The pre–New Year rush is a special ritual, unfailingly held a few days before the most anticipated day of winter. It's that rare time when the doors open to a world of cheerful anticipation of imminent happiness—a moment when worries are set aside, and the chaos of running from store to store, sweeping tangerines and candies off the shelves, buying gifts and the last fir trees from bustling fairs, becomes its own kind of magic.
Yet the most vital symbol in this festive mystery—the heart of Christmas and the New Year that follows—is the evergreen, fragrant, and enduring fir tree, an emblem of happiness that never fades.
Year after year, we unpack our decorations and garlands from dusty boxes and lovingly hang them upon the shaggy branches. This act is not just tradition but the very soul of the holiday itself. Each person who helps create this beauty strengthens the bond uniting everyone beneath one roof, beneath the scent of snowy forests.
It was exactly this I wanted to teach the young heir of the Wayne family.
At home, the girls and I had already prepared to welcome Santa Claus, and so I decided to assist my old friend Bruce, who, of course, had delegated the task to his frail, elderly butler. Wanting to ease Alfred's burden, I summoned young Damian to help, hoping to awaken a spark of holiday spirit within him.
After all, under the strict mentorship of his demon grandfather, the future Robin had never experienced the warmth of this joyful holiday—a situation I fully intended to correct.
"Damn, why are we doing this?" Damian grumbled, hanging another ornament. "Can't we just hire people to do it?"
"What do you know, little one?" I said with a smile. "The point isn't the outcome—it's the process itself."
"And why do I need this? I don't believe in God, so I don't need to celebrate Christmas," he scoffed, tossing a glass ball at me. I caught it easily.
"Now, don't confuse faith with tradition," I said. "Atheists don't believe in God either, but they still dye eggs for Easter. Do you think everyone who decorates a Christmas tree is a devout believer? Let me reveal a secret—most people celebrating Christmas don't even think about its spiritual meaning. For them, it's about the tree, the presents beneath it, the socks by the fireplace, and the letters to Santa. The deeper meaning is the last thing on their minds."
"Then why do they bother?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Let me tell you a story. Two friends met, and the first, seeing a horseshoe on the other's door, said he didn't believe in good luck charms. The second replied, 'I don't either—but I heard it works even if you don't believe it.' That's how the world functions today: few believe in democracy, but it still works somehow. People just accept the rules of the game."
"Tsk, nonsense," Damian muttered, tossing a candy cane onto the top branch. "People lack all logic or sense."
"Yeah, tough case," I sighed. "Damian, I'm not saying you're dumb, but maybe intellect isn't your strong suit?"
"What?! Who gave you the right—who even are you?!" he shouted.
"Me?" I said, hand on my chest. "I'm the one who butters a knife before spreading it on bread. I counted to infinity—twice. Once I threw a grenade, took out ten members of the League of Shadows, and then it exploded."
"Shut up! I'm tired of your nonsense!"
"In that case," I said calmly, "grab a rope, find a sturdy branch, make a swing—and maybe enlightenment will descend." I plugged in the garland.
The tree lit up, and for a brief, beautiful moment, life felt a bit brighter.
Then my phone rang.
"Hello, Renee. What's wrong? Are you sick?" I asked, concerned.
"Worse. I'm desperate. Alex, could you pick me up? Please..."
"Of course. Where are you?"
"I just left the station and... I don't know where I am," she stammered. "I'm completely out of my mind."
"I'll find you. Don't worry—I'll be there in five minutes." I hung up, threw on my coat, and turned to Damian. "I've got urgent business. Finish the mantelpiece—hang the red socks neatly. And don't pull any tricks, or I'll tell Santa to put you on his naughty list."
"Are you serious?!"
"More than ever."
What had happened to Renee? Her voice sounded broken, burdened, as if the entire world had collapsed on her shoulders. I suspected what it might be, but hoped I was wrong. Guided by instinct—my most reliable navigator—I found her two blocks from the station, wandering aimlessly through the night.
I parked and approached quietly. The sadness surrounding her seemed to fill the air itself.
She kept walking, eyes distant, until finally, she spoke. "Alex, is your job offer still open?"
"Yes, I still want you as head of security," I said. "But you actually quit the force? Didn't you love catching criminals?"
"I did," she said softly, "but I had to give up my badge. From now on, I'm unemployed." She gave a tight smile. "You've probably guessed the reason."
I nodded silently. She needed to let it out before any advice would help.
"That bastard—Two-Face," she hissed. "He told everyone that I... He somehow got hold of a picture of me kissing a girl. When the others saw it, I didn't know what to say. The looks... the judgment... It was unbearable. I called my brother, begged him to take me away, but he said my parents already knew everything."
"This is the end… My parents will never forgive me, and they'll never approve of this relationship. They'll kick me out. They'll cut off all ties with me."
That sounded terrifying, but what made it even worse was the fact that she was absolutely right. It was exactly how things unfolded in the comics—she left her family and never spoke to them again. Everything was following the same pattern, as if scripted by fate. But unlike those printed pages, this time there was a new variable—me.
And I wasn't about to let that story repeat itself. It wasn't in my nature to leave a girl in trouble.
"I'm sorry, Alex," she said softly, "but you're the only person I can turn to. After my brother, you're the only one who knows my secret. Although… it's probably not a secret anymore, ha-ha." Her laugh sounded forced, covering barely restrained frustration.
"I didn't mean to cause you any trouble," she added quickly.
"What are you talking about? Have you already forgotten?" I smiled slightly. "I'm your boyfriend. Taking care of you is practically my job." We stopped walking.
The faint light from the streetlamp caught her face, and I could see the sadness in her eyes. She sniffled, trying to hold back the tears, and turned away to hide the vulnerability she hated showing.
"Our performance is over," she said quietly, shaking her head. "There's no point in it anymore."
"Renee, listen," I said, gently resting my hand on her shoulder. "Remember back at the precinct, when you kissed me? How many people saw that?"
She hesitated.
"Quite a few," I continued. "At least enough for some of them to question the rumors—and that photograph. Do you know why?" She looked up at me uncertainly.
"Because the kiss was real. You can't fake something that passionate."
Renee lowered her gaze again, and a faint tremor ran through her body. Resentment and embarrassment colored her cheeks red. She had run from the station so fast that her jacket hung open and she'd forgotten to wear gloves. The night air bit sharply at her skin. I took her cold hands in mine and breathed warmth into them, gently rubbing her fingers until a little color returned.
"Alex," she murmured, barely above a whisper, "you're too close…"
"Uncomfortable?" I asked.
"No… perhaps… or maybe it's just strange."
"You're freezing," I said softly. "Come on, let's get a coffee. You need something warm."
"I don't think that's a good idea," she replied, though her voice trembled less now.
"Then take this," I said, handing her a steaming cup.
She blinked in surprise. "What? How—where did this come from?"
"Magic?" I smiled. "Hurry, drink before it cools." After only a moment's hesitation, she took a small sip, then another.
"Delicious," she admitted.
"Feeling warmer now?" I asked, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her face before drawing her into a light embrace.
"Renee, you're doing fine—really. You did the right thing by walking away. You shouldn't stay where you're not accepted. What happened isn't the end…it's just the beginning. And together, we'll manage everything."
She rested her head against my shoulder, silent but clearly fighting a storm of emotions. The air between us grew calm again, filled with quiet understanding. After a while, she whispered "Alex… I have strange thoughts running through my head. And I feel… strange."
"Then let's try to figure them out," I said gently, cupping her face in my hands
At that moment, we didn't notice the chill running down our skin, nor the piercing wind, all we could feel at that moment was the warmth that enveloped us.
At first tenderly, then with rapidly growing passion, we kissed, pressing ourselves against each other. We were like those who were lucky enough to find and acquire in each other what we had previously lacked so much. I hugged her around the waist, and she wrapped both arms around my neck.
The glass of coffee was thrown away, but disappeared before it could touch the cold ground.
In a frenzy, my hand left her waist and dropped lower to the curves of her butt. Renee immediately broke the kiss, but did not pull away.
"Now this is too much…"
"Sorry, I was caught in the moment. It's good that no one is here now," I whispered in her ear, "and no one noticed our little thing. Tell me, what do you feel, Renee?"
"I don't know... This feels somehow wrong…"
"Hm, and a second ago everything seemed right."
"Alex," she took a step back and exhaled. "I'm confused, okay! Everything shouldn't be like this... I've never felt attracted to a man in my life."
"Not even to me? You know, the fact that you don't have romantic interest in other men makes me very happy."
"For as long as I can remember, I've been a lesbian."
"I think I just turned you. Is that bad?"
"How would you feel if your lifestyle changed drastically?" Montoya didn't let up.
"Come on, it's cold here and I don't want you to get sick," I took her hand and led her to the car.
"You're acting like my boyfriend, and I didn't consent to this relationship," she was indignant, but obediently walked. I turned on the engine so that the car warmed up as quickly as possible.
"Renee," I took her hand in mine. "Look at me and, throwing away all your prejudices for a second, just answer honestly... Do you like me?"
"...Yes." the girl said almost in a whisper. "I don't know how and when it happened, but I fell in love with you," she said. And then out of despair she added, "And it really infuriates me!"
I was waiting for these words. I leaned over and kissed her passionately and ardently. She responded to the kiss. A moment later, my hand was already stroking the girl's breast. An excited groan followed.
"Oh my God, what's happening to me?" the girl blurted out.
"Miss Montoya, from now on, you and I are officially a couple in every sense of the word and without unnecessary pretense."
"Ha-ha-ha, how ironic! Today the whole world found out that I'm a lesbian and today I got a boyfriend. Life can be such a bitch sometimes!" the lady said without mincing words.
"Don't think about it, it's better to look for the positives. After all, if this hadn't happened, who knows when exactly our relationship would have become so close. And besides, you now have a good reason to quit the police service. Now, you can start working for my company with a clear conscience."
"About that... Are you sure, Alex? I'm just an ordinary policeman. There are people who are better suited for this position than me."
"Don't worry about it. You'll be a great boss. Moreover, your responsibilities will include not only protection and security, but also various types of investigations, both within the company and outside it. Your invaluable experience as an investigator will serve you well. You can handle it, I'm sure."
"Okay, I'll try. I'm already unemployed, what do I have to lose," Renee answered enthusiastically.
"But what about my parents? - She became sad again.
"Just go home and tell them that you have a boyfriend. And that they have nothing to worry about. You've already told them about me, right? Tell them that you'll bring me to meet you soon. They will listen to you and will definitely give you a chance to explain everything... Christmas is coming soon, I won't be able to come during the holiday. After all, we are going to celebrate it together, right? So, it will be better if we arrange a meeting with your parents after the holidays. What do you think?"
"Those are the best words I've heard in my entire life!"
************************************** [Warning 18+]
Two lovers were reflected in the dark glass of the uncurtained windows. They kissed passionately, tearing off their restrictive clothing as they did so. The young man was the first to break the kiss, continuing to kiss her neck, moving down to her collarbone, the curves of her breasts, and her swollen nipples.
Renee ran her gentle fingers through Alex's hair and arched, moaning languidly. Alex lifted Renee by the waist and laid her on the table. He removed her panties and stroked her pubis, causing a shudder to spread throughout her body. Alex kissed her stomach, slid his tongue along the inside of her thigh, brushing his breath over the most tender place.
Finally, he licked her exactly where she needed it, as if he knew what she wanted and was waiting for…
"Damn! This... So... Differently!" she moaned, absorbing his caresses with her whole body. Alex did such things with his tongue that she trembled and melted.
"More... Alex! God! Yes…"
It was a wild, incredible orgasm that shook her whole being.
Alex picked the girl up and carried her to the bed. He laid her down and, leaning over her, kissed her passionately and deeply. Renee felt his tense organ slowly caressing her labia: he teased her, opened her, explored, but did not penetrate. Her back arched in anticipation, ready to receive him.
"Ready to lose your virginity?" he asked, whispering in her ear.
"Yes..." Renee couldn't believe she was allowing this to happen. But she wanted it: fiercely and frantically, like she had never wanted it before.
"Repeat..."
"Yes! Shut up already and put it in!" a desperate cry burst from her chest.
Alex responds by plunging into her with one strong, sharp thrust. Then he enters her even harder, again and again, ever deeper… Even before reaching orgasm, Renee realizes she's never experienced anything like this in her life.
At that very moment, she cums with a stifled cry, overwhelmed by a storm of emotions.
"Yes, yes, Alex! You can't even imagine how good I feel right now!" As soon as the first orgasm passed, she felt the next one approaching. She understood that this was only the beginning of tonight, but she already realized that she would never forget it…
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[+ 1 to the King's Wife stat.
Congratulations, you have another companion who agrees to spend her life with you. + 5 to Stamina.]
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Thank you all for your support, please vote with power stones.
You all can read extra chapters on [email protected]/annihilator009