Warning: brotherly fluff, ooc a bit.

»Merry Christmas«

The moon was bright over Centium City, and most people were asleep. Everyone was excited, for it was Christmas Eve, and all the children were waiting for Santa to bring them gifts.

Or freedom.

Our setting turns to an old abandoned inn, near the dark twisted tunnels of the subway labyrinth. Inside, with mice scurrying about and mothballs coating everything, lives a family of fourteen.

Two were awake.

Roman shifted on the cot, looking up at the ceiling, bored. He waited for their father to burst in their room, giving them a mission. No avail. He turned his head towards the other side of the room, where Riker was awake too.

Christmas wasn't something they celebrated, nor Hanukah or Kwanza. Villains don't celebrate.

Memories of Christmas when they were younger filled their heads. Everything was fine. A large Christmas tree was in the middle of the room, their younger siblings ripping open gifts in fuzzy pajamas. Roman missed their happy smiles. It was the best time of the year. Everyone loved it, even their father smiled, which made everyone even happier.

But now, here they were in a run-down inn with no Christmas tree, no presents, nothing. It would be a sad Christmas, but the worst part was they would have to endure it.

They couldn't take it.

Riker was the first to clamber out of bed, poking his twin carefully. "Let's go," he whispered quietly, gesturing to the door.

Roman looked at him carefully. "Where are we going?" He hissed back, reluctantly getting up.

His question was never answered as Riker grabbed his hand and they turned into a black swarm.

When they manifested back in their respective forms, Roman realized they were outside a late-night café. Riker only gave a smile to his brother. "Now, are we gonna stand here out in the cold or are we going in?"

Roman opened his mouth, but closed it again as he smiled softly and walked in.

"Hi there, sit wherever you like!" A waitress called happily.

The two took a corner booth, as she smiled again, handing them a menu. "Merry Christmas to you both," she exclaimed, before frowning, "or Hanukah, or whichever one of these hectic holidays you two celebrate."

Riker gave a short laugh. "Yeah, tell me about it. Our dad's really... busy so he couldn't get us a tree this year."

"Oh! You poor things," the waitress gasped. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Roman waved it off, before staring at the menu. "I guess I'll just take a hot chocolate."

"Peppermint or regular?" She asked.

"Oh gee, there's a choice," Riker commented. "Peppermint, why not?" The waitress nodded and scribbled it down.

"Same for me," Roman agreed.

When the waitress left, Roman looked at his brother carefully. "What are you doing?!"

Riker shrugged. "Remember I got the nightshift at Walmart? They close down on Christmas and send us our paychecks."

"I know that, I mean this," he gestured around him. "Dad's gonna blow a gasket if he knew we were out."

The younger smirked. "Then he doesn't have to know."

The waitress came back with their hot mugs quickly, whipped cream and a peppermint stick added. "Merry Christmas you two," she said.

"Merry Christmas," Riker echoed, before taking a sip. "Mm, I forgot how good this place's hot chocolate is." Roman nodded, a look of bliss on his face. He sipped the hot drink carefully as Christmas music flowed through the café.

The tune began to pick up as it played Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas is You.

"Oh, this is Reese's song," Roman declared, shooting his brother a cheeky grin. "Chase, I wrote this for you!"

Riker laughed, nearly choking on his hot cocoa as Roman sang along in the best Reese voice he could without actually shapeshifting into her and giving away their identity. "Baby all I want for Christmas is you!" He said in his Reese voice, as the song ended. "Love you Chasey-boo!"

"I think it was Chasey-poo," Riker corrected, face red from laughing so hard.

"Well now I see why he broke up with her. Who calls their boyfriend poo?" Roman crinkled his nose, and Riker really tried not to choke as he sucked on the peppermint candy cane. "Too bad, I shipped them."

The song changed to Heat Miser, Snow Miser, and Roman and Riker stared at each other. Riker changed his voice to Kaz's as he sang the Heat Miser part and Roman mimicked Oliver during Snow Miser, both nearly falling out of their chairs.

About five songs later, they decided it was time to leave. Riker payed, and he lead his brother out into the snow-covered streets. "So lucky we grabbed coats," He muttered.

"Alright, now where are we going?" Roman asked again. Riker always had surprises up his sleeve, but seemed to get in trouble from them a lot.

"Oh hush you," Riker teased, dragging his brother along the streets to admire the decorations that lit up the stores. Roman rolled his eyes, but obeyed as the walked, liking hands with his brother. Riker stopped at a card store, suddenly lighting up. "We should go in here."

"Bu-" Roman never finished his sentence as Riker yanked him in the still-open store.

"Cards," the second eldest child of Rodissius pointed. "We have to get at least cards for them." Roman knew he was talking about their siblings, who would be extremely disappointed on Christmas Day there was nothing for them. Roman and Riker didn't have the guts to explain to them why, especially their ten-year-old little brother. He loved Christmas more than anyone in the household.

"Fine. But Dad can't find out," Roman added. They shuddered. If Rodissius found out his two eldest children were celebrating Christmas behind his back, who knows what could happen? The world could literally end.

"Agreed."

The twins quickly searched through the store, finding cards for all of their siblings. Roman stopped when he saw pictures of the bionics, glaring for a second before he saw Chase. Reese still likes him, his mind supplied, before grabbing a small one and a card for her. She'd appreciate it greatly, he knew.

Rodissius set it up to be fake, but Roman could tell how much it hurt her everyday when they were scheming to attack the Elite Force. Whenever Chase was mentioned, she tried to hide her sadness but both twins could see right through her.

They made it to the checkout as the man raised an eyebrow. "We have a lot of siblings," Riker admitted. "And we forgot cards. Crazy Christmas."

The guy was either a superhero in disguise and knew them or just the child of Scrooge and the Grinch. Both crossed fingers it was the latter. "Yeah yeah, whatever," he muttered, ringing them up as Riker handed him cash.

"Thanks! And Merry Christmas!" Riker smiled as they left shortly. The man barely glanced at him before nodding.

"Well, that felt awkward," Roman commented, back on the lamp-lit streets as snow began to fall.

"I expected the guy to say 'Ba! Humbug!' Honestly," Riker agreed, staring at the falling white dusk.

Tiny snowflakes made the scenery change into one of absolute wonder, beautiful surroundings covered in the cold white substance.

Riker and Roman eventually stopped at a gas station, a little tired from their midnight run. Plus, shape-shifting could really take a toll if you haven't had proper sleep.

Roman smiled at this Christmas, finally having a good time and being happy, before something wet hit him on the side of the face. His look guaranteed death to his brother who had a guilty face, backing away, as they started a snowball fight in the parking lot.

Riker quickly used telekinesis to draw snow together in a fort, before Roman used his superstrength to hit him from the other side of the lot. Both teen were grinning like idiots as it continued, neither one giving up.

When Riker popped up from his fort, Roman was nowhere to be seen. He smiled, pacing around the parking lot until he came upon a mound of snow that certainly wasn't there before. He immediately started throwing snowballs at it until it shifted back into his older brother, begging for mercy.

"Say it, I'm the Snowball King," Riker smirked, aiming another at Roman's face. Roman muttered something, and Riker tilted his head. "What was that?"

"OVER MY DEAD BODY!" Roman shouted louder, tackling his brother and covering him in snow. Riker laughed, trying to push Roman off, but his efforts were useless against the other's superstrength. "You're not getting up," he smirked.

"But you're forgetting something," Riker pointed out.

"What's that?"

The younger gave a smirk so evil the devil would be jealous. "I'm the Snowball King." Roman turned to face at least a hundred snowballs facing him.

Riker enjoying the scream that followed as Rodissius's eldest child was hit by all those snowballs. "RIKER YOU ARE SO DEAD!" He yelled. Riker merely stuck out his tongue.

Roman growled and pounced on him again, pinning his brother down. Riker whined. "No fair! This is a snowball fight, not a wrestling match!"

Roman only smirked, but Riker grabbed a fistful of snow and stuffed it in his brother's face. Roman sighed and stood up, stepping away.

After at least an hour of fooling around like kids, both were beginning to get quite cold from all the snow. The twins sat on the roof, watching the stars as they twinkled and gleamed.

"Aren't you glad Centium City isn't all smogged up unlike Philly?" Riker asked, resting his head on his brother's shoulder. Roman wrapped an arm around Riker, smiling.

"The stars are really pretty," Roman commented. They sat for a bit, before Roman spoke again. "You know, I wonder if Santa was a superhero that was seen on Christmas, and gave the people he saved gifts. Everyone probably fantasized the rest."

"Hey, don't ruin kids dreams," Riker muttered. Roman kissed his twin's head, laughing softly.

"C'mon I'm not that evil," Roman pouted.

"Yeah, you kissed me, ew gross! You used to do that every night when we were little. You'd tuck me into bed even though we're basically the same age! It was disgusting! You're six seconds older than me!"

"I learned a lot in those six seconds," Roman interjected.

Riker huffed before leaning back on his brother. "Yeah yeah whatever."

"Don't you go Scrooge on me too! Can't have my baby bro who took me on this wild adventure back out," Roman exclaimed. Riker stuck out his tongue, and Roman pinched his arm. "Now we just need to get Reese, Chase, and some mistletoe."

"Yeah," Riker laughed. "Best Christmas ever. Cheese."

"Cheese?" Roman asked. "Like the food?"

"Ch-ee-se. S, not z. Chase and Reese. Cheese."

"Seriously? Couldn't come up with anything better?" Roman asked, crossing his arms.

"Um... no?" Riker replied sheepishly.

"Wow," Roman commented, before they sat in silence again for a bit.

"I do love you," Riker admitted finally, giving Roman a hug. "Even if you're bossy and always thinking you're better."

"I love you too, even if you're whiny and bail on me all the time," Roman replied, pulling Riker closer as the two stared at the stars.

"Merry Christmas, Roman."

"Merry Christmas, Riker."

Fin

It's not Christmas yet, but why not? These two are such cinnamon rolls! ...Sincere apologies, I ship Cheese forever...

Criticism welcome, this is my first EF fanfic so I'm not so sure about it.

#RikerisSnowballKing

(P.S. kudos to those who found the Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn reference in end there.)