love is always better

- Marge, there’s someone coming up my driveway in a blue truck. - If it’s a salesman don’t you even let him on the porch - Don’t worry Marge, I already have everything I need.

so i could make a hundred excuses as to why i’m not fond of this cover (i’m not classically trained, i’ve barely practised, i do not want to be compared to our lord and saviour kelli o’hara) but, instead, i shall say that i wanted my first cover of the new year to be something i loved, and i love this show more than my own life (which you will already know if you’ve been following me at any point over the last year) and dream of playing francesca johnson one day more than anything, so, though it’s not great, please try not to criticise (unless it’s constructive) because it means that much to me, but i hope it gets better over the years so that my dream becomes a reality. + requested by the beautiful jen (ilikebroadwaythings).

• Who wears the ugly Christmas sweaters? 

Francesca knits matching ones for Robert and herself to wear and then they snuggle up beside each other on the couch and outline the tree and snowflake shapes on each other’s sweaters with their hands, chuckling at how “traditional” they are.

• Who picks out the holiday movies and who makes the hot cocoa?

Francesca picks out the movies, Robert rolls his eyes at her selection, but secretly enjoys her choice every year. Robert makes the cocoa (just how Francesca likes it - “mmm this is good! Not everybody knows how to make a good cup of cocoa!”)

• Who starts the snowball fight? 

Robert - but he’ll only ever scoop up some snow with his fingers, wipe it slowly across her little nose and then kiss it off again.

• Who drags the other under the mistletoe?

Francesca keeps Robert on his toes by hanging it up in different spots every year. She waits until he walks in one night after a frustrating day, with his furrowed brow, deep in thought, grabs his hand, drags him to the spot and points upward toward the mistletoe, before pulling his face towards hers.

• Who decorates the house? 

Inside, Francesca. She has plenty of little Italian knick-knacks and decorative pieces that have accumulated over the years. Robert hangs the few pretty lights that decorate the outside of the house. 

• Who hangs up the ornaments on the tree?

Francesca, because she loves it to be done a certain way. Robert watches as she spends hours admiring and fixing the tree until it is exactly to her liking, then as she struggles to reach the top of the tree to place the star, Robert surprises her and grabs her waist from behind, lifting her high enough to reach, hugging her tightly as he brings her back down.  

• Who cooks Christmas dinner? 

Francesca cooks her old family recipes each year - Robert helps out in the kitchen, just enough so that it is still definitively Francesca’s cooking, because he loves every single bite of anything she makes and can’t get enough. He adores being around Francesca when she’s cooking so they can share their favourite brandy. He always dresses the table and lights all the candles, too. 

• Who invites the other to sing a Christmas duet if they have any holiday traditions?

Francesca loudly (and more beautifully than you could imagine) sings Christmas songs, while Robert will hear her singing and start humming the same tune (and sometimes even the harmony) under his breath, accompanying her without realising he’s doing it. 

• Who would start a food fight during baking?

Robert would be taken aback after Francesca would throw the first handful of flour. He’d never retaliate, though - they would just laugh until Francesca reached out to wipe the flour from his cheeks, his hair, and then his lips… 

• Who would get drunk off of eggnog? 

Robert and Francesca both enjoy a little bit of drunkenness, (Robert loves drunk Francesca, especially, as her English makes less and less sense the more she drinks) as long as the night ends with both of them lying in each other’s arms.

By tomorrow I’ll be left in darkness, amongst your cold sheets, and your shoes will be gone, and your body warmth no longer beside me.