Author's Note- Merry Christmas! If you don't celebrate that, then Happy Holidays! If there are no holidays where you are, or none close by calendar wise, then have a fabulous day!

Being late to a holiday dinner is a minor setback, but being late to Christmas itself is on another level. In a vast world, many Santas are designated to cover certain areas to bestow families and friends with bountiful gifts. After rushing around to get presents underneath trees, they proceed to regroup and throw the largest gathering of Santas anyone has ever known well into the morning. On Christmas Day, if listening closely, one could hear their drunken singing and merry making.

However, for Tino, this was a bad thing. With the gathering just a couple of hours away and over half of Scandinavia still in need of gifts, he could not the suppress the rising panic at the sight of unchecked names on his digital tablet. Super-duper long lists of paper were just too impractical next to modern technology.

Tino tapped the screen to tick off the houses he had visited. "Emil, yes. Lukas, yes. So and so, I do not know how to begin pronouncing that name, yes. What a naughty boy. I figured his parents would keep the microwave out of reach," he sighed. The sleigh began to dip. "I was wise not to get him another hamster this year."

It was only when street lights flew by Tino's head, he realized that his vehicle was dramatically descending. The tablet jumped out of his hands, clattering onto the floor as he scrambled for the reigns. Several cries of surprise from the bystanders in the streets were drowned out by the skis scraping across the asphalt, and he bounced back up with the force.

Not bothering to look to the night sky when crossing the road, a figure shot out in front of the sleigh. Tino screamed, as a flash of dark blue collided into the front bumper. The sleigh skittered over the pedestrian for a few meters before a hard yank on the reigns brought it to a full stop.

Tino leaped out of the seat and stumbled onto the road. A head of light blond hair popped out of the pile of clothes. "Don't move! Don't move!" He begged as he hustled toward the figure. He fell onto his knees beside the man trying to shakily sit.

A large hand patted the street and grasped a pair of now tattered glasses and brought them to the man's face. Tino reached out. "I'm so sorry! Let me drive you to the hospital or something-" He squeaked when gently smacked away.

The man rose to his knees with an arm around his midsection. He twisted around to see, more like glare, at who ran into him. Tino cradled his arm to his own chest and found himself unable to look away from the stranger's fierce aquamarine gaze. "Are you hurt? I-I mean you are moving around..."

The stranger dropped his gaze to the ground. "I'm fine," his voice came out deep, "just a bruise."

"Are you sure?! I'm absolutely willing to get you medical attention!"

The man shook his head and stood up.

"Oh!" Tino scrambled to his feet. "You're tall!" He uneasily laughed, half out of embarrassment, half out of fear. His eyes flickered to the small group of townspeople that stopped on the sidewalks to stare. "Sorry," he mumbled again.

"You don't have t' apologize," the stranger reached up and pressed a gloved hand to a small scrape on his forehead.

"But I hurt you!" Tino huffed in irritation and threw a glance back at his sleigh. "I have an idea! Wait here!" He hurried back to the festive vehicle and ripped open the glove box. "Come on, where is it?" Tino's legs kicked in the air as he leaned over the side, excavating the compartment. "Aha!" He pushed himself away from the sleigh and scuffled back to the stranger.

Tino held out a small red bag tied close with a gold string. "This is Christmas Spirit Dust!" He motioned for the man to take it when he simply gawked at him. "You can wish for anything you want with it. Just blow the dust into the breeze and think really hard for a present," he said with a giggle, "and perhaps Santa will give it to you."

Their fingers brushed when the stranger uncertainly took the small bag. "What's this 'bout?"

"Think it as a token of an apology."

"Y'don't have to," the man grunted, "but thanks."

"Uh...you're welcome," Tino uneasily smiled. "Merry Christmas."

"Hm," the stranger gave the bag a squeeze and eyed Tino.

The bystanders began to snicker. Tino gasped as his ears grew red. "The gathering! Oh, no! I still have presents to deliver!" He started to run back to his sleigh, but he twisted around to face the stranger. "Are you going to be okay?! Either way, I hope you have a nice night! I need to go now!"

Tino dashed to his vehicle and dove into the seat. He snatched his tablet, thankfully uncracked, from the floor and grasped the reigns. The sleigh purred to life as he tossed a glance over his shoulder. The man awkwardly waved his hand side to side.

Despite the cold air, warmth filled Tino's stomach. The bystanders hollered holiday cheers and waved their hats at him. He flicked the reigns, and the sleigh pushed forward. The sounds of the vehicle jingling faded away as Tino rode off to carry out his duties as a Santa.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Many footprints trampled a snowy pathway to an unsuspecting building, now infested with streamers and flashing lights. Tino took one last swig of cold, fresh air before rapping on the door. As the door swung open, sounds of off key singing and laughter blasted his ears.

"Already hitting the eggnog, Francis?" Tino forcibly laughed, pointedly looking away from the nearly nude man in front of him, save for a pair of velvety briefs.

"The party started over an hour ago," the Frenchman chided. "We were sick of waiting."

"I had a little run in," Tino retorted, ducking under his arm propped against the doorway. He leaped back in delighted surprise when a stampede of men and women wearing glowing noses and cloth antlers on their heads pushed by.

The reindeer people towed along a man with wildly spiked blond hair hitching a ride in a children's wagon. He whooped, raising a glass of eggnog, "Merry Christmas, Tino!"

"Be careful, Matthias!" Tino called out, but it was pointless. The hoard of party goers let out a collective gasp, and the tower of gifts in the middle of the room exploded with the impact of all the bodies.

There was a strained noise of pain to Tino's side as the people ordained in reindeer costumes crawled out from the wreckage to examine their handy work. "It took Toris and I three hours to set up that pyramid! Not to mention wrapping all those gifts!"

Tino let out a small chuckle. "Hello, Eduard. At least not everyone has gotten to the eggnog yet."

The other blond stuck a hand to his forehead. "No, but I am seriously considering it now. Did you see the bowl? It is so big, you could swim in it!"

"Not that I would want to!"

Both friends laughed, but Tino cut his giggles short when he heard a ringing noise. He turned to the sound that was too different than the festivities clamoring around him.

"I thought I would run into you sooner!" Eduard snapped his attention. "Where were you hiding?"

"I came late," Tino admitted. "I, uh, had a problem with my tablet. It had my naughty or nice list on it."

"That's why I preordered my toys online. They have mass overnight shipping now, so I do not need to go outside in the cold and deal with all those stops!"

"I'm not sure," Tino sighed dreamily. "There's something nice about the way the snow bites, and all those cookies people leave behind!"

"That's true!" Eduard agreed. He gestured to the drink table. "Are you thirsty? I know being a Santa is hard work."

Tino eyed the stand, especially the overly large vat of eggnog in the middle. "I'll pass."

A sharp blue color danced in his side vision. Tino turned his head, but could only see reds, whites, and greens. A pair of brothers that looked remarkably alike became sick on the floor, adding another unpleasant color. The surrounding partiers made a simultaneous movement to get away from them.

"Ve, I think that wasn't chocolate in those candies."

"What are you looking at, bastards? Never saw someone lose their dignity?!"

"...just stay away from that bowl. I think I just saw Ivan dump an entire bottle of vodka in it."

Tino shook his head, facing his friend. "I'm sorry, I missed that."

Eduard stuck an elbow to Tino's side, "You're really distracted tonight! Christmas is your time to shine. You were so excited before everyone left the launch spot to do their delivering!" Pushing up his glasses, he smirked, "Something happened when you were out."

Tino's cheeks automatically went red. "Is it obvious?"

"So...are you going to tell me?"

"Oh, I um...I may have ran someone over with my sleigh."

"You may have?!"

"All right, all right! I did! I hit a guy with my vehicle!"

The people nearby them fell silent and stared. The background music still carried on as Tino pulled down his Santa hat over his flushed ears. Some began to whisper amongst each other, while others who had sleigh accidents in the past giggled and resumed dancing.

Eduard's voice dipped, "It wasn't a young kid, right?" He gasped, "Is he dead?!"

"No, no, no!" Tino wanted to hide. Badly. "It was a man...a really tall, fierce looking man, but I-I think I only managed to give him a scratch on his face."

"Did he call the cops?"

"Fortunately, no. He was a bit...stunned? If that is the right word." Another jangle danced in Tino's mind space. He huffed, "Do you hear that?!"

Eduard tipped his head. "You mean someone replaying Jingle Bell Rock for the fifth time in a row?"

"Never mind," Tino mumbled. His gaze trailed to the door. The party hall was crowded and warm. Too warm. "I think I need to go..."

"Wait, what? You're leaving?" Eduard panicky looked around. "But Tino! I don't have anybody else to talk to!"

"I'll see you later, okay?" The other blond held up a hand and started to back up. "I need some fresh air. Yes, ha-ha! Fresh air..."

Eduard caught the distant look in his friend's eyes, "But...oh, fine. Be careful!"

The hollers and awful, drunken singing made Tino's head throb as he ungraciously pushed, and was pushed by them. He had a strong stare on the entrance, feeling a pulling sensation growing as he neared it. A wandering hand groped his rear, making him yelp and give one final shove toward the door.

The cold air welcomed Tino from the mass of heated bodies. The party sounds muffled once the door shut behind him, and was replaced by his boots crunching on the frozen ground. The jingling rang again, much more softly. His pace quickened.

As if in a trance, Tino leaped over the side of his vehicle and plopped in the seat. Within moments, he soared into the midnight sky.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Glimpses of glitter floating in the air led Tino to an unfamiliar house. He drew the sleigh to a slow crawl mid-air as he looked around for anything remarkable. A window on the second floor facing the backyard was open. Odd, since it was not the warmest of nights.

Slowly descending the sleigh, he positioned the driver's seat next to the window. Much to his relief, it was not a bathroom he peered into, but a bedroom. The window sill had golden specks rolling off and into the teasing breeze. The moonlight casted his silhouette onto the nearest wall with the shadows of tree branches as he ran a finger through the diffusing pile of glitter.

A shadow fell onto him. Tino gasped and fell back into the sleigh's seat with an unmanly scream. The stranger settled against the window sill. "Are y' all right?"

Tino scrambled to a sitting position, fixing his hat with an indignant squawk, "Y-yes! I should be asking you that! I didn't break anything, did I?"

"Just a bruise. It's nothin'. Do y' want to see it?"

It may have been the moonlight dying his hair silver, or the small smile complimenting his handsome features, the man seemed waaaay less threatening and waaaay less threatened than he was earlier on the street. Tino kneeled on the seat to match his height. "Um, what was that?"

"I was just jokin'. Didn't think y' would come."

"Surprise!" Tino uneasily laughed. "There was so many houses to deliver to, and I thought I would never get them done. Then, I went to this crazy party, 'cause like, all the Santas meet up and have this Christmas bash after we're all done giving everybody their presents, but almost everyone was drunk on eggnog by the time I got there. So, I'm kind of glad to be out here! It was way too loud, and..."

The man steadily stared.

Tino slapped a hand to his mouth. "Oh, no! I'm the loud one now, and you probably have housemates, and here I am, blabbering away about stupid things!"

"It's not stoopid."

"I'll just get you your present and I can get on my way so I don't bother you anymore. It is really late. First I run you over, and now I'm keeping you from your bed. Gosh, I'm so awful-"

The man's shoulders shook. He took a deep breath and picked up his head, exposing a wonderful grin, "When I think of Santa, I imagine a fat ol' man. 'Stead I get a cute guy."

"I'm a grown man!" Tino dissented. His arm wound around his stomach. "B-besides, clothes can hide a lot."

"So is yer name Santa Claus?"

"No!" Tino rolled his eyes. "Next you'll be asking me if I want milk and cookies!"

"Do y' want some?"

Tino hesitated, not willing to give up the opportunity for food. "I have been eating those all night, so I'll pass."

"Hm."

"S-so you never told me your name."

The man opened his mouth, but clamped it shut soon after. A sly smirk rose to his face. "You can call me Missus Claus."

Tino gawked in shock.

"I'm just kiddin'," the guy announced grimly. "Name's Berwald."

"Oh? Oh! Mine's Tino. You know, Berwald, that's how you get on the naughty list!"

"I wouldn't mind."

Tino jabbed his chest with a gloved finger. "I might have to give you a lump of coal!"

"Do y' mean it?"

"N-no, of course not! Did you...did you get anything for Christmas?"

Berwald shook his head. "I live alone."

"No family? No friends? Coworkers?!"

Another head shake. Berwald gripped the window sill.

Looks like Tino needed to add another name to his Naughty-or-Nice list ASAP! "There are many people alone on Christmas," he announced sadly. He glanced down, and hesitantly placed his hands on top of Berwald's. Berwald didn't seem to mind. "However, if I can help somebody, even just one person, then...I think that would be like my very own Christmas present. That's why I love doing what I do."

"Do y' want t' come inside?" Berwald blurted. He winced and awkwardly added, "It's cold."

"Huh? Do you think I'm a man that casually goes into stranger's houses?"

"You are," Berwald calmly retorted. A slight smile lifted the side of his mouth again. "Do you think I'm a man that casually invites a stranger in his house?"

"Maybe?" Tino laughed, giving his hands a nice squeeze. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Someone to talk to. Don't look so guilty, Berwald. I think that would be a lovely gift."

After a breathless moment of gazing at one another, Berwald spouted, "Are y' sure on the cookies an' milk?"

Tino giggled, "Make it into a hot chocolate, and we got ourselves a deal."

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A.N- My mother helped me come up with this story's title. Yaaaaay mom.