Five Holiday Scenes MateHub Filmed and One They Did Not

Scene One - DickHunt

Richard stared at Daniel and Adrian from across the meeting room table, already knowing what they were about to say. In his mind, Hunter's amusement shimmered.

"You have to do at least one holiday scene," Daniel said, exasperated.

Richard grumbled, but everyone ignored him.

"And if, for the second year in a row, it's not going to be How the Grinch Knotted Christmas, you need to pick one of the others the MateHub writers have suggested."

"What brilliant ideas did they come up with this year?" Hunter asked dryly.

Daniel flourished a sheet of paper, cleared his throat, and read, "A Snow Angel Falls from Heaven then Gets Plowed."

Hunter slapped a hand to his face. "I'm guessing I'm the angel."

"Would anyone ever believe Richard to be one?" Daniel's raised eyebrow firmly stated his opinion on the matter.

"Fair point."

"Hey," Richard said. Not that they were wrong, but still. Someone had to defend his honor.

"Will there be actual snow involved?" Hunter asked. "Because there are a lot of things I'm willing to do for MateHub, but getting fucked into a snowbank is not on that list."

"We can check," Adrian said. "I'm assuming they'll have a mage create the illusion of snow instead of flying you both somewhere cold."

Richard snorted. Tristan's frigid personality would drop the temperature by a degree or two at least. He'd probably even offer to make sure Richard was experiencing an appropriate amount of shrinkage free of charge. For the sake of realism, of course.

"What other options did they send over?" Hunter asked.

"Santa Stuffs the Stocking with his Biggest Package," Adrian said.

Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose. "Would I be 'the Stocking'?"

"Yes."

"Do all their other scene suggestions involve me being things like 'the Chimney' and 'Santa's Sleigh'?"

"Also yes."

Hunter sighed. "They don't have anything else?"

"There's something here about the Nutcracker balle—" Daniel started to say, but Richard cut him off.

"No." There was absolutely no possible way anything good could come from that.

"—and this one about roasting chestnuts."

Richard winced. He didn't even want to know. "Pass."

"Or I suppose," Daniel continued, "you might not be interested, but this just says, 'Best friends, snowed in, only one bed. Title TBA.'"

Richard exchanged a suspicious glance with Hunter. There had to be more to it than that. The artistic vision of the MateHub writers would never be satisfied with something so simple.

"And...?" Hunter prompted.

Daniel shrugged. "Obviously there are no sheets in the cabin, so you'll have to fuck all night long to stay warm."

Ah. There it was. That impeccable MateHub writer logic. Richard couldn't say he was surprised.

He glanced at Hunter again. They nodded and turned to their agents in unison. "We'll do that."

From the mischievous glint in Daniel's eyes and Adrian's not-quite-suppressed grin, that was exactly what they'd wanted all along.

Not for the first time, Richard had to wonder what he'd gotten himself into. But whatever it was, as long as it was with Hunter, he knew he was going to enjoy it. Even if he had to pretend not to the entire way.

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Scene Two - Phil

Phil Emupp adjusted his costume. The red suit might as well have been painted on. Because obviously Santa was a blond twink in his early thirties. Perfect casting, as far as MateHub was concerned.

He checked out his co-stars as they gathered on set—all nine of them decked out in leather harnesses and antler headbands, regardless of whether they were actually a bear shifter, a wolf shifter, or something else. But more importantly, each and every one was ready to show Santa that they weren't the only ones who could be ridden all night long.

Phil grinned. Let the Reindeer Games begin.

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Scene Three - Xavier

XXXavier Sinclair eyed Zinnia warily as she neared him with a manic gleam in her eyes and rolls of glittery wrapping paper and shiny ribbons in her hands.

"Let's get you into costume," she said, the amount of holiday cheer in her voice at an alarmingly high level.

"Is all that strictly necessary?" he asked. When Adrian had pitched him this scene by saying it would involve him being 'god's gift to humanity,' he hadn't pictured it going quite like this.

In hindsight, that had been rather foolish of him. This was MateHub, after all.

"How's Humanity going to unwrap his new favorite package on Christmas morning without it?" she asked, unrolling a blood-red sheet of sparkling wrapping paper.

She did have a point. And at least she'd picked Xavier's signature color.

He wouldn't bring up the fact that Humanity was being played by a wolf shifter. Though, he supposed, it could be argued they were only half off with that casting.

With a sigh, Xavier resigned himself to being gift-wrapped. It wasn't like he'd have to wear it long before it'd get ripped off him. Besides, what came after that would be significantly more fun, even if he had a sneaking suspicion there'd be a bow stuck to the top of his head the entire time.

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Scene Four - StormRyder

Ryder entered the studio with Storm by his side. He'd read the outline of the scene they were about to film, but that hadn't fully prepared him for the reality of the set.

He blinked at the large sign that proclaimed it Santa's Workshop – Toy Quality Control Department.

There was a truly mind-blowing number of toys laid out on the workbenches. The prop department had been working overtime, and they weren't the only ones. Outside the workshop's windows, a heavy snow fell on picturesque hills already blanketed with white. Ryder would bet any amount of money that Tristan had been grumbling the entire time he cast that illusion.

"Since the fans enjoyed you two testing mattresses so much, the writers thought we should give them a version of that with a special holiday flair," Brandt said, gesturing grandly at the set.

Ryder snorted. The writers, sure.

Storm nudged him with his elbow, his amusement at the absurdity of their chosen profession glittering in his eyes and through their bond.

Ridiculous or not, Ryder was more than happy to spread a little holiday cheer, especially when said holiday cheer involved Storm bending him over a workbench and making damn sure there was nothing remotely silent or holy about the night.

"It's a hard job," Storm started.

"But someone's got to do it," Ryder finished, grinning.

It was time to get to work.

* * *

Scene Five - Chance

Chance held back a laugh and exchanged an amused glance with Trick as Lucky Bottoms walked on set. The bear shifter was decked out in full Santa gear, complete with a white beard and floppy fur-trimmed cap, though the costume department had ensured his velvety pants still made it more than clear that the stocking above the fireplace wasn't the only thing that was hung.

"Okay," Brandt said after they took their places. "Let's get this scene started. Action."

"I see you two have ended up on the Naughty List again this year," Lucky said, his voice cheerfully booming.

"We have," Chance purred, throwing an arm around Trick and rubbing against him.

"Wanna find out exactly how naughty we can be?" Trick asked while his hands shamelessly groped Chance.

"I do have an extra special package I could give to you both." Lucky adjusted himself, as if that needed any clarification.

Chance would roll his eyes at the cheesy dialogue, but he couldn't deny how much he was looking forward to the other things he'd be doing in The Naughtiest of Santa's Naughty List Get Checked More Than Twice. He and Trick would be helping Santa empty his sack, and they'd be receiving a lot more than a lump of coal for their efforts.

He'd be getting all he wanted for Christmas and he hadn't even needed to sit on Santa's lap to ask for it. Yet.

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Scene Six (And One They Did Not) - Kade and Liam

Kade pulled Liam to him on the bed, settling him between his legs.

"I can't believe you're making me watch this," Liam said, and Kade grinned.

"Think of it as a Christmas present for me."

He reached over and hit play on his laptop. Heavy white flakes swirled through the air as two hikers struggled through deep banks of snow, trudging towards a lone cabin in the distance.

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