#That most of my Christmas decorating is just throwing santa hats & tinsel garlands on the year-round spooky decor is a pretty good-

[inga-don-studio]

Hello! Merry Christmas Eve, Inga!! I heard you're celebrating a different kinda way, and it seems like a very fun twist!! :]

Merry Chistmas Eve (and a merry Christmas in a couple hours) to you, too! Hope you have a very happy one, and that you're staying safe & warm!!!

Still not sure what to nickname my more spooky flavored Christmas (Cryptmas? Cryptidmas?), but it's definitly on brand shfshfsh! There are certainly enough ghost stories, monster-filled folktales and seasonally appropriate horror movies around this time of year to rival Halloween, so a blending of themes -in a lighthearted way- seems natural! ;)

[aaluminiumas]

Merry Christmas Chopper

Time flows differently at sea, especially on the Grand Line: the weather in this part of the world never followed the ordinary calendar people had outside the ocean, so a blizzard in the middle of the summer wouldn’t surprise anyone. The climate depended on the island itself, and the inhabitants stuck to their specific routine maintained throughout the years: the holidays of the Fish-Men didn’t coincide with those of the Minks thus a lucky traveler may get a chance to become acquainted with rituals and traditions of all races.

The Straw Hat Pirates had already seen a lot. That’s why Nami yearning for Christmas she last celebrated a couple of years ago, made sure that the ship steered for another Winter Island and then ordered to throw a real party. Initially, only two latched on the idea: Sanji who agreed to do anything offered by Nami, and Robin, as usual peacefully calm, whose multiple hands immediately embarked to festoon Sunny. Luffy seemed to worried about one thing only – whether they were going to have meat; Zoro followed his Captain’s suit and asked about drinks – again, following Luffy’s suit, he got punched in the head and crawled away with gloomy grumbling. As a result of the powerful blow, the swordsman deigned to hang a garland over his mat on the deck. Sanji waspishly advised not to remove it in the future in order to define the borders of the improvised botanical garden and what is the vantage point to feast the eyes upon the ugliest plant.

While Brook, Usopp and Franky were trying to part the fighters to the rippling laughter of their Captain, Chopper took advantage of the common turmoil and ran over to Nami. He had first-hand knowledge of Christmas: as resident of a Winter Island, he often celebrated the holiday. Even when other reindeer atrociously lambasted him, he kept believing in miracles and never doubted Santa and his presents. However, the presents weren’t the main concern: absolutely unspoiled, he was waiting for some other guest – the red-nosed reindeer, Rudolph, who was claimed to have been mocked himself. Since childhood he swore he would stay up till morning to see Santa and his famous sleigh; he was sure he would talk to Rudolph in the animal language asking how he managed to take the lead, to turn his flaw into an assert and to overcome the sneers. Unfortunately, Chopper kept falling asleep – and woke up with bitter frustration written upon the snout. Later in the morning he disappeared in his lab and crammed another book borrowed from shrewd Kureha who unexpectedly failed to grasp what ate him away every winter so desperately.

Nami wasn’t paying attention to the skirmish between the cook and the swordsman: she continued decorating her tangerine trees and enlaced the boughs with colored garlands even though they hadn’t yet reach the island.

“Nami,” Chopped called in a low voice awkwardly tapping his hooves against each other and snuffling, “Is… Santa coming to us?”

Puzzled by the question, the navigator nodded.

“Of course, Chopper. Santa comes to all good kids… and adults. To the bad ones too,” she narrowed her eyes, pursed her lips and slowly turned her head in the direction of the bickering friends. “But there is not enough coal for those in the whole world. It’s easier to send them to a mine.”

“Are there deer, too?” he went on, still meek and at the same time more enthusiastic. “Or is he traveling by ship? He can’t get here by his sleigh, right?..”

Nami looked at him, clearly perplexed: she wasn’t ready for such questions; practically deprived of childhood herself, she never had illusions as to Santa’s personality but the girl didn’t venture to shatter her friend’s faith in this mythological figure. To her Christmas was a day when she could finally express her gratitude and affection towards all the crew members (and to get a nice present for her outstanding navigation skills) but for Chopper it was an evening of miracles and didn’t want to wreck it all.

“Doctor-san,” Robin suddenly came to rescue with her low voice pierced with confidence, “his sleigh runs across the sky, not by the sea. Why would he need a ship if it is safer to travel above multiple dangers of the Grand Line?”

The archeologist’s words mollified the reindeer: his large woeful eyes beamed in a heartbeat. If Nami was able to fib a little, Robin would rather remain silent or elude.

“Don’t you happen to know,” Chopper hesitated for another moment rattling his hooves again, “when is he coming? I would… I would love to just have a peep… at Rudolph. I heard that he was… different from others. Just like me. But I have a blue nose…”

Even if Robin was taken aback, she didn’t reveal her astonishment in the slightest: her face remained serene and tranquil. With a small apologetic smile upon the lips, the woman shook her head and adorned his tiny antlers with a garland interwoven with a sparkling tinsel.

“Unfortunately, Doctor-san, I cannot give you a proper answer to that. The number of good kids changes from year to year, and he has to pay a visit to them all. But I am certain this time he will stay a little longer: after all, you have done so many good things that you deserve a special present.”

Encouraged by the praise, Chopper was about to start dancing: the reindeer still couldn’t get used to the fact that he was genuinely loved and cherished even though aloof and unsociable Law tended to commend him every once in a while. And if Nami expressed her emotions in quite a ribald way, Robin tried to find the right approach to everyone not resorting to punches and manipulations – even a rejection didn’t sound adamant though her voice was always firm.

“Then,” the doctor scratched his blue nose, “If you see him… can you please wake me up? I promise not to fall asleep but,” here he got embarrassed completely, “Every year I just pass out and… I would love to…”

“Of course Doctor-san,” Robin interrupted him soflty, “We’ll be on guard.”

“Don’t worry Chopper,” Nami bolstered her friend, “A mouse won’t slip by Zoro, let alone an old man with a flock of deer. We’ll take care of it!”

As soon as their inspired friend rushed to his little laboratory equipped with all the necessary things for his endless experiments, Nami crossed her arms in the chest staring at Robin with a suspicious grimace on the visage.

“I certainly love your idea,” she muttered in a low voice, “But what is that you suggest us doing? We cannot steal a deer, put a red nose on it and introduce it as Rudolph. I couldn’t even think that he’s so…”

“Flustered? Excited? This is quite obvious,” the woman adjusted a glossy purple ball on the tangerine branch so its ribbon didn’t cover the image. “He doesn’t really have someone… to share his experience with. Whether we want it or not, we… do not fully understand him.”

“So what are we supposed to do? To turn ourselves into deer?” said Nami sarcastically. “Can’t even imagine myself… this way. I’m no doe. What kind of doe… would I be?..”

“The most beautiful doe in the world, Nami-swan! You will be the most charming female deer in th–”

Robin chuckled: Sanji didn’t manage to accomplish his laudatory ode as he got maimed which nonetheless failed to cool him down.

“You’re just in time, Sanji-kun,” the woman smiled thus provoking another bout of jitter. “Do you know the legend about Rudolph the Deer?”

Soon enough the whole crew began to arrange the Christmas party for Chopper. Nami, as usual, was in charge: she succeeded to draw attention to the discussion by heavy blows and threatening stares while Robin put forward various proposals that seemed suitable. Luffy only comprehended that Chopper ‘had some wrong Christmas’ and offered to pile the deer with presents but the idea implying a thousand of meat dishes didn’t sit well with the rest of the crew. Zoro supported his Captain on the topic of presents but added on his own behalf: let the swirlybrow make a present to them all by locking himself up in the kitchen throughout the celebration. Sanji pledged to cut the swordsman in pieces and feed seagulls, deprecated. Brook proposed to compose a song – and Robin’s hands writing down more or less reasonable suggestions, started jotting something in her notebook.

“Why not write him a letter?” exclaimed Usopp out of the blue. “It won’t replace Rudolph of course but… at least we will show we care about him.”

“And then he’ll eventually understand that Marimo is a good-for-nothing sentinel who hasn’t heard the thud of the hooves,” Sanji noticed melancholically, lighting another cigarette. “What a remarkably useless plant. Shall we toss it overboard?”

“I don’t need my swords to beat the shit out of you,” hissed Zoro flaring up. “Damn you, ero-cook!..”

It didn’t take much time to put things in apple pie order and reassert the breached discipline: Nami scattered the two in different directions, and both the swordsman and the cook rubbed their heads and squabbled in hushed voices not to instigate the navigator who seemed to like Usopp’s offer.

The preparations lasted for the whole day: Robin sneaked into the farthest corner of the deck to write the letter; Sanji wearing a funny apron garnished the desserts with cotton candy. As for Zoro, he had risked to get a carver knife between the eyes and now imitated some frenzied activity – according to the cook, it was ‘frenzied enough to outshine the quickest algae drifting with the stream’. Brook, laughing, was playing a song by ear while Usopp was wrapping the presents. Nami kept things tidy: she prevented Luffy from pushing his nose into every single box he saw. Franky, though, took care of it himself: he had cut out several wooden boxes for various trinkets. Now he improved his invention and fit locks into them – exclusively by the navigator’s request so eager to keep the spirit of Christmas. Albeit none of the tasks looked hard to finish, they appeared to be time-consuming, so none of the pirated noticed when and how the warm climate gave way to pleasant frost and slight snowfall.

Chopper went out to the deck only in the evening and started perusing snowflakes, so brittle and peculiar that they seemed to be knitted. They sank into his auburn fur and didn’t melt at all as if they morphed into a scintillating garland. Back at home they looked less fragile and yet bigger; accustomed to blizzards and cold, he learnt to ignore them and now, after all those visits to hot countries, a simply snowstorms morphed into a hibernal miracle.

He remembered the first time he saw himself in the reflection of the frozen river. He remembered his resentment for himself, that blue nose, and roared smashing whatever he could smash. He remembered how he nuzzled into white and fluffy snow hoping that the color of the nose would alter, and he, Chopper, would be just like others.

He also recollected the frosty redolence Hululuk’s fur coat exuded; he recalled Kureha’s perfume mingled with the fragrance of the wind. Her hands were always tender and smelled ice while Hululuk reminded him of the first snowflakes’ scent. It dawned upon him how much he actually could reminisce: that cheerful laughter, ridiculous stories the Doctor used to tell, and those midnight talks – they spoke about everything in the world. It was almost eternity ago when Chopper lost his best friend – and they still had so much to discuss. Hiluluk always supported him, and, probably in his own manner, taught the little reindeer to keep his head up.

“Merry Christmas,” a familiar gentle voice came; Chopper sharply turned in the direction of the sound and instantly noticed a figure he knew so well: it was a tad shorter than he remembered and moved angularly but the kind smile and warm eyes made everything clear. It was exactly the person who encouraged Chopper to become a doctor.

“Doctor Hiluluk!” the reindeer darted towards the man feeling he was barely able to squelch the tears that were about gush out from the eyes. “Doctor Hiluluk!.. How did you..? You are...”

The intruder laughed in a low tone and embraced his friend caringly.

“You’ve become so big and strong,” the doctor patted Chopper by the shoulder, “Are you happy with them?.. I’ve heard a lot about you, Chopper. I am exceedingly proud of you. You have become a talented physician. You are definitely second to none.”

The little reindeer didn’t release his friend – and almost ignored the praise. Millions of questions were swarming in his head but he didn’t hurry to ask them. Hiluluk didn’t insist on a decent conversation: he kept smiling looking at the reindeer cursing himself for the cruelty he had shown in the past. How could throw him out sugarcoating his atrocity and calling it care? Why didn’t he tell the truth letting Chopper make his own decision whether to stick around or to deal with his own life? Yes, that notorious quack felt ashamed and couldn’t disappoint his friend, but at the moment, after all those years, he finally realized that it may have been the only blunder he regretted so much. If he could turn back time, nothing of it would have happened.

“They do love you,” the guest drawled squatting before Chopper. “And protect you too. I am glad to know that you have found a family… despite everything. I am so sorry that I cannot be near.”

“But you are here!” the reindeer exclaimed blinking his watery eyes. “I’ll introduce you to my nakamas. They’ll like, I assure you! Sanji will cook the pies you are so fond of, Brook will sing for you, you’ll talk to Robin and–”

With a sad smile on the lips Hiluluk shook his head.

“Alas, it won’t do.” He sighed heavily. “You have a different life now… But,” he straightened up, “I have a little surprise for you, Chopper. I know who you are waiting for. Unfortunately, he cannot…”

Robin’s soft hand touched the glossy fur. Flummoxed, Nami noticed that Chopper finally awoke and placed a small box near the adoze reindeer: it was different from those that Franky had created. This one had incised ornaments and a carving of a certain mushroom on the lid. Still sleepy, Chopper kept staring at the present: did someone do that specifically for him?

“Open it, Doctor-san. This undoubtedly belongs to you.”

Robin’s honeyed mellow voice seemed to have pushed him, and the little hooves lifted the lid. Inside, there was a handful of pink powder – the same powder his friend had been working on, – and a letter with a stamp of a deer hoof. The whole crew gathered around: Usopp failed to wake him up, and panicked alarming the rest – even Zoro, normally apathetic and detached, scowled and rushed to rescue.

The whole ship was emblazoned and festooned. Nami had cleared the place underneath her tangerines, and now neatly wrapped presents were peacefully lying there revealing the cards written in Usopp’s and Franky’s untidy yet diligent hands. Sanji was serving cocoa with little cloud of marshmallow. Exclusively for Chopper he had created rosy petals of cotton candy. Robin, normally calm, adjusted bows, knots and decorations striving to make everything look like a picture. The evergreen lawn where the crew used to sprawl and relax, turned white: no one even tried to get rid of the glistening snow which reflected all Sunny’s embers and glimmers.

“Merry Christmas, Chopper,” Nami flashed him a broad smile.

“Merry Christmas!” shouted both Zoro and Sanji and looked daggers at each other.

“Su-u-u-u-u-u-per-r-r-r-r Christmas!” Franky struck a pose raising both his arms in the air.

“Mefwy Fuwissmas!” pronounced Luffy proudly munching on the ham he’d just stolen from the kitchen. A sound of Sanji’s powerful kick muffled another sentence he was about to utter.

“We love you, Chopper!” candidly declared Usopp.

“Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho!.. Merry Christmas, Chopper-san. Thank you for suturing our wounds! Though… yo-ho-ho… I don’t have skin to be sutured! Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho!”

The little reindeer sniveled. Probably he should let his past go – to let it get dispersed in a blur of pink petals.

[infinitevariety]

May Your Days Be Merry

Having never been able to celebrate previously, Aziraphale and Crowley decide to embrace the festive season and make the most of their first December together since the world didn’t end.

Chapter Eight: O Christmas Tree (AO3)

Buying a Christmas tree is a long and arduous process for Crowley, but only because Aziraphale has such exacting standards.

This morning, Crowley is outside the bookshop much earlier than usual. At Aziraphale’s request he walks through the door bang on 11:00am, green scarf secure around his neck and fleece-lined gloves keeping his fingers toasty.

Aziraphale is waiting to greet him, similarly wrapped up, but with the addition of a Santa hat on his head.

“Good morning!” exclaims Aziraphale, beaming smiling in place. “Are you ready to go?”

“You’re going to wear that?” Crowley points up at the Santa hat.

“Why?” Aziraphale raises a hand and fingers the edge of the hat self-consciously. “Is it too much? I thought everyone would be festive at the woodland and, well, you got this hat for me yesterday. But if it’s too much…” Aziraphale trails off, reaching high to pull at the top of the hat.

“No!” cries Crowley quickly, stepping forwards and holding out his hands to forestall Aziraphale removing the hat. “It’s not too much. Not at all. I just thought…” Crowley quickly tries to find a substantive way back out of this hole, but only sees one option. “I just thought that if you’re going to wear that, I should really where my reindeer antlers.”

“Really?” Aziraphale’s bright delight is back.

“Really,” assures Crowley, quickly coming to the realisation that he’ll gladly look like a fool in public if it makes Aziraphale this happy. “Did I leave them here last night?”

“Yes! Here they are!” Aziraphale whips them out, seemingly from nowhere, and hands them to Crowley.

“Thanks, angel,” he says as he shoves them on his head and eyes Aziraphale suspiciously.

Aziraphale simply continues to smile, radiating innocence.

Headgear sorted, they go outside and climb into the Bentley. Crowley drives the two hours to Wilderness Woods in 45 minutes, and wonders if they really had to leave so early.

Climbing back out of the car they both take long deep breaths of the fresh, countryside air. There is a strong smell of pine, and it only gets stronger as they walk further into the woodland. At the hub of the site are several huts. One selling food, one selling trinkets and ornaments, and one where you purchase your tree.

It hits Crowley then. They are buying a Christmas tree. The centrepiece of a traditional, commercial, British Christmas.

There are hundreds of trees, all set out for people to look at and choose, before buying, taking home, and decorating. They are organised by size, type, price… Crowley’s not sure where they should start.

“Do you know what variety and size tree you want, angel?”

“Norwegian Spruce. Most definitely. The taller the better. They carry the best scent and I want the bookshop to smell like Christmas for as long as possible. They loose their needles like nobody’s business, but that’s nothing a quick miracle won’t sort out.”

Aziraphale wanders off towards the trees, eyes alight with excitement. And suddenly Crowley doesn’t care about how commercial Christmas has become, how cliché and tacky. Let them get a Christmas tree and indulge in the traditional celebrations. Anything for that wide-eyed, wonderful look on Aziraphale’s face.

The feeling doesn’t last.

“Crowley!” calls Aziraphale. “Crowley, will you come and hold this tree so I can see what it looks like?” There’s a brief pause as Crowley makes his way over. “Oh! And this one—it’s taller, but I’m not sure if it’s as bushy.”

This goes on for at least an hour. Crowley hauls out tree, after tree, after tree. At Aziraphale instruction, he holds them upright and spins them around for inspection. Each and every one is then rejected, and a new tree from the seemingly never ending batch of them is chosen for Crowley to pull out and display.

After an hour and a half Crowley has even forgotten to be embarrassed by the antlers still perched on his head. He has all but zoned out, so he almost misses the hum of approval Aziraphale makes about the tree he’s currently holding.

“This one?” says Crowley, the note of desperation clear in his voice. “You want this one?”

“It’s a gorgeous colour, has a beautiful even spread, and is good and bushy…”

“This one!”

“It’s just not quite tall enough.”

“Aziraphale, this tree is at least eight feet. If anything it’s too tall.”

“No, no, I want one as tall as possible, it’ll look absolutely magnificent under the domed skylight in the shop.”

“Not if you never pick one, it won’t,” Crowley mumbles under his breath.

Aziraphale hums again, and Crowley jumps to convince him that this is the tree.

“What’s taller if the tree isn’t as lush and green and beautiful? And remember, you’ve got to decorate the tree, angel. The taller it is, the more effort that will take. Hanging the ornaments, stringing the lights, tying the bows. It could take you hours.”

Much to Crowley’s surprise, Aziraphale laughs.

“Let’s not be coy, Crowley. I won’t decorate the tree. I will throw the baubles and lights and tins—”

“NO tinsel!”

“...and garlands on the tree, then you will do the real decorating.”

They stare at each other, obviously both recalling how well the decorating of the shop went a few days prior. Eventually, Crowley caves.

“Fine, but this is the tree and we’re not having an angel on top.”

“Deal,” Aziraphale is quick to agree.

They net the tree up for the journey home and pay for the thing. Then Aziraphale spends another half an hour picking out decorations for it from the cutesy little hut full of trinkets. And of course they visit the food hut, for Aziraphale to purchase a little snack. He apparently worked up quite the appetite after all the hard work he made Crowley do.

The argument they end up having about needing to miraculously install a roof rack on the Bentley sees them through the entire journey home.

[franklyshipping]

Day 1 ~ Christmas 2019 Ego Fanfics

Welcome to the start of this, my 2019 festive project. Last year, I did a mega Christmas fic, the year before I did a massive New Year's fic, and this year....you will all be getting an SFW, ego tickle fanfic every single day from the first of December, right up until the 25th, aka Christmas Day. I have been stressed as hell over this project, but I am still proud of it and I've enjoyed writing every segment, and I hope you all enjoy these fics too. Now, without further ado....let's begin, with Day 1!

TAGGING: @anti-switch-glitch

In my view, festivities only really start in one particular fashion. With complete anarchy. Anti’s eyes were wide as he looked over the piles and boxes of gleaming decorations…that HE was in charge of. Tinsel, wreaths, baubles, ornaments, individual advent calendars, mini trees, strings upon strings of white, rainbow, gleaming, flickering lights, hand-made carvings and ceramics, plushies, festive throws, blankets, cushions, mini fricking train sets, stockings, bags of potpourris, candles, incenses, garlands, paper chains, mistletoe sprigs, holly bunches….and Santa hats. Rest assured, Anti intended on using EVERY single piece of decorative material before him, and he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

Now, I understand that you may be shocked at the notion of Anti solely being given the mammoth task of decorating every room of the Ego household, but you need not worry, he had help. Namely the organised, efficient Harold B. Darrensworth. However, as with any and all creative projects involving multiple brains, clashes can occur….and were occurring right now.

‘No! NO! ABSOLUTELY not! Those collections of tinsel do NOT mix colour wise, and they’ll be a FIRE risk if they’re draped about the main kitchen!’

Harold stomped his foot, his nostrils flaring as he stood with his arms folded at his chest and with distress on his face as he looked at Anti, who was whining at having his wild creativity repressed.

‘Well how else are we meant to decorate the main kitchen then?! We can’t leave the room fuckin’ bare, we wouldn’t be doin’ our damn job!’

Anti huffed whilst throwing a length of turquoise tinsel over his shoulder like it was scarf, folding his arms too. He knew Harold wanted to decorate well, and Anti did too, he wanted every inch of the place to be decorated to perfection….but it seemed that Anti’s and Harold’s perceptions of ‘perfection’ were a little different. Harold stalked up to Anti, and despite his shorter stature, squared up him as he straightened his spectacles.

‘I ASSURE you that I do not intend to leave ANY room undecorated! But you have to face facts! We MUST prioritise proper order and colour co-ordination, and that’s FINAL!’

Harold had his lips pursed as he looked up at Anti resolutely…but then what started off as a creative disagreement, turned into something a little more. Anti narrowed his eyes down at Harold. Don’t get him wrong, Anti loved the guy and the fact that he was just as dedicated to the decorating task as he was….but he was stubborn. Very stubborn, and frankly a tad arrogant with his bossiness. Anti could see that Harold saw himself as the authority of the venture, and Anti couldn’t have that, they were meant to be partners in this after all.

‘I hope you’re not trying to dictate to me Darrensworth, I don’t really take kindly to being told what to do.’

Anti’s voice had lowered to a growl as he stepped closer to Harold so he was very nearly looming over him….but of course Harold, stubborn as he was, stuck to his guns. He wasn’t going to let himself be intimidated!

‘With respect Anti, I’m afraid you’ll just have to SUCK it up!’

Harold’s shoulders were raised as he huffed out a determined breath through his nose, usually he wouldn’t use such crude language, but Anti just had to be told! Harold’s determined defiance however, was to be his downfall. In a flash Anti had snarled, gripped Harold by his shoulders, and pushed him against the nearest wall, pinning him there as his eyes flicked to black. Poor Harold yelped with shock, and the poor guy started to tremble, worrying that he’d actually angered Anti and brought out his wrath.

‘AH! O-O-Oh n-no I-I-I’m s-sorry I’m s-sorry! P-Please d-don’t h-h-hurt me!’

Harold stuttered as he looked up at Anti fearfully, and immediately Anti’s expression softened….I mean, he knew he could be scary, but to have Harold actually be terrified? Anti certainly didn’t want that! Anti’s cold expression morphed into a more playful sneer, and he squeezed one of Harold’s shoulders as he purred.

‘….well clearly me and you need to hang out more, I’m not gonna hurt you ya doof!’

Harold blinked a few times as he processed Anti’s words and the reassuring shoulder squeeze, and he bowed his head a tad embarrassedly at jumping to such a conclusion. Anti shook his head slightly, but then remembered why he’d pinned Harold against the wall in the first place; his voice dimmed into a low growl as he continued.

‘However…people who act like this big authority reeeeally rile me up. I have a thing ya see. A thing about people putting themselves on a bossy little pedestal…I just feel like I gotta knock ‘em off. D’ya understand me?’

Harold gulped as Anti raised an eyebrow down at him, very much expecting an answer from him. Harold of course burst out into apologetic babbles. I mean, he didn’t know exactly what Anti might or might not do to him…but Harold had had a glimpse into Anti’s wild creative mind and decided that the reasonable, safer option would be to concede as quickly as possible and hope that Anti would just want to carry on with the task at hand.

‘Uh huh, yes, I ENTIRELY understand you Anti, COMPLETELY in fact!’

As he spoke, Harold nodded with a shaky smile in place. He felt so flustered, whether it was Anti’s intimidating demeanour, the fact that he was trapped, or the implicit threatening nature of Anti’s words; Harold could just feel flustered chills going through his system. Anti meanwhile, was enjoying this very much. Seeing the ordered, neat Harold Darrensworth so frantic was very satisfying…but…Anti wanted to see more. He smirked as his plan formed in his mind, and he purred, leaning closer so he and Harold were nearly nose to nose.

‘Mmm…you say that but ah, well, words aren’t always the most trustworthy things. However, I do have a little method I use when it comes to properly knocking people off pedestals. How about I show ya?’

Before Harold could even open his mouth to protest and potentially persuade Anti against whatever his plan was…Anti’s hands had darted forward to Harold’s ribcage, where his fingers pinched and scratched at the area experimentally. Oh how Anti’s experiment was rewarded.

‘AAEEE! N-Nohoho nohohoho plehease n-nohot the tihickling not tihihickling!’

Harold bent double almost instantly in an attempt to escape Anti’s tickling digits, but now Anti was just eager beyond belief to tickle the order and serenity out of Harold Darrensworth.

‘Ohhhoho thihis is gonna be so much fun!’

Anti cackled evilly as he eagerly snuck his fingers under Harold’s shirt so he could scratch at his bare ribcage, which made Harold snort and attempt to jump and/or squirm away from Anti’s tickling…emphasis on the attempt part.

‘Nohoho noho l-l-lehehet mehehe gohoho!’

Harold was blushing a bright pink and pushing desperately at Anti’s chest, but the glitch was far too strong and determined to let any weak defence halt him for even a second. He cocked his head down at Harold fondly as he cooed.

‘Oh I don’t think sooo! Someone needs to learn not to be such a big bossy pants, yes they do yes they dooo!’

….needless to say, Harold had not expected Antisepticeye to baby-talk him, which was clear by his darkening blush and widening eyes. He ended up spluttering amidst his torrents of giggling.

‘Ihihi d-d-dohohon’t! D-Dohohon’t tahalk t-to mehe lihihike thahahat!’

As Harold wriggled desperately against the wall, Anti’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe how much the baby-talk affected him and how much it embarrassed the generally measured man! And you bet that Anti was going to use this information for a loooong looong time. Anti used his thumbs to massage Harold’s bottommost ribs as he got right in his face, cooing in the most babyish voice he could muster.

‘Ahaaaww what’s thiiiis? Can ickle baby Harold not take the tickly wicklies on his itty bitty ribbies? Poor baaaby, all mine to ticky tickle for ever and ever and ever!’

If dictionaries had pictures next to words and their definitions, Harold’s current facial expression would be depicted next to the word shook. His mouth and eyes were wide, his cheeks were crimson, and the noise that came out of his mouth was somewhere between a squawk and a squeal as his knees threatened to buckle.

‘Y-Y-YOHOU SH-SHUHUSH YOUR MOHOUTH!’

Harold cried, and also I need to correct myself; Harold’s knees no longer threatened to buckle, they did buckle. Harold crumpled to the floor consumed by his frantic giggles, and immediately started trying to scrabble away from Anti on his hands and knees; he had never looked more frantic in his entire life. Anti laughed aloud, this was too precious. He watched Harold’s cute, giggly, crawling form for a few seconds, before striding over and gripping one of his shins with a chuckle.

‘Where do you think you’re going? I’m not done with you yeeet!’

Harold squealed as Anti grabbed both his legs, playfully dragging him across the fluffy rug as Harold spluttered giddily.

‘N-Noho p-plehease let me goho let me go-EEEK!’

Harold had squealed, since Anti had moved to grip his thighs in prep to flip him over for more torso tickling…but now Anti found a more interesting target.

‘Well, well, well, what have we here Mr Darrensworth?’

Harold spluttered as he felt Anti straddle his butt, and stroke his fingers down the backs of his thighs; Harold was trembling and smiling and squeaking nervously.

‘N-Nohothihing i-i-it’s nohothing!’

It was SO not nothing. Harold’s thighs in general were prime tickle spots, but the backs of his thighs? Those were the real hot spots. Harold’s reactions were utterly melting Anti’s heart as he kept gleefully tracing the ticklish areas, very much enjoying Harold’s utter lack of decorum.

‘Oh? Then what’s with all those cute giggles? Did I miss a joke?’

Harold spluttered and whined into the carpet as he giggled harder, Anti’s teasing was REALLY not helping the situation…well, at least from Harold’s point of view. Harold’s mirth just kept on increasing as Anti increased the intensity of his tickling. He made the process last too. Anti had a manic grin on his face as he transitioned from tracing, to gentle fluttering, to light scratches, to harder scratches, he was being truly merciless.

‘P-P-Plehehehease s-stohop thihis I-Ihi cahaHAHAN’T!! AHAH! NOHOHO NOHO NOHOHO MOHOHORE OHOHO PLEHEHEASE!!’

Anti hummed happily as Harold’s loud, bright mirth filled his ears. Harold’s silk pyjama pants offered him no protection, so the ticklish flesh at his thighs was all Anti’s to tickle torture. Also, Anti was making sure his verbal teasing was just as torturous as the tickling.

‘Huh, that joke must have been really funny, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh this hard!’

Anti snickered as Harold wailed, Anti knew he was being a mean, evil little shit….and he absolutely lived for it.

‘PLEHEHEASE AHAHAHA IHIHI’M BEHEGGING YOHOU!!’

Harold cried out as he squeezed his eyes shut amidst his mirth, and Anti let out a soft shocked laugh….he couldn’t believe Harold was begging so outwardly like this! Anti hummed musingly, flicking his blunt nails over the thighs before him as he replied.

‘Begging huh? I wonder, what would you do to get me to stop?’

Harold had an immediate answer for that one.

‘AHAHAHA AHAHANYTHING!!’

….oh how Anti LOVED that answer. He let out a devious hum of thought, before taking his time to mull over all the things he could possibly ask for from his sweet, sensitive victim. Harold meanwhile was thrashing and laughing his poor head off, he’d never been tickled like this before, it was so wild and evil! Soon, Anti smirked and replied playfully.

‘Anything huh? Would you consider say….agreeing that my creative decorating ideas are valid and should be tested?’

Harold literally would have done anything for mercy right now, so he just hollered.

‘YEYEHES YES DAHAMMI-AAAHHHH NAHAHAT THEEEERE!!!’

Anti’s eyes widened at Harold’s sudden jolt and shriek, before Anti looked down to see that his fingers had accidentally drifted down to the backs of Harold’s knees. All Anti could think of was what a delightful treasure trove of ticklishness this guy was, and eagerly traced behind his knees as he purred.

‘Oh this must reeally be your death spot….say, if I have mercy on you, will you ACTUALLY do anything I ask?’

Now, even amidst his mad, shrieking mirth, Harold still got chills regarding what on earth Anti might want him to do…but Harold knew he needed mercy more than anything.

‘YEHEHEHES AHAHA IHIHI WIHIHIIILL!!!’

….of course, as Anti pinched Harold’s knee-pits, he had to drag it all out.

‘Are you sure?’

Harold was a sweaty, red-faced mess of nodding and struggling as he replied desperately.

‘AHAHAHA IHIHI PROHOHOHOMIHIIISE!!!’

Anti smirked, leaning down to coo playfully into Harold’s ear.

‘Are you super duper sur-?‘

‘AHAHA YEHEHEHES DAHAHARNIHIIIIIT!!!'

Anti burst into giggles at Harold’s interruption, but did ultimately have mercy on the poor guy; Anti didn’t want to kill him after all. Harold became a mess of shivers and gasps, remaining sprawled on the floor even after Anti had gotten off of him. Harold had never been tickled like that in his life, he hadn’t thought it was POSSIBLE to be tickled that much, yet here he was….bedraggled to hell.

‘….thahat was…s-s-soho m-mean….’

Harold panted, which made Anti snicker as he looked down at him fondly.

‘But necessary.’

Harold let out a soft ‘hmph’ as he sat up, rubbing his legs as he meekly replied.

‘S-So….wh-what is it y-you want?’

Harold looked to Anti tentatively and nibbled his lip nervously when the glitching man grinned and slung an arm gently around his shoulders.

‘I want you….to decorate with me, not against me.’

Harold blinked a few times, and smiled bashfully when he saw how kindly Anti was smiling down at him. Harold reasoned that he had perhaps been being a bit harsh, and given the wild myriad of decorations they had, it made sense that not everything was going to end up perfectly ordered.

‘I think I can do that.’

Anti grinned, and pressed his forehead against Harold’s temple gently….but that sweet serene moment ended up being interrupted….by a thump and a yip. Both men turned around to the entrance of the living room, and their eyes widened when they saw that Gooper had hauled a particularly large bin bag into the room and was now letting out little exhausted huffs as he settled under a couch for a well-deserved nap.

‘…please don’t tell me that’s why I think it is.’

Anti groaned….and a bauble rolled out of the bag. Harold and Anti shared a look, before whining and giggling at the fact that a) they were going to have to do even more organisation before decorating, and b)…the ego household was going to be the wildest winter wonderland…ever.

HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS FIRST INSTALLMENT, FEEDBACK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED! LUV YOU XX

[akiisame]

Christmas spirit on a foreign land

Hello, @sakurastardust! I just happen to be your @jjba-secret-santa, so here’s your gift, Merry Christmas, sweetie

I had something entirely else planned but then i checked the JoJo timeline and the just happen to be on the trip during the Christmas akdrerfnjd

The wind forced Kakyoin to brush hair off of his face for the nth time this day. Perks of traveling by car, he guessed. Sitting by the window, having the window rolled all down, served him as a peculiar AC system. Focusing on the passing scenery, the cherry boy muted the quite conversations spreading in the vehicle out.

“Wait, if it has been 26 days since we’re on this trip then this means” Polnareff started counting his fingers.

“It’s 24th of December” the magician answered, saving Frenchman the troubles, to which his face lightened up.

“So that means it’s Christmas today!”

“Did someone said Christmas?” the English businessman cheerfully asked.

“Yes, Christmas!” with this, the redhead was brought back.

“And what exactly does this mean?” the Japanese boy asked, clearly not having a clue.

“You don’t have this in Japan?”

“Not exactly like we do” the magician pointed out. “Christianity isn’t popular in Japan, so they don’t really celebrate Christmas.”

“Oh, that’s actually sad. It’s one of the most basics holidays in Europe, right, Mr. Joestar?”

“Indeed, it is, not only Europe, but all over America, too! My daughter together with her family used to visit us for Christmas back when Jotaro was still a child.” the group could see tears pricking up in the Englishman eyes.

“I still don’t understand what Christmas exactly is.” said Kakyoin, to which Polnareff quirked up.

“Ah, mon ami, Christmas is the day when Jesus was born. To celebrate it people together with their families and friends throw so-called Christmas party. They cook plenty of dishes, dress up Christmas tree and decorate their houses. I used to help my dad with decorations while Sherry was helping mom in the kitchen. We used to eat delicious means like snails and oisters!”

“Don’t worry kids, it’s a French-only thing” Joseph break in, winking to Jotaro and Kakyoin, to which his grandson replied with quite “I sure hope so.”

Polnareff continued, this time louder, pretending that he never heard anything. “Later on after the dinner the kids would find presents under the Christmas tree, believing it was the Santa that dropped it off. It’s one of the happiest time of the year.. well, it used to be, at least” at this point Polnareff visibly sadden, which Kakyoin immediately noticed.

“How about we do our own Christmas party, then? You can show me the meaning of it, since I’m the only one that never really experienced it.” – redhead said, hoping he could cheer his companion up.

“I like this idea, plus we’ve been travelling for a while now, we all could use some break.” Avdol added, clearly interested in the idea.

“We should keep going” Jotaro grunted out.

“Come on Jotaro, it’s just one day, we have to rest some more anyway.”

“Yare yare daze”

“There’s should be a village not that far away, why won’t we rent a room in some inn and just.. celebrate?” the youngest man suggested.

“No.”

“Oh come on, boy, it’s 4 vs. 1, I don’t think you have a word here.” the old man joked, making his grandson even more irritated.

“Yare yare”. Adjusting his hat, Jotaro swiftly took out one of his cigarette, lighting it up. The urge to punch someone was tremendously strong. Looking ahead he could hear the rest of the group rumbling about who should do what. That was going to be a long day. The group continued their travel with new objective.

 …

Reaching the destined city, Mr. Joestar drove to the nearest parking, turning the machine off. Getting out of the car the group divided into two groups. Polnareff together with Joseph, as the cook and the wallet were responsible for picking up the groceries, while the rest were to rent the inn and decorate it accurately.

“Okay, I’ll give you my credit card, so please buy only the necessaires.” Joseph said, handing the Frenchman his card.

“Oh please, Mr. Joestar, have I ever done anything stupid?” Polnareff asked with a smug smile on his face, to which Joseph didn’t dare to answer.

Parting away, the silver-haired man headed for the city centre, in which he hoped he could find everything he has been dreaming of since the last time he ate a tasty french meal. However, it didn’t came to his mind that India – especially smaller cities, wouldn’t have much to provide when it came to specific french ingredients. As such, he entered several shops, asking excitedly for a wide range of fancy yet weird products.

After the 10th negative response, Polnareff started to lose his patience.

“Isn’t there ANYONE here with good tastes?! Really, this place is un trou à rat! ”

“Excuse me, sir! You look troubled. May I help you?” a voice called behind him. Turning around with loud “Huh?” the Frenchman glanced over the man calling out to him. “What do you want?”

“It seems like you are in desperate needs of ingredients, luckily for you I might have just what you need!” the man answered with a slight smirk spreading over his face. Clearly he smelled easy cash.

“Oh, indeed, then I am one lucky man to find you, good sir.”

…

Being done with his part of the errands Joseph was free to explore the city, since he still had some time before meeting with the Frenchman. Passing by the shopping alley, his attention was snatched by a familiar package behind the window display. A big box with Monopoly written all over looked back at him, whispering buy me.

Joseph, being the man he is, wasn’t good at resisting.

Happily passing the automatic doors, the English businessman let a sigh of pleasure escape him, holding firmly the blue package. Now would be the time to finally find his friend – which, considering the amount of people that was there at the time, wouldn’t be an easy thing.

However, this would have been the case if the rule ‘stand users attract each other’ wasn’t a thing.

“Hey, Mr. Joestar!”

Turning toward the source of the joyful voice, Joseph saw Polnareff happily skipping in his direction. Seeing all the bags hanging off of his arms Joseph’s face turned into a scowl and the man could only squawk loud “Are you kidding me?”

...

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jotaro cursed out loud, looking at the emerald decorations he hold in his hands. Looking up he saw Kakyoin and Avdol enthusiastically hanging the Christmas ornaments around.

With all the cliché garment -  golden glass balls and shining red tinsels hanging from the green garland strapped to the ceiling – the Christmas spirit could be felt, leaving a sensation of a warmth and safeness.

“You know, it’s really, reassuring –“ the cherry boy started. “doing this together, having this… domesticity. Despite the danger waiting for us behind every corner, we are here, preparing for celebration… like a family.”

His lips were curved into a small smile, and suddenly the room was filled with a heavy silence. The two others men’s gaze were stuck on the red-haired face, leaving in the room an almost awkward felling, until Avdol decided to break the cold atmosphere that was starting to appear.

“Indeed! It’s been quite some time since I’ve got such a pleasant evening! Especially with all the Dio situation at hand.” With that, on the contrary to Kakyoin, his smile was wide, showing no hesitation whatsoever with his joyous mood.

Still standing aside from the fortune-teller and the red-haired Japanese student, Jotaro could do nothing else but adjust his hat, sighing.

“And how do you usually spend Christmas Eve, Jotaro? You must be used to all this lively spirit since you’re half English.”

Silence came back one more time, with no surprise though – after all, Jotaro wasn’t the kind of man to open-up or the chatty type.

But it was to their surprise that for once, Jotaro answered, despite the fact that it was as brief as a cold summer breeze.

“When I’m not with the old-man and granny Suzie, I spend Christmas Eve with my mom, sometimes help with the cooking…” He muttered, almost inaudible.

“I didn’t know you happen to help cooking, Jotaro-san!”

Fortunately, Avdol was here to lighten up the whole mood – else, this would have gone worse.

“Jotaro-san loves his mother, after all” added Kakyoin, almost chuckling as he saw the embarrassment written all over his face.

“Yare yare daze, let’s finish this.”

Just when the last red Christmas ball had been hanged, the door slammed opened revealing an overjoyed Polnareff who looked like a walking tree whose decorations would have been full plastics bags – and a less cheerful English businessman, whose bank account has just been divided by 2.

Soon, after their greeting, the room became much warmer, filled with joy, laughter and a weirdly delicious smell of food.

As Jotaro was leaning in the chair, his legs resting on the wooden table, he was smoking yet another cigarette today. A loud crash made him turn his head towards the door through which a distressed Polnareff bursted in, covered in various undefined mixtures, holding a plate full of a chocolate paste – he yelled in a pleading tone. “MIGHT WANT TO GIVE ME A HAND, JOTARO?”

To which, the young Japanese man abruptly answered with swift “I’m not your mother, deal with it yourself”.

“Ah?! You’re really terrible Jotaro, terrible! Goujat!”

Thankfully, Kakyoin came to save the poor Frenchman, followed by a heartedly laughing Joseph who was clearly mocking him.

As the three men exited the room, Avdol just stepped in, holding a piece of dishcloth, wiping his hands. His eyes winded at the sight in front of him, clearly a bit surprised – after all, seeing Jotaro peacefully smiling was a rare thing.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing, just enjoying the calm.”

…

“Mr. Joestar, how about we bargain?”

“Sure, dear Avdol! I’ll sell it to you 5 % cheaper if you let me have your hotel.” already holding a colored bills in his prosthesis hand.

“Is this even allowed?” asked Kakyoin with great doubt.

“Hey guys, you can take everything I have but Paris! This is a no-no, I won’t let anyone have – hey Jotaro, did you just buy Paris?! You little-“

“You’ll lose anyway, Polnareff, so shut up.” Clicking his tongue, the Japanese student adjusted his black vest, moving the small violet piece to the case of the beautiful French scenery.

“I am never playing with you again, bande d’enflures!” the Frenchman proclaimed, to which Kakyoin responded with loud laugh.

Here, on a foreign land, they managed to catch the Christmas spirit.

k

[westallenfun]

Prompt: When Iris can’t go home for Christmas then her family bring Christmas to her. 

Rating: PG

Word Count: 1293

A/N: Gift from @sophisticatedloserchick for @ellethom1 who wanted a domestic fic with word prompts ‘late, coffee, scary’

Iris tore her eyes away from her laptop screen when she heard a tap on her office door. Linda stood in the doorway with her coat on and bag in hand. The expression on her face however was a mix of concern and disapproval and Iris knew exactly why.

“Heading out?” Iris said with a tight smile. “Going to your parents’ place tonight?”

“Yes I'am,” Linda’s dark eyes gave Iris a side look. “Shouldn’t you be heading out soon to your dad��s place? To spend Christmas with your family?”

“Linda come on,” Iris let out a tired groan. “I don’t want to fight about this. I’ve already got a stern talking to from my dad about it.”

“Well maybe you need to hear it again,” Linda countered back, “Its Christmas Eve Iris. You have a husband and two kids you should be spending it with. Not sitting in your office waiting to hear from a source that may or may not call.”

Iris didn’t need Linda to remind her of the situation. The heavy twisting feeling in her stomach she’d carried with her all day reminded her constantly of the choice she made. She wanted nothing more than to get out of here, go to her Dad’s place to be with her family during her favorite holiday. Her dad’s disapproving lecture of her working too hard and the disappointed looks on her babies faces when they heard the news were not easy to forget.

The only person who approved of her giving up Christmas Eve for her job was Barry because he knew how important this article was. He knew that for months she’d been working on a piece that would expose the misuse of taxpayers money by the mayors office. Money that should be going to education and homeless shelters and other social programs but kept mysteriously “disappearing”.

The source she’d be talking to tonight would be the key to getting those misdeeds out in the open. She couldn’t let this opportunity pass. It was just her rotten luck that it happened right before Christmas.

“I have to stay Linda and no amount of guilt tripping will change my mind,” Iris said firmly.

Linda looked at her with frustration but Iris could see the admiration in her eyes too.

“Try not to stay too long,” Linda gave one last attempt.

“I’ll try,” Iris let out a soft laugh, “Have a happy holiday.”

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eight at night and the offices of CCPN were completely deserted. The only lights left were from Iris’s office lamp and the blue glow of her computer screen. The rest of the offices around here were completely dark. Everyone had left to enjoy their holidays and be with their families which Iris tried not to think too bitterly about.

She’d been catching up on work as she waited for her source to call her. Or she would be if she didn’t keep getting distracted thoughts of her family. She wondered what they were doing. By now they would all be gathered at her dad’s place. Barry and Cecile would be keeping the kids entertained while her dad made everyone eggnog and hot chocolate. She’d hoped her dad remembered The Twins liked extra marshmallows in their hot chocolate.

Thinking of the Twins caused a pang in Iris’s chest. She hated being away from her beautiful boy and girl on most days but on Christmas was the absolute worst. All she wanted was to snuggle with them watching Christmas movies, make Christmas cookies with them, or even watch the snow fall from the windows. She’d never spent Christmas Eve away from her family.

Iris gave a frustrated sigh and pushed away from her computer there was not a chance she could focus on her work now. She’d head to the staff room to refill her coffee and pray that call from her informant would be coming soon.

She walked through the dark office without a pause. After everything she’d been through the past decade Iris wasn’t one to get afraid of the dark, or being alone. However what did make the hair stand up at the back of her neck was hearing hushed whispering and giggling when Iris knew she was the only one left in the building.

Iris slowed her steps and pressed herself against the wall as she carefully made her way down the hallway. Her senses were on high alert now. Her eyes trained on the bright light at the end of the hallway coming from the staff room. She held her coffee mug over her head, ready to throw it at a moments notice to whoever broke in.

The closer she got Iris could hear the voices but couldn’t distinguish them due to the Christmas music playing. Christmas music?, Iris thought to herself, not many people who break into a newspaper headquarters would bring their own music. Then again many criminals in Central City did have a flare for the dramatic.

Finally Iris reached the doorway to the staff room. Pivoting slowly Iris turned to peer inside. Iris expected to see villains pillaging but instead the sight before her took her surprise.

Quickly she recognized the tall form of her husband wearing a bright red sweater with white reindeer and a Santa hat. He was currently trying to untangle a string of lights that he was presumably going to decorate the Christmas tree that had not been there hours before. Sparks of lightning were from her children zipping around decorating the room with tinsel and garland of holly.

She noticed the nearby tables were filled with food. Crackers, cheese and slices of meat, Christmas cookies and tarts. Mugs with hot chocolate and marshmallows. By what she can see Iris realized they had brought the Christmas Eve party to her work.

“What are you guys doing here?” Iris spoke out in disbelief.

Her family immediately stopped what they were doing to look at her,

“Mom!” The Twins shouted out in unison as they ran towards her in bolts of lightning.

In a second Iris had two pairs of arms wrapped around her. Iris ben down in order to wrap her arms around them, pulling them closer to her. Fewer things she loved more in this world then holding her babies.

“We didn’t want you to be alone on Christmas,” Barry walked up to them.

Iris let go of her babies to stand up and pull her husband into her arms. The Twins went back to decorating the room leaving the parents alone for a moment.  

“I hate my job sometimes,” Iris breathed out her face buried into her husband’s chest.

“Its hard being a hero,” Barry kissed the top of her head. “But you’re out there saving the world.”

“Flatterer,” Iris laughed and snuggled in closer. “I’m going to cry if you keep this up.”

Iris stood there loving the feeling of husband’s arms around her. With her eyes closed Iris could almost pretend she was back home. The sound of Christmas music, a Christmas tree all decorated, and food all ready to be eaten. How Barry and the kids managed to bring the feeling of home to the staff room of her work was almost a Christmas miracle to her. It made her realize how lucky she was to have the family that they did.

“Mom, mom” Nora came up to tug at Iris’s shirt sleeve. “Come have some of the Christmas cookies we baked for you.”

Iris let her daughter take her hand to lead her to the table of food with her husband not far behind. By far it was the most unconventional Christmas Eve but one that Iris wouldn’t trade for everything.

[lotsofthinkythoughts]

From One to Ninety-Two

Steve wants this Christmas to be perfect.

A Steggy Secret Santa gift for @steggyforeveruniverse !  Just so you know, this is set in the Family Assembled verse which I beta, but there’s only really one point that’s super important about that and it’s that human Jarvis is also in the future. He appears once, so didn’t want you to get super confused by that.  I hope you enjoy it, sorry it took until now to finish it. Hope your holidays were happy and your next year is wonderful!

“Do I actually want to ask why there’s so many Christmas lights in here?”

Steve looked up from the tray he was testing, to see Peggy holding JJ, who was watching his father enraptured. Or more accurately, who was fixated on the length of bright lights shining near Steve’s feet.

“Buh!” He reached one chubby hand down making insistent grabbing motions.

Peggy sighed and shifted him up into her arms, propping him up so his head was still supported even as she gave him a better view.

“I’m decorating. For JJ. He likes the lights”

“Steve, he’s three months old.”

“It’s his first Christmas,” he insisted, reaching over to unplug the strand.

JJ made a distressed noise as the lights went dark, but was appeased by Peggy shifting so he faced the Christmas tree in the corner over her shoulder. He giggled and kicked his feet happily before laying his head on her shoulder, making Steve raise an eyebrow and tilt his head in their direction, before plugging in the next strand of lights. Peggy slipped a finger into the small fist that curled around the neckline of her blouse. JJ didn’t move, but held on just as tightly.

“See?”

She looked at him dubiously, but sighed in resignation. “Oh alright.”

Steve grinned and Peggy couldn’t help but return the smile.

—

Snow gently fell outside the windows, the beginning layers of what would be a deep blanket by the end of the evening coating the streets. The view from the window was amazing- drifting snowflakes over a vibrant cityscape. A year ago, Steve might have sketched it.

Today, he was watching his son, and how his tiny face fixed on the television, where a snowman sang about silver and gold Christmas trees. JJ seemed to be enjoying it, though to be fair he seemed to enjoy most things. He was a fairly happy baby.

There was a firm shutting and the sound of heels on wood when the door to the apartment closed, and JJ’s head turned away from the film, recognizing the sound. He’d been fussy for five minutes after Peggy left earlier, and now he started squirming as if by flailing he’d manage to summon his mother any faster. JJ made an annoyed noise, his face scrunching down into a disapproving baby frown.

Steve threw his arm out just in time, placing a hand in front of his son’s torso as he toppled forward. Trying desperately to get down from the couch, he leaned toward the television just as an elf burst out of the snowbank where the snowman had just been. One drool covered hand landed atop Steve’s, pushing in mute protest against the force keeping him upright.

“Whoa buddy, careful. We can go say hi to your mom,” Steve said,

JJ burbled excitedly as Steve lifted him up so that his head was perched on his shoulder, the same drool covered fingers now clutching around the neckline of Steve’s shirt, leaving an unpleasant damp spot.

“Hello darlings.” The sound of Peggy’s voice floated around from the other room along with the rusting of bags and cloth.

Steve rounded the corner just as Peggy slid the bags under the table for later. He smiled to himself, as much as she had insisted that JJ wouldn’t remember any of this, she made sure to hide the gifts, though that wouldn’t be an effective hiding spot next year.

“How were the crowds?”

She raised an eyebrow. “I’ve dealt with worse.We can talk more about what’s left to buy when James naps,” she said, reaching out to take the baby. He gurgled happily and immediately buried his face in the blue sweater she was wearing.

“That might not take long,” Steve observed, placing a hand on JJ’s back. He couldn’t blame him, snuggled up with Peggy was one of the best places in the world. He’d spent enough time curled up with her just feeling warm again.

Peggy shook her head slightly, in that way she did when she could tell he was being maudlin before stretching up on her toes to kiss him.

—-

The floor in front of the tree was covered in blankets, white and fuzzy, creating an illusion of snow. Peggy stood behind Steve, watching him adjust the camera for the eighth time. JJ smiled his gummy smile at his father, his fingers wrapped around his toes, pulling on the red booties with a buckle print. He was propped against a mound of pillows, his feet kicking against the blankets beneath him. A Santa hat was perched on his brow, dark little wisps of hair emerging from the fluffy brim. Steve snapped a couple of photos, examining them carefully afterward.

Over the top of his head, Peggy grinned at JJ, who let go of his toes to flail his hands in her direction. He let his head drop back sending the hat tumbling to the other side of the pillow mound. He giggled and struggled to pull his head back up.

“Having trouble there?” Steve asked, leaning over to grab the hat and help JJ back upright.

Peggy stepped around to sit behind the little photo setup, watching as Steve placed the hat back on JJ’s head.

After a moment, he sat back and reached for the camera again, and when he did, JJ immediately flopped backward, giggling, sending the hat to the floor and the top of the pillow pile slipping downward. He grinned at Peggy and she grinned back before helping him sit up again.

Before she could even get the hat back on his head, he’d flopped back on the pillows again squirming and rolling happily as he giggled.

“James doesn’t like posing for publicity photos- I wonder where he gets that.” Peggy raised an eyebrow in Steve’s direction.

“At least he doesn’t have to wear tights.”

“Just a silly hat.”

“Be nice or Santa won’t bring you any presents.” Steve said, grinning at her.

“I have it on good authority that Father Christmas has already bought my presents so I rather doubt that.”

“Shhhhh.” Steve reached out to cover JJ’s ears with a scandalized expression. “Don’t give it away yet.”

JJ giggled again, the sound a more than adequate distraction for Peggy to lean in and kiss Steve gently.

---

“Remind me why we thought this was a good idea?” Peggy asked, looking between the tray of cookies she’d just pulled from the oven and the photo on the recipe.

They were dark, far darker than the photo, though not completely burnt, like the batch that came before which were currently in the garbage. It was not an appealing prospect the thought of having to eat them later on tonight.

They’d attempted to make the cookies from scratch, because prepackaged simply wouldn’t do, even though James was only three months old and couldn’t help bake them or even put them on the plate. Still, it was about establishing Christmas traditions, Steve had said.

Peggy thought this one was off to a rather poor start.

“Didn’t you ever leave cookies for Santa when you were a little girl?” he asked, stepping up behind her, hands on her shoulders.

“Father Christmas,” she corrected absently, as she began pulling them off the baking tray. “You do realize that someone has to eat these.”

She didn’t have to see his face to know Steve was wrinkling his nose at the prospect. He would eat almost anything, but burnt cookies weren’t appetizing even to him.

“We’ll just throw them away tonight. JJ won’t notice.” Steve let go and walked away, going back to where he was stringing popcorn for the tree.

Peggy turned around with false affront. “Are you suggesting that everything doesn’t have to be perfect for his first Christmas?”

Steve had been so insistent about that. It was more than she might have done for her own tastes, but it was all in good fun and it was hard to deny him when he looked so happy. That was true for both of them, she supposed. James was currently napping, so at the very least she couldn’t be roped into any with his sad puppy eyes.

Steve looked up from the bowl and string and grinned. “Peggy. It’s Christmas. Santa will forgive you for not being able to bake.”

“He’d better,” she said, dusting cookie crumbs from her hands. “Or else he’ll be stringing this popcorn all alone until it’s time for the party.”

Steve’s face morphed into an exaggerated pout, and Peggy laughed before kissing his cheek and taking a seat to help.

----

The common areas in Stark Tower (or Avengers Tower, now) were decked out with tinsel, holly, fir garlands, and lights. It was hard to say who was the most responsible for the wealth of decorations, but no one was complaining. The room was warm and filled with people, the smell of cinnamon and gingerbread wafting from the tray of cookies in the center of the room. The low din of chatter echoed around, people standing in small groups.

Tony and Bruce were in the middle of a discussion, Tony gesturing with a hand holding a half full tumbler as Bruce shook his head. For a moment, Steve’s gaze stopped on Peggy who was chatting with Natasha and Pepper, her red sweater as festive as she was was willing to get for this particular exchange. “I refuse to have my picture taken with antlers on my head,” she had said when he showed her the felt reindeer antlers he’d found when he bought JJ’s santa hat. Not that he hadn’t snuck some anyway when she’d worn them the day before, but Steve wasn’t stupid enough to ask her to do so in front of everyone.

His gaze moved to JJ, who was in his bouncy seat  kicking his feet happily as he looked at everyone around him. The Thorson twins sat just out of range of his feet, chattering happily and showing him the Yule gifts they’d already received. JJ made tiny grabbing motions at one of the Asgardian toys that the boys showed him, and Steve made to push away to intercept them, but Jarvis, without even looking away from the conversation he was having with Clint put his hand between the toy and JJ’s hand, and JJ immediately grabbed his godfather’s finger instead.

Relaxing back against the wall once more, he scanned the room again, watching everyone interact. It was strange now to think back to his earliest experiences in this room, how alone and lost he had felt, because now- now he had everything he’d ever wanted. It wasn’t perfect, there were people missing, people he wished he could see again, but he had his friends and his family around him and that was something five years ago he never would have foreseen.

Suddenly, Peggy was at his side, her fingers sliding against his. She looked up at him and his heart swelled for a moment.

“Feeling maudlin?”

He shook his head and pulled her closer so her head was resting on his shoulder for a moment “Nah. Just thinking.”

“Share with the class then.” She looked up at him, an expression saying ‘go on’ firmly written in her expression.

“I just… sometimes it hits me that this is real. You’re real. JJ is real. And Nat and Tony and everyone. And it’s good.” He leaned down to kiss her, soft and sweet, because she was there and he could and they had everything ahead of them.

In a moment, they would all exchange gifts with their friends, and then in the morning they’d have all the time in the world with JJ, to watch him react to opening presents for the first time in his life. There would be more kisses and wonder and laughter going forward. This was just one more first, a beginning that would carry on and it was full of promise.

“Yes it is,” Peggy said when they separated as she pulled him away from the wall and back into the party once more.

[pixiealtaira]

Take to the Trees

Hummel Holidays prompt 8 2016: nature/trees

pairing: Kurt and Elliot friendship, not Blaine friendly even though technically still Kurt/Blaine relationship. 

Note: my goal for the 2016 prompts was all Kurt/Adam...and then this popped up as the first go, so i wrote it and then wrote the Kurt/Adam story. So everyone can have an extra!

Kurt Hummel couldn’t claim to be an outdoorsy type of person, really.  It wasn’t his favorite activity choice.  He’d rather go to the theater or shopping. He was fond of hotels and room service.

That said, Kurt Hummel also was not a stranger to the outdoors in the grand scheme of things. His dad had dragged him off camping every summer of his life until his dad got involved with Carole and was too busy to go.  His dad dragged him off hunting three times in the fall.  They went bow hunting, they went bird hunting and they went deer hunting with guns.  Kurt did his level best to never hit anything and his dad and whoever they were with let him avoid field dressing anything.

There was one season he liked it outside, though.  Kurt Hummel liked winter.

He liked coats and hats and gloves and scarves.  He liked boots.  He liked crisp feel of the air.  He liked the sound of leaves and then snow as he walked through them.

He liked ice skating and sledding. He spent time at those activities rarely in his high school years.

Throughout high school he sometimes wondered if he should invite others to do outside things with him…go ice skating or sledding or hiking in the snow.  But most of the New Directions hated the snowy winter outside stuff so he never did.

It turned out a good thing.

If he’d thought the first Christmas in New York was bad, the second was one step away from being an utter nightmare and it started in October!

First, as much as Kurt liked winter and snow…he did not like slush and wet nasty streets.  He did not like power outages and he absolutely hated whining about any of it.

Blaine didn’t like winter…or maybe he did but didn’t like it in New York?  Kurt wasn’t sure. He just knew that Blaine hadn’t stopped complaining about the cold and his hair gel working badly in the freezing temperatures since it started.  Sam wasn’t too fond of the cold either.  Apparently the air mattress he was sleeping on didn’t keep him far enough away from the cold floor and the living room area was too drafty at night and Sam kept getting chilly.  Blaine took to sleeping next to Sam Mid October so he wouldn’t get too cold…instead of with Kurt.  However, even though Blaine wasn’t generally sleeping with Kurt, Kurt was NOT allowed to change the sheets to Kurt’s favorite wintertime sheets…flannel…because Blaine ONLY slept on cotton sheets, or satin or silk.

The second issue was…Blaine’s family started decorating their house for Christmas the first of November.  Blaine talked Rachel and Sam into decorating the loft…starting in mid-October.  Before Kurt was consulted, let alone given a chance to nix the idea, tinsel garlands and snowman and Santas had overrun the loft. Rachel talked Blaine into a Baby Blue fake tree, which they had covered in pink and gold ornaments. Kurt wanted to throw-up every time he entered the loft.  Blaine also liked singing stuffed things….the kind that started singing when anything around them moved.  Kurt couldn’t walk from the bedroom to the kitchen without setting off at least six.

The third issue was gift lists.  Rachel posted hers up in October and told everyone that since she had had such a hard year, everyone owed her at least five items from it.  Not a single item on it was under a hundred bucks.  Blaine, Sam and Santana took Rachel’s posting of her list as a signal to post their own and each reminded the others over the course of the next several weeks that they had had just as shitty of a year so deserved multiple items.  Kurt decided to post a list of his own, but his list always went missing within a day of being posted.  He never made any comment on them buying more than one item…he figured if the years previous were anything to go by he’d be lucky if any of them bought him anything.

Finally there were the travelling plans. It started with Rachel’s dads calling to cancel their family vacation but offering to send her on a cruise just herself.  Rachel didn’t want to go alone so she invited Santana…to make further peace, so to speak. So Santana and Rachel were off on a cruise to Mexico for a full week and then they both headed to Lima for another week. Then Sam’s family said they wished he could come home for Christmas…and Blaine decided to make that happen. Since Blaine was spending the money to help him get home, Sam invited Blaine to go with him…and Blaine accepted and invited Sam to go with him and his family on their family vacation to Disneyland.

Kurt’s parents decided that they would spend Christmas with Carole’s family…they were all going to Texas. Kurt wasn’t invited.

Fine and Dandy, Kurt figured after he found out Blaine lied to Kurt’s parents and said he was going with Blaine and Sam to Disneyland, so his dad and Carole didn’t even feel the least bit badly.

(“Of course I told Carole I was bringing you, too.  She would have thought it weird if I only brought Sam and then she would have fussed and I’d have felt bad and it would have ruined my whole vacation. They will never believe you didn’t go, so you should just remember to be silent about not being there….make shit up if they ask.” Blaine had insisted when Kurt asked him about why Carole and his dad thought he was off to California.)

Kurt called Elliot and asked if he knew of any place that was relaxing and far away from it all.

Elliot helped him book two weeks at the Yoga Retreat being held at a spa in the woods of Vermont, where Elliot was already slated to attend.

Kurt wasn’t sure what he expected, but the spa was centered around hot pools, which had been fixed up for year round use.  People stayed in small cabins which seemed more window than wall but due to massive fireplaces and thermal heat were always warm.  He and Elliot shared a cabin.

Mornings were spent doing yoga and on meditation exercises and swimming laps. Lunch was always sandwiches and soups, but in the two weeks there were there it was never the same soup, although Kurt had the same sandwich option a few times since the meat options weren’t as varied as the vegetarian.

Afternoons, though, were free after the single class offered after lunch.  Kurt went to several of them…there was one on finding the proper clothing options for yoga that was interesting and one on maintaining peace in your life that left him writing a thank-you note to the instructor, he had needed it so badly.

The spa offered spa packages, like other spas…massages and manicures and pedicures and the like, but they also offered outdoor activities.

Elliot liked the outdoor options as much as Kurt did.  One afternoon was a sleigh ride and another an informative walk through a syrup grove where they learned about tapping syrup. They went on a wine tasting tour and a historical building tour. They went on the local small art shop tour and Christmas shopping tour.  They got cross country skiing lessons and went ice skating. Several afternoons were spent in the hot pools and just relaxing and playing card games or chatting. And one afternoon was spent getting the spa’s full package treatment. Kurt loved it, but he was just as pleased with all the other offers.

Dinners were often hosted at different restaurants in the area. The spa sent a van out someplace different each night.  Kurt and Elliot went sometimes, but more than half the time they stayed at the spa. The main lodge’s restaurant had excellent meals, mostly vegetarian, but with a meat option each night and if you didn’t want to eat up at the restaurant, rooms service would deliver to the cabins.

The whole get-a-way was relaxing and delightful and energizing to Kurt’s body, soul, and mind.

They got home the day before anyone else did. Kurt washed all his stuff and spent the evening having band practice with Elliot and Dani.  The day all the rest got back, he went to work and went shopping for school supplies and groceries.  He wrapped gifts and sent those needing to be mailed off.  He set up for another band practice and made diner.

His loft mates all arrived at the same time…having all ended up on the same flight out of Columbus.

As Blaine and Rachel spilled in with their excess of luggage and Santana and Sam came in right behind, Kurt smiled and welcomed them home and told them diner would be ready in a half hour an Elliot and Dani would be over for band practice in two hours.

He listened to the whine about band practice and then listened as the all spoke about their vacations…right over the top of each other so he couldn’t really hear any of it well.

“How about you Kurt?” Blaine said. “Did you go out of your mind with boredom while we were gone?”

Kurt smiled. “No, I had a relaxing time. Did some yoga and shopping. Not much else though.”

With that, they rushed to the packages left out for them and babbled about what he got them.  Rachel of course also whined he didn’t get the exact items off her list, but what he got her would do.  Blaine asked why he didn’t have tons more, since he was Kurt’s fiancé. (Blaine hadn’t got him anything…he forgot.)  Only Sam asked where Kurt had actually bought the items from. Kurt just smiled and said he got them from a small art shop.

Kurt’s dad called before the band got to the loft and Kurt managed to talk about his vacation without lying at all.

And if Santana gave him an odd look when the band got there and they had a more in depth discussion on yoga and vegetarian foods that she thought he should be able to have…well, she liked her gifts too much to mention it.

[lady-divine-writes]

Klaine one-shot - “Love’s Pure Light” (Rated G)

Blaine, Kurt, and their daughter, Tracy, are taking a tour of the houses in their neighborhood all done up for the holidays. After Tracy falls asleep, Blaine shows Kurt the house he likes the best. (987 words)

A/N: Yeah, I know it's a little early for Christmas, but I needed some family holiday fluff. This is also a re-write.

Read on AO3.

“How about this one?” Blaine asks, pulling their SUV to the curb. Before it even stops rolling, his husband and daughter have their palms and noses pressed to the windows, ooh’ing and aah’ing at the exquisitely decorated house across the street.

“Oh … my … gosh!” Tracy gasps, tugging on her father’s collar to make sure that he’s looking out the window at the three-floor house lit from foundation to roof with strings and strings of multi-color twinkle lights; the front yard festooned with animatronic elves rushing in circular frenzy, balancing stacks of half-wrapped presents in their mitten-clad hands; wire-frame reindeer poised as if leaping into flight; penguins ice skating; pandas in Santa hats throwing snowballs at one another; and Tracy’s absolute favorite – candy cane lights. “Not because they do anything,” she explained at the beginning of the night, “but because they just look so delicious!”

“Ooo, ooo, ooo! Papa! Daddy! This one! This one’s my favorite!” she declares, bouncing in the back seat with hot cocoa fueled excitement.

“You’ve said that about the last seven houses!” Kurt chuckles.

“Well, that’s because they’re all my favorite!”

Tracy struggles between words to hide a yawn, knowing what it’ll mean if her dads see. But Kurt does see, and he taps Blaine on the shoulder in wordless remark.

“Okay Tracy, warrior princess,” Blaine says, “just a few more houses, then we’re gonna pack it in.”

“No!” Tracy whines, another yawn escaping her lips. “There’s a whole bunch more we haven’t seen yet!”

“We can see them tomorrow night, love,” Kurt says. “It’s after midnight.”

“But … but I’m not sleepy,” Tracy insists, looping her arms around the neck of her Cozy Cow pillow pet and squeezing it tight.

“Sure you’re not.” Blaine grins at Tracy through the rear view mirror. The little girl, partially lost behind the bulky body of her stuffed cow, fights with all her might to keep one eye open, cocking an eyebrow high in the hopes that it will raise her eyelid with it. Blaine turns down the next street, creeping behind other cars prowling the neighborhood looking at the elaborately decorated houses. The houses get larger and brighter as they approach the end of the cul de sac, each owner trying to outdo their neighbor by covering every inch of their property until there isn’t a speck of empty space left. One homeowner even has their walkway and driveway filled with the largest collection of Santas Kurt has ever seen.

He wonders how they leave their house.

“Wow,” Kurt says in lieu of his exhausted daughter. “That’s just … amazing.”

“Yeah,” Blaine agrees. “But you know which one I like the best?”

“Which one?” Kurt shifts in his seat to face him. His husband has been remarkably stoic for the majority of the drive, not betraying a preference for one house over another, so Kurt can’t begin to guess.

“Why don’t I show you?”

“O-kay, Mr. Mysterious,” Kurt teases, curling up in his seat beneath the blanket of Blaine’s cashmere coat. Blaine turns up the heater. He drives slowly, following the line of cars around. Before they make it out of the gated community, both Tracy and Kurt fall asleep, snoring softly. Kurt had started dreaming of last Christmas, when his father and Carole came to visit, bringing with them the loudest, most obnoxious present Tracy got that year, when a hand on his knee shakes him awake.

“We’re here,” Blaine whispers.

Kurt sits up, his body heavy with sleep and the heat in the vehicle, his eyes sticky as he blinks them open. He pulls himself awake as quickly as he can, curious to see which of the twenty-two houses they saw on that night’s tour was his husband’s favorite. But when he sees the house they’ve pulled up to, Kurt’s brow wrinkles.

“Blaine” - Kurt eyes his husband suspiciously - “that’s our house.”

“A-ha,” Blaine agrees, a smug-ish grin on his lips, his eyes glued to their quaint abode – a rather humble house considering Blaine and Kurt’s combined fiscal worth. But they had decided when they got married, knowing for certain that they’d want a child someday, to buy the nicest house in the safest, non-gated suburban neighborhood they could find, and live as close to normal lives as they could.

“But” – Kurt looks from his husband’s glimmering eyes to their home – “we haven’t even decorated yet.”

“I know.” Blaine shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. This is the one I like the best.”

“You know, I’ve seen pictures of you celebrating Christmas as a kid,” Kurt says. “Your parents went all out - lights on everything, garland on the walls, poinsettias, tinsel. You even had, what was it, three Christmas trees?”

“Yeah, and it was fun,” Blaine admits. “Even though my dad traveled a lot and Cooper was … well, Cooper, I had a pretty great childhood. I wish my father could have been a little more accepting, but …” Kurt’s hand on Blaine’s shoulder brings wistful hazel eyes back from the past, gazing into Kurt’s sympathetic face. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I swear. Still, this is better. It doesn’t need to be lit to the rooftops, or have a dozen Christmas trees in it. I’ll always love our house best. And do you want to know why?”

“Why?”

Blaine smiles at his husband. “Because it has you in it. And Tracy.”

Kurt watches his husband’s expression change, becoming more sentimental than he’s seen from Blaine in a while. Kurt loves these quiet moments when it’s just the two of them, and his husband has an opportunity to be vulnerable in a way that’s difficult with a four-year-old around.

“You know” - Kurt leans to his left to get closer to his husband - “sometimes you can be a big, corny dork.”

“Yeah, well” - Blaine grabs Kurt’s arm and pulls him in for a kiss - “I’m your big corny dork.”

[aaluminiumas]

Merry Christmas Chopper

Time flows differently at sea, especially on the Grand Line: the weather in this part of the world never followed the ordinary calendar people had outside the ocean, so a blizzard in the middle of the summer wouldn’t surprise anyone. The climate depended on the island itself, and the inhabitants stuck to their specific routine maintained throughout the years: the holidays of the Fish-Men didn’t coincide with those of the Minks thus a lucky traveler may get a chance to become acquainted with rituals and traditions of all races.

The Straw Hat Pirates had already seen a lot. That’s why Nami yearning for Christmas she last celebrated a couple of years ago, made sure that the ship steered for another Winter Island and then ordered to throw a real party. Initially, only two latched on the idea: Sanji who agreed to do anything offered by Nami, and Robin, as usual peacefully calm, whose multiple hands immediately embarked to festoon Sunny. Luffy seemed to worried about one thing only – whether they were going to have meat; Zoro followed his Captain’s suit and asked about drinks – again, following Luffy’s suit, he got punched in the head and crawled away with gloomy grumbling. As a result of the powerful blow, the swordsman deigned to hang a garland over his mat on the deck. Sanji waspishly advised not to remove it in the future in order to define the borders of the improvised botanical garden and what is the vantage point to feast the eyes upon the ugliest plant.

While Brook, Usopp and Franky were trying to part the fighters to the rippling laughter of their Captain, Chopper took advantage of the common turmoil and ran over to Nami. He had first-hand knowledge of Christmas: as resident of a Winter Island, he often celebrated the holiday. Even when other reindeer atrociously lambasted him, he kept believing in miracles and never doubted Santa and his presents. However, the presents weren’t the main concern: absolutely unspoiled, he was waiting for some other guest – the red-nosed reindeer, Rudolph, who was claimed to have been mocked himself. Since childhood he swore he would stay up till morning to see Santa and his famous sleigh; he was sure he would talk to Rudolph in the animal language asking how he managed to take the lead, to turn his flaw into an assert and to overcome the sneers. Unfortunately, Chopper kept falling asleep – and woke up with bitter frustration written upon the snout. Later in the morning he disappeared in his lab and crammed another book borrowed from shrewd Kureha who unexpectedly failed to grasp what ate him away every winter so desperately.

Nami wasn’t paying attention to the skirmish between the cook and the swordsman: she continued decorating her tangerine trees and enlaced the boughs with colored garlands even though they hadn’t yet reach the island.

“Nami,” Chopped called in a low voice awkwardly tapping his hooves against each other and snuffling, “Is… Santa coming to us?”

Puzzled by the question, the navigator nodded.

“Of course, Chopper. Santa comes to all good kids… and adults. To the bad ones too,” she narrowed her eyes, pursed her lips and slowly turned her head in the direction of the bickering friends. “But there is not enough coal for those in the whole world. It’s easier to send them to a mine.”

“Are there deer, too?” he went on, still meek and at the same time more enthusiastic. “Or is he traveling by ship? He can’t get here by his sleigh, right?..”

Nami looked at him, clearly perplexed: she wasn’t ready for such questions; practically deprived of childhood herself, she never had illusions as to Santa’s personality but the girl didn’t venture to shatter her friend’s faith in this mythological figure. To her Christmas was a day when she could finally express her gratitude and affection towards all the crew members (and to get a nice present for her outstanding navigation skills) but for Chopper it was an evening of miracles and didn’t want to wreck it all.

“Doctor-san,” Robin suddenly came to rescue with her low voice pierced with confidence, “his sleigh runs across the sky, not by the sea. Why would he need a ship if it is safer to travel above multiple dangers of the Grand Line?”

The archeologist’s words mollified the reindeer: his large woeful eyes beamed in a heartbeat. If Nami was able to fib a little, Robin would rather remain silent or elude.

“Don’t you happen to know,” Chopper hesitated for another moment rattling his hooves again, “when is he coming? I would… I would love to just have a peep… at Rudolph. I heard that he was… different from others. Just like me. But I have a blue nose…”

Even if Robin was taken aback, she didn’t reveal her astonishment in the slightest: her face remained serene and tranquil. With a small apologetic smile upon the lips, the woman shook her head and adorned his tiny antlers with a garland interwoven with a sparkling tinsel.

“Unfortunately, Doctor-san, I cannot give you a proper answer to that. The number of good kids changes from year to year, and he has to pay a visit to them all. But I am certain this time he will stay a little longer: after all, you have done so many good things that you deserve a special present.”

Encouraged by the praise, Chopper was about to start dancing: the reindeer still couldn’t get used to the fact that he was genuinely loved and cherished even though aloof and unsociable Law tended to commend him every once in a while. And if Nami expressed her emotions in quite a ribald way, Robin tried to find the right approach to everyone not resorting to punches and manipulations – even a rejection didn’t sound adamant though her voice was always firm.

“Then,” the doctor scratched his blue nose, “If you see him… can you please wake me up? I promise not to fall asleep but,” here he got embarrassed completely, “Every year I just pass out and… I would love to…”

“Of course Doctor-san,” Robin interrupted him soflty, “We’ll be on guard.”

“Don’t worry Chopper,” Nami bolstered her friend, “A mouse won’t slip by Zoro, let alone an old man with a flock of deer. We’ll take care of it!”

As soon as their inspired friend rushed to his little laboratory equipped with all the necessary things for his endless experiments, Nami crossed her arms in the chest staring at Robin with a suspicious grimace on the visage.

“I certainly love your idea,” she muttered in a low voice, “But what is that you suggest us doing? We cannot steal a deer, put a red nose on it and introduce it as Rudolph. I couldn’t even think that he’s so…”

“Flustered? Excited? This is quite obvious,” the woman adjusted a glossy purple ball on the tangerine branch so its ribbon didn’t cover the image. “He doesn’t really have someone… to share his experience with. Whether we want it or not, we… do not fully understand him.”

“So what are we supposed to do? To turn ourselves into deer?” said Nami sarcastically. “Can’t even imagine myself… this way. I’m no doe. What kind of doe… would I be?..”

“The most beautiful doe in the world, Nami-swan! You will be the most charming female deer in th–”

Robin chuckled: Sanji didn’t manage to accomplish his laudatory ode as he got maimed which nonetheless failed to cool him down.

“You’re just in time, Sanji-kun,” the woman smiled thus provoking another bout of jitter. “Do you know the legend about Rudolph the Deer?”

Soon enough the whole crew began to arrange the Christmas party for Chopper. Nami, as usual, was in charge: she succeeded to draw attention to the discussion by heavy blows and threatening stares while Robin put forward various proposals that seemed suitable. Luffy only comprehended that Chopper ‘had some wrong Christmas’ and offered to pile the deer with presents but the idea implying a thousand of meat dishes didn’t sit well with the rest of the crew. Zoro supported his Captain on the topic of presents but added on his own behalf: let the swirlybrow make a present to them all by locking himself up in the kitchen throughout the celebration. Sanji pledged to cut the swordsman in pieces and feed seagulls, deprecated. Brook proposed to compose a song – and Robin’s hands writing down more or less reasonable suggestions, started jotting something in her notebook.

“Why not write him a letter?” exclaimed Usopp out of the blue. “It won’t replace Rudolph of course but… at least we will show we care about him.”

“And then he’ll eventually understand that Marimo is a good-for-nothing sentinel who hasn’t heard the thud of the hooves,” Sanji noticed melancholically, lighting another cigarette. “What a remarkably useless plant. Shall we toss it overboard?”

“I don’t need my swords to beat the shit out of you,” hissed Zoro flaring up. “Damn you, ero-cook!..”

It didn’t take much time to put things in apple pie order and reassert the breached discipline: Nami scattered the two in different directions, and both the swordsman and the cook rubbed their heads and squabbled in hushed voices not to instigate the navigator who seemed to like Usopp’s offer.

The preparations lasted for the whole day: Robin sneaked into the farthest corner of the deck to write the letter; Sanji wearing a funny apron garnished the desserts with cotton candy. As for Zoro, he had risked to get a carver knife between the eyes and now imitated some frenzied activity – according to the cook, it was ‘frenzied enough to outshine the quickest algae drifting with the stream’. Brook, laughing, was playing a song by ear while Usopp was wrapping the presents. Nami kept things tidy: she prevented Luffy from pushing his nose into every single box he saw. Franky, though, took care of it himself: he had cut out several wooden boxes for various trinkets. Now he improved his invention and fit locks into them – exclusively by the navigator’s request so eager to keep the spirit of Christmas. Albeit none of the tasks looked hard to finish, they appeared to be time-consuming, so none of the pirated noticed when and how the warm climate gave way to pleasant frost and slight snowfall.

Chopper went out to the deck only in the evening and started perusing snowflakes, so brittle and peculiar that they seemed to be knitted. They sank into his auburn fur and didn’t melt at all as if they morphed into a scintillating garland. Back at home they looked less fragile and yet bigger; accustomed to blizzards and cold, he learnt to ignore them and now, after all those visits to hot countries, a simply snowstorms morphed into a hibernal miracle.

He remembered the first time he saw himself in the reflection of the frozen river. He remembered his resentment for himself, that blue nose, and roared smashing whatever he could smash. He remembered how he nuzzled into white and fluffy snow hoping that the color of the nose would alter, and he, Chopper, would be just like others.

He also recollected the frosty redolence Hululuk’s fur coat exuded; he recalled Kureha’s perfume mingled with the fragrance of the wind. Her hands were always tender and smelled ice while Hululuk reminded him of the first snowflakes’ scent. It dawned upon him how much he actually could reminisce: that cheerful laughter, ridiculous stories the Doctor used to tell, and those midnight talks – they spoke about everything in the world. It was almost eternity ago when Chopper lost his best friend – and they still had so much to discuss. Hiluluk always supported him, and, probably in his own manner, taught the little reindeer to keep his head up.

“Merry Christmas,” a familiar gentle voice came; Chopper sharply turned in the direction of the sound and instantly noticed a figure he knew so well: it was a tad shorter than he remembered and moved angularly but the kind smile and warm eyes made everything clear. It was exactly the person who encouraged Chopper to become a doctor.

“Doctor Hiluluk!” the reindeer darted towards the man feeling he was barely able to squelch the tears that were about gush out from the eyes. “Doctor Hiluluk!.. How did you..? You are...”

The intruder laughed in a low tone and embraced his friend caringly.

“You’ve become so big and strong,” the doctor patted Chopper by the shoulder, “Are you happy with them?.. I’ve heard a lot about you, Chopper. I am exceedingly proud of you. You have become a talented physician. You are definitely second to none.”

The little reindeer didn’t release his friend – and almost ignored the praise. Millions of questions were swarming in his head but he didn’t hurry to ask them. Hiluluk didn’t insist on a decent conversation: he kept smiling looking at the reindeer cursing himself for the cruelty he had shown in the past. How could throw him out sugarcoating his atrocity and calling it care? Why didn’t he tell the truth letting Chopper make his own decision whether to stick around or to deal with his own life? Yes, that notorious quack felt ashamed and couldn’t disappoint his friend, but at the moment, after all those years, he finally realized that it may have been the only blunder he regretted so much. If he could turn back time, nothing of it would have happened.

“They do love you,” the guest drawled squatting before Chopper. “And protect you too. I am glad to know that you have found a family… despite everything. I am so sorry that I cannot be near.”

“But you are here!” the reindeer exclaimed blinking his watery eyes. “I’ll introduce you to my nakamas. They’ll like, I assure you! Sanji will cook the pies you are so fond of, Brook will sing for you, you’ll talk to Robin and–”

With a sad smile on the lips Hiluluk shook his head.

“Alas, it won’t do.” He sighed heavily. “You have a different life now… But,” he straightened up, “I have a little surprise for you, Chopper. I know who you are waiting for. Unfortunately, he cannot…”

Robin’s soft hand touched the glossy fur. Flummoxed, Nami noticed that Chopper finally awoke and placed a small box near the adoze reindeer: it was different from those that Franky had created. This one had incised ornaments and a carving of a certain mushroom on the lid. Still sleepy, Chopper kept staring at the present: did someone do that specifically for him?

“Open it, Doctor-san. This undoubtedly belongs to you.”

Robin’s honeyed mellow voice seemed to have pushed him, and the little hooves lifted the lid. Inside, there was a handful of pink powder – the same powder his friend had been working on, – and a letter with a stamp of a deer hoof. The whole crew gathered around: Usopp failed to wake him up, and panicked alarming the rest – even Zoro, normally apathetic and detached, scowled and rushed to rescue.

The whole ship was emblazoned and festooned. Nami had cleared the place underneath her tangerines, and now neatly wrapped presents were peacefully lying there revealing the cards written in Usopp’s and Franky’s untidy yet diligent hands. Sanji was serving cocoa with little cloud of marshmallow. Exclusively for Chopper he had created rosy petals of cotton candy. Robin, normally calm, adjusted bows, knots and decorations striving to make everything look like a picture. The evergreen lawn where the crew used to sprawl and relax, turned white: no one even tried to get rid of the glistening snow which reflected all Sunny’s embers and glimmers.

“Merry Christmas, Chopper,” Nami flashed him a broad smile.

“Merry Christmas!” shouted both Zoro and Sanji and looked daggers at each other.

“Su-u-u-u-u-u-per-r-r-r-r Christmas!” Franky struck a pose raising both his arms in the air.

“Mefwy Fuwissmas!” pronounced Luffy proudly munching on the ham he’d just stolen from the kitchen. A sound of Sanji’s powerful kick muffled another sentence he was about to utter.

“We love you, Chopper!” candidly declared Usopp.

“Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho!.. Merry Christmas, Chopper-san. Thank you for suturing our wounds! Though… yo-ho-ho… I don’t have skin to be sutured! Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho!”

The little reindeer sniveled. Probably he should let his past go – to let it get dispersed in a blur of pink petals.