Happy Holidays

“Merry-” the door to the condo burst open and, along with the blast of icy wind, two panting brothers burst through the door, their cheeks flushed from the cold outside and their eyes shinning with merriment.
“Don’t even start,” light brown eyes flashed crimson, a look of resignation on their owners face as the fire in the hearth began to burn merrily.
“Don’t be such a party pooper, Tobias,” the younger brother smiled in delight as he shook the snow from his hair.
“Hm...” crimson eyes simply stared back at their emerald counterparts.
“Huh... Still the same as ever, huh?”
“So it would seem,” Tobias nodded his agreement of the statement.
“So then, how about ‘good morning’?”
“As it is before noon, that will suffice. Yes.”
“Not in Japan it wouldn’t.”
“Play nice boys.”
“Boys...?” One husband and one friend turned to observe the process of a very sleepy, very pregnant woman making her way down the stairs in a fuzzy bathrobe and pink bunny slippers.
“Bailey, you look...” Vance’s brown eyes crinkled in mirth, “great? I don’t know... what’s the appropriate word? I’ll get back to you in a minute.”
“Uh huh.” The lady’s blue-green eyes narrowed slightly and a moment later-
“Ow! What the...”
Bailey had thrown one of her slippers at hit her friend in the head with it.
“Meh...” his brother shrugged. “It’s what you get for teasing her, again.”
“Thank you, Leo,” Bailey smiled gratefully at the elder of the two brothers, before turning, her gaze an attempt at severity despite her obvious mirth, to the younger one, “Vance, would you like more?”
There was only one answer her friend felt he could, in all honesty, give without lying, “Yes, please.” Vance smiled unabashedly while a rueful, yet unapologetic, grin found its way to his upturned cheeks.
His friend shook her head in mock disgust. “Never mind.”
“So?” Leo looked around. The foyer, he noted, was brightly lit with green and red lights. Almost to the point of being overdone but not quite. Most likely Tobias had done what he could to curb Bailey’s Christmas fervor. “Where is eve-”
His question was cut short as the door burst open once more and three more people tumbled in, giggling as the youngest one pounded her blonde haired friend with what was soon apparent, not the first snowball.
“Are you three quite finished?” Van wondered, as he banished the snow they had tracked in back through the still open door.
“She started it.”
Aubrey pointed an accusatory finger at Lauren who shook her head, attempting to deny what her mischievous smile already confirmed.
Maira, meanwhile, simply stood back to observe as she removed her coat and calmly surveyed the rest of the room. A single eyebrow rose as she took in the ornate decorations and she exchanged a look of mild amusement with Tobias.
“So,” Aubrey glanced at Leo, a smile racing across her face, as she took off her jacket and sat down on the couch in front of the fire, “it’s been a while, Leo.”
“Hm? Oh, yeah. I’ve been busy. Sorry...” he smiled apologetically.
Aubrey waved off his apology, “It’s fine. I know you would have called if you’d had time.” She turned to her other friends, “You guys look well, as expected.”
“Meh, as expected?”
“What’s with the ‘meh’?” Tobias glanced over at his best friend, the barest hint of a sly smile on his otherwise composed face. “Still the same as ever, huh?”
“Of course.” Leo grinned.
Aubrey rolled her eyes. A movement echoed by Lauren and Bailey. Van, on the other hand, proceeded to punch his big brother in the arm.