Author's Note: Thanks to Sylenctone for saying something about a mall and elves… the ideas just poured forth from there.
Also, I blame this one-shot on the reason the next chapter of College Days hasn't been posted. I got caught up writing this yesterday when I had fully intended on finished the chapter of College Days that I have been working on for a week. ::grumbles::
Disclaimer: I don't own the Gundam Boys or Gundam Wing. I just play with them from time to time
Warnings: I think Sylenctone said it best: "Beware readers. This fic contains cute in quantities that may reach critical mass, proceed with caution." That being said, Fluff abounds as well as a moment of WTF. Enjoy.
The Saga of Evil Santa
The mall was bustling with people doing their last minute shopping for the quickly approaching holiday. Santa and his elves were set up on the bottom level of the mall. The area was festive and there was a line of children eagerly awaiting a chance to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas.
Approaching Santa's area from a nearby elevator three children around the age of five walked hand-in-hand through the crowd. A girl with long cascading chestnut hair stood in the middle. She wore a cute blue velvet dress, which matched her eyes, purple tights and black patented Mary Janes. The outfit was topped off with a smug smile on her cute slightly exotic Asian features.
To her right, a boy with slightly puffy shoulder length sandy blonde hair dressed in what seemed to be tailored khaki pants, a white button down shirt, brown leather shoes and a lovely forest green sweater vest. He seemed to be glancing at the girl to his left unhappily while he played with the collar of his shirt. "Stop fidgeting." The girl hissed to the sandy blonde.
"It is too tight. I can't breath." The boy whined and tugged at his collar again.
"You could be wearing a dress. So stop complaining." The other child spoke up. To the leader's left was another girl. This girl had long cascading brilliant blonde hair and dark brown eyes. She was in a royal blue Chinese style dress that had an almost indecent slit up the right side with black tights and traditional black Chinese shoes. Whereas the girl to her right had a smug smile on her face, this girl had an annoyed and stern look on her equally slightly exotic Asian features.
When they finally made it to the line, the attendant gave the three children holding hands and odd look. "You need your parents here in order to see Santa."
The girl on the left smiled. "No, I don't think so."
The attendant looked at the 5-year-old confused, obviously not expecting the young girl to talk back to him. "No, the rules state that in order to see Santa you need your parents here."
The girl tossed her the hair that had strayed over her shoulder back. "You would deny Princess Kulme Peacecraft?" The other two children giggled and the attendant paled.
"P-P-Princess?"
Kulme rolled her eyes. "Yes, princess. And not like those spoiled little girls who get treated like one. A real princess and I want to wait with my friends without our parents."
The children to her right continued to giggle and the man looked slightly panicked. "Ah. Ok. You can stay online." He said hastily and retreated to some even more official looking person farther up the line.
"I think you scared him May." The girl in the center giggled.
"Serves him right." Kulme replied with a deadpanned voice.
"Have you seen them?" The blonde boy leaned to look at both girls.
The girls shook their heads and the one with chestnut hair responded. "We're not supposed to see them silly."
"Do you think they are here?" The boy asked and looked worried.
"I don't think Aunt Relena would have dropped us off and left if they weren't here." The girl in the middle responded as matter-of-factly as a five-year-old can.
"You got Uncle Quatre's space heart thing. He'll know if you are worried." May scolded in a loud whisper. "And then you'll make him worried. And that would be bad."
The boy frowned and returned to pulling at his collar. "Stop it Tolv." The girl in the center said as she hip-checked the boy who quickly shoved his right hand into his pocket.
The three children had moved up in line and the more official looking guy summoned to an elf that until then had its back to them. The elf talked to the guy, nodded, walked over to the children and knelt down on the other side of the velvet ropes to talk to them. "Which one of you is the princess?" The bright violet eyes of the man looked over the children.
"I am." May spoke up.
"What is the Princess of Sanc doing here without her parents?" The man asked.
May paused for a moment in thought then smiled an amused little grin. "My parents should be here soon. Why is a scary elf like you asking me where my parents are? All we want to do is get our picture taken with Santa and go home."
The elf looked at the rest of the children and then back to May. "You're parents know to meet you here?" May nodded as do the others. "Well, I want you to stay here after your picture with Santa until your parents come for you."
May looked at the elf sternly. "I don't have to listen to you." She stood up straight still holding the other girl's hand.
The man with the violet eyes sighed. "No, Princess, you don't." There is a sad look in his eyes as he stood up and straightened his tunic. "But please be safe." He said and turned to return to his post, not waiting for her to reply.
"Stupid elf." May grumbled as the girl in the center hip-checked her.
"Be nice. He's just doing his job." The girl scowled.
"Shut up Shena." May snapped back.
"He seemed nice enough." Shena pressed.
"He's a stupid elf." She said loud enough for the elf to look at her over his shoulder, a slightly pained expression on his face.
"May. That was really mean." Shena appeared upset.
"Will you two stop it?! Everyone is looking at you." Tolv finally leaned in and said something.
Shena giggled, May harrumphed and looked away from the other two. "The stupid elf started it."
"No May. You did." Tolv said calmly, which earned him an icy glare. Tolv didn't react and went back to standing patiently with the two girls.
They stood for ten or so more minutes. Their turn was about to come up and the elf with the violet eyes came back with a little holiday looking notebook and knelt next to the children. "So who is going to go first?"
"I am." Tolv said as he raised his right hand.
"What's your name? And do you want to remind Santa what you want?" Tolv nodded and finally let go of Shena's hand and wiped his own on his khakis.
"Tolv. And I'll write something down." The elf handed Tolv the pad of paper and pen after writing down the boy's name at the top.
"When you are done, tear off your list then when you go up give it to Santa." Tolv nodded and wrote two words down, tore off the paper, handed the pen and pad back to the elf and folded the list neatly in half.
The elf looked a little confused by the lack of writing by the child but shrugged slightly and looked between the girls. "Who's next?"
Shena raised her now free right hand. "I am." She said a bit too enthusiastically.
The elf's eyes sparkled for a mere moment and then he spoke. "Your name. And do you want to write anything down for Santa?"
The girl in the middle dropped her hold on May's hand and mimicked Tolv's motioned by wiping her hand on her skirt. "Shena and I'll write down something." The elf wrote the name down on the top of the list and handed the pad over to the girl. Shena took the pad and wrote down something that was equally as short as what Tolv wrote, tore off her list, folded it in half and handed everything back to the elf.
"That leaves you Princess. You want to write something down." May tapped her foot a few times before she nodded and held out a hand for the pen and the pad of paper.
The elf wrote Kulme on top of her list and she took it from him, wrote something just as short as the other two, took her list, folded it in half and handed the pad and pen back.
The elf looked a little confused. "You guys didn't write a lot down." He observed.
The children looked between themselves then looked back to the violet-eyed elf. "Um." The three of them looked at each other again and Shena finally spoke. "We're okay with what we have on our lists. We don't need anymore." She shook her head violently causing a few long chestnut strands to fall into her face.
The elf reached over and gently pushed the hair off of her face. "If you're sure."
Shena grinned. "We're sure."
"Ok." The lithe elf stood up. "You ready Tolv?" The dirty-blonde child nodded and the elf led him to see Santa.
Tolv stopped just out of reach of the man in the Santa suit and looked nervously back to Shena and May. Both girls nodded that it was ok and he turned back and stepped up to the man. The man in the Santa suit easily picked Tolv up and placed him on his knee. 'Santa' ran through his little performance and took Tolv's list, looked at it, chuckled and said something that only the boy could hear.
The sandy-blonde nodded, looked at the camera, flashed it a winning smile and slide off of Santa's knee, his smile disappeared as he did so. Tolv walked off to the side closest to the violet-eyed elf to wait for the girls.
Shena went next. She actually grabbed the hand of the elf as he walked her to Santa. By the time she and the elf had traveled 5 feet she was talking up a storm. She let go of the elf's hand without a second thought and beamed a thousand watt smile at Santa before hopping gently up onto the man's knee. She began to babble about all sorts of things to Santa and another elf had to remind her to keep it short.
She grinned and pulled out her list quickly and quietly going over it with the strange man. Santa nodded a few times and then pointed to the camera as he told her that he still needed to see other children. Shena turned to the camera and smiled. It was a goofy smile, yet natural at the same time. She thanked Santa, slid from his knee and hopped over to where Tolv stood.
The children linked hands and the violet-eyed elf led Kulme to Santa. Her calm and cool exterior seemed to rapidly disappear, but she held her head high and walked up to Santa who swooped her up without a problem. Santa asked her why she looked nervous. She answered that her parents would be upset with what she wanted for Christmas. Santa chuckled deeply and told her that she might just be able to get it. He winked at her and she smiled happily. The man pointed to the camera and May posed showing her best Princess smile to the camera.
When the flash went off, it was prolonged and something akin to a flash grenade. May shrieked "Daddy" as 'Santa's' strong arms wrapped around her waist tightly.
"Shut up Princess. You're going for a ride with me." The man in the Santa suit mumbled.
"Daddy!" She shrieked again before kicking the man solidly in crotch.
"Stupid girl." He growled and she kicked again before he could get her out of kicking reach. With the second kick he let go over her and she landed on the floor quickly crouching and performing a beautifully executed sweep kick. Though it would have been more effective if her legs were longer, it was enough to slow her would be kidnapper down.
A different set of strong arms picked May up off the ground and grabbed her tight. "You okay May?" She looked into brilliant blue eyes. "Daddy." She squealed happily and wrapped her small arms around his neck. "Where is Ba (1)?"
"He's making sure the bad guys are taken care of. He'll be right here."
"May, are you alright?" Shena asked as she ran to her friend with Tolv on her heels.
Kulme nodded happily and grinned at Tolv. "I told you there were here." The princess said as she nuzzled into her father's long blonde hair.
Tolv looked around and began to get a worried look on his face. "What's wrong Tolv?" May's father asked.
"Uncle Milliardo, where are my parents?" He asked quietly.
"Probably where your other missing Uncles are. Uncle Wufei and Uncle Heero haven't come back yet either." Milliardo said still holding his little girl.
"Are they ok?" He asked as Shena approached him from behind and wrapped her arms around him.
"Don't worry Tolv. Touchan and Uncle Wufei are with them. They'll be fine."
The young boy didn't seem to register what his friend had just said and was oblivious to the elf who quickly approached from the behind them. The elf easily scooped both children up just as the sandy-blonde started to cry silently. Both children wrapped their arms around the elf's neck and Tolv buried his face into the man's furry collar to hide his tear stained face.
"Oh, Tolv. They're ok. I saw them hauling bad guys off to go to jail." The elf said, but the little boy didn't look at him.
"Daddy." Shena giggled. "Where's your hair." She pulled at the hat the man was wearing and tried to look behind him to find the answer to her question.
"It is hidden. You'll see it soon." The man grinned and kissed Shena on the forehead.
"Merquise." A deep voice growled. "I need you over here for a moment."
"Ba!" May cried and tried to squirm free, but her father's strong arms wouldn't let go.
"May, stay here with Uncle Duo. I'll be right back." He kissed her on the cheek and set her down next to the man who held the other two children. Behind them mall security and local law enforcement were taking care of the mall visitors and their screaming children.
Duo slowly lowered himself to his knees; Shena and Tolv remained in his arms and May squeezed herself between the two children and awkwardly wrapped her arms around her Uncle when he was securely on his knees. "So what did you guys write down on the lists?" He asked with genuine curiosity.
Shena started to giggle uncontrollably, Tolv sniffed a few times and looked at him with a weak smile and May just snuggled against Duo's costume. "Don't wanna share." Shena mumbled to her father.
"Oh come on." Duo looks at his daughter with a mock frown.
They engaged in a staring contest, which got Tolv laughing and May smiling happily. Shena finally lost in a fit of giggles. "I." She began proudly. "Asked for a little sister."
Duo paled slightly. "A little sister?" He echoed.
Shena nodded. "Of course."
Duo stared at his daughter for a while and then looked over to Tolv. "What about you?"
The boy turned bright red. "I asked for a little sister too. Ab (2) wants one. So I want one too." Duo smirked slightly at the boy's words.
"Ok." He looks down to see the top of Kulme's head. "And let me guess. You want a little sister too."
May giggled. "You're silly Uncle Duo. I don't want a little sister. I want a little brother. That way he can be a Prince."
Duo shook his head. "So all you guys want are siblings?" The three of them shook their heads 'yes' in unison. "What if you got the opposite sibling than what you asked for?" There was a chorus of 'umms' and 'I don't knows' from the three of them and Duo chuckled.
"Duo, I'll take him." Duo looked up at his friend and handed off Tolv to waiting arms.
The little boy grinned hugged the man. "Ab where is dad?"
"He got a hurt so the medic is looking at him." Tolv paled and started to cry again. "Oh, my sweet boy, don't cry. He's ok. Come on let's go see him." The man turned to walk away.
"Quatre." The man stopped. "How much longer?" Duo asked as he caught May in his arms and lifted her up as he rose to his feet.
"They're just finishing paperwork. I've got to finish some too, but the locals are taking over so we can take care of the kids." Quatre beamed at Duo and walked away with his son in his arms.
"You guys want to follow?" Duo asked and both May and Shena nodded their heads. The man chuckled and walked towards the group of official looking people.
"Touchan!" Shena cried happily and wiggled from Duo's arms. Though, before she could get to the ground Heero caught her from Duo's arms and pulled her close.
"Shena. I have to finish some things. You can sit on shoulders and be quiet or you can go back to Duo and be loud."
The girl with the chestnut hair looked back at her father and grinned. He raised a finger to his lips in a 'be quiet' gesture and she looked back to her other father. "Shoulders."
Heero smirked and swung his little girl up onto his shoulder. She took his goofy mall security hat and put it on her head and rested her hands in her father's thick hair.
Still holding May, Duo looked to her parents who seemed engrossed in something. He looked around for Quatre and Tolv and found them by a bench where Trowa sat being fussed over. Duo walked over to Heero and Shena as May swiped his elf hat from his head. May started to giggle as she put Duo's hat on her head and Shena looked down from her perch on Heero's shoulders, her eyes just visible under the huge hat.
"Thank you officer." Milliardo said with a smile.
"No thank you sir. You're little girl is very brave." The local police officer said with a grin to May who didn't get to see the smile due to the fact that she had not anticipated her Uncle's head to be much bigger than her own.
"Come here silly girl." The deep grumpy voice said as arms took the partially blinded May from Duo's arms.
"Ba!" She squealed and wraps her arms around her father's neck. Milliardo moved up behind May and carefully arranged the hat on her head so she could see. The blonde then wraps his arms around both his daughter and his husband with a smile.
"'Fei, I think our Princess did a brilliant job." Wufei grunted in agreement and the two men kiss gently.
"Daddies." May squirmed in Wufei's arms and her fathers laughed and planted kisses on her cheeks.
"Touchan, I'm hungry." Shena said softly to Heero.
"I know sweetie. We're all going to get food soon. To celebrate how brave you all are."
"Yay!" Shena shouted and accidentally pulled her father's short hair, which caused him to grimace slightly.
"Shena, go back to Daddy. I'll be right there."
"Ok Touchan." She gave him an awkward kiss on the cheek, her father's hat getting in the way and just fell backwards off of Heero's shoulder into Duo's awaiting arms.
She giggled as Duo arranged her in a comfortable position to be carried. "Shena you need to be careful when you do that."
"But Daddy, you and Touchan will always be there to catch me." She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I always hope so sweetie." Duo kissed her on the cheek and walked over to Quatre and Tolv.
"Hey Tolv, how's you Dad doing." Duo asked coming up behind Quatre.
Tolv twisted in Quatre's arms and looked at Shena and his Uncle. "The bad guys hurt him. But he hurt them back and he's ok now. See." The boy turned back around and pointed to his father sitting on the bench, his sleeve rolled up and a thick bandage around his forearm.
"Knife?" Duo asked.
Trowa nodded and flexed his fingers. He frowned slightly at the pain but everything seemed to operational and the medic gave a slight nod indicating that he was done making sure the dressing was secure.
Quatre offered his husband a hand up and Trowa took it with his uninjured arm and stood up. He quickly embraced his family and kissed both of them. "How are you?" Trowa asked Tolv.
"I'm ok. I was worried that I couldn't find you, but Shena and May told me not to worry." He grinned. "They were right."
"You have Quatre's empathic ability young man." Trowa scolded playfully.
"That is what May said too." The little boy grinned again.
"Guys, we're done. We can go." Milliardo said loud enough for the others to hear him.
The six men met together with their children. Wufei held May, Duo held Shena and Quatre held Tolv. "So who wants food?" Duo asked as the kids shot their hands in the air. "What kind of food do you want."
"Pasta." The three chorused.
"Alright. Pasta it is. Let's go. We have news for you guys too when we get there." Duo said with a little chuckle.
"Ooh I like surprises." Shena clapped her hands so violently that Duo almost lost his grip on her.
"Calm down sweetie." Duo scolded gently. "I don't want to drop you."
"Sorry daddy" She said and immediately calmed down.
They walked as a group to the opposite end of the mall where a quaint little Italian restaurant lay hidden. The staff quickly readied a table and sat the 9 people down. When everyone was settle the children looked at their respective parents expectantly. Duo looked around the table to the other men and laughed quietly. "Ok, Heero and I will go first." Duo and Heero looked down at their daughter. "Sweetie I know you wanted a baby sister, but would a baby brother be ok?"
"Really?" Shena squealed.
"Really." Heero added and found himself with an arm full of daughter. "Does that mean it is ok Shena." Heero asked slightly concerned by his daughter's reaction. 'She gets this from you.' He mouths to Duo, who only smirked in response.
Shena nodded her head vigorously. "Yes."
Quatre and Trowa went next. Quatre nervously fidgeted with his napkin and Trowa just smiled patiently. Tolv nudged Quatre gently who seemed to get more nervous. Trowa sighed with a smile. "You're going to have a baby sister."
The little boys face little up. "Really?" Trowa chuckled softly at his son's response.
"Yes. Really." Tolv clapped and grabbed his parents hands and held them tight.
It was now time for Wufei and Milliardo to go and Kulme sat there between her parents looking at them. "I better be getting a baby brother" Her fathers stared at her for a moment not commenting and then Milliardo broke out laughing.
"Yes, Princess you're going to have a baby brother. We all just found out before the operation and we figured you guys wouldn't mind knowing your Christmas surprise early."
"Wait, but now we have to think of something else. I wasn't expecting getting a baby brother to be that easy." May said unhappily and leaned on the table while beckoning her cousin's to do the same thing. "We have to think of something else guys."
The three kids huddled together over the tabled until food arrived. When it did, they sat back and ate like that hadn't eaten in a week. Tolv suddenly stopped eating and looked around the table. All eyes fell on him. "It may not be Christmas yet. But I think today is going to be better than Christmas." He stated and returned to eating.
The adults all smiled at each other and finished eating. When it finally came time to leave the three children were sound asleep. Tolv had managed to fall asleep on both his parents. May had buried her head in her father's golden hair and fell asleep like that. Shena had crawled into Heero's lap and crashed while twisting his short hair around her small fingers.
"Well I think that went better than I thought it would." Heero commented quietly as he carefully stood up. The other men, save for Duo all nodded in agreement.
"You know, they wrote that they wanted siblings on the list I gave them in line. They wouldn't let me see it either, but I got them to tell me when you guys were taking care of the Evil Santa and his helpers.
"They will never cease to amaze me." Wufei said as he stood.
"I think we're holding the best Christmas gifts parents could ever have." Quatre said quietly adjusting his son in his arms.
"Make sure your saying that when their siblings are born." Trowa grinned.
Quatre smiled dreamily. "I will."
"I know you will." He looked at everyone else. "I think we have sleepy Christmas presents to put to bed."
Heero smiled coyly at Duo. "I think we should take a nap as well."
"Touchan are you going to unwrap daddy?" Shena murmured drowsily.
"Yes, sweetheart, I am." Heero said as he kissed his daughter's head.
There was a quiet chorus of "Heero" from the other men.
"What?" The Japanese man looked innocently at his friends, who all just shook their heads laughing quietly.
"Mmmm. I don't wanna be bait next time." May says adjusting herself slightly in Milliardo's arms.
"You won't my Princess." The blonde muttered quietly and May settled back down sound asleep. "I think it is time to go home." Then men nodded to each other, said their farewells and went in different directions to their vehicles.
Duo and Heero walked to their car in comfortable silence so as to not wake their daughter. As Duo opened the car door for Heero he chuckled softly. "You know. Everyone is going to want to hear the story about Evil Santa tomorrow."
Heero nodded with a slight smile and placed Shena in her booster seat while Duo slipped around the other side of the car and sat next to her so she had a pillow to sleep on.
"We kicked Evil Santa's butt." Shena murmured sleepily.
"Yes, darling. You did." Heero grinned and kissed his daughter.
-The End-
(1) If what I found is correct it should be familiar Chinese for father
(2) I don't know if this is right, but it was the only thing I found. Ab seems to be Arabic for father.
Author's Foot note: Prizes, should you wish (I like challenges), if you can tell me where the kids names come from and how I got them. Thanks to cjmarie for the idea.