Okay, so before we start, I have a few clarifications I want to make:

1. Timcanpy won't be seen as often in this story - partially because he'll be doing something else (to be written in a extra/side story for this), partially because I forgot about him.

2. While reading, you'll see OOCness and many questions will be raised - I'll try to answer these in extra stories written after this one, in each of the boys' perspectives. If after that your questions are still not answered, you may leave a review or PM me.

3. I do not own D. Gray-Man - the awesome woman known as Katsura Hoshino does - and she rules.

4. Like how many chapters in the manga are called "Nights", each chapter in this story is called a "Day". Though truth be told, after the prologue the story takes place on Christmas Day (chapters 1-3).

5. I'll be repeating this on chapter 3, when it is posted.

Winter snow covering the soft blue sky, presents fit snugly under fir trees, red and green and gold decor spread everywhere. It was cold, it was warm, it was happy and exciting and calming, all at the same time - the season of joy and cheer was here, meaning it was nothing other than Christmas. Allison felt so glad to be able to celebrate it with someone other than her master for once, and she smiled at the thought of later's celebration for Christmas Eve.

The freezing cold didn't bother her too much, along with some of the memories it brought with it, because when spending time with her new family and friends it was warm - and it wasn't just the cozy sweater Johnny had made. For once, the winter season didn't feel as depressing and painful as it once would have. Sure, she still felt a pang in her heart upon remembering the events of that time - she could never forget it. But somehow, with a home to come home to for once it made the weight on her shoulders just a little lighter.

Well, sort of - at the moment, her shoulders were currently quite dead, as she still had a ton of presents to heave into the cafeteria. And it was no exaggeration when she said a ton. Or maybe it was more than a ton; Allison was pretty strong for a girl, especially one at her age.

She sighed, finally having reached the entrance to the tall tower and come inside. That familiar tired but fond smile played at her lips unconsciously, Timcanpy fluttering around cheerfully above. With the way she stood there, covered by layer over layer of wrapped gifts from the waist up, you wouldn't be able to tell it was her, save for maybe the golden golem flying nearby. The stack of presents went long past her face, so it was no surprise that eventually she tripped upon entrance - how she didn't do so before that was a miracle.

She started to yell in surprise, colorful boxes and bags thrown out of her arms accidentally, when suddenly she fell face first into a firm chest. She looked up, and saw an eye patch and devilish emerald eye smiling cheesily down at her.

"L-Lavi." She said, still a bit shocked. She blinked, not knowing what to say.

"It's not even time to open the gifts yet, and you wanna break 'em all open? Geez, beansprout," he teased, "you're more excited than me."

His sturdy arms had been wrapped around her for good measure, which he now loosened to let her stand on her own two feet. Allison shook the snow out of her hair (she hadn't had a chance to yet, of course), and retaliated against the nickname.

"The name is Allison!" She yelled, before gasping in realization. "Wait, the gifts!"

She dashed around the chuckling red-head to check up on everything, eyes wide and throat ready to cry out in dismay at the ruins. She could see it already without having to look. Ripped wrapping, broken glass and other fragile things, crushed boxes...

Except when she stepped behind Lavi, there was nothing - no mess, no ruined gifts, no busy finders and scientists complaining about the flying presents crashing into them.

She put a hand to her head. "What? The... the presents..." she trailed off, just as confused as anyone ought to be, when she heard a voice from her left.

"Looking for these?"

Allison whipped her head to the direction where it came from, though the voice she recognized immediately and knew who she would see.

"Lenalee, thank goodness!" She breathed a sigh of relief.

The exorcist's best friend was there, holding in both arms two large stacks of the boxes in hand, somehow steady and not precariously threatening to fall over. Lenalee smiled at the girl cheerfully, just as glad as her that no one got hurt.

"I can't thank you enough for getting all those for me," Allison said. "But thank you." She walked over to Lenalee, reaching out to take the heavy load from her arms.

Lenalee pulled back. "Nuh-uh," she smiled. "You're not carrying all of these to the cafeteria without help." She gestured for Lavi to come over, and he took bits and pieces of the stack in his arms. "Yeah, beansprout. With how clumsy you are and how you tend to get lost-"

"It's Allison!"

"You probably wouldn't reach the tree before destroying the whole lot," he affirmed, and Allison shook her head. She sighed in defeat, knowing she wouldn't be able to convince the two otherwise.

"Fine," she said, "thanks," and took her share of the load.

"By the way," she turned to Lenalee, "I didn't even see you get those presents, and they were scattered everywhere. How did you get them all before they fell?" She asked, suddenly curious.

Lavi smiled down at her. "Haven't you noticed? Lenalee here has gotten a lot faster since training more often," he said, nodding to said girl. She smiled back at the two, not denying it. "I think I could have done better though," she said. "It's still much slower than my current record speed."

Allison raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask. Lenalee had started training more often recently, and though she knew that her friend had gotten much faster she didn't expect that it would be that fast. She was proud - and also understood how much easier it would make fighting the Earl and the Noah, although it would still be a challenge often enough.

"That's amazing," she praised.

"Sure," Lavi agreed. "But what's more amazing is how she can level the beast that is Kanda."

Allison cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

At this Lavi smirked, opening his mouth to explain and ignoring the other's scolding. "You know how Kanda isn't as cranky around her, right?" Allison nodded.

"Well," he said, "you won't believe this. The entire month she's been disturbing his meditation, the guy hasn't said a word." He laughed. Allison's eyes grew wide, unbelieving. "You're lying," she said. "You've got to be."

She couldn't understand it. The BaKanda not getting angry at least once? Was he feeling alright? "Are you sure, Lavi?" She asked.

"Of course!" He shouted. "I've been watching those two the whole time, and I can swear it." Lenalee frowned at hearing about his spying then, mouth agape and brows furrowed.

"Lavi!"

He shrugged. "Sorry, Lenalee-chan, but I was curious," he said.

"More like nosy, Lavi." She huffed. Meanwhile, Allison still couldn't quite believe the Bookman Junior's claim.

"I still can't believe it," she repeated aloud. "No way is that jerk not going to get angry for a whole month," she emphasized. "There's just absolutely no way." She shook her head. "I mean, BaKanda can't even-"

"Can't even what, beansprout?"

Allison stopped before she rounded the corner to the cafeteria, spotting the samurai leaning on the wall. He had his eyes narrowed at the chatting three, arms crossed.

On reflex, the usual cross between a scowl and a restrained, angry smile appeared on her features. "The name," she gritted out, "is Allison, BaKanda. Can your tiny brain not process at least that?" She provoked, a vein popping out of her head. Lavi started to chuckle, and Lenalee sighed, knowing what was coming.

Kanda's hand gripped his sword, a scowl coming onto his face. "Say that again, beansprout." He dragged out the nickname on purpose, standing straight and towering over the girl. "I dare you."

Gladly, she thought. "BaKanda here," she turned to the other two, "Can't even process a single word, so what more manners? He is, after all, what people call a barbarian." Lavi raised an eyebrow in amusement, watching silently while Lenalee decided it might be time to step in. But she didn't have the time to, because Kanda stepped closer into the girl's private space, his scowl turning into an insulted and unforgiving smirk.

"Barbarian?" He asked. "Last I checked, beansprout, you couldn't even eat without slobbering all over the place," he said. Allison ignored the comment. "He'd never be able to treat a stranger right, so of course there's absolutely no way he can treat a girl right."

Kanda raised an eyebrow at this, seeming to understand that this was a challenge. "Oh?" He said. "You think I can't treat a girl right?" He asked.

Allison turned back to him. "What are you, stupid?" She said, "Of course I don't."

His smirk widened then, surprisingly, and Allison became a little worried. What was he planning now?

"Well then," he scoffed, "I guess I'll just have to prove it," and walked away. Allison blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected lack of response. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Oh, no. What did I just do?" She groaned, accidentally blurting her thoughts aloud.

Lavi burst out laughing, absolutely amused by the expression on Allison's mortified face. Lenalee just shook her head and sighed. "Well, maybe if you two stopped fighting for once," she said, "this wouldn't have happened." She scolded.

Allison whined. "I know, but it's just... it's just impossible!" She threw her arms forward in the direction Kanda had left. "I don't think I'll ever get along with him!" She exclaimed, "No, correction - I know I'll never get along with him! He's a sadistic jerk, that's what he is!"

Lavi had begun to calm down from his laughing fit, and steadied the gifts that had shaken along with his trembling shoulders. "So, you're saying that you're not on the other side?" He asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.

His grin only grew wider when Allison heated up, blushing beet-red and letting steam come off her face.

"N-No! Lavi, that's disgusting!" She yelled. Again, Lenalee just sighed. Her friends were stupid. "Geez, stop teasing her already, Lavi," she scolded the chuckling teen. He just shrugged, rolling his eyes playfully and laughed it off. "Okay, okay," he said. "I know I don't have to emphasize when I'm right," he added, earning another earful from the girls.

"Lavi, contrary to popular belief, I am not a masochist," Allison pouted. "What are you, an idiot?" She gave him a look that showed she thought he was crazy. "Actually, nevermind." She shook her head. "You are an idiot."

"Hey!"

Lenalee agreed. "Yes, Lavi. I don't think I know anyone else worse than you." Lavi leaned back in a dramatic gesture, a fake-hurt expression on his face. "You wound me, ladies," he said, and both girls rolled their eyes.

"Sure, Lavi," Allison replied. "Now can we get going? These gifts are heavy," she nodded to her burden. "Yeah, yeah," he said, and they entered the cafeteria.

The faded noisy chatter only grew louder when they entered, tables and chairs filled with groups of food and people. A long line started from the window of Jerry's kitchen, where members each placed their orders. Above it, a green garland hung decoratively, with ornaments and pine cones hung across it festively as it stretched across the room. The walls hadn't been decorated all too much, so more or less the scene was the same as usual - if you could ignore the large, towering fir tree that was placed in the middle of the room. Early on, the Science department had moved aside the other tables and benches to make room for the giant thing, which reached more than half the way to the ceiling.

The tree itself was bright and sparkling, colorful balls and candy canes scattered around its body together with shining string lights. A gold garland wrapped around upwards delicately, leading to a beautiful, elegant pointed star placed on top. Allison's presents were to be placed under it, of course, along with the many, many others resting there. She was surprised by the fact that there was still space, even, despite there being at least a hundred by now.

"Wow," she said, having never seen so many gifts all at once in her life. "This is... a lot." She didn't know what else to say about it, having become a little speechless at the sight. Lavi chuckled, and Lenalee smiled excitedly. "I know, right?" She turned to Allison, "It's like this every year, and I never get tired of it," she said.

"Every year?" Lavi asked, slowly becoming giddy himself. "Then please, let me stay here all my life so I can reign in the presents." His eyes shone with childish merriment.

"I'm pretty sure that none of those gifts are for you, Lavi," Allison half-joked, earning a giggle from Lenalee. Lavi whined. "What? No way! Everyone loves me!" He shouted, and if he wasn't carrying presents Allison was sure he would have flung his arms in the air. Nonetheless he got a few stares, and naturally, are you crazy? looks from others who heard him and chose to pay attention.

"Besides," he continued, "you two have got gifts for me, don't you?"

The three arrived in front of the grand tree, and Allison began placing down her presents. "Do I?" She feigned ignorance. "I'm not sure. Lenalee, did you see any gifts for Lavi in there?" She smirked, and Lenalee shook her head, a smile on her lips.

"Nope! But maybe I should check again," she said, and pretended to look through the pile. "Just to make sure that we don't, of course," she added, and burst out laughing when Lavi, whose arms were now free of boxes, gripped his hair in distress.

"Aw, come on! Guys, don't be like that!" He begged, and Allison burst out laughing, too. The horrified look on his face was priceless!

"Fine," he grumbled, sinking into a slight sulk, "then I guess I'll change my gift for you into something you'll regret," he said.

For some reason it sent a pinch of worry into Allison's stomach, but she ignored it, thinking that it was nothing.

But oh, no. Come tomorrow, she will most definitely regret this.

Hah. Finally! Whew, that took a bit out of me. So like I promised, here's my first Christmas special of the season! Honestly, I think this came out really well. I'm happy with this for once in my life. Also, I've got the next few chapters planned out, and Chapter 1 is currently in progress. I'm super excited. And surprisingly, I wrote a pretty long chapter (for me, anyway). Also, for that scene when Allison trips I didn't think I'd put Lavi there to catch her, but as soon as I wrote it I felt my shoujo manga instincts kick in.

Not kidding. I felt that trigger in my otaku heart get activated.

Well, anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, leave a review maybe? Thanks for reading, and happy holidays,

Animellow

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