New Fic: Practical Magic

[jackwabbit]

Practical Magic

Fandom: Schitt’s Creek
Rated: PG-13
Category: Vignette. David/Patrick. Mild Holiday Themes. Starts Nice. Turns Naughty.
Word Count: 676.
Time Frame: Post-Series.
Spoilers: General series knowledge only.
Summary: Sometimes the most practical things can hold the most magic.
Note: Written for the random word prompt of “gift.” Seriously, it gave me “gift.” Today, of all days. I also drew inspiration from a second idea I had for the past prompt of “height,” and here we are. This took a turn I didn’t expect, but that’s how it goes sometimes. And though it’s a bit out of my usual wheelhouse, I’m not even a bit sorry. I hope you all enjoy this last fic of this series. Yes, this is all, folks. For the first time ever (I think), I posted a daily advent fic truly daily. I’ll take it. I hope you enjoyed this little journey, and I thank you for coming along for the ride. Happy holidays to those that celebrate, and best wishes/warmest regards to all. Oh, and yes, I can be a wicked wabbit. I know. *grin*

----

Patrick pushed the door open with his shoulder, stepped through it, and then kicked it shut before the cold wind outside could rush into the house. He set the bag he was carrying on the kitchen table just as David’s voice sounded from deeper in the house.

“Patrick?”

“No,” he called out. “It’s the boogeyman.”

“Well, can the boogeyman come here a minute?”

“Sure,” answered Patrick, chuckling. “Hold on.”

A moment later, Patrick joined David in the living room.

“What did you need?” he asked.

“Nothing. Except…”

David trailed off, so Patrick prompted him.

“Except?”

“Well, it seems that Santa came early.”

“David, it’s December first.”

“I know! But look!”

Patrick looked where David was pointing and sure enough, there was a wrapped present hiding behind the Christmas tree they’d just put up.

Patrick gave David a puzzled look.

“What is that?”

David shrugged, an all-too-innocent look on his face.

Patrick narrowed his eyes.

“David, what did you do?”

“Don’t look at me! It has your name on it!”

“Oh! It’s for me?”

Patrick’s whole face brightened, like the proverbial kid in a candy store.

“Should I open it?” he asked.

“Up to you,” answered David, with a smile that implied he wanted just that.

“I’m gonna open it.”

“Go for it,” said David, gesturing to the package.

Patrick picked up the box and took it to the couch. Then he sat down, tore off the paper, and opened the box. When he saw what was inside, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“Well?” prompted David.

Patrick lifted the object out of the box.

“It’s a… stepstool?”

David beamed at Patrick, nodding enthusiastically.

“Yes, it is.”

“Why did you get me a stepstool?”

David’s smile softened, and gently took Patrick’s chin in his hand and turned it toward him.

“Because I always put the star on the tree.”

Patrick blinked at David.

“What?”

“You can’t quite reach. So I always do it. And that’s not fair.”

“David, it’s fine.”

“I know,” said David. “But…”

He trailed off and looked around the living room of their new home, then continued.

“But you made this place happen for us. You made this our home. I want you to do it.”

Patrick blushed and looked down.

“David, I just did the paperwork.”

“Yes,” agreed David. “A thing I never would have done properly and thus this wouldn’t have happened without you. So, would you just go along with this?”

David gestured at the tree. Patrick looked at it and noticed for the first time that while David had decorated while he’d stepped out for a while, the usual star on top was conspicuously missing.

David cleared his throat behind him, and Patrick turned back.

Patrick didn’t know how David had magically produced it seemingly from thin air, but there is it was, the tree topper they’d picked out a few years ago. Right in David’s lap.

David held it out to Patrick.

“Care to do the honors?” he asked.

Patrick chuckled.

“My pleasure,” he said.

A moment later, he was perched on his stepstool and used the extra few inches it afforded him to perfectly place the star on top of the tree.

Just as he finished, the room went black.

But only for a minute.

Because next thing Patrick knew,  the lights on the tree were illuminating the dark room and his husband’s arms were around him.

And then David was kissing him.

But something was different.

It took Patrick a minute to realize what. To remember that he’d never gotten off the stepstool. To appreciate that David was reaching up for him.

He smiled then, but he didn’t break the kiss. Instead, he deepened it.

David responded immediately, and before he knew it, Patrick was out of breath.

He pulled back and looked into David’s face.

That’s when he recognized the hunger in David’s eyes.

Patrick bit his lower lip.

David raised his eyebrows.

Patrick nodded, then took a step forward.

David kicked the stepstool aside.

It had done its job.

Now he was going to do his.