This special post is part of the Twisted Parents Series.
Content: Post-Canon, Fem!Afab!Reader/MC, All NRC boys, fluffy, family themes, a bit of comedy, mentions of pregnancy (in some parts), canon scope. Christmas still doesn't exist in Twisted Wonderland, but MC has turned it into a family tradition.
Note(s): A late merry christmas it's still a merry christmas! It was a busy week and a lively December 24th here at home, since in my country we celebrate Christmas Eve more than Christmas itself. My apologies for the time in posting this, I really haven't had time š I treated Grim almost like an easter egg in some parts, lol divider from here.
Comments and reblogs are very welcome ā”
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
Since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
The house was silent, illuminated only by the soft light of enchanted candles and the discreet glow of small, colorful ornaments hanging from a modestly decorated Christmas tree.
It wasn't large, Riddle had imposed clear limits on the size and quantity of ornaments, even so, the tree still seemed magical, beautiful, and the kids loved it.
Violete and Alex were crouched before the tree like two conspirators. Alex held his hands to his chest, clearly torn between curiosity and fear.
"Just a little bit," Violete whispered, her eyes shining, as she delicately tugged at the red ribbon of one of the presents.
"V-Vi, itās not a good ideaā¦" Alex murmured, glancing nervously over his shoulder, as if expecting to be caught at any second. "Mom and dad said we could only open it tomorrowā¦"
"Oh, come on," she replied. "Weāre not going to open everything! Just see what it is..."
The slight crackle of the ribbon being loosened sounded too loud in the silence of the house.
The living room light suddenly on.
"May I ask what you two think youāre doing?"
Riddle stood in the doorway, arms crossed, wearing pajamas. His red hair was slightly disheveled, but his expression was serious.
"Christmas," he continued, in a dangerously calm tone, "is in morning. That rule has been established quite clearly."
Violete pouted. "We justā¦ got excited!" Alex nodded quickly, grabbing the sleeve of his sisterās pajamas.
Riddle closed his eyes for a brief moment and let out a long sigh.
"I know," he said. "And getting excited isnāt wrong. But opening presents when your parents told you to wait, that is." he approached slowly, crouching down to their level. "This tradition exist so that everyone can enjoy things the right way. If you open them now, tomorrowās moment loses some of its meaning."
The two little ones seemed to think about it, then they understood what their father meant.
Violete tightened the ribbon, trying to fix the mess. "Sorry, dadā¦"
Alex nodded. "We wonāt do it again..."
Riddle shook his head slowly. "It's alright," he said. "I'm glad you understood."
He extended his hand to Violet.
"Let's go to bed," he added. "It's too late for you to be awake."
Violete grasped her dad's fingers with her little hand. Alex walked right behind, rubbing his eyes with the cuff of his pajamas. The initial nervousness had already turned into tiredness, and his steps were short and dragging.
He entered the room he shared with his wife yawning after putting the children to bed, closing the door carefully so as not to make a sound.
[Name] stirred under the sheets, turning toward him, still half asleep, Grim practically passed out and snoring at her feet. "Mmmā¦ what time is itā¦?"
"Late," Riddle replied with a soft murmur, pulling the blanket aside as he lay down. "Go back to sleep, dearā¦"
He settled beside her, feeling the mattress give slightly. [Name] murmured something unintelligible and instinctively leaned closer, resting her head on his chest. Riddle wrapped his arm around her, the gesture automatic.
The oven exuded a cozy warmth that spread through all the kitchen.
"Mmm, that smells so gooooodā¦" [Name] murmured, almost floating behind Trey, leaning forward as if the scent of the cookies could pull her in on its own.
Trey chuckled softly, adjusting his glasses with the back of his finger before carefully pulling the baking sheet from the oven. "Well, you asked for these 'christmas cookies'." He glanced sideways at her, a mischievous smile automatically appearing on his face. "Donāt complain now if they eat half of them before they cool down."
On the table, Tim and Thomas silently competed to see who could get closest to the tray, while Rose, seated in a high chair, swung her little legs, holding a star-shaped cookie cutter in both hands. Grim sleeping on top of the cupboards.
"Dad, are they ready yet?" Tim asked, his eyes shining with anticipation.
"Almost," Trey replied patiently, placing the baking sheet on the counter. "If you eat them now, youāll burn your tongues."
"Dad, can I decorate?" Thomas jumped up, his green curls swaying up and down.
Trey glanced at him over his glasses, pretending to seriously consider the question. "You can, but only if you promise not to eat the frosting before youāre finished," he replied.
"I promise!" Thomas said too quickly, which made [Name] giggle softly.
"That promise lasts aboutā¦" she tilted her head thoughtfully, "five minutes?"
"Four,ā Trey corrected casually, already placing the bowls of colored frosting on the table. "Three, if Timās watching."
[Name] had to laugh this time, Trey holding her sideways as they watched Tim and Thomas lightly nudge each other with their hips on top of the pale one. Well, that is until Tim reads "oyster cream" aloud and they both rush to prevent a disaster.
Because it is not a holiday, obviously Cater was at work at that hour, and Astrid saw him on television, calling her mother because "dad was blinking on TV!" and when [Name] went to see, Cater was there, standing firm in his journalistic posture... but covered in christmas lights, shining in colorful hues. It wasn't hard to guess how much [Name] laughed. She laughed and laughed a lot, and let's just say that being pregnant and laughing a lot isn't a good combination, Grim was worried.
Hours later, the front door opened with a loud creak.
"Iām home~!" Cater announced, entering with his arms full of boxes and bags.
Astrid ran to him. "DADDY! YOU WERE ON TV BLINKING!!"
"I know~!" he replied, laughing, bending down to hug her. "Did I look good?"
"You looked like mamaās tree!" she declared.
[Name] appeared in the living room doorway, arms crossed, a smile that mixed amusement and feigned disapproval. "Want to explain this, Mr. Diamond?" she said.
Cater laughed loudly. "Okay, before you think Iāve completely lost my mind: the newspaper asked for something āthemedā for the special winter programming." he put the boxes down and started taking off his coats. "So I thought, well, the crazy decorations my wife uses every year are perfect!" he leaned closer to her, kissing her forehead gently.
Cater playful smile slowly replaced by a genuinely worried expression. "Are you okay, love?" he asked again, now more quietly. "No pain?"
[Name] shook her head slowly. "Noā¦ no pain."
He replied, resting his forehead against hers. "Rory didn't kick or act strangely when I arrived, did he?" As if understanding, her belly shifted slightly under his hand. Cater's eyes widened immediately. "Whoa! Did you feel that?"
"He's more active at night," [Name] explained. "Especially when you talk. I think he recognizes your voice."
Cater's smile softened even more. He leaned in slightly, speaking softly, almost conspiratorially. "Hold on, champā¦ Daddy's here. No scares for mommy, okay?"
This time of year has become even more special.
The heat in the kitchen seemed to double every minute, even with all the snow falling outside, she and Ace were in ugly sweaters. She at least was sweating like crazy, and honestly, was desperately regretting choosing cookie dough for this year's traditional Christmas dinner.
Ace, on the other hand, was comfortably useless. Leaning against the counter, his shirt sleeves rolled up, he observed everything with a lazy, unbearably smug smile.
"Your father, is he a painter?" Ace repeated, leaning forward and running his finger through the air right in front of her nose, as if "touching up" something invisible. "Because lookā¦ this is all dirty."
"Can you stop?!" She turned to face him, eyes half-closed, a chocolate stain on the corner of her cheek that only made the situation even more ridiculous.
Ace bit his lip, clearly holding back laughterā¦ failing miserably. "Can't I just touch you?" he replied, crossing his arms. "What did I get married for, then?"
Before she could retort, a crash echoed from the room.
"IT'S MY TURN!" Jasper yelled.
"NO, YOU ALREADY HAD!" Lilian replied, pulling hard.
"LET GO OF MY TAIL, YOU BRATS!" Grim yelled, being stretched from side to side like a rag doll, his paws flailing in the air.
"Look on the bright side," he commented. "At least theyāre sharing Grimā¦ sort of. Youāre too stressed," he said, with that fake tone of concern. "Itās bad for your skin." he moved his finger in the same motion again.
She spun on her heels, pointing the dough-stained spoon straight at his chest. "If you want to put your hand there, put it here!"
And she indicated her elbow. Ace blinked, genuinely surprised for a second, just for a second. A mischievous smile slowly appeared.
"Oh yeah?" he murmured. "Wait a minute, I'll put it thenā" he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, lifting her slightly off the ground. The spoon fell into the bowl with a wet plop.
"AH HAHA, STOOOP!" she struggled, trying to keep her balance while laughing.
The door creaked softly as [Name] pushed it open, still thinking about calling the children inside before the cold really set in.
Deuce was outside, sinking up to his ankles in the freshly fallen snow, wrapped in a thick coat that seemed a size too big. A red scarf was awkwardly wrapped around his neck, and thick gloves barely kept up with his clumsy attempts to untangle a knot of blinking lights.
"Oh my God, Deuce..." she exclaimed, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest.
He turned abruptly, almost dropping the string of lights in the snow. His turquoise eyes widened for a second before he cleared his throat. "H-hey! Iā¦ I was going to call you later! Everythingās under control!"
[Name] was staring at the scene with a mixture of astonishment and disbelief. "Since when is this part? I do this only forā¦ us. Inside."
Deuce scratched the back of his neck, looking away. A slight blush appeared on his cheeks, contrasting with the cold that made his nose red. "I know. I meanā¦ I really do know. Butā¦" he hesitated, squeezing the wire between his thick fingers, "I thought it might be nice. For Raphael, for Matthew. They get so excited about these thingsā¦ and I wanted it to be special. Likeā¦ visible."
She sighed. "You didnāt need to go to all this trouble. Especially in this cold."
"I know," he replied quickly, raising his chin with,characteristic stubborn determination. "But I wanted to. I'm not very good at these things, butā¦ if there's something I can do with my own hands, I'll do it. For my family."
The silence that followed was broken only by the gentle breeze and the distant crackle of settling snow. [Name] took a step forward, and almost slipped. "Whoaā!ā Deuce let go of the Christmas lights in an immediate reflex, catching her by the waist before she fell completely into the snow. āSee?!ā he grumbled, still worried. āIt's dangerous!ā
"Says the man on top of a crooked ladder." she retorted, laughing softly as she leaned on him. After regaining her balance... "Okay. If you're going to insist on thisā¦ I'll help. But you'll have to listen to me."
Deuce's lips curved into a small, but genuine smile. "Agreed."
From inside the house, excited giggles began to echo, Matthew tugging at Raphael's hand to see what was happening, Grim was complaining behind them.
It was different trying to spend Christmas in Sunset Savanna given the complete absence of snow during that time of year. At first, it took her a while to adjust, since none of the other traditions were possible besides the Christmas tree and the presentsā¦ but when she thought about it more, she realized she didn't need all that.
Since then, at that time of year, she prepared a small Christmas dinner. Nothing extravagant, just a few dishes that had become family favorites over the years. Something warm, comforting, that reminded her of home, even if that home had been built in a completely different world.
"Honestly," Leona grumbled, "Iād prefer you helped me not spoil our brats."
Despite his grumpy tone and closed expression, [Name] could read him like a book. There was something gentle hidden behind his deep voice, a silent pride he would never put into words. It was enough to observe the way her eyes instinctively moved to the living room, where the children were excitedly discussing who would open the presents first. Could hear Sekani's little voice talking to Grim. "What do you want for Christmas, Grim?"
She lets out a low laugh. "You say that, but you buy everything they ask for."
Leona lets out an grunt. "And do I have a choice?"
He stands up and approaches, leaning on the counter beside her. The difference in height meant that his shadow partially enveloped her.
"Itās a holiday about family as you always like to say, shouldnāt you, I donāt know, spend it in your world, with your family?" The knife stops in mid-air.
[Name] takes a few seconds before answering. "You are my family."
Leona stares at her in silence. His green eyes hold nothing but weary affection, before sighing. "I still find it strange that youāre doing all this for a holiday that doesnāt even exist here."
The children appear in the kitchen doorway. Zuri runs to them first, hugging Leonaās leg tightly. Sekani and Zayne follow closely behind, talking simultaneously about the presents.
Leona sighs again, clearly exasperated, but pats Zuriās head.
It was curious to see the community so well-lit. The lights were so beautiful, but they blinked so brightly they could blind an unsuspecting person.
Of course, Ruggie wouldn't be selfish enough to keep something so special just for himself. Yes, you should preserve what is yoursā¦ but sharing food with your allies has always been a silent rule among hyenas.
That week, the kiosk was closed, something rare enough to attract attention. A simple, handwritten sign hung on the door:
āClosed. Back after vacations.ā
[Name] didn't mind either. On the contrary, she felt even more at home seeing all those adorably decorated little houses.
Inside the house, Ruggie moved with natural ease through the kitchen, his hyena tail swaying slightly behind him as he stirred the rice with almost solemn concentration.
"[Name], put the turkey on the stove for me while I stir the rice!" he said.
[Name] tightened her apron, approaching the stove. "Yes, Commander," she replied playfully.
Grim, obviously, wasn't helping at all. Perched on the edge of the table, he stuck his little paws into the still-warm french toast, blowing on it before biting so as not to burn his tongue.
In the living room, the children played while Grandma Bucchi watched, waiting for the food to be served. Her ears were well-trained despite old age, listening to everything that happened in the kitchen.
"Is that how you talk to your wife, Ruggie?"
He froze for a second, his ears drooping slightly. "Hey, I spoke respectfully!" he replied defensively, but soon sighed.
[Name] chuckled softly, approaching him and giving him a light touch on the arm. "It's okay. I know he only knows how to give orders," she said, with evident affection.
Grandma shook her head, feigning disapproval, but her eyes sparkled. "Hmph. At least he learned to cook properly. Thatās already more than his father." Ruggie smiled proudly.
It was late, and the snow had already covered almost everything outside. In the morning, cleaning it all up would be hard work, Jack was already mentally calculating the time and effort ā but at that moment his attention was elsewhere.
In the living room, the only source of light came from the television, the screen flickering in warm tones. The Christmas movie continued with its excessively cheerful soundtrack... and corny, overused themes. Even so, it worked.
It worked because, on the floor, six pairs of eyes were completely glued to it. All huddled together like little puppies.
Jack had his arm extended behind [Name], dodging Grim, who was also dozing on the back of the sofa. He relaxed his body. He leaned in slightly, his nose almost brushing her hair, and whispered. "I don't think I've ever seen them so quietā¦"
[Name] smiled, then chuckled. "I told you. These stories have some kind of magic, even without any actual magic."
Jack let out a brief puff of air through his nose, something between a suppressed laugh and a murmur of agreement. His golden eyes swept over his children once more.
"If someone had told me years ago that Iād be watching foreign films aboutā¦ decorated trees and old men in red clothesā¦" he murmured, shaking his head. "ā¦with six quiet, happy children, I would have called it a lie."
Layla shifted and snuggled closer, resting her head on his leg. Jack interrupted his sentence, before simply adjusting it for better to her.
"Darlingā¦ itās six in the morning,ā Azul repeated, his voice hoarse with sleep, now a little lower. āWhat are you doing awake?ā
[Name] slowly, she turned her face to him, still crouched on the rug, a ball of golden ornaments resting on her lap. "Shhh, Azulā¦" she whispered, bringing her finger to her lips.
"Donāt shhh to me," he replied immediately, letting out a long, pained sigh while massaging his temples. "You promised me. In no uncertain terms. āAzul, I promise Iāll only put up the tree at the end of the monthā!"
Her shoulders slumped in an dramatic gesture. "I knowā¦ but she was so alone in the box," she murmured. "And I woke up, the baby moved, then I thoughtā¦ āIāll just take a peekāā¦ and when I looked, Iād already taken everything out..."
Azul pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to muster patience. "You know thatās not a valid argument," he said, but without the firmness of someone who truly believed it.
[Name] then did exactly what she knew worked. She turned completely to him and made shining eyes, and a touch of sweetness in the voice. "Azulā¦"
He closed his eyes for a second. Just one. "ā¦Youāre disloyal," he murmured. "Extremely disloyal."
"Unfortunately." he replied, resigned.
Before he could say anything else, a thin, sleepy cry echoed down the hallway.
"Mamaaaaa..." Alonās small voice came accompanied by tiny hiccups.
"Ughhh, make your cub stop crying, I want to sleep!" Immediately afterwards, Grim growled.
Azul lets out another distant sigh. Time for dad to get work. He's going to go crazy before Christmas.
[Name] sank a little further onto the sofa after putting on the ugly sweater, one that Jade falsely claimed was 'curiously charming'.
On the rug in front, he held Olga and Olivia nestled between his arms.
The two girls unwrapped the gift with a few tears, but still strangely well-preserved for normal children. The paper fell to the floor in jagged pieces, revealing an ornate box with elaborate illustrations and gold lettering.
"So? Did you two like it?" Jade asked, hisvoice low and melodious, soft even.
Olga tilted her head, her eyes shining with curiosity. āWhat is this, daddy?ā
"Itās a board game, sweetheart," [Name] replied before Jade could.
Jade chuckled softly. "More than a game. You two will certainly have fun and create memoriesā¦ together. Or with me. Or with your mother."
He ran his fingers through the girlsā hair with affection.
Olga and Olivia exchanged glances, then smiled, So childlike, innocent... angelic even. [Name] felt her chest tighten, her heart melting at the sight.
For a brief moment, she forgot that's Jade Leech.
A wider malicious sharp smile, took over Jade's face. "And, of courseā¦ also at the expense of the poor unfortunate souls who think they can beat you."
The two girls they absorbed the phrase and then they smiled in a terrifying way, just like their father.
In [Name]'s lap, Grim's fur stood on end, a shiver running through his body. She brought a hand to her face and sighed heavily.
Well, she loved her three threats to society.
"Mmm, shrimpā¦ I wanted to draw your nameā¦"
[Name] laughed, adjusting the last ribbon on the highest branch of the makeshift tree. "But you draw Doris. Aren't you happy? She might get hurt."
Doris, sitting cross-legged on the floor, immediately looked up. "I don't get hurt, mommy!" she said seriously, before flashing a proud smile. "I'm a grown girl!"
Floyd leaned forward, watching his daughter with a playful glint in his heterochromatic eyes. "See?" he shrugged. "I told you she'd understand."
"Besidesā¦" he murmured, in that lower, strange tone always appeared when he was in a good mood, "I'm surrounded by little eels all year round. One night alone with their mommy isn't asking too much, is it?"
"Daddy!" Agnes complained, laughing, as she tried to climb onto the counch to push him away. "You're clinging on mama again!"
Baby Marvin clapped his hands on the floor, too young to understand the conversation, only feeling the warm and cheerful atmosphere around him.
[Name] sighed, but the smile didn't leave her face. "You all," she said, looking at Floyd and then at the children, "sit down quickly. Let's exchange gifts before someone decides to back out halfway through."
"Hey, is that a hint?" Floyd feigned indignation.
"That was a direct hit, Floyd!"
The children's agony was waking up so early because of their two energetic parents. Kalim and [Name] were already up before sunrise, pacing back and forth across the room with hurried steps and excited whispers that, ironically, were anything but quiet.
"Do you think they're awake yet?" Kalim whispered for the fifth time. The headband on his head that day was white with gold details, matching the bracelets that jingled slightly every time he moved.
[Name], trying not to laugh, carefully arranged the colorful packages on the large living room table. "Kalim, if you keep walking like that, youāll end up waking them up early," she whispered, though her smile betrayed that she was just as excited as he was.
"But this is the time!" he replied, with that impossible-to-contain joy. "Itās Christmas Day! Our day!"
In the next room, four small figures were scattered chaotically on mattresses and pillows. Said slept hugging a pillow almost his own size, Yosef had kicked off the covers during the night, Hassan was murmuring something incomprehensible while fast asleep, and Amina, the youngest, was curled up like a cocoon, with only the tips of her hair showing. Grim groaned among with the children.
Suddenly, a muffled sound echoed down the hallway.
"ā¦Dad? Momā¦?" Aminaās sleepy voice came from the room, followed by the soft creak of the door.
Kalim froze in place for a secondā¦ and then his eyes lit up. "Theyāre awake!" he whispered too loudly.
"Isā¦ is it today?" Said asked, yawning.
"Itās Christmas Day," [Name] replied softly.
"The day we celebrate being together!" Kalim knelt down too, opening his arms wide. āAnd today you can open your presents before breakfast!ā he announced, unable to contain himself.
"Oops, too liberal? Hehe."
Jamil would never say it aloud, but that kind of lighting calmed him in a way that few things could.
Khalid and Naim scurried about, excitedly arguing about who had won the best gift, while Kali twirled in the middle of the room with something new in her arms, laughing so loudly that it made Grim, settled near the fireplace, grumble for attention.
There was something almost painful in the way he absorbed every detail.
When [Name] finally approached, wiping her hands on the dish towel, her face slightly flushed from the kitchen heat, Jamil turned completely to face her. The light reflected on the sweat on her forehead, and a few unruly strands of hair escaped her improvised hairstyle. Still, to him, nothing was more beautiful.
"You look beautiful today" he said, his voice low, sincere, without the slightest trace of irony. [
[Name] laughed, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "All sweaty, hair sticking to her after baking all day?"
Jamil gave a smirk, a rare and unique, just hers. He moved close enough to carefully brush a strand of hair from her face. "Exactly."
Year after year, his favorite thing would always be dancing to those calmer songs, close to her, even though naturally he preferred the more 'upbeat' ones... that moment was the moment.
For a brief second, the old could instinct almost made him hesitate.
But there, in that space created by his beloved family, that reflex simply had no power.
Vil's mood had been in tatters since mid-afternoon. The schedule had been an absolute disaster. If there was anything that would leave Vil Schoenheit in a terrible mood for the rest of the week, it would be a poorly planned schedule.
Terrible photographers, terrible driver, what was that damn agent thinking?
All he wanted now was to get home, shake off that awful day, and sink into a bath of scented bubbles he'd prepared weeks before. A ritual. A necessary restoration.
But as he opened the front door, Vil froze when she saw her family sitting on the sofa, wearing ugly sweaters that could certainly be considered murder against fashion, drinking hot chocolate, besides the bright cat hairs on their clothes. A Grim's masterpiece, for sure.
Johann jumped off the sofa as soon as he saw him, almost spilling the hot chocolate he was holding. "Dad! Youāre home!"
Kanae were sitting on the rug, wearing matching sweaters with her mother. [Name]ās damn innocently proud expression. "You forgot again."
Vil sighed, closing the door behind him. "Ah." He brought his hand to his forehead, his long fingers pressing lightly against his temples. "Christmas."
It was easy to forget when you weren't born into a world that celebrated it.
Johann approached, tugging at the hem of his father's coat. "Mom said today is the day to wear ugly clothes together!"
Vil looked down. Then he looked back at [Name], raising a perfectly defined eyebrow. "Ugly clothes," he repeated. "Is that the official definition?"
[Name] chuckled softly. "It's the spirit of it."
For a moment, Vil seemed ready to list exactly fifteen reasons why this violated basic principles of aesthetics, discipline, and self-control. His eyes scanned the room again, the genuine gleam in their faces. Then something in his expression changed. Very subtle. He let out a long sigh, finally taking off his coat and hanging it up carefully.
"ā¦Just this once," he said, with a slight closing of his eyes. "Just because it was an absolutely awful day."
Kanaeās eyes widened. "You mean youāre going to wear it too, daddy?!"
Vil opened one eye. "You taking advantage of my limited good humor."
[Name] hummed softly a gentle christmas melody as she lined up the decorated cookies in the shapes of stars, bows, and tiny feathers. She could hear Grim and the children in the room.
She took a step back, proud of the result. The table was simple, yet welcoming, and that was perfect.
The peaceful moment was abruptly broken by a heavy thump. The table trembled.
"Eeeek!" [Name] squealed as a large, perfectly tied package was placed right in the center of the table. The paper was thick, dark and tied with an impeccable bow. Too elegant to hide the disturbing contents hinted at by its shape. Definitely a deer.
"I'm home, mon trƩsor!" Rook's cheerful voice echoed through the kitchen before she could even finish the sentence, he cupped her face in his still-gloved hands and kissed her deeply.
"Mmmhfā! Rook!" [Name] tried to dodge, but he pulled her by the waist, chuckling softly against her mouth. "Rook, wait! What the hell is this?!"
"Daddyās home!" Odette announced, her thin voice full of enthusiasm, as she entered the kitchen pulling her older brother by the hand.
Rook turned immediately, opening his arms theatrically. "Mes petits bijoux!" he exclaimed, kneeling down instantly to be at their level. "How could I not miss these charming little faces?"
Odette let go of her brotherās hand and practically threw herself at her father, hugging him tightly around the neck. "Did you bring a present?!"
"Absolutely!" And he covered those little faces with kisses, making them giggle.
[Name] sighed with her hand supporting her smiling face. Exasperated but happy.
Even though Christmas didn't exist in Twisted Wonderland, Epel had to admit that was quite reminiscent of the winter celebrations in his hometown. And [Name] absolutely took advantage of that.
And Epel? Ahhā¦ it was good to have someone who liked the same things as him ā technically.
"Hmm, there you go. Secure and tied up!" he announced, puffing out his chest with a satisfied smile after taking one last look at the straps of the baby carrier. Neal was nestled comfortably against his father's chest, wrapped in a thick blanket, only his curious eyes peeking out from between the folds of fabric.
[Name] couldn't contain her laughter. "Are you sure you want to stay with him like this?" she teased, tilting her head. "Aren't you going to miss the sledding competitions?"
"The competitions last the entire festival," Epel shrugged. Then, he reached out and pulled [Name] close, her shoulder fitting perfectly against his. "And I want to stay with my family today."
She seemed surprised for a moment, as if she hadn't expected to hear it so directly. But soon her shoulders relaxed, and a genuine smile returned to her face. Without warning, she stepped forward and enveloped Epel and the baby in a tight hug, careful not to disturb Neal.
"Hey! What is it?" Epel complained immediately, the automatic tone of protest contrasting with the way he didn't try to move away even an inch.
[Name] laughed again, the soft sound contrasting with the icy air. "It's cold, I'm warming you both up!" she replied, burying her face in his coat for a second.
In the background, you can see Grim flying off a full sled.
Idia didn't sleep much, something he'd done since adolescence, and his job hadn't changed that.
The dry sound of the hologram activating echoed in the enclosed space.
Idia jumped so abruptly that the chair dragged backward. "HHHKā!!" he clutched his chest. "O-Ortho!! D-do you want to g-give me a heart attack?!"
Ortho got straight to the point. "Have you already bought Christmas presents for [Name] and Orpheus?"
"W-what?? "Ortho, it's two in the morningā I'm working!" Idia complained, running a hand through his hair.
"That's not what I asked, big brother."
Idia groaned, sinking into his chair. "I'll buy it tomorrowā¦ there's no need to rush. This holiday doesn't even exist here! There won't be a phantom Black Friday sprouting from the Underworldā"
"It's still the end of the year and people buy a lot of things!" Ortho interrupted him. "Statistically, leaving purchases to the last minute increases the chances of you panicking, buying something generic, and regretting it later by 62%."
"That's never happened!" Idia retorted, raising a fingerā¦ which soon fell. "ā¦Maybe onceā¦ or twiceā¦ or okay, three times, but that was the fault of aggressive marketing, not me!" He looked away, murmuring, "Besides, [Name] always says she doesnāt need anythingā¦" his voice came out lower, almost insecure. "And Orpheus is still small. Heās happy even with an empty box if it makes noiseā¦"
"Thatās not true." Orthoās response was too immediate. Idia frowned. "Orpheus showed a specific interest in watercolor coloring books!"
"SINCE WHEN have you been cataloging this stuff?!"
"Since forever," Ortho smiled proudly. "Iām an excellent uncle."
The silence that followed was broken only by the computer sound. Idia sighed deeply.
"Okay, okay. Watercolor books for Orpheus. Noted mentally." He opened a new shopping tab, his fingers already flying across the keyboard. "And [Name]ā¦" he hesitated.
"Maybe something handmade?" Ortho suggested. "She really values that."
Idia grimaced. "You know my āmanual skillsā have an infinite cooldown."
"Youāre an engineering genius," Ortho retorted. "You just need to apply it differently."
With Ortho's words in mind, Idia made a device. A small glass ball that floated and projected holograms of photos of him, [Name], and Orpheus. Most of them also had Grim and Ortho in them; some were slightly distorted, others out of focus, and several clearly captured without him noticing.
"I don't like photos, you know that, but..." He sighed. "I knew it would be special for you... merry christmas, I guess..."
"Oh my Godā¦" she whispered. "Idiaā¦ this isā¦" She didnāt finish the sentence. She simply jumped up and practically threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Itās so beautiful!" she said between laughter and tears, covering his face with kisses. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever received!"
"H-hey, waitā!" Idia protested, completely red, the flames in her hair exploding in intense pink. "Orpheusā"
Too late. Orpheus, excited, had tried to hug them both at the same time, squeezing himself between his parents' bodies, but far from complaining.
Grim, on the floor, crossed his arms. "Tch. I only appear in three photos? That's clearly unfair!" A picture of Grim falling face-first into Orpheus's birthday cake appeared on the balloon at that exact moment. "H-HEY! I DIDN'T AUTHORIZE THAT!"
It was difficult to bring even a single element of Christmas from her world into the castle. The servants would never let the Queen of Briar Valley lift a finger to prepare a feast, set up a tree, or decorate the black stone corridors with ribbons and lights. Therefore, it varied from year to year. Except for Grim, who would only leave his room when it was time to eat. That gremlin.
Even so, there were two Christmas traditions she never failed to observe with her husband and children. The presents andā¦
As soon as the king of Briar Valley turned around, he received a snowball directly in the face. There was a second of absolute silence.
Slowly, the snow trickled down Malleus's dark hair, melting against his pale skin. He blinked onceā¦ twiceā¦ and then a slow, dangerously familiar smile curved his lips. "Soā¦" he said, with that deceptive calm that could made almost every soul in Twisted Wonderland tremble. "is this how the queen wishes to declare war?"
Before [Name] could answer, a gentle gust of wind lifted the snow from the ground, shaping it into several small spheres that floated behind him, perfectly aligned.
"Dad! This is cheating!" Aurora complained, as she ducked for cover.
"I disagree," Malleus replied, his voice thick with amusement. "Itās just strategic."
The snowballs flew, not with force, but with enough precision to elicit squeals and squeaks. Aurora tried to hide behind her mother, only to be gently struck on the shoulder, the snow exploding in pink sparkles.
Soon the courtyard was filled with hurried footsteps, laughter, and deliberately restrained spells.
[Name], knowing her husband well, used this to her advantage, throwing snowballs just when he was distracted by the children. In a moment of carelessness, rare, but possible when he was happy, Malleus was hit again, this time in the chest. He looked at [Name], surprised, and then laughed, genuinely.
"I surrender," he declared, raising his hands. The snow gradually ceased, the flakes dissolving into the air. "For today."
The children cheered, running to him and clinging to the dark cloak now stained white. Magnus and Kyrval vied to see who could climb into his arms first. [Name] approached.
"Merry Christmas, Malleus," she said softly.
"I don't fully understand this tradition," he replied, placing a hand on hers, "but if it means creating memories like thisā¦ then I wish it would be repeated for many ages."
The silence, so rare in that house full of life, had finally settled in after much effort. The triplets slept soundly, embraced by their own blankets, murmuring excited dreams about the presents they could only open at dawn. Grim, after complaining, demanding extra food, and declaring that he also deserved presents, had finally surrendered to sleep near the fireplace, his belly full and his tail twitching occasionally.
[Name] let out a tired, yet satisfied sigh. She pushed open the bedroom door slowly, expecting only to find the bed and the rest she so desired.
Lilia lay on the bed like a meticulously planned work of art, one leg, the other stretched out, his elbow resting on the mattress, and his hand on his hip in a pose. He wore an absolutely hideous sweater, a red gift ribbon was wrapped around his torso, forming a neat bow right in the center of his chest. The mischievous smile on his face was impossible to ignore.
[Name] blinked once. Twice. And then burst into laughter. "W-what is this?" she managed to ask, breathless, leaning against the doorframe to avoid falling.
Lilia tilted his head slightly with feigned innocence, he replied in a sing-song voice. "I'm simply following tradition, my dear. Didn't you say the gifts should be special?" He shifted deliberately. "I considered wrapping something, but then I thought, why not make it easier?" he added, winking.
[Name] wiped away a tear of laughter, her face flushed. "Youāre impossibleā¦" she murmured, still smiling painfully at this point.
"I'm a dear husband!" he corrected. He sat up, and opened his arms in invitation. "So? Will you accept your gift or will you leave it here wrapped up all night? It's already Christmas~"
[Name] walked to the bed, sat beside him and lightly touched the ribbon with her fingers. "Thank you for going along with this," she said softly. "Even though this holiday doesnāt exist here."
Lilia's smile softened, losing its teasing tone. He took her hand and placed it on his chest, over the ribbon. "You brought something new to this world," he replied with unexpected sincerity. "And to my life. That's worth of tradition."
There was something quietly magical about the way Silver spoke the words.
[Name] had begun the evening bringing "A Christmas Carol" with the simple intention of creating a beautiful memory, a tradition that would remind her of the world she came from. She hadn't expected, however, to see her and her daughter practically hypnotized hearing her husband read. By this point Grim was already snoring beside.
"And so, Mr. Scrooge learned the value of Christmasā¦and of being a good person. I think this is the endā¦" he carefully closed the book, and looked up with a slight smile, ready to hear his daughter's excitement or his wife's curious observation. But the words stuck in his throat.
Hana stared at him with large, bright eyes, half-closed with sleep, but full of admiration. As for [Name], who looked at him as if he were the only existing man in the world.
"Dad..." Hana broke the silence. "You talk like you're daydreaming." She was close enough to hug his waist affectionately.
Silver blinked, confused, feeling his face grow slightly warm. "D-do I talk like that?"
[Name] laughed softly, a sound full of tenderness. "I think we were paying more attention to you than to the story."
Silver was slightly embarrassed, but nothing that would stop him from speaking. "If I can make you feel this wayā¦" he finally said, opening his eyes and hugging Hana tighter, "then I'm happy."
It was almost three in the morning, but Sebek was awake. Not because of insomnia, but to admire and cherish every detail of his wife's effort, who had transformed the house for a holiday that didn't exist in Twisted Wonderland, but was special to her.
On Christmas morning, while the children tore open their gifts and Grim complained about the lack of tuna, Sebek entered silently with a breakfast tray.
"This isā¦?" [Name]ās voice came out low, still hoarse with sleep, her eyes shifting between the tray and her husbandās face.
Sebek cleared his throat, straightening his posture even further. "Christmas cookies," he declared, with almost solemn pride. "According to the manual you left open on the table. Apparently, they are āindispensableā for the proper celebration of this human holiday."
The cookies wereā¦ crooked. Some were darker at the edges, others had light green icing applied with a precision that clearly required excessive force.
"I woke up at four in the morning to make sure nothing went wrong," he continued, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
[Name] brought her hand to her mouth, suppressing an emotional laugh. Her eyes were moist, which visibly almost panic him.
"H-hey! Noā¦ itās not something to cry about!" he said, his voice lowering slightly. "You always try so hard. Every year. I justā¦ thought it was only right to reciprocate." He looked away for a second. "This holiday may not exist in Twisted Wonderland, butā¦" Sebek took a deep breath. "It exists for you, for our children. And If it's important to you, it's important to me."
"Mommy, 'Santa Claus' came!" Amelie whispered too loudly, her eyes shining, while tugging at her mother's robe.
"And he left BIG presents!" Ivan added, pointing excitedly toward the living room.
Sebek said. "Naturally. A proper holiday demands gifts to match!" Then he bent down slightly to the children. "But first, let your mother eat. It's an essential part of the tradition."
"Mrrghā¦ if thereās no fish on this tray, it's no good!" complained Grim, with a sulky expression.
"SHUT UP, YOU GREEDY CREATURE!" Sebek turned around abruptly. "My wifeās Christmas breakfast is an ABSOLUTE PRIORITY!"
[Name] couldn't hold back a laugh this time. Light and soft.
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