#sneaky santa exchange

[blood-mocha-latte]

i’m soooooo normal about Events <3 (changes grammar, punctuation, and ways of speech when going on anonymous)

[hp-fanfic-archive]

Remus/Sirius Romance Masterlist | Works With Less Than 5k Words

find the full masterlist directory here

last updated: 09/10/24 | links last checked: 09/10/24

*A Proposal by Bob_The_Other_Zombie [G, 2k]

Sirius has a love problem and asks James for advice. What happens when you add in pregnant Lily, pantsless Peter, candles, one pot of nearly-boiled water, snogging, Remus’ favorite record, multiple unknown kitchen devices, and a very bad pun? One very confused werewolf, is what!

A Sirius Case of Jealousy by WolfstarPups90 [T, 1k]

Remus has a new job and Sirius has a bit of a jealousy issue.

all alone on the edge of seventeen by nikkiRA [T, 3k]

He is seventeen and in love.

All I Want For Christmas by REwrites [T, 2k]

Sirius chews the inside of his cheek as he stares down a row of Christmas cards in the shop around the corner for his office and tries not to feel like the world’s biggest arse. He wishes he hadn’t waited to the last minute to do this, but when he pulled Remus Lupin’s name out of the hat for the office-wide Secret Santa exchange he’d panicked. A short story in which Sirius is awkward, Remus is sneaky, and James is no help at all.

And When You Get the Choice by iamsiriusblackserious [T, 3k]

After weeks of studying for and sitting their NEWT exams, Sirius finally gets some quality time with his boyfriend. That is, if Remus can actually manage to stay awake. Winding down after NEWTs, slow dancing but not really, and symbolic key bequeathing.

between the moon and the stars by llassah [M, 2k]

The summer before their sixth year, and everything changes and stays the same.

*Caught by Phiso [G, 4k]

Sirius Black was the thief no one could catch – at least, not until he met his match in Detective Inspector Remus Lupin.

Chocolate Love by therunawaypen [T, 1k]

After serving a night in detention, Sirius brings back a sweet treat for Remus to enjoy while he's studying. If Sirius enjoys it too, all the better.

*Drunk on Love by muse_in_absentia [T, 4k]

Post second war AU in which Remus cheats at baking, Padfoot plays in the snow, and Christmas jumpers combined with mulled wine may lead to something old becoming something new.

*Ever After by busaikko [T, 3k]

Non-magic AU. Once upon a time, an astrophysicist was wooed by the gay Scheherazade. . . (podfic available)

*Finest in Fairford by bluepeony [G, 4k]

Remus Lupin's job in a Fairford coffee shop is always uneventful, until an exotic new customer begins leaving messages with his tips.

*Fiery-Coloured World by orphan_account [M, 2k]

And though Remus had a thick jumper and coat, they were still soaked and frozen as they ran across the pavement, laughing with their cold fingers clinging to each other like it was Noah’s bloody flood and they were about to be swept away. Then someone—Sirius was never sure who, though he often liked to take credit for it—closed the distance and lips met lips. And that was all it took, really. Besotted. Smitten. Twitterpated—the word Remus liked most of all. Sirius knew it would be minutes, moments, seconds before his heart told him he was in love and there was no going back from the emotional tidal wave that was Remus bloody Lupin.

Friends, Lovers, and Various Permutations Thereof by Tillikins [T, 2k]

Celebrating the end of NEWTs! Sirius asks Remus to room with him after school.

Honey by Evandar [T, 1k]

Sirius’ reality has changed. And while he’s never needed sex to know that he loves Remus, now that they’ve done it, the world seems more concrete.

*Longsdune by imochan [T, 3k]

He supposes that this is what is expected of him, to sit here and listen to wetness sinking into the earth and remember how it felt when it was sunny, and there were four of them, and Sirius Black looked at him like he was a piece of the universe he wanted to understand so badly that he was willing to take Remus apart completely and then put him back together.

*Love Online by NeonDomino [T, 2k]

Sirius is in love and wants nothing more than to finally hold his on-line boyfriend in his arms. James is convinced that Remus is really a fifty-year-old man who is misleading Sirius and refusing to meet because Sirius would find out the truth. The truth is much more simple. Remus is in love, but scared that if Sirius finds out how much time he spends in hospital, Sirius would leave him.

More Than You Could Possibly Know by WolfstarPups90 [T, 1k]

They were twenty years old, and they were in love and they should be together every single night like this instead of out fighting, unsure if the other was still alive or if they would come back.

*Of Tinsel and Nice Starts by nerakrose [G, 2k]

Mysterious clouds and strange coffee abounds. Office romance.

Self-Insert by Wereflamingo [T, 1k]

Remus and Sirius both write self-insert fics in the same fandom. One day Sirius asks to borrow Remus's OC for his new fic. What could he possibly be planning, and what is the mystery pairing he promised to introduce?

Shade of the Morning Sun by MidniteMarauder [T, 3k]

It's Boxing Day, 1977, the morning after the full moon, and Lily accidentally finds out about Remus' 'furry little problem'.

Sirius Possibilities, aka The Logic of Sirius by Tpants [T, 3k]

Sirius buys a "cottage" for Remus and him. Obviously, there is a lot of work to do and Sirius has some high expectations.

Someone To Love by lumosinlove [T, 1k]

Sirius trips, Remus catches him, and maybe they won't have to spend Christmas alone this year.

*The Day by DevBasaa [T, 2k]

Sometimes the worst day can turn out perfect in the end. Written for a "Promise Ring" challenge, set Marauders' Era, summer before 7th year.

*You Were My Spring, My Summer Too by RS_Games [T, 3k]

When Sirius receives news that things have gone very wrong on an assignment, he heads north to bring Remus home.

*denotes personal favorite

[joocomics]

〔 lee jooyeon 〕

from newest to oldest

only for tonight ft. jiseok [wc: 5k]

— jooyeon sucks at secret santa, and when he shows up empty handed at the party where everyone’s exchanging their presents, he decides to gift his friend you for the night

❥ drabbles:

flirting in public

keep quiet

do something about it

on zoom

choking & bondage

noona kink

jealous bf!jooyeon

jooyeon is sneaky

jooyeon falls for a groupie

❥ headcanons:

face slapping

bickering

❥ more:

boyfriend core: fall edition

boyfriend core: winter edition

jooyeon + tattoos

taking suggestive pics

what would he say during sex

[drarrymicrofic]

This holiday season, the Microfic Discord Server hosted a special Secret Santa version of our classic Wheel of Drarry gift exchange! Starting today and going until Christmas eve, we will be posting three of these anonymous gift fics per day! If you'd like to join the next round of our Wheel of Drarry exchange, dm us for a link to join the discord! 18+ only!

🎁 A sneaky early holiday gift just for @kittycargo!

Title: Yes, And Wordcount: 1.7k Rating: G Warnings/Content: None

Summary: It was a no for so long.

All Secret Santa fics are available for reading now in the Ao3 Collection!

🎄 Your Festive Microfic Mods

[rockyroadkylers]

14, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 3! Or just a couple if that's too much

not too much, if you don't mind me rambling for several paragraphs 🤭 i'll put some of it under a cut, lol.

3. This Love is Worth the Fight

this oneeeeeee 😍

this one is a sequel to my Kensington divergence Alex whump fic, which ended up being surprisingly highly requested after I posted the original. the original was just a oneshot, but this fic is gonna be much longer, with several chapters, going into Alex's recovery and Henry and Alex learning how to be a real couple while also dealing with backlash from the Crown and the email leak oop

so, one of the things i have planned for this fic is Henry and Alex exchanging handwritten letters after the email leak. Henry starts it as a way to give Alex something to read during the nighttime hours when visitors aren't allowed at the hospital; he starts writing in a journal that he leaves in Alex's room, and it makes Alex feel a little less lonely. in true Alex fashion, he writes Henry a list in response (the famous "incomplete list", except since it's handwritten, it doesn't get leaked with the rest of the emails, so it gets to stay between them. and Alex adds a few things to it that are specific to this fic.)

A continued list of things I love about HRH Prince Henry of Wales: - The fact that you came to see me that first day even though you were scared. Your bravery amazes me every goddamn day. - The way you tricked me into consuming your favorite classic authors by reading them out loud to me when I can’t hold up a book by myself (you’re not as sneaky as you think, but you’re cute, so I’ll allow it). - How clearly I can hear your voice in my head when I read the things you’ve written for me. - The fact that you snore when you fall asleep sitting up, like a sexy grandpa. - The way you roll your eyes when I say shit like “sexy grandpa”.

7. From Texas, With Love

This one is an AU where Alex is a child actor who gets cast in his first big TV role as Arthur's on-screen stepson. Alex uses acting as a coping mechanism - when he first gets cast, Ellen and Oscar's divorce is still fresh, and he throws himself into his role to escape from reality. Arthur takes him under his wing, and later introduces Alex to his son Henry, because he knows that both boys could use a friend, and he thinks they could be good for each other.

8. Christmas Carol AU

i came up with the concept for this one (and most of my other christmas AUs, tbh) after christmas was already over 😂 but at least that means i have 11 months to write it!

this one is, obviously, inspired by Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and it's another Kensington divergence fic where Henry tells Alex to leave. Instead of Alex running off into the night and getting hit by a car, though, he actually does make it back to DC safely, and fast-forward a few months, it's almost Christmas and Henry is feeling pretty miserable. He goes to bed one night, and he's visited by the ghost of Arthur Fox!

9. National Treasure AU

gonna refer you to these posts, because that's pretty much all i have for this one so far 😅

10. Oscar Diaz as the Santa Clause

this is one of my newest AUs!!! i'm actually so excited about it 😍 I've explained most of my ideas in more detail in the Brownstone already, but basically it's based on the Tim Allen movie The Santa Clause. Oscar is Scott, and Alex is Charlie. Alex flies out to California to spend Christmas with Oscar, and Oscar becomes the next Santa when the old one falls off their roof.

I'm really excited about this one - I used to write parent-child family fic all the time, but I haven't in a good few months now, and I kind of miss it, so this fic is gonna be really fun to work on, I think.

14. The Tangled AU

again, referring back to this post 😊

[sofiiel]

Do you have any cute ideas/headcanons for how Jeff and Barb would spend Christmas together? 🎄

🥰 oh, a few *cough* many

They've had a tradition of meeting up as early as possible to exchange gifts and share a homemade morning treat with each other.

Barb wraps Jeff's gift in magazine clippings of his favorite bands.

Baking cookies for Santa even though they don't believe in Santa, but Barb's dad gets a kick out of eating the cookies in Santa's place.

Matching (ugly) Christmas sweaters, and Jeff happily wears them in public with her. Even if he does cringe a little inside when the boys tease him about it (fondly, of course)

She helps Jeff make his Krampus costume for the Christmas show Corroded Coffin helps host at the Hideout.

They make their own stockings to hang, and for the 25 days of Christmas, they exchange little folded notes and small knickknacks ~ which must not be opened until Christmas morning.

Barb hosts a Secret Santa event, and Jeff always goes out of his way to ask people if they got her name and if he can trade names with them. He thinks he is being sneaky, but she knows he does this.

They ride around in Jeff's car snuggled up with a thermos of soup at night to look at the Christmas lights around Hawkins.

Barb volunteers as the bell ringer for donations in front of the Big Buy. Jeff usually pops by with the guys to make sure no one is giving her a hard time or trying to steal money from the donation box.

Jeff has taped mistletoe to his forehead, because he is technically taller than Barb, meaning if she stands next to him, she's under the mistletoe and he gets a kiss.

Gingerbread cookies that are decorated to look like them.

Around noon on Christmas day, the larger friends circle gets together to exchange gifts and spend time together. They play games and everyone brings a snack or party favor, even though it's less of a party and more of just utter jolly randomness.

They sit up and watch the last of the Christmas movies at night, with sweet popcorn and hot chocolate.

Jeff always enthusiastically acts surprised when Barb's mom gifts him a pair of socks and an oddly colored tie from the family.

Jeff's and his dad arrive for the Christmas dinner at Barb's house.

Jeff makes a special fruit cake that his grandma taught him to make when he was small. He thinks it tastes terrible, but Barb and her family absolutely adore it, and it's usually devoured quickly.

Jeff singing Barb songs from all the Christmas stop-motion musicals.

Jeff likes to call Barb his sugar plum fairy around this time of year.

Barb taking Jeff ice skating, and he is just no good at it. They are holding hands and his legs are all wobbly, but he's having a blast.

Jeff plays her Christmas songs on his guitar, and they duet together on the piano.

I have so many, this probably could have gone on forever 🤭

[moonlightazriel]

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Guess who it is? Your mate and your secret santa! You had a present for me yesterday, I have a present for you today!

I seriously cannot wait for you to open this message. I remember us talking about not wanting to be each other's secret santa because god it would be difficult to keep it a secret. And tbh I never expected to become your secret santa (we signed up for other ships). But since your secret santa left and I signed up to be a life saver, LB reached out to me asking me if I would like to write for you since she knew that we are friends and thought it would be fun. I was a little unsure at first, not knowing if you would like it or if you are disappointed to find out it’s me. But then I was like "of course, I'll do it". You are one of the most amazing friends one could have and creating a gift for your for Christmas seemed like a wonderful idea. And there was of course also the fun, seeing you text me about the exchange and talking about gifts hahahah

I really hope you will like the gift and not be disappointed to see who your secret santa is haha.

Love you so very much, you wonderful, wonderful human being. Hope you enjoy your gift!!❤️

I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How would I ever be disappointed that it’s you????? I LITERALLY WANT TO SCREAM WITH HAPPINESS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

You are so sneaky, all this time lying to me! I feel so tricked. “Oh I hope I’m never your secret Santa cuz I couldn’t lie to you.” 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

I would have never guessed this and its such a good surprise to have after so many shitty days. I can’t wait to read what you wrote, you know i love every piece you’ve ever written.

I want to smile so much that my face is twitching…… people will think I’m crazy tho.

It’s so ironic that you are my life savior ahahahaha cuz you literally are everyday when you grab my hand and take me out of the dark. I love you so much.

[ravenstakeflight]

wings take flight

[AO3]

Three months of sneaky measurements and spending less and less time with Levi had culminated on his birthday.

Walls, Eren hopes he likes it.

December twenty-fifth.

Christmas Day to a lot of people.

To Eren, though, that's secondary to the more important title for this day:

It's Heichou's - Levi, Levi - birthday today.

They all sit around in a circle, Levi's (and Eren's, too, if he's being honest, but they aren't) living room just barely big enough for the people who'd decided to participate in their friend group's Secret Santa exchange.

Hanji, Jean, Mikasa, Erwin, Levi, and Armin. Fuck. Eren's missing.

Levi sits there with a smirk on his face and a gift for Erwin under the tree. A tiny Captain America shield, wrapped in enough wrapping paper to make it look like a laptop. Ha.

He gets an exasperated look from Erwin when his Commander friend - they're just friends this time - unwraps it.

"Really, Levi?" A sigh. "Come on. You could've done a little bit better, at least?"

He just smirks.

"Ha. No. You got exactly what you deserv-"

A crash as the door opens.

"I'm not lat- aw man, I'm late." Eren grumbles. Levi snorts, patting the empty space next to him and gracefully accepting the kiss Eren presses to his cheek as something tense in him unwinds. Thank the Walls, and something must be evident in his gaze because Eren softens more, if that was ever possible, and kisses him again. "I'm here, Levi."

"I know, Eren. Shut up." He'd given up on trying to hide what he's thought from Eren around the tenth time the man had peeled back his every layer and held his heart in his hands with a smile that said I'll keep this safe. It takes just around twenty minutes for Hanji to leap up and grab Eren's gift.

Eren stares down at his gift with a raised eyebrow. A few pokes later, he deigns it safe to unwrap and it reveals a pretty little journal. It had thin gold filigree embedded in it, creating some kind of dreamy effect with the tree the filigree created. Levi approves. Eren deserves all of the pretty, beautiful things for himself.

"Dream journal with locks so that you can write out whatever you need, Eren!" They say cheerfully. "Who'd you get?"

"Levi, this is for you." Eren says quietly. "I, uh. I hope you like it?" He holds out the package he’s been holding onto to Levi, who takes it with a raised eyebrow.

He opens it quickly, the smooth cardboard box taking him off guard, and when he lifts the lid-

Levi can't breathe.

He picks the paper up, finding familiar symbols written in it. A note written just for him, in a world that had forgotten the language the two of them grew up with the first time. A note for the one person who would understand what was written, maybe more so than anyone else that knew what it said.

For the one person who always, always took care of me.

Thank you, heichou.

I wanted to give you something in return.

(And happy birthday.)

"... Eren?" Levi's voice is nearly a breath when he looks over at the love of his lives. "What did you do-"

"Look down, Heichou." Eren murmurs. The way his title - belonging to a man long dead, but a man alive again - still seems to drip from his lips would scare Levi if he was still startled by anything more. "I made you something."

He looks down.

And has his breath stolen away once more.

Inside the box is a dark green jacket, the shade still familiar to Levi's eyes even though the first time he saw it is a lifetime away. Green, like the short cloaks the Scouts had worn, like the trees they'd flown through, green like Eren's eyes when he looks into the grassy fields.

Green like Levi hasn't seen for years, and it has taken his breath away just like the man who apparently created it.

He picks it up slowly, and it unfurls to reveal a jacket-

It sways in the air, and his eyes catch on something before he realizes.

No way.

No fucking way.

"Eren, did you-" His voice is choked up, and he can tell that the rest of the idiots have finally caught on to the fact that there's something more significant about this. "Did you really-"

The glint of a shield that the world itself has forgotten takes Levi's attention once again.

"My mother taught me to sew when I was little," Eren admits. "I'd nearly forgotten, but I just thought it would be nice." He takes a deep breath, staring at Levi nervously. "I know we can't fly the same way we used to, Levi, and I realized that neither of us have anything to remember it by, so-"

"You moron-" Levi tries not to curse as he hauls Eren forward, into him for a long, deep kiss. "I can't believe you thought I'd ever dislike this-"

"It's just part one, Levi-" Eren giggles a little. Levi freezes. Part one? "... Part two is- maybe, one day- if you want, I used to help assemble the 3DMG on the days we weren;t going out, and-"

Levi cuts him off again, pulling him in for another wet, open kiss. When he pulls back, it's to the sight of a ruffled, rumpled, and grinning Eren.

"I'll take that as a yes, it was well-received?"

"... Eren." His voice breaks. To his horror, there's tears stinging at his eyes. "Eren, for the love of the Walls, please tell me you're not lying to me about-"

"Look at the jacket, Levi." Eren soothes softly. "Look at it."

The Wings of Freedom still glitter on the back of the jacket, so terrifyingly, hauntingly familiar to their cloaks.

"I wouldn't lie. Not to you, not about this. If you want it, it's yours."

(Days, weeks, months later, they're ready. The two of them sneak off with the gear they've made and put it back on. The callouses and muscle they need, they've tried to build back up, and it hurts to no end when they go home, but it feels so good. It's good to fly, it's good to jump through the trees like the two of them did millennia ago.

And on the back of Levi's jacket, the Wings of Freedom shine once again.)

[bayisdying]

A Very Miami Christmas

There were very few things that Fanboy hated, but most of all he hated the snow and the cold.

So of course, naturally he would fall in love with someone from the Midwest who didn't mind either of those things. It meant spending winters visiting snowed in cabins, and going to her hometown for a white Christmas.

What he didn't know was that his sneaky girlfriend wasn't planning a white Christmas this year. In fact she was planning the exact opposite.

It was the annual Pre-Christmas Party at the Hard Deck for the Daggers and friends. It was held the first weekend of December before everyone scattered across the country for Christmas.

"You look lost there Fanboy." Whiskey teased.

"Thanks Momma." He replies with a laugh. "I'm just mentally preparing for how cold Illinois is."

Whiskey chuckled, she knew he wouldn't be freezing his ass off this year. Before she could cheekily respond however Penny was ringing the bell signaling that the gift exchange was about to start.

Once Santa, aka Cyclone, had passed out all the gifts the group started to open things one by one.

"Aww I love it!"

"What the fuck is this?"

"I knew you were getting me this!"

"Seriously who gave me coal?"

"Bagman, you suck."

But everyone turned as they saw Mickey pull out a very sexy looking bikini from one of his boxes.

Rueben wolf whistled "damn Garcia, didn't know you were a bikini man!"

Mickey flipped off his friend, then turned to Lucky who had a very shit eaten grin on her face.

"There's more in the box." Lucky said with a shrug, ignoring the obvious question on her man's mind.

He knew better than to question it further and continued to sift through the tissue paper. Next was a Santa hat, then swimming trunks with snowflakes all over it, then a palm tree ornament, and a framed picture from the first time he took her to Miami.

"You trying to make me feel warm before I go freeze?" He asked out loud which caused laughter to ring out from the group.

Lucky grumbled, and motioned for him to keep digging.

Finally at the bottom of the box was a piece of paper folded neatly. When he opened it he realized they were plane tickets. Plane tickets to...Miami.

"No snow?" Is all he could say.

"No snow." Lucky nodded.

He jumped up and twirled his girl around before putting her down and pulling her in to a kiss.

Ice cleared his throat, reminding the two that they had an audience.

-----

When they finally landed, Lucky wanted to kiss the ground. She hated flying if she wasn't the pilot.

"There is my baby!" They heard Dulce's voice over the rest of the din.

There were many hugs given, and finally they reached the Garcia household. Fanboy and Lucky went straight to his childhood bedroom for a nap, and maybe some shenanigans.

They spent most days on the beach, soaking in the sun and most nights were spent with the extended Garcia family playing board games and looking at Christmas lights around their neighborhood.

When they woke up Christmas morning it was a gorgeous 80 degree day with not a cloud in the sky.

"Isn't this so much better than snow?" Fanboy asked.

"Nah." Lucky teased. "Plus snow means cuddle weather."

"That has not stopped us."

Lucky hit his chest to shut him up.

They joined the rest of the family in the living room and watched as the little ones ripped open their presents. The pure joy in their little faces making waking up early so worth it.

Alexandra, their little three year old niece, was glued to Lucky's side. Mickey was enjoying the view of his girl with a toddler a little too much. He started envisioning a future where they were spending Christmas morning in their little cottage on the beach. Surrounded by their own children and watching them as they opened all the presents Santa had brought them. What he didn't know was that Lucky liked the sound of that future too.

The family made their way to the beach after presents and they wore out the kids by chasing them around. Once the kiddos left, and it was just the two of them left they cuddled on their beach towel.

"I love you Mickey."

"I love you more."

Once they had enough of the beach they walked hand in hand through the streets of Miami taking in the sights. It was gorgeous all year round but it was magical during Christmas time.

And despite it being a balmy 58 degrees, Baylie found a street vendor selling hot cocoa and got them some.

"Hot cocoa seriously?"

"It's Christmas dipshit." She replied as she happily sipped hers.

"This was a pretty amazing Christmas."

"I'm just glad I could give you a very Miami Christmas."

He laughed at her awful attempt at a joke, "and I'm just glad there was no snow."

"Wimpy Miami boy."

-----

A/N: I feel like this kinda is rushed and I'm sorry. But this bitter cold and winter storm I'm getting is making me wish I was in Miami 😂😭

Tagging my babes: @mrsjaderogers @mtnofgrace @cycbaby @callsign-dragonbaron @kloofspeaks @notyoursbutlewis @roosterscockpit @breadsquash @askmarinaandothers

[obsessivedilettante]

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! And happy Sunday-hopefully-a-three-day-weekend to those who don’t.

Please forgive the janky photo but it is nearly 3am here and I am Secret Santa Sneaky putting up the stockings, hung by the gas fireplace with some faint suggestion of care.

The amusing thing is that these stockings are mostly filled with things that Mum and I bought together, in person, almost a month ago, while getting the traditional holiday panetón at Cost Plus World Market. (They have the best flavor options!)

We also picked up a few fun trinkets while we were there. Mum has a solar powered waving Queen Elizabeth that she got years ago when living in England. It sits on the windowsill of the kitchen, and because we live in such a sunny place, I’ve grown accustomed to the click-click as her hand swivels back and forth.

Anyway, Mum’s version is basic blue. But we found this one at World Market that is gold! So fancy! So now we can have dueling waving queens.

We also saw a candy dispenser that is shaped like a sloth and poops out the candies. How can anyone resist that, especially since a major highlight of the family trip to Peru last summer was holding a baby sloth. We had a coupon for a free ornament so we also got an alpaca in honor of that trip, too, which is peeking out of Mum’s stocking.

The bulk of the stocking is candy and fuzzy socks (that will genuinely be a surprise, since this was something I bought on my own and Mum has no idea about them!). Oh, and dog butt magnets because we can always use more magnets, right? Plus, dog butts, heh.

Anyway, we’ve been joking around for the last month that we’re not really going to do much for Christmas. Splurge on a fancy-ish meal that will provide plenty of leftovers, and relax with lots of holiday movies. No family. No travel. No gift exchange.

We have a couple of big trips planned next year which is our main gift to each other (and they are Disney-adjacent, hence my crass capitalist choice in sock ware). Although, tbh, the biggest gift we can give to each other is finally feeling like we’re in a place of stability, something we haven’t had for over three years.

ANYWAY. Mum surprised me 3 years ago with a few things when we said “no gifts.” Then 2 years ago I surprised her with some inexpensive but thoughtful items (that had been purchased before we said, “no gifts,” which we eventually did say once I was laid off the Monday after Thanksgiving). Then last year, we agreed that yep, this time we really meant it, “no gifts” — and there was a small stocking with some treats in it on my chair come Christmas morning.

Then this year we said “no gifts” yet bought some fun little dumb things while out on our one true “Christmas outing” we had all year — we’re frugal enough, doggone it, and can enjoy the occasional pointless, frivolous trinket.

So it’s silly, putting things we already know about in a stocking. But I still got some glee at making sure I squirreled away the shopping bag we promised not to touch until Christmas, then stopping at Target on my way home from a work thing and giggling over the ridiculous stocking choices, and buying fuzzy Christmas socks on sale that I know Mum will enjoy, even if she only wears them once.

Oh, yeah, and we never got around to decorating because we just didn’t want to deal with sorting out the holiday boxes (that we’ve been meaning to organize and pare down, once our households merged, yet we still… haven’t…). So this is the only touch of “Christmas” you’ll see at the house.

But I have the whole week off, and we shall indulge our whims with food we don’t normally eat, attempt to assemble an Eiffel Tower gingerbread house (also purchased at World Market, because seriously we don’t get out much at all any more), and watch a random sampling of excellent and terrible holiday movies from various streaming services.

This is the first Christmas in years I haven’t felt vaguely (or majorly) depressed and anxious, focusing all my energy on simply surviving — and I choose to relish it, silly stockings and all.

[wurm-food]

Hahaha "one thing I've always wanted to say but am too scared to" *I*, am you Secret Santa for the One Piece Blorbo x (Y/N) exchange. It me, I've had my two besties follow you in secret to gather information and you pass the vibe check!

I can't wait to unveil your gift but I've decided to post it on Christmas >;3c *evil snickering*

!!!!!!!! Oh my god!!!! You’re so sneaky hehe, happy to know I pass ;)

Ahhhhhh I can’t wait im so excited!! 💕💕

[hp-fanfic-archive]

Remus/Sirius Fluff Masterlist | Works With Less Than 5k Words [1/3]

find the masterlist directory here

last updated: 07/30/24 | links last checked: 07/30/24

13 paper boats floating in the sea (+2 that reached you) by justprompts [T, 4k]

It's like this. Sirius loves Remus. Remus loves Sirius. Lily thinks Remus and Sirius should date. (She also thinks James Potter is quite fit.) Meanwhile, James thinks that Sirius and Lily are snogging behind greenhouse three. (podfic available)

*A Proposal by Bob_The_Other_Zombie [G, 2k]

Sirius has a love problem and asks James for advice. What happens when you add in pregnant Lily, pantsless Peter, candles, one pot of nearly-boiled water, snogging, Remus’ favorite record, multiple unknown kitchen devices, and a very bad pun? One very confused werewolf, is what!

A Sirius Case of Jealousy by WolfstarPups90 [T, 1k]

Remus has a new job and Sirius has a bit of a jealousy issue.

all alone on the edge of seventeen by nikkiRA [T, 3k]

He is seventeen and in love.

All I Want For Christmas by REwrites [T, 2k]

Sirius chews the inside of his cheek as he stares down a row of Christmas cards in the shop around the corner for his office and tries not to feel like the world’s biggest arse. He wishes he hadn’t waited to the last minute to do this, but when he pulled Remus Lupin’s name out of the hat for the office-wide Secret Santa exchange he’d panicked. A short story in which Sirius is awkward, Remus is sneaky, and James is no help at all.

*All Dogs Go to Remus' Flat, Apparently by iamsiriusblackserious [G, 1k]

“Now, before you murder me and distribute my body parts across Britain, you should know that he followed me home and none of this is my fault,” Sirius says. “Your defense is that a strange dog followed you home and so you had no choice but to let him into our flat?” “Well, when you say it like that, it just sounds irresponsible!” “Brilliant, that’s exactly what I was going for.” or Remus comes home to find a strange dog sitting on his couch and he's Not Happy.

Already Fallen by LightsOut [E, 1k]

Remus Lupin had a plan. He was not going to fall for Sirius Black in any sense of the word.

And a Peacock in a Glass Tree by Tpants [E, 4k]

Remus probably shouldn't have thrown Sirius out of bed. Lily helps Sirius out. Sirius learns to carol.

And When You Get the Choice by iamsiriusblackserious [T, 3k]

After weeks of studying for and sitting their NEWT exams, Sirius finally gets some quality time with his boyfriend. That is, if Remus can actually manage to stay awake. Winding down after NEWTs, slow dancing but not really, and symbolic key bequeathing.

Apollonian and Dionysian. by rearwindow [G, 2k]

“Yeah… Well, it’s like I’m light and you are darkness.”

*As It Should Be by remuslives23 [G, 2k]

John Lupin had expected it, had been waiting for it ever since he caught Remus sneaking soiled sheets into the washing machine when he was thirteen and, at his wife's amused insistence, had sat him down for a halting talk about the birds and the bees.

Bad Day by orphan_account [G, 1k]

Professor Remus Lupin's day had been one of the worst. All he wanted was a nice relaxing bath and a few moments to forget. Luckily he's got a very doting husband who can help him do just that.

Bandages by FreakishWhale [G, 1k]

A world where everyone is born with the First Words their soulmate will ever speak to them inked onto their skin, to be kept hidden until they are spoken and burn black.

between the moon and the stars by llassah [M, 2k]

The summer before their sixth year, and everything changes and stays the same.

*Black Winter and Golden Dreams by huldrejenta [G, 2k]

When you're young and in love, sometimes even Sirius Black would like some advice.

Boys by oliverdalstonbrowning [G, 2k]

Remus is reminded of the truth and Sirius plays Space Oddity.

*Breathless by NachoDiablo [T, 2k]

Sirius is confident that their first date with Remus is going to be memorable, and it is… just not in the ways they expect. (sequel to Worth the Itch)

Built My Dreams Around You by templeg [M, 1k]

A deeply embarrassing lapdance in the middle of the Gryffindor common room leads to much more.

*Caught by Phiso [G, 4k]

Sirius Black was the thief no one could catch – at least, not until he met his match in Detective Inspector Remus Lupin.

Chocolate Love by therunawaypen [T, 1k]

After serving a night in detention, Sirius brings back a sweet treat for Remus to enjoy while he's studying. If Sirius enjoys it too, all the better.

Common Cuddles for a Common Cold by LadyAmina [G, 1k]

Most of the student body has fallen ill with a common cold. Sirius is just feeling it a lot louder. But Remus helps.

copycats by ybrows [T, 1k]

Sirius is a trend setter. Sirius is a trend setter that doesn’t seem to notice it, or care, or make any comment towards the fact that he wore his hair in a ponytail last week and now half the school have styled their hair in exactly the same way. Remus cares.

da mi basia mille by scioscribe [t, 2k]

“There’s a Roman bloke, Catullus, who wrote about snogging a lesbian, or something like that, and anyway, he said da mi basia mille, give me a thousand kisses, and I spelled it. Ensorceled it. Made it into a thingy.” He pushed the envelope up towards Remus’s mouth. “Say the Latin part and kiss it.”

Dadfoot & Moomum by jlpierre [T, 4k]

A four year old Harry Potter, in the care of his guardians Sirius and Remus, experiences a series of Halloween activities to distract the adults from their grief.

*Daring, Brave, and Genius by elle_stone [G, 1k]

It’s been a month since they’ve seen each other, all four Marauders—daring, brave, genius—and prone to dreaming up ridiculous plans and then jumping into them without thinking any of the details through.

Despite The Lightning by A Sirius Crush On Moony [T, 1k]

Remus and Sirius are dating. It's the first day back at school and Remus just wants one thing.

*Drunk on Love by muse_in_absentia [T, 4k]

Post second war AU in which Remus cheats at baking, Padfoot plays in the snow, and Christmas jumpers combined with mulled wine may lead to something old becoming something new.

*Ever After by busaikko [T, 3k]

Non-magic AU. Once upon a time, an astrophysicist was wooed by the gay Scheherazade. . .

Eyebrows by BeesKnees [T, 2k]

In which James seduces Remus (sort of), and Sirius blames the whole bloody mess on James (mostly).

*Finest in Fairford by bluepeony [G, 4k]

Remus Lupin's job in a Fairford coffee shop is always uneventful, until an exotic new customer begins leaving messages with his tips.

*Fiery-Coloured World by orphan_account [M, 2k]

And though Remus had a thick jumper and coat, they were still soaked and frozen as they ran across the pavement, laughing with their cold fingers clinging to each other like it was Noah’s bloody flood and they were about to be swept away. Then someone—Sirius was never sure who, though he often liked to take credit for it—closed the distance and lips met lips. And that was all it took, really. Besotted. Smitten. Twitterpated—the word Remus liked most of all. Sirius knew it would be minutes, moments, seconds before his heart told him he was in love and there was no going back from the emotional tidal wave that was Remus bloody Lupin.

Friends, Lovers, and Various Permutations Thereof by Tillikins [T, 2k]

Celebrating the end of NEWTs! Sirius asks Remus to room with him after school.

*denotes personal favorites

[latteandbookz]

[New Post] ARC Review: Christmas Cupid by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Title: Christmas Cupid Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills Page count: 147 Published: November 2nd, 2023 Publisher: Greys Promo Genre: Contemporary Christmas Romance Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review Rating: 5/5 Dear Sneaky Santa, I’d like to have a word about your sense of humor. Was it really necessary to stick me, a professional hockey player nursing an injury and…

[propelaxe]

5 Company Event Ideas You Can Do In an Axe Throwing Venue

Step aside from the ordinary and step into an unforgettable corporate holiday party experience! This year, why not transform your traditional office festivities into something truly extraordinary? Pick an Axe Throwing Holiday Tournament for these amazing Corporate Event Ideas or for a birthday party for your loved ones.

Whether it's themed costume parties, ugly sweater contests with a twist, holiday-themed team-building challenges, or even a White Elephant Axe Exchange, you're in for a memorable and unconventional celebration that will undoubtedly stand out and leave your colleagues talking about it for years to come. So, sharpen your axes and get ready for a holiday party like no other!

5 Axe Throwing Themed Party Ideas for your Next Company Event

Themed Costume Party

Encourage your colleagues to get into the holiday spirit by hosting a themed costume party at the axe throwing venue. Ask participants to dress up as their favorite holiday characters, be it Santa Claus, elves, reindeer, or even characters from classic holiday movies. The venue's rustic ambiance can be transformed with festive decorations, making it a cozy and memorable backdrop for your holiday costumes and celebrations.

Ugly Sweater Contest and Axe Throwing

Ugly sweater contests are a holiday tradition, and combining this with axe throwing can be a fantastic idea. Have everyone wear their most outlandish, festive, and 'ugly' holiday sweaters, and then engage in axe throwing near Denver. Participants can compete to see who can keep their cool while wearing the most outrageous holiday-themed sweaters. Prizes can be awarded to the best (or worst) sweaters and the most accurate throwers.

Holiday Team Building Challenges

Leverage the axe throwing venue for holiday-themed team building activities. Design a series of challenges or games that require collaboration and communication among team members. For example, you can have teams work together to hit specific holiday targets or solve holiday-themed puzzles while throwing axes. It's an entertaining way to strengthen team bonds during the festive season.

White Elephant Axe Exchange

Put a unique twist on the traditional white elephant gift exchange by incorporating axe throwing. Participants can bring a wrapped gift and take turns throwing axes to determine the order in which they get to choose a gift. This adds an element of surprise and excitement to the gift exchange. Make sure the gifts are creative, funny, or useful, and watch as your colleagues enjoy a memorable and laughter-filled exchange.

Be Careful of the Landmines

Landmines Axe Throwing Game is the wild child of outdoor fun, mashing up bullseye-axe throwing with a sassy twist. It's a game where you aim your throwing axes at a massive wooden target board, painted with all sorts of high-point targets and sneaky "landmines" lurking around.

The deal? Players take turns stepping up to the plate, or, well, the throwing line, and boldly declare their target of choice before they sling that axe. Bullseyes mean a nice bump in the score. But, watch out! These landmines are total party-poopers. If you hit one, you're in for some point deduction action.

The game keeps rolling for a set number of rounds or until someone totally rocks it and scores a pre-set point threshold. The one with the fanciest score at the end is crowned the axe-slinging champ.

Conclusion

These Corporate event ideas in an axe throwing venue offer a fun and adventurous way to celebrate the season while fostering team camaraderie and creating lasting memories. It's an unconventional yet exciting way to make your holiday party stand out and leave a lasting impression on your colleagues.

If you are looking for a great corporate party venue for axe throwing near Denver, make sure to check out Propel Axe. Located at the heart of the mile-high city, this premium axe throwing venue offers an exclusive and vibrant ambiance to host hundreds of guests and have the time of your life with adventurous lumberjack-inspired games, beers, and delicious food.

[kadhis-stuff]

You can’t keep a secret forever

Summary: How is a woman supposed to tell her husband, who has been married to her for almost 7 years now, that she can read minds? That she has been able to since the first moment they met?

This is a gift for @nonokoko13​! (AO3 link). I hope you enjoy it! Here’s my little contribution to the Damianya part of the fandom :)

Anya’s unstoppable right foot shook so hard that the dining table moved to her tune, causing a metallic sound from the table legs hitting the floor. Her hands joined forming a fist that was holding her chin. She was staring at the ceiling of her house, looking for some inspiration on what to do. As if the ceiling tiles were an almighty god with all the answers willing to share with mere mortals.

Anya was concerned. A concerned 26-year-old woman. A concern police officer in these peaceful times. She never told anyone about this. Not even her parents. It was an intrinsic part of herself. It grew to be normal on her. Part of what defines what Anya Forger-Desmond is.

How is a woman supposed to tell her husband, who has been married to her for almost 7 years now, that she can read minds? That she has been able to since the first moment they met?

What people has always said about her is that she is a very perceptive person. And as the years went by, she got better at hiding it. No one has been able to hide a secret from her for long. And that is something that, today, was making Damian miserable.

Damian decided that this year was going to be the year. He will blow her mind with the most astonishing surprise ever. He will prove to her that he still has it, after all these years of marriage. For her to remember the feeling of being on the lookout and not knowing what to expect. The knowledge of something coming her way without a clue of what might that be.

Two things were wrong with Damian’s assumptions. First, he has never, ever, surprised her. Not on purpose at least, not by planning something out. He shouldn’t need to prove that he still has anything in that regard. And secondly, she doesn’t know how it feels to be non-puzzled because people usually think about the surprises while they are being planned or revealed. She hasn’t figure it out a way to put a spoiler alert tag on people, so she just deals with it.  

Why was Damian getting so frustrated about this lately?

The worst part is that his poker face is too good. There are times in which she knows what Damian is truly thinking just because she can read his mind. Instead, she is an open book.

Faking surprise? Yeah, that has never worked out for her before.

After faking a face, she is always hit by the thoughts “Oh, she saw it coming” “She knew about it” “Surely Becky told her” “Surely Damian told her” “Am I this bad at lying?”

His husband was feeling insecure and he did not tell her, she knows it because she is able to read. His. Mind.

What to do? What to do?

She growled at the ceiling tiles.

She truly thought she was going to be able to take this secret to her tomb. She never told Mama and Papa, and the only one that -probably- knew it, was Bond.

She took a sip of the hot chocolate she prepared to help herself think. Why did she decide to keep it a secret from them all these years?

Right. That night. When she was just an 8-year-old.

~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V

She had the popcorn’s bowl in her lap. Mama was on her right, watching the movie. Papa was on her left, reading a book. Bond was lying in front of her, eyes closed, unfazed by the fighting sounds coming from the TV. It was the latest Spy Wars movie. One of the bad guys had the ability to read minds with a machine.

Loid and Yor already knew about each other secret lives and after a bit dramatic fight, they accepted each other identities and decided to live together after all.  Which made possible for Anya to live a real life with them. And she was pondering the possibility to tell them. To also come clean of secrets. For them to be the first people in her life to know. So, she gathered courage, her hands forming fists and asked with the most casual tone she could gathered “Isn’t that cool?”

“What, Anya?” Asked Yor cocking her head with closed eyes and her always gentle smile, who was paying attention to the movie.

“Being able to read minds”. No, she cannot do it. Oh shit, she was already doing it. Panic. She ate a handful of popcorn at once. Swallowed it quickly to continue. “What do you think about that?”

Loid was the first to reply, in his detached matter-of-fact way of speaking, so serious and yet so smooth “Well, even if it is certainly an advantage it might be dangerous. It seems that the machine could blow out at any minute now”

Not the answer she was hoping. Anya wanted to divert the attention from the movie. Was Papa even paying attention to it? He was supposed to be reading. “But think about it in real life” she took her mother’s hand. She wanted to ask ‘what if I was the one reading minds’ but she was too scared to hear the answer, so she said the next thing she thought about. “What if mama were able to read our minds all the time?”

“M-Me?” A soft pink colored her cheeks, and she gave it a thought. “It could be a little tiring I guess, not being able to focus on my own mind because everybody is thinking around me”

That was an accurate way to describe it. Although Anya was getting better at handling it.

“It will probably be weird for the people around her.” Her father got her attention in a second, now we were talking. “I wouldn’t be able to look Yor in the eyes the same way again.”

“Why?” And her voice was probably a pitch higher than before.

“If a person can read your mind, they will know you better than anyone else. They will know what you think even if it is not what you chose to say, so they will not only know the person you want to be or the one you are trying to become, but they will know the true you. And that is something terrifying somehow. Not all people will be able to handle that.”

“Will you get away from mama if she was able to read minds?”

“No, I don’t have secrets from Mama anyway”

But Anya could read minds. And she knew what Loid’s real answer was. She still tried one more time.

“And you Mama, will you stay with Papa even if he was able to read your mind?”

“Of course, sweetheart”

But the devasting truth was that both were terrified of the idea. And although they didn’t directly think “yes, I will leave”, they both imagined multiple situations in which they would rather die from shame than letting the counterpart know their deepest secrets.

“I see” was all that Anya was able to say, while shrinking more into the couch.

“Why are you making that face Anya?” Yor asked, hugging her shoulders with one hand. “Nobody is able to read minds, so you don’t need to worry about it”.

But she did worry about it. Because at the short age of eight, she swore to herself to never reveal her deepest secret to anyone. It was something bad. It was something to be ashamed of. Anya would rather die than letting anybody know about it and let them treat her differently because of it.

~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V

But here she was. Pondering her options. Because maybe the truth was what Damian needed right now. Maybe he could be the first. Maybe she could trust him to not destroy her feelings with utter rejection.

Two weeks ago, Becky invited her for lunch and, as usual, she was telling her about the latest sweetheart she was dating. The conversation ended up shifting to Damian and Anya’s long-term relationship. This year they were going to celebrate the 7 years anniversary.  

“There’s a saying, you know?” said Becky casually, taking the dessert spoon when the waiter brought her ‘Golden Opulence’ sundae. “If a marriage remains together after seven years, they will be together forever.”

“Non-sense, there wouldn’t be divorces after 10 years then.”

“I mean it, Anya. It’s called The Seven Year Itch”

Anya rolled her eyes and started to eat her own dessert. “And what’s supposed to happen on the 7th year?”

“Monotony. Love ends. People get bored. They feel like the compatibility is no longer there. That the other person just ‘don’t get it’ anymore.”

The last part caught Anya’s attention. Why was that ringing a bell on her head?

And then she remembered all the times along the year that Damian tried to do different things for her, which all ended up in a frustrated husband.

Could Damian fear they were not compatible anymore?

Anya face twisted like an open book to Becky.

“How is it going with Damian, Anya?” She had concern in her eyes. And Anya knew it was real concern. Becky took her hand over the table “Everything ok at home?”

“Yeah,” she tried to dismiss it with a smile “everything is fine”

But hey, she was friends with Becky for over 20 years now. And Anya did not really know how to lie to save her life.

Becky insisted.

“Okay, well, there might be something” twirling her fingers in rounds, looking to the ground pouting, Anya mumbled indescribable words to Becky before finally saying it: “I think Damian is a bit concern about the fact that he can’t surprise me”

“Nobody can surprise you. You are too good at reading people. And a terrible liar.”

“And he has known about it for years now!” Yes Becky, agree with her. It was not her fault. It was not her fault. “It shouldn’t be that big of a deal, right?”

“Then why do you think he is concerned about that?” Becky was confused.

Because she knew.

A couple days back, Damian got up earlier to cook her favorite breakfast and took it to her bed. But Anya knew that it was going to happen before hand because he bought and hid the ingredients the day before, so she did her best sleepy surprised expression and started to eat.

Damian’s thoughts were loud in his head “Loser. I cannot even surprise her when she is half asleep. Nothing works”

But he did not tell her that, instead, he kissed her forehead and walk out of the room with the excuse of meeting his brother early that day. Lie. He just wanted to be out of there. Away from her.

Anya replied: “He told me he feels bad because he can’t surprise me, I just want him to know that it is not his fault”

“Well, there’s a limit on how perceptive a person can be. I had surprise you before. It’s hard, yes, but possible. It might be kind of his fault” Actually, Becky surprised her on a moonless night.

“It is not” Anya hit her head into the table with a defeated expression on her face “I need him to understand that”.

She can only get surprised on moonless days. But how to explain it without telling the truth?

And here she was.

Thinking.

Considering.

Pondering.

Did it worth the risk?

She was so deeply scared about how hard she wanted to tell him. How hard she wanted to trust him. To believe he will love her no matter what. She has known Damian since he was 6 years old. She knows how good or bad he can be. The deepest secrets of his heart. What makes him happy even if he has never openly said so. There is no human being that she knows better than him.

Damian was certainly going to panic.

But will he overcome it? Accept it?

She was so scared that she picked today, a moonless day, to do so. She wasn’t strong enough to hear the rejection coming from him. Her heart wouldn’t handle it. No matter if he later thinks twice about it and accept it. She couldn’t stand the idea of hearing him fear her.

She heard the doorknob opening and her mind went blank, her back ran cold and her hands got sweaty. Was it right? Would it help him to know? Would it make it worst? She doesn’t know.

“I’m home”

He immediately noticed the distressed on his wife. “Is everything alright?”

“No” elbows on the table, she just holds her forehead with her fists. Eyes closed “Can you please take a sit? We need to talk”.

Damian did as requested, showing a hint of concern in his face.

Although a part of Anya appreciated the silence for her to gather her thoughts in order, the other part wanted to peek into Damian’s head and see what he was thinking.

“I know you have been mad a lot lately”.

She looked at him right in the eyes. It seemed to take him aback.

“Me? Mad? About what?” He deviated his gaze quickly, as if looking for a better answer. He was also a terrible liar, somehow.

“About the fact that you can’t surprise me”

Damian’s eyes turned sad, avoiding her gaze he just stared at the table. “Am I that much of an open book to you?”

“No- Yes. Err, something like that”

Still avoiding her gaze, he moved his eyes to the window next to them. “I’m sorry for not being able to do the same for you”

She took his hand over the table; he was still refusing to look at her.

“Damian, please look at me”

She squeezed his hand. He finally did.

“There’s something important I need to tell you. It might sound crazy, but it is the truth. And I’m terrified of telling you. Nobody” and she repeated the word with all the emphasis she could gathered in her voice “Nobody, knows about this. It is my most guarded secret and I swore to myself that I will take it to my tomb”

That got Damian’s attention. Momentarily forgetting how shitty of a husband he was feeling lately.

“I love you, Damian. And I trust you” she was scared. So scared that Damian’s hand was wet with her sweat now. “And I will tell you”

This is it. She will say it. Her heart was beating faster than ever. She was going to reveal her deepest secret.

“The reason why neither you nor anyone can’t surprise me is because…”

Silence. She bits her lip. She cannot face him. She stops to stare at his eyes and lowers her gaze.

“Because…”

Damian squeezes her hand softly this time, encouraging her to talk.

She sighs. Shuts her eyes harder. Takes a big breath and hold it for a couple seconds, until finally releasing it, talking as fast as she could “BecauseICanReadMinds”

Damian asks her to repeat herself, slowly this time.

“Because I can… read minds”

Of course, Damian doesn’t believe it. He drops her hand and stand up from the table. So much mystery and expectation for a joke. He was truly feeling bad about it and Anya wanted to do one of the weird jokes in an honestly bad time.

Damian was feeling insecure. He heard about the Seven Year Itch at work early that year. And he realized that without space for doubts Anya was the person that knew the most about him. But did he know about her the same way? Did he pay enough attention? And what about the relationship? Was he getting monotonous? Will Anya look for other men that can provide her the excitement she so dearly appreciates in her life? How much can she stand his own inaptitude?

So yeah, Damian is pretty pissed off. He gives her his back and walks towards the bedroom for some cooling off time.

“I’m telling the truth!” he hears her say.

He stops on his track and looks at her sideways. “Yeah? What am I thinking right now?”

She feels like stabbed. She didn’t think he was going to assume it was a lie. She was worried about a bunch of other scenarios. “I don’t know! It doesn’t work on days without moon!”

“How convenient. Should I assume today is a New Moon day?”

Damian was already reaching the shared bedroom when Anya took his hand to stop him. Once he entered the room, he was going to shut the door and keep her out for a couple hours until to cool down. He always did it when he was truly pissed off. She knows it and doesn’t want to let him do it. Because once he cools off, she could get cold feet and now that she has resolved to tell him, she did not want to brush it off as a joke or something like that.

“Damian, look at my eyes”

He ignored her.

She took his head with one hand and made him face her. “Look at me”

He finally did.

“I’m telling you the truth. I am adopted. People did things to me when I was a kid, in a lab. I can read minds since I am 3 years old. I had read your mind since the first time I met you. Every day. Except on days when there’s no moon in the sky”

And Damian does know something about his wife. She cannot lie to him to save his life. That is why even if she has tried to act surprised for years, he has always known when she was faking it. He thought it was because she pitied him. He was bad at surprises, and because he couldn’t properly catch her off guard, she fakes it. What Anya was just saying…? Could it be true?

“Why are you telling me this on the day you can’t prove it?”

“Because I’m terrified on what you might be thinking about me.” After saying that, she broke the eye contact with him “I do not want to hear your rejection.” She lets his hand loose “I might still hear it tomorrow, because you can’t trick your own thoughts. I will know the truth. But I couldn’t do it today.”

Damian knows with certainty; he does love his wife. He has loved her for many years now and undoubted he will do it for many years to come. He could not stand watching her like this. It broke his heart. He holds her in a tight hug.

The moment he hugged her Anya started to cry. He spoke softly into her ear “What you are telling me right now is so nonsensical, absurd. Crazy. But I want you to know that no matter what, I love you. And I won’t reject you even if you were an alien from another planet”

Her shuddering sobs started to calm down “Even if I came from Pluto? It is not a planet.”

“Even then, Anya”

She holds him tight “I am sorry”

“About what”

“Being unable to fake my surprise face and making you sad about it”

He removed a tear from her cheek before placing a small kiss on her lips “I preferred it that way. That makes me enjoy more when I see you genuinely surprised. Maybe that’s why I try so hard.”

They stood there for a while, in a comfortable silent hug.

“So how does it work?” He asked.

“Well, I can hear what you think in front of me. If I concentrate enough, I can hear a specific person several feet away”

“Can you know something about a person that is not actively thinking it in that moment?”

“Like look into a person’s memories?”

“Yeah”

“No, I can’t. Just what they are thinking at that time.”

“I see”

Silence again.

Damian broke it, again. Flustered this time “So you have been able to read my mind all this time?”

“Yes”

“W-were you able to read it when I was thinking of kissing you for the first time?”

“Every time until you finally did it” She laughs.

Damian was full red-faced at this point “Did you also read it on Becky’s 18th birthday party?”

Anya’s cheeks dyed pink at the memory “Y-Yeah”

This time Damian covered his face with both of his hands. “Did you read it on our wedding?”

“No” That got him out of the ashamed-zone for a second.

“Why?”

“I ensure it was on a moonless day. I didn’t want to get myself overwhelmed by all the guest’s thoughts on such special day”

Silence.

“That makes sense”

“Yeah”

More silence.

“So, you can’t read them today even if you try hard?”

“Not a single word”

He nods with his head.

“I think I get it”

“Are you not like… feeling weird?”

“Yes, I am”

“… Would you have preferred for me to not tell you never about this?”

He denied with his head “Thank you for telling me, it must have been hard”

“Not even my parents know”

“Really?”

“Really”

Anya didn’t need to read his head to know that he was feeling pretty cocky about it. It was painted all over his face.

More silence.

Out of the blue, Damian started to laugh. He brushed his hair with his fingers and looked at her with sparkles in his eyes.

“I swear I will surprise you this Christmas”

She laughs.

“And how are you going to do that?”

“Now that I know how you do it, I will train myself from here to December. I will need your help, though”

“I will gladly help”

She smiled.

“I love you”

He smiled.

“I love you too”

She figured it out it was okay to tell him the other secret not even her parents knew. If we are coming clean, we are coming clean about everything.

“You know… I am also two years younger. I lied about my age for my papa to adopt me.”

Damian thought about it for several minutes. Face full red again once he talked.

“Y-You were sixteen on Becky’s party!?”

~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V

After that day back in August, they set up a calendar on the fridge door marking the moonless days. The day after “the talk”, Damian spent all morning having a talk to her. Or more like, keeping his mouth shut while she was keeping the conversation out loud with Damian playing with the fact that he can hold a conversation with her without pronouncing a single word.

It had been fun, somehow, watching Damian adapt to his new life over the months.

He soon realized Anya probably knew about all the people he had wanted to kill at some point. She also knew when he thinks about another woman being pretty. She totally knew when he lied to her about enjoying some new food she cooked. She knew when he was being mean with people in his head without reason.

He sometimes forgets and still lies to her. Then, he gets self-conscious about the fact she already knows the truth and apologize for lying.

He has also caught her off guard and surprised her already a couple times. The trick is to think about literally anything else near her and plan the surprises when she is not close by. A bit more difficult, but definitely more gratifying.

She knew all the good and all the bad that was in his mind, and after seeing everything she still loved him. She has always known, since he was a child, and after all this time she was not only still his friend but accept him as a partner to spend her life with.

How can he ever have doubts about her feelings again? How if she already knew everything about him and accepted him as he is?

Is it fair to be blessed in this life with the sincere and absolute love of a person that truly knows you?

For Anya, the feeling was mutual. The first weeks she cried of happiness almost every day. Damian didn’t leave her. He accepted it. Looked for ways to make it work. Embraced it as a challenge to surpass together. As a team.

~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V~V

On the Christmas day Anya woke up with an alarm’s sound coming from Damian’s side of the bed. She tried to move him to shut it off, but she just found an empty space next to her. A note left in his pillow. She opened her eyes and started to read it with a sleepy face, after shutting the damn thing off.

“Anya,

I’m sorry I was not there to kiss you a good morning today. I needed the alarm so you could eat your breakfast while it was still hot. Please get out of the bed and go to the kitchen. There’s a surprise waiting for you there”

Anya’s smile was big in her face. What? She was enjoying the fact that she had zero clues about this.

She didn’t put shoes on and went out of the bedroom in a second, to the kitchen. The first thing she noticed in the hallway was the strong smell of roses.

The image that welcomed her left her speechless. There were fresh flowers everywhere and in her seat of the dining table there was a full set of plates and another note.

“There is fruit, fresh baked croissants, fried eggs and bacon. Plenty of orange juice and a big peanut can. You can either finish the peanuts after breakfast or carry them with you along the day for a snack. And because I didn’t want you to eat in silence, please go to take the TV remote and turn it on.”

She took a bite of one of the croissants and did as commanded. A video of recaps of their wedding day played with Bryan Adams’ “I do it for you” acoustic version playing in the background. After certain pictures there was a message.  

The first photo in the video was one of Anya entering the church. “The moment I saw you step into the hallway, I cried”. The next one, was a photo of Damian crying in his suit. “Because the only thing that was crossing my mind was that I was the luckiest man in the world. You looked like an angel. The most stunning woman was walking in my direction, to declare to myself and the world that she willingly will spend all her life next to me. You continuously make me the best version of myself, Anya”. A third photo: Anya signing the official documents. “Or that’s what I would probably have been thinking if my brain hasn’t done shortcut at that moment”. The next photo that flashes across the screen was one of both exiting the church holding each other hand. “I swear to you I couldn’t think of anything. My mind was a loop of ‘wow’ until the priest started talking and I then I was forced to focus to remember my vows”.

Anya was shaking. A couple tears were rolling down her cheeks. She got pretty emotional watching the video. Several pictures of the party followed without any more messages until the end of the video. She finished the breakfast and took the peanuts can. A message showed up on the TV: “I know the bed is tempting on a Christmas day without responsibilities. But please go and get yourself ready. It is a sunny beautiful day, what about a walk in the park? Make sure to wear comfortable shoes.”

She went back to the bedroom, took a quick shower and got a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and her favorite sneakers. On top of them, another note.

“I knew you would pick these ones. They are old Anya, let me give you new ones with the same color and style. Your refusal is non-negotiable this time around.”

Anya laughed, no. She will keep them until they are torn, and her toes shows at the front. What is a little worn shoe sole and colorless sections? She loves those shoes. He gave them to her a few years back, when she broke a heel in a night outgoing and the only opened store only sold sneakers. The note continuous

“A boy selling newspapers will be waiting for you in the park. He’s wearing a red t-shirt”

So, to the park it is.

It was a sunny day indeed. A lot of people with the day off were having a blast with their families, kids playing with dogs, old people playing chest, fathers and mothers teaching her kids how to use a bicycle for the first time. She wanted to be reunited with her family too.

It was easy to find the boy. He was so nervous that his thoughts were louder than the people around him “Pink haired woman, give it only to a pink haired woman that uses old shoes. Pink haired woman.”

“Hello there, are you the newspaper boy I’m looking for?”

He took a quick glance at her shoes and then cleared his throat looking for a newspaper in his bag. “They told me the job-hunting section was filled with important information, agent Peanut.”

Anya smiled. So that is what this is about. “Thank you, have a good day.”

While she was getting away to search for a free bench to sit on, she heard the thoughts of the boy running in the opposite direction “I need to tell the man I already did it”

She opened the newspaper, there was a pen marking the start of the section the boy mentioned. She read over the lines carefully until she noticed the pattern. The same they used in episode 703 of “Spy Wars”. The secret code was easy to decipher. Each line had two dots marking each one a letter. The letter that was in the middle of the two marked ones was the one she needs to mark in a circle. And reading it from bottom to top, she will get the message.

“Train station. 53. Seat 9A.”

Anya closed the newspaper and run towards the train station. Laughing her heart out. Such a fun morning. What was Damian planning to do?! She opened the peanuts can that brought with her and eat a few “Crazy man.”

She found out the train she was supposed to take was going to the city borders. In the seat 9A there was an envelope. She opened it.

“Agent Peanut, we have captured your husband. We will torture him until he reveals your deepest secrets. Do not even try to come to the old peanut’s abandoned factory outside the city where we have our secret liar. Coordinates: 51.08342, 10.423447”

The envelope also had the ticket for the ride. Anya rolled her eyes. Damian loved to make fun of the fact that the villain always gave its secret liar address to the good guys as if screaming “go and get me if you dare”. It was never this painfully obvious in the show. Except on episode 113, the one about ‘Bad-Man and the pâtissier heist’.

The train was already in movement when she heard a voice. “Ticket, please?”

She stared at the man and could hear his thoughts “Pink hair, green eyes”. “Are you Miss Peanut?”

A light blushed enlighten her face. It was ok for the newspaper boy to say it but having a fellow adult calling her that was a bit shameful “Yes”

The man took a backpack from the compartments above her seat. “This is for you”

The man left after marking her ticket, leaving her alone to explore the inside of the backpack. She covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh my god”

There were a couple toy guns with 30 bullets each. A belt to hold them. A water bottle, a black t-shirt, cap and sunglasses. There was also another envelope.

“Hey, don’t you dare abandon me.”

A quick sketch of a Damian tied to a chair saying ‘help’ was on the upper right corner of the paper.

Anya bit her lower lip and whispered the answer to herself: “Never”

She was able to change her clothes before reaching the destination. From the station, it was just a 15 minutes’ walk.  

Her heart was beating fast. This was exciting. Damian was giving her surprise after surprise and she was loving it. It wasn’t even a moonless day. How come he did not think about this the previous days? He (his mind) usually won’t shut up whenever there’s a big surprise coming. Now that he knows she can read minds; did he take extra precautions? He on purpose force himself to think about everything but this? He was literally thinking about the Christmas lunch and where to go. Planning dinner with her parents. Was it a trick? Or will they go after this? What is it? She took some things for granted today and thought about the surprise being a gift in a box that she’ll open in the family dinner. This was a thousand times better.

She finally reached her destination. A bunch of voices caught her attention.

“Mister Damian is too sweet” Was one of the female voices.

“At least I’m getting paid twice for working on Christmas” another voice.

“I hope Anya doesn’t get hurt” A third one.

“I should have gotten a bigger breakfast this morning” A fourth one.

How much people did Damian had there?

But suddenly, a voice shut out: “Enemy on sight, enemy on sight!”

An alarm started to ring, and Anya’s heart felt like to explode from the adrenaline.

“Don’t let her go to the second floor!”

So that is where she was supposed to go.

Anya entered through an open window and suddenly a lot of gas started to fill the warehouse. Anya saw that the people inside was armed with the same guns she had in the backpack. She took one from the belt and started to shoot. The people she was shooting started to fall and ‘die’. She ran across the people in the middle of the smoke to the stairs when a big guy was waiting for her like a wall.

Anya was a 26-year-old police officer. She was mildly offended that there was only one guy. She easily passed through him and reached the second floor.

Fifteen-armed (with toys) people were waiting for her. Damian was tied in a chair with a smirk in his beautiful face, thinking for her mind only: “Are you going to rescue me or what?”

But the biggest surprise of all was the villain.

“Uncle Yuri?”

“Oh! You have finally find my liar, Agent Peanut!” he ignored her question, getting full in character “But you are late, your husband refused to give us information, so he is useless now. I have decided that he is going to die in 5 minutes!” A bomb with a clock was chained to Damian’s chest.

“I won’t let you!” She was full on combat mode now. Following the game. “Leave my husband alone! This is between you and me!”

“Soldiers, kill her!”

But Anya was too good. She didn’t stop laughing while fighting with the people they hired for this. When she was finally done with the ‘guards’ she faced her uncle: “Now it is your turn!”

“You think you can take me down in 4 minutes and a half? Keep dreaming! You’ll face your end at the hands of – he sighed and though “I can believe I’m going to say this but agh, whatever” - Bad-Man!” She was 100% sure they stopped the clock for dramatic purposes. Also Uncle Yuri performance, top notch!

Anya run to her uncle and kick him with all her might. He easily blocked it with his hand.

A bunch of kicks and fist fighting followed. Yuri was enjoying it as much as Anya. They trained together many years ago, but after Anya grew up and become a member of the police department, they stopped to have the sessions. There was no particular reason for it, they just didn’t have the time anymore.

So being here fighting each other was like a jump back in time. And Yuri’s eyes get a little bit to shiny and his smile was a bit too big while defending up from her attacks.

Finally, Yuri fell with a dramatic scream when Anya shot him in the chest with the toy gun. (it probably hurt, though. She was mere inches away from him).

There is no way in hell that the fight took less than 10 minutes. But when she run towards Damian the clock has a minute left before the explosion.

She took the tape out of his mouth and dramatically kissed him. “Are you alright?”

“Hurry Anya! The bomb is going to explode any second now!”

“What is the key?”

There was a circular padlock holding the timer. Anya looked around her and run to Yuri’s pockets. Empty.

“Have you seen something that circular today?” Damian asked her.

She tried to read his mind, but all she found was “I won’t tell you. I won’t tell you. I won’t tell you” repeated as a mantra.

35 seconds.

Think Anya, think.

And then it hit her. She opened the backpack and took the peanut can. Could it be?

She pushed the can against the padlock and the timer stopped.

She beamed at Damian with a smile in her face “Take that!”

He was, however, staring at her with a loving gaze “You did it wonderfully”.

She then released him from the chains and hugged him. “I love you so much”

He replied to her with a thought in his head: “No more than how much I love you, Anya. Merry Christmas”

“You, big dork” was all she could say in a voice faltering with love.

“That hurts, Peanut” Yuri’s voice was behind her “No hugs for the boxing bag you just defeat and keep ignoring?”

She turned around and hugged her uncle without saying a word. She then removed a couple traitor tears that escape her eyes. “So, what’s next?”

“The helicopter is waiting for us behind the building.”

“Helicopter?”

“I just wanted you to live the full experience” was her husband reply.

She intertwined his fingers on hers “Thank you for today”

But there was a final surprise.

Damian’s sweet smile was not showing all the embarrassingly intense passionate thoughts he suddenly sent her way about the plans for the rest of the day and night. Anya’s face grew red in an instant. One of the downsides of the new discovered power was that Damian enjoyed making her blush on public. His smile shift to a cocky one once he saw his wife reaction.

“Did you really though my plans ended up after lunch? It is as if you don’t know me at all”

“Well… I do have the rest of my life to do that”

------------------

Hope you like it! Happy holidays!

[nonokoko13]

My Santa's gift for @kallura-juniblade ✨

I don't think is good but hope you like it

Forgers' Christmas preparations

In which the Forgers prepare themselves for holidays and Anya tries to understand something important

As Christmas approached, the city started to be covered by lights and snowflakes, a sweet gift from the sky. And, as in all families, the Forgers were starting to feel the Christmas spirit.

More Christmas stress than Christmas spirit actually, at least for the head of the family.

Loid sighed, Christmas Eve hasn't came yet and he was already exhausted, his job didn't pause even in holidays. Paperwork, short missions here and there, informing about the progress of the Operation Strix... And that was only the beginning of his headaches. In the other side Franky, being there "to help", seemed amused with his friend's misfortune.

'So parents have to decorate every corner of their houses, buy gifts and disguise as a character born in s XVIII called St Nicolas, which image and name was owned by a soft drink company later and modified as Santa Claus from his religious name aka Sinterklaas, act like they're him, a total stranger come from North Pole only to give them a present or simply make a brief greeting, leave the gifts under the tree without their child discovering the lie and repeat said process every year until the kids have grown up'

'Basically' His comrade said, smirking. 'Parents go through a lot of trouble, almost admirable if many of the steps are unnecessary and illogical. First, how is going to travel around the world in one day and enter in a fireplace a overweight man with the help of .. of–' 'Flying reindeers' the informant finished. 'It would make more sense if they were a flock of bird like traveling albatross or andean condor'

Well, if he wanted to cause a good impression to their neighbors and cheer Anya during that break before the second semester he had to work hard.

Meanwhile, Yor was getting advice too. Or so she thought. 'So you're going to take charge of buying the Christmas tree? Your husband cannot?' 'Loid is really busy, he has many patients to take care of and I offered myself to decorate, and I was thinking if you could give me some tips or tell me where I could buy'

After looking to each other, Yor's coworkers asked her why she doesn't use decoration of previous years, and she nervously said they had throw old Christmas stuff after becoming defective, finalizing the story with the excuse that Loid had that decoration before they get married and he didn't remember where he had bought it.

Camilla got her a lecture of how she should know how to handle easy things like that being mother a big sister, though she helped Yor a lot giving her stores directions; Sharon didn't know of that, her maid was who bought most of all, and Millie was the happiest with the topic, though she was more excited about getting holidays and giving herself gifts instead.

Yor thanked the three and repased the list. It was the least she could do she thought, Loid was going to make dinner, buy Anya's gifts and help people in his job, without breaks. He always made his best, and it was going their first Christmas together so she would do her best too.

═══════ ≪ •❈• ≫ ═══════

The students started to go home, all of them talking about their holidays' plans and wishes for the next year and Christmas gifts.

Anya was relieved she couldn't hear their minds, but a bit disappointed.

She wanted to know sy-on boy's thoughts to help pa in his mission, but that day the moon had said bye-bye so she couldn't hear his inner voice or any mind to understand who was that Santa Claus they talked about, and she couldn't ask who's that guy if everyone knew him except her.

She almost dropped it in a previous talk with Becky, receiving a weird look. Luckily she avoided it, hoping Becky forgot it and waiting for the next days before the party and last day of school to get information about that Claus.

'I really want to see what he gave me this year! Dad always give me gifts but I like to see him, probably one of the few fat old men who aren't mean or treat kids like idiots, unlike the Economics teacher'

'So... Have you seen him before?' Asked the curious sper.

'Of course! He doesn't stay in a place for too long, perhaps because he has many work to do. He should let his subordinates do that, but it's nice that a stranger spend part of his time to make others happy every year isn't it?'

Anya stopped one moment and looked at her shoes before continue walking. 'Do you think he could break in any place?' Becky nodded with confidence and then Anya agreed to go home in Mylady's carriage.

Now that she was at home, she has many questions to do, but Loid and Yor had other plans. 'Why don't I take Anya out?' Loid suggested 'You could buy the stuff while we take Bond for a walk and see the house when it's already decorated'

Yor accepted, she preferred to surprise Anya and let Loid have a relaxed moment, but Loid preferred to start the mission "Perfect Christmas". He had waited for too long and now, having a week for the preparations and the second contact with his target, he had to anticipate everything.

═══════ ≪ •❈• ≫ ═══════

In the middle of the bustle, the ruby eyed woman was rereading the list.

'Christmas balls, lights... I just need to buy a tree...where was that place again... '

Oh, it was easier than expected – she said for herself – she couldn't help but smile imagining Anya's face when all were ready to enjoy the holidays and receive Santa Claus.

A shout interrupted the atmosphere. It came from a homeless hit against a wall, now trembling in the floor.

'Give us the money if you want to celebrate more Christmas' Threatened a man dressed as a reindeer, disguised to not reveal his face if the police discovered them. Beside him, a Santa Claus was watching.

'I-I can't! I spent it in food, but I'll give it to you next month! I promise! I promise, please, please don't kill me I'll do it I will–'

Santa pointed a gun at the ragged man. 'A dead can't pay, but a crippled could'

The scene was cut with a calm, cold voice. 'Excuse me, what are you doing?'

═══════ ≪ •❈• ≫ ═══════

'What did you want to ask me about?'

'Huh?'

The sper looked at Loid. After returning from home she stared at him and he could tell Anya had something to say. 'You have been down since you came home. Did something happen at school'

'No, well, it's just I can't wait until next chapter. Last chapter was great and I want to see Bondman vs Superboss, but waiting is hard...'

Loid raised an eyebrow, and put "Loid's smile". 'Ah, yes. The cliffhanger was intriguing, I'm looking forward to it too'

Her answer was doubtful, though having witnessed her reaction and other moments when she was down for something simple like no peanuts made him doubt as well.

Loid's mind froze, an idea emerged, and his smile widened. 'Anya, would you like to meet someone?'

Loid drove them to a small cabin with candy canes. That was the house of a witch who eat children? Anya's imagination was insane, thinking too much was bad. Pa excuse himself saying he remembered a unsolved thing to do. Probably a bad guy to kick his ass, or so that Anya though.

Then, any idea was gone. In front of her was someone sit in a chair. Giant belly, white beard and a red and white suit.

Unbelievable, she was shocked. How many child had eaten?

In a attempt of break the ice, the sir indicated Anya to sit in his lap. Anya looked at the man, then at the parents and child who were waiting to enter in the cabin, and she looked at him again.

'Don't be scared. Come here and tell Santa what do you want for Christmas'

Santa? He was Santa? Advancing towards him, she sat and said:

'Santa, why didn't you visit me before?'

═══════ ≪ •❈• ≫ ═══════

'Back off lady. This is none of your business'

'It is if you stain Santa's name' she claimed, approaching to the delinquents.

Both burst out laughing. Had she said that? For real? 'Your parents didn't tell you Santa doesn't exist?'

'No, they died before they could. But that doesn't mean Santa doesn't exist'

The Briars celebrated Christmas every year, with or without Santa. But now she was mother, the mother of a girl who lived without her mother the last years, and he was important.

Yes, she never got a gift from him after her parents death, his brother always told her he didn't exist, yet she disagreed. Maybe Yuri thought that because there was many impostors, but Santa existed; and the people who helped him to share the happiness of Christmas too.

'He could have be a man who died long time ago, but once a kind person who gives presents to others inspired that legend, and his identity continued through generations. The costumes you're using should be represent all you aren't, and I won't allow you to do nothing evil with them'

It didn't passed half of a minute between her speech and their defeat. With silence anger, Yor jumped towards the reindeer and crushed him with a kick.

She turned to the other. He didn't hace time to raise the gun when she punched his face, leaving both unconscious.

Yor hadn't sweated a drop, even knowing they weren't too strong by giving a look she had preferred to have opponents resistant enough to last a couple of minutes so they had had what they deserved, but she wasn't going to stop there.

Regaining composure, she helped the homeless and gave him the rest of the money she wouldn't need.

'Wait here, I'm going to buy the tree and I'll get rid of you. Oh, of course you can't hear me, sorry'

═══════ ≪ •❈• ≫ ═══════

Loid wanted to slap himself so hard for acting like that. Why didn't he think that? She was orphan, and her orphanage didn't seem the type that celebrates anything. In that situation any excuse could hurt her, and his plan to cheer her was ruined.

'Sorry little girl, I didn't have your name in my list'

'A list?'

Ah, of course she doesn't know.

'Um... There's a list with the names of all kids. If they aren't good they don't receive gifts. But that doesn't mean you have been bad, is just...'

'Because I didn't have a pa and a ma?'

In that sentence there was a cruel yet true point. Not all children have families, not all of them received gifts, because there wasn't anyone who took care of them, he knew it for experience.

Being honest was the best solution.

'Sometimes I can't reach all of you. I try, every time I can, but it's difficult to give all kids in the world a present, it's already difficult to find them a safe place to live' started, 'Many people think I'm able to do anything, to accomplish all objectives, but I'm human. Everyone have limits'

'This doesn't change anything. I failed you, and I'm sorry Anya'

Shit.

'How do you know my name?'

SHIT.

'You're a spy!'

Anya's face lighted up. 'I knew it' 'Look, I–'

Huh. Loid, disguised as Santa, didn't know what face he was doing, although he had an idea of it. She knew Santa was a spy? She had discovered Loid was a spy? What?

'Don't worry Santa, I won't tell anyone' Fine, she was talking to Santa.

In Anya's mind all made sense. That explained why he knew many child names, how he could break in houses, and why pa had trusted Santa while he went to fight bad guys. Like pa, he had allies in all world to give gifts in one night. And his codename was Santa!

'I forgive you Santa! You couldn't find me in the place I lived. But what I wanted was a pa and a ma, and you have made my wish true' her smile was sincere 'Thank you Santa'

He returned the smile. It wasn't what he planned, but it was okay. 'You're welcome. Go outside, your pa must be waiting you'

She nodded, and went for pa with Bond, no before licking Loid's face. Thanks God Anya hadn't seen it.

As they gone, he walked out the back door and threw the costume to the man supposed to be Santa.

═══════ ≪ •❈• ≫ ═══════

'Woah! Home looks brighter than those from the TV!

Yor smiled proud. Being mom was tiring, but seeing the result of her work worthed it.

Loid brought them hot chocolate, and the three started a lively conversation. A good Christmas came near.

'Hmm, looks like the police found two men disguised and beaten up on top of a tree. I wonder how did they end up there..'

'D-don't think too much about it Loid!'