiles at him, still a little sleepy. "Merry Christmas." He presses another kiss to Tyler's lips. "Want me to get her bottle?"
"No," Tyler says. "I need to put breakfast in the oven anyway." He takes Eva from Segs, and they go downstairs, Segs to the living room and Tyler to the kitchen.
Tyler turns on the oven, starts Eva's bottle heating, and then pulls the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge where they've been slow rising overnight. The oven is warm enough by the time Eva's bottle is done that Tyler slides the pans into the oven and sets the timer before he gives Eva her bottle.
He takes Eva into the living room where Segs is on the couch and the boys are on the floor with a presents in front of each of them.
Segs smiles up at Tyler. "Now you can open your presents," he tells the boys.
Tyler sits next to Segs, leaning into the arm Segs puts around his shoulder while they watch the boys tear the paper off their bigger presents first - the bikes with training wheels for Josh and Michael and a smaller tricycle for Andy - and then dig into the smaller ones, books and art supplies, hockey sticks and soccer balls.
There's a lot of excited yelling, and Tyler and Segs watch the whole thing with giant smiles. They try to restrain themselves at Christmas since there are so many people who buy the boys presents, but it's hard when it gets such excitement out of them. They even get excited about new toques.
"Now you have to open presents," Michael says to Segs and Tyler once the boys are surrounded by piles of torn wrapping paper.
"Okay," Segs says. "Why don't you bring them over here, and the ones for Eva."
Josh and Michael can recognize their letters well enough to pick out the presents with tags that start with E, and of course they know the ones they helped wrap for Tyler and Segs.
The boys help open Eva's presents, since she isn't old enough to do it herself, but they lose interest in them once the wrapping paper is off. Eva grabs at some of the soft clothes, and she latches right on to the plastic key ring.
Tyler and Segs have small things from the boys, which they ooh and ahh over, and then Segs gets up again to hold the boys up high enough that they can get their stockings down. He gets Marshall's down too, and lets the boys unpack that to give Marshall a treat and a new chew toy. While he's up, he also brings over the last two gifts, which he and Tyler put high up enough in the tree that the boys wouldn't get to them.
"You go first," Tyler says.
Segs grins and tears the wrapping paper off the envelope Tyler wrapped up for him just so he could do that. He opens the envelope then, and pulls out the sheet of paper in it. Tyler knows what it says, promise of a romantic date night, complete with dinner reservations and "a sexual favor of your choice" - for now he can still put things like that on gifts, although they'll have to be more careful once the boys can read - and he revels in watching Segs' face as he reads it.
"Babysitter for the kids?" Segs asks.
"Sleepover at Uncle Jordie and Aunt Emily's."
Segs looks from the boys to Eva. "All of them?"
"All of them," Tyler says. "That choice of yours can be anything you want."
Segs leans in and kisses Tyler slow and lingering. "Thank you." He takes Eva with him when he sits back. "Your turn."
Tyler tears the paper off his own envelope. Inside are registration forms for a rec hockey league that have already been filled out with his information and an email printout confirming their regular babysitter can cover one game and one practice a week.
"You just have to sign the forms," Segs says when Tyler looks up at him. "I know you miss it, and I wanted you to have something just for you."
Tyler cups Segs' cheek and leans in to kiss him softly. "Thank you. This is perfect." He couldn't face playing hockey for a while after he stopped playing. He's been slowly getting back into spending time on the ice, mostly with the boys, and he's been thinking it might be time to start playing again.
Segs beams at him, and Tyler smiles back for a minute until the timer goes off in the kitchen and he has to take the cinnamon rolls out of the oven. He puts the rolls on a cooling rack on the counter, and while he's up he gets out the camera and the tripod. They don't use it much, but it comes in handy when they do.
Segs smiles at him when he comes back into the living room, and Tyler gets the tripod set up.
"Picture time!" he says when it's ready and pointed at the couch.
Tyler sits down with Segs, and the boys clamber up into their laps until all five of them are on the couch with Segs still holding Eva.
"Marshall too," Andy demands, and Segs calls Marshall over and tells him to sit in front of them.
"Okay," Tyler says. "Everyone look at the camera and smile." He waits until they're all more or less looking in that direction and clicks the button on the camera remote. Josh looks down at Marshall just as he does, and Andy turns to look at Eva. Segs barely stifles a laugh.
"Let's try that again," Tyler says. "Look at the camera." He points them all in that direction. "Now smile." He hits the button, and Marshall jumps up from the floor.
Segs doesn't bother trying not to laugh that time, and even Tyler has to chuckle a little.
"Down, Marshall," Segs says. "Down."
Marshall lies down again, and Tyler says, "One more time. Everyone look at the camera. Now smile." This time when he clicks the remote, no one moves or looks away from the camera. Tyler slips out from under the kids and goes to look at the picture. It's a good one, all of them piled together in their matching Christmas pajamas, everyone smiling, even Eva looking toward the camera. Tyler gives Segs and the kids a thumbs up. "Good job." He takes the camera off the tripod and takes it over to let everyone see the picture before the boys wriggle off the couch to play with their toys instead.
Tyler leaves the camera with Segs and goes into the kitchen to throw together the glaze for the cinnamon rolls. It doesn't take long, and then he pours it over the rolls and gets plates out of the cabinet. He pokes his head into the living room to say, "If you wash your hands, you can have cinnamon rolls for breakfast," which starts a stampede of the boys going to wash their hands.
Segs goes with them to supervise, and Tyler takes Eva into the kitchen with him. He puts her in her high chair and then finishes making breakfast. He puts cinnamon rolls on plates, pours cups of milk and orange juice, and throws together a quick protein shake for Segs.
The boys take their places at the table, and Tyler gives them each a plate with a cinnamon roll. Andy and Michael get milk, and Tyler, Segs, and Josh get orange juice. Segs takes his protein shake from the counter and Tyler grabs the last two plates with cinnamon rolls.
Everyone is quiet while they take their first bites of food. Tyler catches movement out of the corner of his eye and turns to look at Segs, who has turned sideways in his chair so he can put his feet on the rungs of Tyler's chair.
"Best Christmas ever?" Segs asks.
Tyler smiles at him and leans in to give him a quick kiss. "Best Christmas ever." He reaches down to squeeze Segs' knee, and then hears the clatter of a cup starting to fall and catches Josh's orange juice before all of it can spill across the table.
Segs laughs as he grabs napkins to sop up what did spill.
Tyler shakes his head and says, "Careful," to Josh before he matches Segs' smile. He still wouldn't trade anything about this morning for the world.
Notes: Tyler Brown loves Christmas, and I love writing Tylers fluff. Title from "Christmas Is All Around" from Love Actually.
Story on AO3
1. The Christmas Tree
Tyler leans in to unbuckle Josh's seat belt and asks, "What are we going to do when we're in the Christmas tree lot?"
"Find a tree!" Michael yells.
"Yep," Tyler says, ignoring Segs' quickly stifled laugh from the other side of the car. "What else are we going to do?"
"I know, I know," Josh says. "Hold hands!"
"That's right," Tyler says. He lifts Josh down onto the ground and turns his attention to getting Andy out of his car seat. He holds both of their hands while they walk around the car. Michael is out of the car and Segs is lifting Eva out of her car seat to put her into the carrier strapped to his chest.
Michael steps away from the car and takes Josh's other hand. They chatter at each other for the time it takes Segs to get Eva settled, and then Tyler locks the car. They look carefully before crossing the parking lot to the fenced in area holding Christmas trees.
Michael tries to run ahead, pulling on Josh, who pulls on Tyler. They're four and a half, so Tyler now has a lot of experience with how much he can let them do that and how to keep them from pulling away from him. He does let them decide where to look first, the rest of them following where Josh and Michael lead them.
They go to a tree that's not even as tall as Tyler, but that's very full with a lot of branches.
Andy says, "Soft," and reaches out to touch it. He looks confused for a second before his face crumples. "Not soft," he wails.
Tyler throws a look at Segs, who crouches down to deal with it. Sometimes division of labor is necessary, and for this trip, Tyler is in charge of the tree and Segs is in charge of the kids.
"Let's see if we can find a bigger one," Tyler says to Josh and Michael.
With Segs behind them with Eva and Andy, Tyler lets Josh and Michael tug him around the lot. Segs brings Andy and Eva to join them after Andy calms down, and then they look at almost every tree there.
Tyler guides Josh and Michael away from the trees that are too big or too small, but otherwise lets them make the choice, and they agree on a large, fluffy tree that will look perfect in their living room.
"Careful," Tyler says when Andy reaches out toward it. "It's not soft."
Andy touches the tree carefully, then turns to smash his face into Segs' leg. Segs puts his hand on the back of Andy's head.
Tyler leaves the kids with Segs while he tracks down an employee to take care of wrapping their tree. While the employee deals with the tree, Tyler and Segs take the kids back through the lot to the front to pay for the tree. They're also selling hot chocolate, and Tyler and Segs have a quick, coded discussion about that before Tyler asks the kids, "Who wants hot chocolate?"
Josh, Michael, and Andy all chorus, "Me!"
The pink-cheeked girl behind the counter says, "I can put some cold milk in the kids' so it's not too hot."
"That would be great, thank you." Tyler turns to Segs. "Do you want some?"
Segs shakes his head. "I'll have some of yours and whatever the kids don't drink."
Tyler orders three small cups for the kids and one regular cup he and Segs pass back and forth. Their tree is ready before they are, but it's not too cold to stay outside for a little longer - one of the advantages to Dallas - so they hang around while the kids drink their hot chocolate. Andy, predictably, spills some of his, and then tries to pour out more to see what it will do when it beads up on his waterproof coat.
"No." Tyler rescues the cup from being poured everywhere. Andy cries, but Tyler stays firm. "You can have it back when you're ready to drink it."
Andy fusses for another minute, then holds his hands out. Tyler gives the cup back to him and watches while he carefully drinks from it.
Tyler puts an arm around Segs and hands him his cup. "You might not get any of the kids'."
"Maybe not." Segs leans into Tyler's shoulder and sips from the cup.
The boys are fine, so Tyler reaches out with his free hand and runs a finger down Eva's cheek, the one not smashed against Segs' chest.
"She fell asleep once we started looking at trees," Segs says.
"She'll help next year." Tyler bends to kiss the top of Eva's head.
"She'll be a terror next year," Segs says. "We'll have to keep track of all four of them running around in here." He's looking at Tyler with a fondness that belies the doom and gloom of his words.
Tyler can't resist him, and he leans in to brush a kiss over Segs' lips. Segs grins at him brightly before he finishes off their hot chocolate.
"Is everyone done?"
Michael is, Josh gulps down the last of his hot chocolate, and Andy offers his mostly empty cup up to Segs.
Tyler gathers up the cups and throws them away while Segs says, "We're all going to hold hands while Papa carries the tree."
Packing up four kids into the car and getting the tree secured to the top of it takes a while, even when they put the kids in the car first so Segs can help tie down the tree.
"I need a nap," Segs says in an undertone once Tyler has started the car and the Christmas playlist he has on means their voices won't reach the kids in the back.
Tyler chuckles. "You have fifteen minutes until we get home."
Segs doesn't fall asleep, but Andy does, and Eva wakes up crying just as they pull into the driveway.
Tyler lets Josh and Michael out of the car while Segs gets Eva out of her car seat. He can hear Segs talking to Eva while he picks up Andy's sleeping deadweight. He holds Andy against his chest with one arm while he unlocks the door to the house.
Marshall comes running, and Tyler reminds the twins to take off their shoes before they go any farther into the house. Tyler takes Andy up to his room and puts him to bed, then goes downstairs and brings the tree in.
Segs puts Eva down in her playpen, which is more to keep the boys and Marshall from accidentally hurting her than to keep her confined, and helps.
"Stay back until Daddy and I get the tree set up," Tyler tells Josh and Michael. "We don't want you to get hurt."
The twins stay out of the way, but it takes Segs snapping his fingers at Marshall twice before he isn't in danger of either tripping them up or knocking anything over.
It doesn't take long after that for Tyler and Segs to get the tree into the stand, and Tyler gets some water to pour into it before they fully unwrap the tree.
When they let the kids come closer, they come right up to the tree, and Josh says, "It's so big."
Tyler looks down and puts his hand on Josh's shoulder. "It is. Are you ready to decorate it?"
"Yes! Will you pick me up to put them up high?"
"I will." Tyler grins at him, and at Michael, who's still just staring at the tree. "Let's put the lights on first."
The twins' attempt to help with that means it takes twice as long as it would otherwise.
Andy comes down the stairs while they're still on the lights. He's taken his shirt off, which is a phase he's in, and one Tyler and Segs don't have much ground to discourage, and he goes straight for Segs, who is closer, and says, "Daddy, I need juice."
Segs goes to the kitchen and comes back with a juice box Andy holds with both hands. He watches the rest of them finish wrapping the lights around the tree before he holds up the juice box and says, "Done."
Tyler is closer this time, so he takes it from him and throws it away in the kitchen. When he comes back, Segs is opening up the first box of ornaments. They have some really delicate ornaments, but they're either still packed up in boxes in the garage or on the small fake tree on the mantel where they can't get knocked over. That means they can let the twins hang up whatever they want, and Andy only needs a little help.
Josh and Michael get completely absorbed in the task, hanging up ornaments as high as they can reach all around the tree, and then demanding Tyler and Segs hold them up to hang some up higher than that. Andy is still young enough that he loses interest after a little bit and goes to play with the shape sorting cube he left out on the floor earlier.
They get most of the tree covered, and Tyler stands back, Josh in his arms. "What do you think? Are we done?"
Josh looks at the tree for a minute, and so does Michael where Segs has him.
"One more," Michael says, and Segs holds him up to fill in an empty spot on their side of the tree.
"Good now?" Tyler asks. "Is it ready for the star?"
"I want to do it!" Josh says.
Tyler forestalls any argument by saying, "You're going to do it together." He gets the star out and lets Josh and Michael take either side of it. He and Segs each keep one hand up to catch it if they can't quite get it, and between the four of them, they get the star on the tree. Tyler plugs it into the tree lights.
Tyler gets Eva out of her playpen and says, "Andy, we're going to turn on the tree. Do you want to come see?"
Andy leaves his toys and comes to stand next to Tyler, one arm wrapped around his calf. The twins come over to them too, and Tyler nods at Segs to plug in the tree.
There's a chorus of oohs from the boys when the lights go on, and Eva babbles something that isn't a word. Tyler looks at her, and at the boys, before he looks up at Segs, who is watching the five of them with a soft smile on his face.
Tyler holds out his hand, and Segs comes over to take it and stand next to him.
"It's a good tree."
Tyler presses a kiss to Segs' cheek. "It is."
2. Santa Claus
Segs says, "Hold hands, please," and then comes around the car with Josh and Andy. Michael grabs Josh's hand.
Tyler lifts Eva out of her car seat and tucks her close to his chest - they're not going to be here long enough to bother with the carrier - before he shuts the door.
Segs goes ahead with the boys, Tyler walking behind them to be another pair of eyes to watch for cars.
There's a rush of warm air that blows over them when they walk into the mall.
Josh and Michael start to run ahead, and Segs calls after them, "Stay close."
They only slow down a little, and Segs has to call after them again to get them to really slow down enough that Andy can keep up with them.
Josh circles back to take Andy's hand and tug him along. "We're going to see Santa," he says. "Come on, come on."
"Don't pull your brother off his feet," Tyler says.
Josh stops pulling so hard, but Andy takes a couple of running steps to keep up with him.
Tyler looks ahead for Michael. He's hanging onto the side of a decorated bench waiting for them, and he takes off again, staying just a little ahead of them, when they catch up to him.
Segs glances at Tyler, who steps around Andy and Josh. "I've got it."
He takes a couple of quick steps so he can stay with Michael. He lets Michael run ahead a little, stepping around shoppers to follow him. At least Eva is calm, looking around without fussing.
They get to the line before Segs and the other boys do, and that's when Tyler catches Michael's hand. "We have to wait our turn."
"But I want to see Santa."
Tyler crouches down to Michael's level. "I know. But so does everyone else in line. We have to wait our turn, okay?"
Michael sticks his bottom lip out, which Tyler is pretty much immune to by now. When that doesn't make Tyler budge, Michael says a sulky, "Okay."
Tyler stands up, just as Segs and the other boys reach them. Segs raises his eyebrows at Tyler. He shakes his head to let Segs know he's got it, and they let the boys mill around at their feet.
The line moves slowly, with every kid in front of them needing to tell Santa what they want and get their picture taken.
Tyler and Segs take turns distracting the boys so they don't melt down before they get to the front of the line. Eva is easier; she's in a good mood and just needs a little bouncing and attention to keep her that way.
When they get close to the front of the line, Tyler crouches down and has the boys watch the people ahead of them. Josh and Michael are old enough to remember doing this last year, but it's mostly new for Andy.
The preparation works, and they take their turns sitting on Santa's lap and getting their pictures taken with a minimum of fussing. It's only when they go to take a picture with all of them that Andy turns away from Santa and says, "No, Daddy."
Segs scoops him up and says, "You can sit with me." It's enough to forestall any other fussing, and they settle in around Santa, the twins on his lap, Andy and Segs on one arm of Santa's chair, Tyler and Eva on the other.
They take two pictures, one by the professional photographer, and one that one of the assistants takes with Tyler's phone. Santa gives the twins, Tyler, and Segs mini candy canes, and Andy a piece of chocolate, and they move out of the way so the next kid can visit with Santa.
Segs opens the candy wrappers for the boys while Tyler gets his phone back and takes the information about when they can pick up their other photos.
Tyler operates his phone one-handed, the other arm holding Eva, and sets the photo of all of them with Santa as his lock screen. Then he texts it first to Segs and then to the family group text that includes all the grandparents, Tyler's brother and Segs' sisters, and a collection of other friends and family who like the constant kid updates.
Then he holds the phone out so Segs can see it without having to mess around with his phone.
Segs looks at it, and then he pulls the candy cane out of his mouth and smiles wide and bright. "We have the cutest kids."
Tyler smiles back at him. "We do."
Josh tugs at the hem of Tyler's shirt. "I want to see."
Tyler keeps smiling while he crouches down to show those very same cutest kids the picture.
3. Christmas Cookies
Tyler moves the playpen into the kitchen so Eva can be near them even though she's too young to help with the cookies. Once he has her settled, he pulls a chair over to the counter for Andy to stand on and lets Josh and Michael drag their stools over so they can reach the counter too.
Tyler supervises handwashing and ties on the boys' aprons, and then he lets Andy peel the wrapping off of the butter while Josh and Michael crack eggs into smaller bowls. He measures out sugar into three different measuring cups so they can each pour some of it into the large bowl.
"I want to mix," Josh says when Tyler plugs in the hand mixer. They have a stand mixer, one of the things Segs got to fully outfit the kitchen for Tyler, but the kids have more fun with the hand mixer.
"Me too," Michael says.
"Me," Andy says, dragging out the vowel.
"You can take turns," Tyler says. He lets Andy start, since Josh and Michael are older and have developed a little more patience. Andy can't actually mix it himself, of course, but Tyler lets him hold the mixer and puts his hands over Andy's when he turns it on. He keeps one hand there while he turns the bowl under the mixer, and after a minute, he turns it off and lets Josh and Michael have their turns.
Once they've creamed the butter and sugar, Tyler checks the eggs for eggshells, and then lets Michael and Josh pour them into the large bowl. He adds the vanilla, and then he lets the boys take turns mixing again.
When the batter is well mixed - maybe over mixed, but it's worth it to make the kids happy - Tyler measures out flour and lets them pour that into the bowl while he puts in salt and baking powder.
Tyler stirs the dough first, just enough that the boys won't get flour everywhere, and then he lets them take turns.
They still get flour on themselves and the counter, but it's not as bad as it could be, and it's only going to get worse when they roll out the dough.
Tyler takes over at the end, to make sure everything is completely mixed in.
"Now we get to cut them out," Michael says.
"Not yet," Tyler says. "We have to put the dough in the refrigerator for an hour."
"An hour? That's forever," Josh whines.
"It's not that long," Tyler says. "It'll make the cookies taste better. Let's wash our hands, and then you can take Marshall outside to play until it's time to cut out cookies."
After the boys wash their hands, Tyler takes off their aprons, wipes up the worst of the flour all over them, and sends them to get their shoes and coats.
The kitchen is at the back of the house, so he can glance up every few minutes and keep an eye on them while he's cleaning up the mess. It's not so bad yet, but he's expecting it to be much worse when they roll out the dough, and it'll be easier to deal with if he cleans as he goes.
Once the kitchen is clean, Tyler picks Eva up out of her playpen. "How about you, Miss Eva? Do you want to go outside?"
She babbles at him and grabs at his cheeks. Tyler puffs them out to make her laugh, and then kisses her forehead. "Let's go outside."
He looks out on the boys, then bundles Eva up, puts on a coat, and takes Eva out into the backyard. It's cold, but they'll be okay for a little while, and he grabbed a blanket he puts down on the grass for Eva to lie on.
When Eva stops enjoying pulling at the grass and starts to fuss instead, Tyler picks her and the blanket up.
Josh runs over with Michael, Andy, and Marshall hot on his heels. "Is it time for cookies?"
It probably hasn't been an hour yet, but by the time everyone gets washed up, it'll be close to it.
"Yes." Tyler opens the door and gets the boys to take off their shoes before they track dirt all over the house.
Eva gets a change of diaper before she goes back in the playpen, and Tyler has the boys wash up and put their aprons back on.
They start with just part of the dough. Tyler lets Josh sprinkle flour on the counter, and Michael gets to spread it out more when it doesn't cover their workspace even remotely evenly.
Tyler lets the boys take turns rolling out the dough, his hands on the rolling pin with theirs to keep it mostly even and make sure the dough gets all the way rolled out.
"Now," he says when they have a flat expanse of dough, "you can cut them out, carefully." He gives the boys the bowl of Christmas cookie cutters he separated out from the others and lets them choose which ones they want to use.
Josh and Michael only need a little help. Andy can press the cookie cutters into the dough, but doesn't have the coordination to go farther than that. Tyler picks his cookies up and puts them on the first parchment-covered cookie sheet for him, and he nudges Josh and Michael's around a little so they won't all merge together into one giant cookie.
Segs gets home from practice while they're rolling out a second handful of the dough. Marshall runs to greet him at the door, and then they both come into the kitchen.
"Cookies?" Segs asks.
Michael says, "Yes," and Josh says, "We made them."
"I help!" Andy adds.
"Good for you." Segs kisses all three of the boys on the top of their heads.
Tyler turns his head to kiss Segs without moving his hands out of their work space. No need to get flour on more of the kitchen than he needs to.
The commotion makes Eva fuss.
"She probably needs a bottle," Tyler says.
Segs goes over to pick her up. "Is that it? Do you need a bottle, sweet girl?" He rocks her while he moves around Tyler and the boys to heat up a bottle for her.
The kitchen gets mostly quiet again once Segs gives Eva her bottle. Tyler gets the first sheet of cookies in the oven, and lets the boys fill up the other cookie sheet and a couple more pieces of parchment with cookies.
Segs puts Eva in her high chair, turned so she can see them all in the kitchen, when she's done with her bottle, then asks Tyler, "What are we having for lunch?"
"Just sandwiches. I think we're almost done with this. Can you start them?"
"Yeah," Segs says. "I got it." He gets sandwich makings out and starts putting together sandwiches for the five of them.
It doesn't take long for the boys to be more interested in sandwiches than cookies they can't eat yet. Tyler has them all wash their hands and sit at the table, and Segs takes them each a sandwich with a side of carrot sticks and hummus.
Tyler rolls out the rest of the dough and cuts cookies much faster than he could while the boys were helping. Segs stands around watching him and steals a piece of dough that he pops into his mouth.
"You're setting a bad example."
Segs laughs and presses a loud kiss to Tyler's cheek while he steals another piece of the dough.
Tyler shakes his head and finishes putting cookies onto parchment, and then swaps the cookie sheet in the oven for the one waiting to go in when the timer goes off.
He and Segs take their sandwiches to the table to eat with the boys, turning Eva's high chair more toward the table so she can be part of the meal. The boys tell Segs all about making cookies and playing with Marshall outside, and Tyler gets up every seven minutes to check on the cookies and swap the done ones for some still waiting to be cooked.
"Now we get to decorate," Michael says when they're all done with lunch.
"We have to wait for them to cool," Tyler says. "And it's nap time."
"I don't want to take a nap," Michael says, just on the edge of too loud.
"I'm going to take a nap," Segs says. "Do you want to come nap in the big bed with me?"
Michael wavers, but when Josh says, "I do!" he says yes.
"I nap too," Andy says.
"You too," Segs says. "Everyone use the potty first."
In the general chaos that results from that, Tyler presses his lips to Segs'.
"Are you coming too?"
"Maybe in a bit. I'm going to finish the cookies and get things cleaned up out here."
"Okay." Segs slides his hand across Tyler's stomach. "You want Eva down here with you?"
Eva is still happily grabbing at the tray of her high chair, so Tyler says, "Yeah, she's fine."
Segs kisses Tyler's jaw, and then he gets the boys to go upstairs with him.
Tyler picks Eva up and kisses her forehead. "Do you want to go back in your playpen? It's probably more fun in there now that everyone else is gone." He puts her down, and she immediately grabs for the nose of her stuffed elephant.
Tyler puts on his Christmas playlist and sings along softly while he finishes up the cookies and throws together some frosting. It can sit in the fridge until they're ready to decorate later.
By the time the kitchen is clean, Eva is completely out, face smushed into the floor of her playpen while she sleeps. Tyler picks her up carefully, and cradles her to his chest while he goes up the stairs.
The boys and Segs are all asleep in Segs and Tyler's bed. There's just enough space for Tyler to lie down on one side of the bed with Eva on his chest. He doesn't quite fall asleep, just dozes for a while, and comes all the way awake when Segs gets out of bed.
Tyler gets up with Segs, taking Eva with him and putting her down in her playpen again. They have a few minutes to talk, Tyler asking about practice and Segs asking about Tyler's morning, before the boys start coming down the stairs.
Andy is the slowest to wake up, and he holds his arms up to Segs to be picked up.
Michael hangs onto the edge of the counter, pulling himself up to look at the cookies. "Can we decorate now?"
"Wash your hands first." Tyler supervises that, ties on the twins' aprons, and gets them set up with frosting, some in a bowl and some in icing cones, sprinkles, and colored sugar.
They're getting better at it, both of them able to draw a little bit on their cookies instead of just slapping frosting on and throwing all the sprinkles it can hold on top of it.
Segs helps Andy wash his hands and put his apron on when he wakes all the way up, and Andy is still at the slather frosting on in giant blobs stage.
Segs decorates a couple of cookies with the boys, and Tyler takes over the other half of what they made, doing thin layers of icing with sprinkles or sugar on some of them and neatly piping designs onto the rest.
"I want to eat it," Josh says, holding up one of his cookies. He's managed to pipe something on it, but that's on top of a thick layer of frosting and he's thrown colored sugar on top of the whole thing.
"We have to take a picture first," Michael says.
Tyler washes his hands and gets out his phone to take pictures of the boys and Segs holding up their cookies, and then a few more of the rest of the cookies.
"You can each eat one," Segs says. "The rest of them are for later."
They boys end up eating the cookies they decorated with the most frosting, Segs eats one of the ones Tyler piped an approximation of the Stars logo onto, and Tyler takes one of the half-sprinkles, half-sugar ones Segs did.
They get the boys cleaned up after that, and they leave the cookies out for now so the frosting will set. They'll put them on plates to send home with both sets of Benns later.
4. Stars Holiday Skate
Tyler and Segs get the twins out of the car and give them each their skate bags before Segs lifts Andy out of the car and Tyler picks up Eva. Segs has the bag with skates for Tyler and Andy, and Tyler has the diaper bag. There was a time when they didn't have to bring anything to this party but Tyler's skates, but those days are long past.
The twins run ahead once they get inside, dashing for the locker room so they can get out on the ice. Tyler and Segs follow more slowly, at Andy's pace. It's straightforward enough and there are enough people who know them around that they don't have to worry about the twins getting lost.
The twins are already sitting on the bench at Segs' stall, their feet dangling off the floor while they pull their shoes off, when Tyler and Segs get to the room.
Segs lifts Andy up to put him on the bench next to the twins, and kneels down to swap Andy's shoes for skates. It takes him just about as long as it takes the twins to get their shoes off and their skates on their feet, and then he moves down the line and ties Josh and Michael's skates for them.
Josh slides down off the bench onto his feet and takes a couple of wobbly steps. "Can we skate now?"
"Just a minute," Segs says. "Papa and I have to get our skates on."
Tyler helps Andy get down one-handed, and sits next to Segs. "We should've brought the car seat in."
"I can hold her," Sam says. Tyler didn't notice her coming over to them.
Tyler looks up and smiles at her. "Thanks." He hands Eva over, shushing her when she makes a noise. "Go on. You love Aunt Samantha."
"I can hold her for a while if you want to skate with the kids," Sam says. "I'm not going out on the ice."
"Oh yeah?" Tyler sits back down and unties his shoes. "You okay?"
"I'm great."
Tyler looks up to see the soft smile spreading across Sam's face.
"I'm pregnant."
"Hey, that's great." Tyler stands up again and hugs her, with Segs right behind him to do the same.
"Bennie," Segs calls, "you've been keeping secrets."
Jamie comes over and puts his arm around Sam's waist. "We just started telling people."
"We wanted to wait until we were out of the first trimester," Sam says. "Four months now." She pats her stomach, where she isn't quite starting to show yet.
"Congratulations," Tyler says. "That's wonderful."
Sam leans against Jamie, both of them positively beaming.
"Papa," Josh tugs at Tyler's jeans, "I wanna skate now."
"Okay," Tyler says. "Just a minute. Why don't you go see if Natalie's ready to go with us." He focuses on getting his skates on, and then he stands up and looks for the kids. Segs already has his skates on, and he's carrying Andy and chatting with Jamie while the twins and Natalie head out toward the ice.
"You're too slow," Sam says, following his gaze.
"Only because I got waylaid by you." Tyler squeezes her arm. "Congratulations, really. I'm excited for you." Tyler's been there for some of the conversations about how much she wants to have another baby, and how hard it's been even though they've been trying.
"Thank you." Sam takes a deep breath as they start walking toward the ice. "I'm still worried something will happen, but we made it through the first trimester, so it's all hormones and weight gain from here."
Tyler chuckles. "And then a baby." He reaches over to chuck Eva under the chin.
"And then a baby," Sam says. She looks down at Eva. "Did you want her back?"
Tyler looks out to where Segs and Jamie are skating with the kids. "In a bit," he says. "I'm going to go skate, if you won't be lonely."
Sam laughs and gestures at the other women not joining in on the skating portion of the party. "I think I'll be okay."
Tyler smiles at her and heads out onto the ice. Segs has Andy and is skating along with him, since Andy is the one still learning to stay on his feet on skates, while Jamie has the other kids hooked up with sticks and a puck.
Tyler heads over to Jamie, and they spend some time working on stickhandling with the kids. Nothing fancy, yet, just letting them practice carrying and passing. Their passes miss more often than not, and Tyler grabs one of the spare sticks from the side of the rink so he can help corral the game.
Jordie and Emily show up late, which isn't a surprise, and when they circle around their small group, Natalie skates as furiously as she can towards Emily.
"Aunt Emily, you have to play with us. You're better than Daddy and Uncle Tyler."
Tyler and Jamie share a rueful look, and Emily laughs outright.
"Sure thing, kiddo. Let me get a stick."
Emily skates for the boards to do just that, and Jordie comes over to stand with Tyler and Jamie.
Jordie pats Jamie on the shoulder. "It's good for her to have a female role model."
Jamie rolls his eyes. "You only think that because it's your wife she's looking up to."
Jordie shrugs. "You all know I got the best one. I mean, you," he says to Tyler, "don't even come close."
Tyler would flip him off if there weren't kids around, but as it is he settles for copying Jamie's eye roll, and then hands Jordie the stick he's been using. "I'm going to check on my other kids. Have fun."
Behind him, Jamie says, "You've got this, right?" and then skates to catch up with him.
When they reach the boards, Jamie leans across to kiss Sam, and then she hands Eva over to Tyler. "The kids found a better option, huh?"
"I guess so," Tyler says. He kisses Eva's forehead. "You still think I'm the best, right?"
Eva babbles at him and grabs for the collar of his shirt.
"I hate to break it to you," Sam says, "but that's not going to last either. Emily's always going to be the cool aunt. Even if they have kids."
"You're probably right," Tyler says. "And I'm not even the fun dad." He looks for Segs, who is pulling Andy along faster than he would be able to skate by himself.
"You do all right," Sam says. She waves at the ice. "Go get in on that. Andy's not old enough to think Emily's cooler than you yet."
Tyler laughs and takes Eva over to where Segs and Andy are. Segs makes a wide, slow turn and skates backwards toward them so Andy can see them.
"Papa, we go fast!"
"I see that."
Andy drops Segs' hands and holds his hands out to Tyler. "Papa, go fast."
Tyler hands Eva over to Segs and holds Andy's hands. "Okay, ready?"
"Yes!"
Tyler starts slow, keeping an eye out behind him so he doesn't run into anyone, and then speeds up a little more, listening to Andy's delighted laughter. They do a wide circle around Segs and Eva, and then slow down and head in toward them.
"Do you think you can try to skate by yourself?" Tyler asks Andy.
"Uh-huh," Andy says. He keeps hold of one of Tyler's hands while he skates, but it's slow enough that Tyler and Segs barely have to put in any effort to keep up with him.
"You lose the kids to Emily?" Segs asks.
"Yep." Tyler looks across the ice, to where the crowd of kids around Emily and Jordie has grown. "Is she the whole team's cool aunt?"
Segs chuckles. "I think so." He takes Tyler's free hand and laces their fingers together. "I still think you're cooler."
Tyler brings their hands up and kisses the back of Segs' hand. "You'd better."
Segs pulls at him, just enough to slide himself closer. "Always."
5. Christmas Morning
Segs and Tyler went to bed not long after the kids, just enough later that they could get everything set up downstairs, but it's still too early when their door opens and Josh and Michael come in.
"Papa." Josh pushes at Tyler's shoulder. "Papa, wake up, it's Christmas!"
Tyler can hear Michael trying to wake up Segs on the other side of the bed. Segs has gotten better at waking up since they had kids, but he's still not a morning person, and he just groans.
Tyler looks at the clock, then squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. It's way, way too early, even for him, even for Christmas.
"It's still early," he tells Josh. "Why don't you come up here with us for a bit." He lifts Josh into bed, then leans over Segs to lift Michael up too.
"But presents," Michael says.
"I know you want your presents," Tyler says. "But it's really early. Let's wait until Andy and Eva wake up, okay?" He pulls Michael into a hug. "You can stay here with us until then."
Segs wakes up enough to put his arm over Josh. "They'll be up soon."
Josh and Michael more or less settle in, making themselves comfortable and taking up a conversation that doesn't require adult input and lets Tyler and Segs drift back to sleep. Or Segs anyway; Tyler just dozes for a while, until their door gets pushed open again and Andy comes in rubbing at his eyes.
"Papa, is it Christmas?"
Tyler sits up and lifts Andy up onto the bed. He kisses Andy's cheek, and that's when Eva starts to cry over the baby monitor. "Yes, it's Christmas." Tyler reaches over the kids to shake Segs' shoulder. "I'm going to get Eva."
Segs murmurs a sleepy agreement, and Tyler turns on the bedside lamp before he leaves the room. Between that and the boys, Segs will probably be mostly awake by the time Tyler gets Eva up and changed.
"Hey, baby girl." Tyler lifts Eva out of her crib. "Let's get you a clean diaper, and then we'll go downstairs and get you some breakfast." He talks to Eva while he changes her, and then he snaps her Christmas onesie closed again, and takes her into his and Segs' bedroom to let Segs hold her while Tyler washes his hands and brushes his teeth.
Segs is the one to say, "Let's go see what Santa left for us," when Tyler's done.
They boys tumble out of the room and down the stairs. They know they have to wait for Tyler and Segs to join them before they can open anything, so Tyler takes a minute to kiss Segs.
"Merry Christmas."
Segs smiles at him, still a little sleepy. "Merry Christmas." He presses another kiss to Tyler's lips. "Want me to get her bottle?"
"No," Tyler says. "I need to put breakfast in the oven anyway." He takes Eva from Segs, and they go downstairs, Segs to the living room and Tyler to the kitchen.
Tyler turns on the oven, starts Eva's bottle heating, and then pulls the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge where they've been slow rising overnight. The oven is warm enough by the time Eva's bottle is done that Tyler slides the pans into the oven and sets the timer before he gives Eva her bottle.
He takes Eva into the living room where Segs is on the couch and the boys are on the floor with a presents in front of each of them.
Segs smiles up at Tyler. "Now you can open your presents," he tells the boys.
Tyler sits next to Segs, leaning into the arm Segs puts around his shoulder while they watch the boys tear the paper off their bigger presents first - the bikes with training wheels for Josh and Michael and a smaller tricycle for Andy - and then dig into the smaller ones, books and art supplies, hockey sticks and soccer balls.
There's a lot of excited yelling, and Tyler and Segs watch the whole thing with giant smiles. They try to restrain themselves at Christmas since there are so many people who buy the boys presents, but it's hard when it gets such excitement out of them. They even get excited about new toques.
"Now you have to open presents," Michael says to Segs and Tyler once the boys are surrounded by piles of torn wrapping paper.
"Okay," Segs says. "Why don't you bring them over here, and the ones for Eva."
Josh and Michael can recognize their letters well enough to pick out the presents with tags that start with E, and of course they know the ones they helped wrap for Tyler and Segs.
The boys help open Eva's presents, since she isn't old enough to do it herself, but they lose interest in them once the wrapping paper is off. Eva grabs at some of the soft clothes, and she latches right on to the plastic key ring.
Tyler and Segs have small things from the boys, which they ooh and ahh over, and then Segs gets up again to hold the boys up high enough that they can get their stockings down. He gets Marshall's down too, and lets the boys unpack that to give Marshall a treat and a new chew toy. While he's up, he also brings over the last two gifts, which he and Tyler put high up enough in the tree that the boys wouldn't get to them.
"You go first," Tyler says.
Segs grins and tears the wrapping paper off the envelope Tyler wrapped up for him just so he could do that. He opens the envelope then, and pulls out the sheet of paper in it. Tyler knows what it says, promise of a romantic date night, complete with dinner reservations and "a sexual favor of your choice" - for now he can still put things like that on gifts, although they'll have to be more careful once the boys can read - and he revels in watching Segs' face as he reads it.
"Babysitter for the kids?" Segs asks.
"Sleepover at Uncle Jordie and Aunt Emily's."
Segs looks from the boys to Eva. "All of them?"
"All of them," Tyler says. "That choice of yours can be anything you want."
Segs leans in and kisses Tyler slow and lingering. "Thank you." He takes Eva with him when he sits back. "Your turn."
Tyler tears the paper off his own envelope. Inside are registration forms for a rec hockey league that have already been filled out with his information and an email printout confirming their regular babysitter can cover one game and one practice a week.
"You just have to sign the forms," Segs says when Tyler looks up at him. "I know you miss it, and I wanted you to have something just for you."
Tyler cups Segs' cheek and leans in to kiss him softly. "Thank you. This is perfect." He couldn't face playing hockey for a while after he stopped playing. He's been slowly getting back into spending time on the ice, mostly with the boys, and he's been thinking it might be time to start playing again.
Segs beams at him, and Tyler smiles back for a minute until the timer goes off in the kitchen and he has to take the cinnamon rolls out of the oven. He puts the rolls on a cooling rack on the counter, and while he's up he gets out the camera and the tripod. They don't use it much, but it comes in handy when they do.
Segs smiles at him when he comes back into the living room, and Tyler gets the tripod set up.
"Picture time!" he says when it's ready and pointed at the couch.
Tyler sits down with Segs, and the boys clamber up into their laps until all five of them are on the couch with Segs still holding Eva.
"Marshall too," Andy demands, and Segs calls Marshall over and tells him to sit in front of them.
"Okay," Tyler says. "Everyone look at the camera and smile." He waits until they're all more or less looking in that direction and clicks the button on the camera remote. Josh looks down at Marshall just as he does, and Andy turns to look at Eva. Segs barely stifles a laugh.
"Let's try that again," Tyler says. "Look at the camera." He points them all in that direction. "Now smile." He hits the button, and Marshall jumps up from the floor.
Segs doesn't bother trying not to laugh that time, and even Tyler has to chuckle a little.
"Down, Marshall," Segs says. "Down."
Marshall lies down again, and Tyler says, "One more time. Everyone look at the camera. Now smile." This time when he clicks the remote, no one moves or looks away from the camera. Tyler slips out from under the kids and goes to look at the picture. It's a good one, all of them piled together in their matching Christmas pajamas, everyone smiling, even Eva looking toward the camera. Tyler gives Segs and the kids a thumbs up. "Good job." He takes the camera off the tripod and takes it over to let everyone see the picture before the boys wriggle off the couch to play with their toys instead.
Tyler leaves the camera with Segs and goes into the kitchen to throw together the glaze for the cinnamon rolls. It doesn't take long, and then he pours it over the rolls and gets plates out of the cabinet. He pokes his head into the living room to say, "If you wash your hands, you can have cinnamon rolls for breakfast," which starts a stampede of the boys going to wash their hands.
Segs goes with them to supervise, and Tyler takes Eva into the kitchen with him. He puts her in her high chair and then finishes making breakfast. He puts cinnamon rolls on plates, pours cups of milk and orange juice, and throws together a quick protein shake for Segs.
The boys take their places at the table, and Tyler gives them each a plate with a cinnamon roll. Andy and Michael get milk, and Tyler, Segs, and Josh get orange juice. Segs takes his protein shake from the counter and Tyler grabs the last two plates with cinnamon rolls.
Everyone is quiet while they take their first bites of food. Tyler catches movement out of the corner of his eye and turns to look at Segs, who has turned sideways in his chair so he can put his feet on the rungs of Tyler's chair.
"Best Christmas ever?" Segs asks.
Tyler smiles at him and leans in to give him a quick kiss. "Best Christmas ever." He reaches down to squeeze Segs' knee, and then hears the clatter of a cup starting to fall and catches Josh's orange juice before all of it can spill across the table.
Segs laughs as he grabs napkins to sop up what did spill.
Tyler shakes his head and says, "Careful," to Josh before he matches Segs' smile. He still wouldn't trade anything about this morning for the world.