Prompt: Getting A Tree

Summary: Greg and Alice get a tree for the holidays. Prompt for AltrixWrites for the month of February 2024

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Getting a tree for the holidays was a time-honoured tradition. Going out into the wilderness to get the tree was a fun time, and then setting it up and decorating was relaxing in and of itself. Alice was hoping to pull Greg aside at one point so they could spend some time together, and with the weekend rolling around, today was the day!

Alice and Greg met up at a street corner in town, each of them bundled up for being outdoors in the middle of winter. Alice lamented to herself that, maybe, she had over prepared for the outing; she was bound up in layers of winter parkas and sweaters, which was a lot, considering the unseasonably balmy temperatures.

"Hey Greg! Thanks for coming out on such short notice." Alice blushed while smiling warmly.

"N-no problem!" Greg beamed, clutching an axe close to his chest. "Did you find a good tree yet? Want me to have at it??"

"Um..." Alice's eyes lowered towards the massive axe Greg was clutching. It looked like it was a medieval weapon, for hacking plate armour to bits. "Oh, you don't need to bring that with you."

"Mm? Why not... oh!" Greg lit up. "Did you bring a saw? I can help with that!~"

"I-I mean, ah... I should've been clearer, sorry." Alice grimaced. "All the trees here are pre-cut. We just, well, pick up one that looks nice and-"

"Whaaaaaa??" Greg gawked. "No no, that won't do, lemme just..."

Greg pulled out his cell and opened up a rideshare app. Alice leaned forward, wondering what he was punching in. "Greg? We're already here, what're you planning on-"

"I know this big lot where you can cut down your own tree!" Greg beamed. "It's perfect! And you can get hot cider when you're done!"

"...Oh." Alice blinked. "Well, that sounds... nice. I guess I can just cancel those lunch reservations then, no problem..."

Alice chuckled awkwardly, pulling out her own phone. Hopefully this little detour wouldn't take too long...

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One hour later, and they were out of town, and towards a farm that was selling homegrown holiday trees. Greg balanced his woodcutting axe against his shoulder, inhaling deeply.

"Well? You like that crisp, piney air?" Greg smiled. "The real fresh ones are out here!"

"W-well, it's certainly, um, romantic." Alice glanced around, admiring the stature of some of these trees. "Ooh, and they got all kinds! I-I dunno what one is best though..."

"Well, how about this one??" Greg pointed out a massive tree towards the center of the lot; Alice's expression went pale. It positively towered over the lot.

"Sheesh, this is the sort of monster tree they'd put up in Times Square..." Alice muttered. "And look at that price tag, we can't afford that!"

"Eh? Too much?" Greg turned to Alice.

"We'd need to cut a hole through the second floor, and the attic just to fit it..." Alice shook her head. She glanced to the side, and spotted a tree that, well, was still big, but... maybe if they took the bottom off, it'd fit?

"Hey Greg, how about this one??" Alice pointed it out. "This is a better size, I think!"

"Ah... I guess it'll work." Greg shrugged.

"You just wanted to hack down the biggest tree you could find, huh?" Alice smirked.

"Wh- n-no!" Greg blustered. He paused, and then glanced aside. "...yes..."

"Pfft, you dummy." Alice snickered. "C'mon then big guy, put those big muscles to work!~"

"...heh, yeah, alright!" Greg nodded, clutching his axe. "Check out these guns!"

Greg removed his parka to give himself more flexibility to work. Alice swooned at the sight of his muscled biceps, and how they rippled and flexed as he swung the axe around. Her imagination drifted off for a spell there... she pictured herself being held up in the air in those arms.

Creeeeeeeeeeak...

"Alice!!"

Alice snapped back into reality as she heard Greg calling her, and the sight of the tree tipping over here.

"Ah? Oh no-"

Greg jumped in front of Alice, the handle of the axe held in front of him as he caught the tree from falling any further. His legs trembled, and then gave out as both him and the tree collapsed onto Alice, the both of them yelping in surprise. They stirred, with Alice the first to wriggle free.

"Greg! Are you okay!?" Alice called.

"Fine! P-peachy!" Greg smirked. "You??"

"I-I'm unharmed..." Alice rubbed her arm. "Th, thank you for rescuing me... though, you shoulda said something! Like, timberrrr or something..."

"I did!" Greg said. "You kinda just stood there and took it..."

"Really? Oh. I was really spaced out that time..." Alice grimaced. "Sorry..."

"All good. Just need to... rgh... just need to... humph..." Greg struggled under the weight of the holiday tree. He paused, and flashed an awkward smile to Alice.

"Something wrong?" Alice cocked her head to the side.

"J-just shaking out the needles a bit, eheh!" Greg smirked. "Solid tree. Gonna look great when we... hrghhhh... get it to your place!"

"...You seem a little stuck." Alice kneeled down. "Do you... want me to help?"

"...I..." Greg muttered quietly. "...imalittlestuck..."

Alice chuckled. "Thought so." She hurried over to lift the top of the tree well enough so Greg could wriggle free. Then, it was a matter of both of them hauling the tree to the front, getting it wrapped up and ready for transport! It was a successful day, until...

"Uh, hey Greg," Alice tilted her head. "How do you figure we're going to get the tree home?"

"Well that's easy! We'll strap it to the top of our car, with rope!" Greg puffed his chest.

"But we took a rideshare here..." Alice murmured. The revelation gave Greg a bit of pause.

"...ohhh, I... I-I got a little ahead of myself, I guess." Greg stammered, rubbing his neck.

Alice sighed, shaking her head with a smirk as she reached for her phone. "Want me to call Mom?"

"...heh... I guess we gotta..." Greg's shoulders went a little slack.

"Well, no problem! More time to try some of that fancy cider, huh?" Alice smiled, finishing up a quick text to her mother. Taking Greg by the sleeve of his coat, she pulled him along to a little hut near the front of the farm.