Work Text:
Three little faces spied from the window avidly detecting every single movement.
It had snowed two days earlier, the streets corners, the gardens and the parks were still cover by a very light white coat that was melting rapidly.
However, the silver clouds above seemed to promise more winter magic.
The children were waiting in trepidation for a very important arrival.
- When is he coming? - asked the youngest one.
- I don't know. - Her sister sighed quite concerned.
- We have been waiting forever! - complained the tall one.
- It's an eternity. - the other girl snorted.
In their young minds, the concept of time had taken a whole different meaning.
Yet, they had known about their guest's arrival for a while.
It had been quite difficult for their parents to keep it secret.
Finally, the day had arrived, and every minute dragged on and it became longer and longer.
- Is it going to snow before he comes? - asked again the youngest one.
- No, it will snow when he comes. - replied the tall one looking at the sky.
The young girl sighed. She could no longer handle the waiting.
They were back at the window once more looking at the same scene, quickly chasing with their eyes any passerby.
Then the tallest one took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs.
- Daddy, Daddy, when uncle is coming? -
- Sssshhhh. - a blond child sitting on the first step of the stairs complained but he was completely ignored.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Their very important guest was on his way, but the wintery weather had slowed him down.
While the snow in London was melting quickly, it was a different situation everywhere else.
Most of southern England was still covered in white following a storm two days earlier and apparently, there was more snow the way.
Torin just hoped to make it on time to London before the weather took a turn for the worst.
It was definitely not in his plans to come to England to get stuck in a snowstorm.
He really wanted to spend Christmas with his family.
He knew the little ones would be waiting and he wondered if the youngest ones still remembered him.
It’s been a year now…
Time had passed so quickly since they had left him to return to the UK.
In his wildest dreams, he had never imagined that at his age he was going to miss those little terrors so much.
Yet since they had left, his home had felt quite empty.
Still, he was not planning on telling them or their parents.
As the car moved through the English countryside, he was glad he was not the one driving.
That left him time to think and his mind went back the previous days.
Thorin had travelled to Europe earlier to spend some days with his friend in France.
Veon and his wife were going to spend a quiet Christmas in Britany.
- Last year they all came to spend Christmas with us in here, so this year is Dee's turn. – the Irishman told him
- I don't mind. We going to London for the new year. -
- Are you not worried that you might arrive late? -
- Late? Nah. The baby is not due until early January.
None of my kids or their kids has arrived any earlier than expected. -
Thorin had smiled.
- Actually, one even managed to get here a whole week later than expected. -
His friend's smile had not faded.
- Don't even tell me. -
They bought laugh and finished their drink and Veon promptly filled up their glasses again.
He always missed his friend, and those days were precious to him.
At times he wondered how he had kept them out of his life for so long.
How it has repressed all that longing to meet them for such a long time.
Yet it was all in the past and he could not wait to see all the children again.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The three young girls had not moved from their spot by the window.
They had spent all their afternoon there, waiting impatiently.
Fine crystal flakes had begun to tumble down gently from the sky.
- It’s snowing again. – said the youngest mesmerized by the wintry magic.
- You said uncle was coming when it snows. – her sister complained to the other girl.
- He is coming … very soon. – she said the last two words slowly looking at the sky almost as if she was reading the answer in the snowflakes.
The adults were busy in the kitchen…
- Fi, I tell you we need to change those decorations. – Cillian was very concerned.
- And I keep on telling you that I have no time to deal with the decorations now. -
Philip said while removing one of the children that had got to close to the oven.
- Listen, they are hideous, too many colours!
Sometimes mum has absolutely no colour coordination what’s so ever.
She has made the tree look tacky. –
Fili sighed - Are you going to deal with her when she gets back? Are you sure?
She won't like it. Besides, I have more important matters to deal with.
I need to try to get some of the food ready for tomorrow. -
The child was back near the oven again.
- And you should help me actually. -
Philip picked him up once more and as the little one started to complain he promptly shoved a dummy in his mouth.
He put him down delicately trying to point him to another direction.
- Absolutely no sense of danger… - he muttered under his breath.
- Fi, you don't want our home to look tacky. – his brother complained again.
- Our home? This is my side of ‘the home’ and I don't mind if it looks tacky as long as you and mum don't start to argue about the colour of the decorations. -
Kili sighed. - Our home, my side your side doesn't matter.
We'll make sure the decorations are fine. -
He said as he marched out.
Fili sighed.
- Are we going to get through Christmas? -
He asked looking at the little boy who kept on sucking his dummy.
He picked him up gently and carried him out of the kitchen.
- Let’s see what your brother is doing. -
As they enter the large open space, he smiled looking at the three girls stuck waiting by the window.
He warmed his heart to know that the children loved his uncle just as much as him as his brother did.
Philip knew that the old man loved each one of them dearly and he probably missed them very much.
However, he had not time to indulge in his thoughts.
As soon as the little boy spotted his brother he began to squirm as he wanted to be put down.
- Ok, ok there you go. – he said leaving him next to the blond boy.
The little one took the dummy from his mouth to offer it to his sibling who shook his head.
So, with a satisfied expression, he put the dummy back in his mouth.
Fili smiled wishing to be able to freeze that moment in time.
There was still so much to do, however before he could get back to the kitchen someone else called his attention.
- Can we have the fire on? – one of the girls asked.
- No, I’ll light it later. -
- Please, Dad. – another one cried.
He sighed. – Later, once we are all in this room. -
And he hurried to the kitchen before some else stopped him.