“J” or “Dreams” wanted a happy Consuming Me Pinto fic so this is it. She wanted something about a tree, but in their time period, Regency, there were not yet Christmas trees. Sorry!
Advent Day 12

I stood back as Chris stepped down the stairs his coachman had set up for his carriage. He was dressed quite formally with a top hat and gloves, his cravat neatly tied at his throat, an elegant evening overcoat over his other clothing, more for show than warmth.
There was a December chill in the air to be sure but the coldest weather was yet to come. Not that Chris ever seemed to care about the weather.
“I shan’t let a little bit of inclement weather stop me from looking my best, Zach,” I recalled him saying, quite fondly. That is I was fond of him saying it.
He glanced in my direction and offered me a dazzling smile that caused my heart to flutter, my stomach to tingle, and my balls to tighten.
He was here, at last. And I was filled with a thrilling anticipation.
“All right, my good man,” Chris said to his coachman. “Be on your way before the weather turns temperamental. Should you decide to stay overnight in the village, tell them to look to me for the charges. And come back to fetch me in exactly one week.”
“Yes, my lord. And a Merry Christmas to you.”
“And to you and your family as well.” Chris handed the man a small bag of coins and the man beamed happily.
“Thank you, sir.”
Chris moved to stand beside me then, his face carefully not giving anything untoward away. We watched his carriage drive away down the long road off the estate together. When it was gone and out of sight, he put his hands on my arms.
He did not lean in to do anything else but the feel of his hands on me, even through his gloves was a thrill.
“Welcome and Merry Christmas.”
“And a very happy one to you, my friend,” Chris said with a teasing lilt. He looked toward my house. “Shall we? It is a trifle cold out here.”
I led him inside my country home, which would house only the two of us for the next week. I had already dismissed by staff to go and make jolly for their own holidays.
Chris set his bag down at the foot of the stairs that led to our bedroom, where we would stay for the next definite future, and I would happily reacquaint with him all night.
But just then I took his hand in mine and removed the gloves so I could feel his bare skin with mine.
“Zach,” he murmured, the light in his blue eyes enchanting me.
“I have quite a feast ready.”
“A feast?”
“Mm. A turkey roasted to perfection. And many accompaniments including roasted chestnuts and a Christmas pudding which I shall light aflame when we are ready to consume it,”
I dragged him off toward the formal dining room, making him laugh as I did so.
“I have yet to remove my overcoat, oh eager one.”
“Well do so then.”
Chris discarded his coat on the nearest piece of furniture as we entered the dining room.
He smiled wide when he saw all the greenery I had the servants lay out. Boughs of holly and ivy and mistletoe. Glittering candles. There was hardly any space that had been left bare.
“Oh and I have smoking bishop too,” I declared, pointing to the bowl of mulled wine.
“You’re positively glowing as though you were Father Christmas himself. I did notice the growth of beard, perhaps you intend to play the part.”
I laughed. “Perhaps I should. But before we have our feast there is yet one more thing before our true celebrations can begin.”
Chris gave me a quizzical look. “And what is that pray tell?”
I took him to the side board where lay, tied together with yet more greenery, holly, and yes, mistletoe, with dark mulberry colored ribbons.
His eyes widened. “You remembered.”
“Of course I did. How could I ever forget you mentioning we ought to be handfasted? And though it may not make us legally wed, I believe under the eyes of God and this house, and each other, we are.”
I wrapped the greenery and ribbons around our wrists, entwining us together.
“In the joining of the hands and the fashioning of a knot, so are our lives now bound, one to another…” I tied a knot of the ribbons about us. “May this knot remain tied as long as our love shall last.”
“Forever then.”
I smiled and kissed him. He kissed me back, moving closer, his eyes closed, his lips pink like his flushed cheeks.
“I love you.”
“And I love you.”
Taking our still linked hands and arms, I brought him to the table.
“Not only is it our Christmas but our wedding feast, too,” I whispered.
“You are a very romantic, merry gentleman, my dearest Zachary.”
And that night and every night after was magic.
December 12, 2021 at 4:48 am
Oh! Perfectly lovely, this was. Solitude, a feast, a wedding, unending love, and holiday cheer. It had me smiling the whole time.
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December 12, 2021 at 8:20 am
Excellent! A wonderful yuletide to be sure
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December 12, 2021 at 7:21 am
Magic, indeed, from the first letter to the last, sprinkled with my smiles and tears. This is beyond perfection. It is everything – everything I could ever want in a story of these two gentlemen and their love. I want to wear it in my heart.
This is too beautiful for my simple words.
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December 12, 2021 at 8:19 am
I was dipping into the mulled wine myself when I wrote this because of course I meant you “J” requested. Shaking my head.
Thank you I am so glad you find it so 🙂
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December 12, 2021 at 8:33 am
LOL – I just thought, hey, M and I have something in common!!!
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December 12, 2021 at 8:38 am
LOL right
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December 12, 2021 at 7:28 am
Love this flash! It is so utterly romantic’. What sweethearts they both are. It’s so sad though, because of the time this is set in, that their love cannot be publicly proclaimed, so that they could spend all of their time together.
❤️💚❤️💚😘
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December 12, 2021 at 8:21 am
Yes it would be disaster at that time to reveal their love but they get by and have their happiness where they can!
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December 12, 2021 at 7:21 pm
OK, so now that I’ve calmed down enough emotionally about this so I can function, WOW!
“How could I ever forget you mentioning we ought to be handfasted? And though it may not make us legally wed, I believe under the eyes of God and this house, and each other, we are.”
I have NEVER heard of handfasted!!! That is a beautiful touch! Somehow you knew nothing would make this story happier for me than this, this vow and commitment to each other….”forever then”.. I adore you wrote this in. And that they would be wrapped in “the greenery and ribbons around our wrists, entwining us together…and the fashioning of a knot, so are our lives now bound, one to another…” I tied a knot of the ribbons about us. “May this knot remain tied as long as our love shall last.”
I mean – is this a traditional thing handfasted people do and say to each other, in the time of Regency?
Obviously, I LOVE each installment of the Consuming Me story, but this….this is beyond anything I could have imagined. Thank you soooooooooooo much! What a gift this is!!! 💞💕🥰😍✨🕯️
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December 12, 2021 at 7:28 pm
Handfasting is an ancient thing, dating back to medieval times and perhaps even earlier. I figured since they boys couldn’t have the legal marriage as it would be in Regency times, that this little private handfasting would be perfect for them. It was sort of a betrothal in ancient times and some people still do it in European countries but not with any real seriousness anymore, more symbolic
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December 14, 2021 at 9:05 am
This was actually my first Pinto story and I have to say I really liked it. I wouldn’t mind if it were a longer story; hint, hint, lol 😉
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December 14, 2021 at 9:13 am
LOL well the original story is longer, seven chapters
Here is the link just in case you have NOT read the original https://archiveofourown.org/works/18713989/chapters/44385007
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December 14, 2021 at 9:45 am
oh – you absolutely do want to read the original Consuming Me fic ivan wrote for pinto de mayo 2 years ago – especially if this Christmas flash is your first Pinto fic. You’ll love this as we learn how they get together originally! Since that fic was written, iv also wrote a Christmas flash for 25 days of Christmas in 2019 https://archiveofourown.org/works/21868813
i hope you enjoy them as much as i do, though that might be impossible for anyone!
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December 20, 2021 at 10:26 am
You guys are such enablers, lol, I love it 😁 I’ve bookmarked them all and am greatly looking forward to reading them; especially the multi-chapter Fic, I’ve been in the mood for something longer. 🙂 Thanks and Merry Christmas! 🎄
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December 20, 2021 at 11:13 am
🙂
Merry Christmas
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December 20, 2021 at 11:04 am
Heck yeah we’re enablers. I even found one more that was the end of Thanksgiving last year here on the blog: https://ivansstartrekfic.com/2020/11/30/flash-fic-november-30-2020/
i THINK that’s all of them.
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December 20, 2021 at 11:14 am
Probably!
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December 14, 2021 at 10:13 am
oh – and iv also wrote an installment for these same characters for Christmas in july this year; https://archiveofourown.org/works/32390683/chapters/81787705#workskin
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