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thepeculiarauthor · 2 years ago

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REBLOGGING BECAUSE IT IS CHRISTMAS AND I STILL WANT A CHRISTMAS SPINOFF

A MEGALOBOX CHRISTMAS

I’m in the Christmas mood, so here we go. (Y’all I’m a bestselling + award-nominated author but I didn’t hire my editor to edit this piece so excuse any typos loll <3)

Show: MEGALOBOX

Content: mild swearing (it’s all fluff yo)

Word count: 2,300

Summary: TEAM NOWHERE celebrates their first Christmas together! (timeline is shortly after s1)

Also on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41559675

Enjoy!

Joe had never celebrated Christmas before. Not that he ever gave it much thought. Holidays weren’t really his thing. Never had a purpose for them before. But this year, the kids hadn’t given much room for arguing—they wanted Christmas.

Sighing, Joe stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and kept walking. The city bustled, and frigid air bit at his cheeks, but he kept going.

Nanbu complained about the holiday, but Joe knew the old man was as excited for Christmas as the kids were. Using money sparingly, Nanbu had gotten a few sparse decorations, but the kids had made the rest themselves, and now the gym was covered with Christmas ornaments, handmade Christmas dolls, and other weird attempts of seasonal decor Joe hadn’t identified yet.

Nanbu already had plans to get a Christmas tree, too. A real one. Aragaki had promised it, and it would take a bit for it to arrive, but Nanbu still hadn’t told the kids. He wanted it to be a surprise, so Joe kept his mouth shut.

Joe didn’t get the ruckus. Then again, he wasn’t the one carrying around a cross like Nanbu, and he wasn’t a little kid that had been tossed into a new life of hope, so the holiday was probably for them, not him.

Joe stopped outside of a small store, eyeing the Christmas decorations and small gifts sitting behind the glass window. His breath clouded in front of him.

“Christmas is more about the gifts,” Nanbu had told the kids last night. “It’s about being with the ones you care about. It’s about focusing on the hope for a little while.”

That might be true, Joe decided, but kids liked toys, right? Kids wanted gifts.

But what could he possibly afford? There were a whole lot of kids. He couldn’t buy a bunch of expensive gifts. Sachio might like anything electronic he can take apart. Bonjiro might want some food. Santa might like a notebook. Oicho might want a drone… Joe rubbed his scarred cheek. He couldn’t even list what the other rascals would want. Besides, it all added up to a bill he couldn’t handle. Money was still tight, whether he was a champion now or not.

But the kids deserved something.

He couldn’t handle the idea of them waking up on Christmas morning to nothing.

Steeling himself, Joe stepped inside the gift shop. As he looked over the vast assortment of items—dolls, toy cars, electronics—he couldn’t help but regret that he hadn’t asked anyone to help him. Maybe Aragaki would know what kids wanted. Or maybe Yuri. But probably not.

He’d have to suffer alone.

Joe slowed in front of a few board games. Hm. Nanbu had caught the kids poker—or tried to—so maybe they’d like a board game? It was something they could all do together, too. Frowning, he picked it up. But a board game still seemed lackluster.

“Damn,” Joe muttered. Would it be enough? Probably not. But next year, he could afford more, and he’d know what the little kids would really like, too. Besides, Nanbu already said they had toys covered. “Just get what you want for ‘em,” Nanbu had said.

Nanbu. Joe sighed. He needed to get something for Pops.

As he turned, he saw it.

***

Christmas lights twinkled over the TEAM NOWHERE sign. Another cold gust of wind ruffled Joe’s hair as he grabbed his bags from the bike. Where had Nanbu gotten the lights? Then Joe spotted Yuri’s car.

Joe slung the bags of goods under his jacket and carried it inside. Light illuminated the windows and the kids’ joyous racket escaped the gym. Taking a slow breath, Joe glanced up at the sign over the doors again.

TEAM NOWHERE. Alit with colored lights that dazzled in the night.

Home.

Joe fought a smile and slipped inside, shutting the door securely behind him. The kids bombarded him, poking at the bags under the jacket, but Joe scolded them. “Hey! Knock it off! This is mine!”

Santa pouted. “You’re not supposed to buy yourself things when it’s Christmas!”

Joe scowled back, but looked up, freezing in his tracks.

The pine tree sat in the corner of the gym, covered in bright colored lights. Like a beacon of hope. It filled the gym with warmth. And something else. Love, maybe?

Yuri sat closeby, and Aragaki helped Sachio finish draping the lights.

“Now let’s put those ornaments on,” Nanbu ordered the kids. They jumped to work. “One at a time! Careful!” Nanbu groaned but flashed a grin at Joe, as if he could see him, but Joe knew the old man could identify any footsteps he heard. “Look who’s back in time for the party!”

Joe tore his gaze from the tree. The smell of pine lingered in his nostrils. He’d never smelled something quite so nice before. “Sorry I’m late,” he said. “Apparently a lot of people are in the city on Christmas Eve.”

“Want to help decorate the tree?” Nanbu asked. The kids knew what they were doing, but they had the spirit. Aragaki helped them reach a few higher spots, and he caught an ornament before it hit the floor when Oicho accidentally lost her footing.

“Sure.” Joe stepped over. “Where’d we get all these decorations?”

“A little elf,” Yuri said wryly.

Joe rolled his eyes. “Right.” He helped the kids finish the tree, and while they kept busy, Aragaki finished dinner. It was a pretty big dinner, but nothing too fancy. He wasn’t a chef, but Bonjiro left the tree to help him cook.

After the tree was covered in ornaments, the kids admired their handiwork before bouncing to the table to eat. Joe glanced at Aragaki and Yuri. “Thanks,” he said. Without them, he didn’t think he and Nanbu could’ve pulled off a proper Christmas.

Aragaki barely looked up from cooking.

“Don’t mention it,” Yuri said, wheeling over to the table. “Every child deserves a dream come true.”

Joe paused at that. None of his childhood dreams had come true. But was that such a bad thing? If they had, he wouldn’t be here. Right now. With his real family.

Relaxing, he sat at the table, Sachio on his left and Santa on his right. Nanbu said a quick, rather awkward prayer before they all dug in.

Home.

Joe glanced at the gleaming tree again. Home, with his family, in a safe place, with a whole future of hope ahead of them. He never had to be afraid again. Never had to be alone again. Never had to lose hope again.

Sachio nudged his arm. “Hey, what’re you zoning out for? Nanbu’s telling the story about Christmas!”

“There’s a story?” Joe blinked.

“Yeah, about some guy named Jesus,” Santa answered.

Nanbu groaned and rubbed his face. “Well, at any rate, the story’s over now. We’d better get to bed. Sooner we do, the sooner Christmas morning is here.”

The kids grumbled but raced to bed. Yuri and Aragaki left, leaving Joe and Nanbu to clean up the kitchen. Joe hesitated, but asked, “Can I ask you something, Pops?”

“Depends on what it is.” Nanbu wiped down the table, one hand on his cane.

“It sounds dumb, but…” Joe glanced over. “Have you ever celebrated this before? I mean… It seems like you have, but you never mentioned it when we worked underground…”

Nanbu chuckled. “Underground rings aren’t really a place for hope.”

Joe thought about that. “I think they are,” he said. “I didn’t agree to those fights without hope.” Hope for a future. Hope for a real fight. Hope for a lot of things.

Nanbu paused. “Maybe so… But I guess I didn’t have any hope inside then, so I didn’t bother with festivities. But now, it’s different. I’ve got all of you. Seems offensive not to celebrate now.”

Joe paused again. “Are you happy, Pops?” It was a stupid question. And a sappy one. But still, Joe couldn’t help but ask.

Nanbu rubbed his head. “I am.” He nodded slightly. “You know something, kid?”

Joe waited.

“I can’t see the tree. I can’t see the lights over the sign. I can’t see the kids tomorrow morning when they open their dumb gifts.” He smiled. “But I can feel it all the same.”

Joe gulped hard. “Yeah. I get that.” He went over. “Goodnight, Pops.”

“Merry Christmas, Joe.”

***

“Wake up! Joe! Wake up! It’s Christmas morning!” Oicho screamed—right into Joe’s ear. He jerked upright, groaning. “Wake up wake up wake up!” She tugged at his arm.

Santa popped up from the floor and tackled Joe. “C’monnn!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Joe said. “Get off me, Santa!”

Santa grinned cheekily. Joe stood, grabbing both of them and tossing them over his shoulders. They screamed at him but he didn’t let them down till they had gathered in the gym beside the bright tree. The kids sat in a restless circle around the Christmas tree, chattering like a flock of crows. Joe sighed.

Nanbu sat nearby, sipping coffee. “Yuri and Aragaki should be here soon,” he said. Abuhachi came over and offered Joe a mug of steaming black coffee.

“Thanks,” Joe said. “It’s kinda early, isn’t it?”

Sachio glared up at him. “It’s Christmas!” he said. “You’re supposed to wake up early!”

“Sorry.” Joe sat down at Nanbu’s side and watched the kids squirm with anticipation. Joe had already wrapped his gifts and stuffed them under the tree last night, when everyone else was asleep. He nursed his coffee but worry nagged at him. What if they didn’t like the gifts he got? What if he messed up?

Abuhachi let Yuri and Aragaki inside, and the men both carried a few boxes. They put them under the tree as the kids talked happily.

“Can we open them now?” Oicho begged. “Everyone’s here, old man!”

Nanbu chuckled. “All right. Sachio, do you want to pass them around?”

Sachio jumped to work, handing out the gifts. The kids wasted no time in ripping the paper away and squealing over their new toys.

The kids had gotten the adults a few things, too. Nanbu got a new hat. Yuri got a new shirt, and as Oicho put it, “This color will look better on you, make you less scary looking!” and Aragaki got a book. Abuhachi got a fancy new tool, and while Joe knew the old man had the tool in his shop already, he was humble and thanked the kids.

Sachio handed Joe a small box, head down. “This is for you. From all of us.”

Joe took it carefully. “Oh. Thank you.”

“You have to open it before you say thank you,” Sachio mumbled.

Joe pulled the paper off, and surprise flooded him. A necklace. It was made of strong black chain, and a wolf pendant stared back at him. Joe stared at it.

Sachio quickly said, “T-the other gifts were bought but… but we made this for you. We couldn’t find anything in the store that we thought you’d like.” He scuffed his shoe on the floor.

Joe smiled. “I love it.” He put the necklace on and studied the dark wolf head that hung over his collarbone. “It looks tough.”

“Like you!” Oicho announced.

Joe laughed and ruffled her hair. “Thank you. Each of you.” The kids toppled him in a hug, and when he got free, he said, “Since Pops and everyone got you guys toys, I got something a bit different. Uh, I hope it’s okay.”

They crowded around as Joe grabbed the box from the tree. He handed it to Sachio, growing a bit sheepish. It was just a gift, right? But still…

Sachio opened it and the kids erupted with excited chatter. “A game!” “We can play it together!” “I’m gonna win!” “Play with us, Joe!” “You too, Yuri!” “Please, Aragaki!”

Joe froze again. They… Liked it? A board game? The best his sorry ass could do for all of them—and they actually liked it?

Sachio handed the game to Santa. Without a word, he hugged Joe tightly.

Joe held him. “I hope it’s okay—”

“Shut up.” Sachio squeezed him. “It’s perfect… Everything… it’s all perfect.”

And the kid was right.

Joe stood again and grabbed the last box. “This one is for you, Pops.” He sat the box in Nanbu’s lap carefully. “Be careful opening it.”

Nanbu chuckled. “Sure.” He unwrapped it, and Joe kept close in case it fell. “This is pretty damn heavy, what did you get me, a box of bricks?”

Once the box was unwrapped, Joe took a slow breath. “It’s a record player,” he said. “Yours was getting pretty old, so… I got you another one. And another record.”

Nanbu paused, lowering his head a bit as he held the box. “You did, huh?”

“I know we all agreed not to gift each other, and to only gift the kids, but…” Joe trailed off.

Nanbu took a slow breath, reaching up with one hand and squeezing Joe’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

Joe relaxed. “I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

Nanbu cleared his throat and slapped Joe’s shoulder then. “Get it hooked up, will ya?”

Joe obliged. He set the record player up nearby and played the new vinyl he’d gotten. The beautiful music wafted throughout the gym.

Sachio wiped at his eyes. Joe thumped his head. “Don’t cry,” he said.

“I’m not.” Sachio growled.

Joe ruffled his hair, smiling. He glanced at the kids, surrounded with their gifts and torn paper. He glanced at Yuri, Aragaki, and Abuhachi, who just watched with small smiles on their faces. And then Joe glanced at Nanbu. The old man sat quietly, and while he couldn’t see the beauty around him, he felt it. He heard it. And the old man smiled.

There was nothing more perfect than home, Joe decided. Nothing.

***

If you guys enjoyed, please let me know… And if you liked MEGALOBOX for the angst, bro bonds, found family, grumpy old man, adorbs kids, themes of never giving up + fighting till the end, and dark themes, you can give my novels a look. I write very similar stuff. <3 Thank you! https://www.amazon.com/Angela-R-Watts/e/B07F97JNMY

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