Yes!
“Is he really not feeling well?” Joker asked, climbing up onto one of the tall-ass wooden stools at the counter. Who were these things made for? His feet dangled.
Lucky moved around the kitchen, gathering supplies before removing ingredients from the fridge. “I think he was catching a cold before….” He stopped at the counter, his frown deep. “I can’t believe he jumped in after me.”
“Really?” Joker took a shortbread Christmas cookie from the plate Red somehow managed to keep full throughout the day. “Cause if ya look up the definition of lovesick fool, there’s a picture of Mason Cooper.”
Lucky chuckled. His smile faded. “What if something had happened to him because of me?”
“Nope.” Joker bit off a chunk of cookie and waved the remaining headless reindeer at him. “Don’t go down that road. You know better. You’re okay, he’s okay. Make him some soup. Take care of him. Like a normal person, not like your cousin.”
Lucky snorted. “¡Dios mío! My god. That man.” He shook his head. “I know it’s because he loves us, but can he not kill me in the process of trying to take care of me?”
“Yeah, good luck with that.”
Barking announced the return of Gio and Fitz, followed by three furry monsters stampeding into the kitchen. Joker laughed as they darted over to him, butts wiggling excitedly.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m happy to see you, too.” He gave them scritches, then lifted his face for a kiss from Gio, humming when their lips touched. “Hi, baby.”
“Mm, sweet.” Gio stuck his hand under Joker’s shirt, laughing when Joker yelped and shoved him away.
“You shit! Your hand is freezing!”
Gio’s chuckle was evil as he went to the fridge and pulled out a gallon of milk.
“Just for that, you can make me a hot chocolate.”
Ace walked into the kitchen with a wriggling Cocoa in his arms. He blinked at Joker, then barked out a laugh.
“What the fuck is so funny?” Joker asked.
Ace pointed at him. “You look like that Christmas elf.”
“What?” Joker was so confused. “What are you—” He dropped his gaze to his red sweatpants, one leg tucked into his white cast, and his red and white T-shirt. “The fuck?” He narrowed his gaze at Ace. “Fuck you, Anston.” Everyone laughed, and Joker crossed his arms over his chest. He glared at Fitz. “This is your doing.”
Fitz arched an eyebrow at him. “You asked for sweatpants, I got you sweatpants. It was either red—which is very festive—or space tacos. Those were the choices.”
“Really. In all of Winterhaven, those were the only options available?”
“Honey,allof Winterhaven is one street. It has two clothing stores, and one is for children.” Fitz snapped his fingers. “Damn. I should have gone into the children’s store. Bet they had more choices.”
Everyone burst into laughter again, and Joker flipped them all off. “Screw you all. Bunch of tall bastards.” He pushed himself off the stool, ignoring his annoying family laughing as he hopped down and gathered his crutches. “I’m going upstairs to change. I need to go into town.”
“For non-elf-sized clothes?” Ace asked.
“Don’t you have a cousin to harass?” Joker turned to Fitz. “You and Jack wanna come with?”
“Ooh, shopping! We’ll meet you down here,” Fitz said, floating off to find his boyfriend. Joker went upstairs to change, Gio following him, and the dogs stampeding up the stairs behind them.
Getting any kind of pants on and off over his cast was a pain in the ass. Joker sat on the bed while Gio helped him out of his very red sweatpants that now and forever would remind him of a certain shelf-sitting Christmas elf. Damn it, now he had to burn these.
The one thing Joker would not permit in his home was dolls. They creeped the shit out of him. Gio had a few dollish-type souvenirs from his travel days, but they weren’t doll enough to break Joker’s rule.
“I would rather invite Pennywise into my house than that demon elf,” Joker grumbled.
Gio chuckled. “It does kind of look like it’s up to something.”
“Yeah, it’s waiting for you to go to sleep so it can murder you. I swear if you stare at one long enough, its head will start spinning.”
