This story was written as a gift for Sandra during the Kilguin Chat's Secret Santa!
I hope you'll enjoy the fluff and some Christmas spirit ^^
Penguin jumped out of the subway into the cold air of Grand Line Downtown. In this cold December, Winter had finally settled. Steam was going out of the young nurse's mouth as he buried his head inside his big scarf. The cap going down his eyes was offering a perfect cover from the light snow that has began falling with the upcoming night.
Penguin watched as the sun went down on the city while he made his way through the crowd.
When most of the people where coming back home at this late hour, it was the beginning of Penguin's shift at the hospital. The street lights turned on and lighted up his way to the big buildings of the central hospital. It was a huge complex linked to a medical school. That was where Penguin and his friends ended up working all together after university.
They had no time to have fun anymore though. Work seemed to get busier as the time flew, especially during this time of the year. Penguin had begun to think people were getting more and more careless the closer they were getting to Christmas. Today only they had three operations planned and so many check ups that the nurse already knew they'd have to delay some of them. Not being able to help all the patients sometimes disheartened Penguin. Yet as he walk down the streets toward the high and modern hospital, a cheerful feeling crept under his skin and without thinking he started to hum.
At his arrival, Penguin saw Shachi hurrying to the staff entrance. The ginger couldn't wait to get inside, away from this cold, but he spotted his friend catching up on him.
"Hey Pen! You're early tonight." Snowflakes were spotting Shachi's red hair as he pointed that out.
"Yes." Penguin seemed to notice just now. "Well didn't feel sleeping any longer." He explained before going inside the hospital with his friend.
"Don't say that aloud in here!" Shachi shushed while nurses and doctors were already walking quickly down the halls. "If someone hear you could be murdered you know. And people will 'accidently' forget your checkup."
Penguin laughed while following Shachi to the locker room to change. Meanwhile the ginger kept grumbling about their work, Penguin felt more self conscious about his early rise. It was really his style but he didn't feel exhausted, on the contrary. When he put his white nurse's uniform, he was all refreshed and ready to start working.
"Ugh, I hate working night shift," Shachi whined beside him as they headed to the common room to get their turn of watching for the night.
"Yeah me too."
Even though, he tried to hide it, Shachi could tell something was off with Penguin. With suspicious glances Shachi continued to spy on his friend behind his sunglasses. The red head couldn't believe that Penguin had shadows under his eyes as big as his yet he looked like it was Christmas already! Shachi couldn't phantom how he forgot about the shiton of work they had left to do.
After cleaning their hands up, they went to Jean Bart who handed them their clipboards with the list of patients and checkups they had to do. Shachi elbowed the supervisor discreetly, lifting his chin up in Penguin's direction. The last kept humming to himself with a small smile tugging at his lips while he was going through his list.
Bart snorted gently, "It's this time of the year again."
"Nah! It's too early," Shachi rejected with a sweep of the hand.
Bart looked at the red haired nurse as to say, trust me on this. Shashi waved him off and got to work, although he always kept an eye on his friend. Once he got into their routine he was all focused and back to normal, so Shachi's mind drifted to his own work. It wasn't until the midnight diner that Bart's words were proved right.
Penguin was waiting for his meal to heathen in the microwave, when Shachi heard a muffled, "Make my wish come true... All I want for Christmas is you!" passing Penguin's lips.
Shachi burst out of laughter while bringing his food at the nurses' table. He sat between Bart and Bepo and wiped a tear. "Oh man, You were right! We're not gonna hear the end of it."
Penguin frowned and went to sit with them, glaring at Shachi.
"What the heck are you up to?" Penguin asked.
Shachi hit the table with his fork several times, "Hey everyone! Mariah is back!"
Cheers and laughter greeted Shachi's announcement meanwhile Penguin's face went as white as Bepo's hair.
"You fucking kidding me?!"
"Oh no, you were just humming it," Shachi assured with a bright smile, "You're stuck till January."
Penguin let his head hit the table in defeat. "I hate my life!" He whined.
"What's going on here?" The crowd of nurses parted on Dr Trafalgar's way. He looked at the table were his team was siting with his tell tale dark rings under his eyes. His high school friends never knew him without this tired look on his face. Not before he met Kid though. Now he looked tired and happy.
"Mariah is back!" Bepo crooned happily. The genuine happiness radiating from the round man always put Law in a good mood.
"It's this time of the year." He concluded while sitting at the table with his homemade lunch. "I'm so sorry for you." The doctor tried to comfort Penguin.
"Wait," Ikkaku interrupted, "What's going with all this Mariah and Penguin?"
The young nurse was the most recent add to their team, and being seven months old within the hospital staff often made her feel two steps behind everyone.
"Oh that's true you never heard about it," Bart admitted. "Well, you know that we all have a soulmate somewhere in the world-"
"And the bond synthesized itself in neurologic and sensitive responses." Ikkaku recited.
"That's it," Bart nodded, "Each person has a different experience of their bond. Some feel the emotion that the other is feeling, some share dreams, others develop spontaneous skills-"
"In Penguin's case, he got a song stuck in his head each time his soulmate must sing it." Shachi explained. "And his one true love is an unconditional lover of 'All I Want For Christmas' by Mariah Carey."
"Each. Fucking. Year!" Penguin whispered with despair.
"Oh that's cute," Ikkaku commented.
"No it is not!" Penguin protested. "Every Christmas since I was 15 I got this goddamn song stuck in my head! And since it's a number one hit at this time of the year I got zero chances to find the one made for me..."
"That's not true!" Bepo protested, his mouth full of food. He swallowed his mouthful and his huge hand fell on Penguin's shoulder. "Remember when Law had all those monstrous food cravings. We all thought Luffy was his soulmate."
"Nah! It couldn't be Luffy, he's not made for a romantic relationship." The nurses agreed to that, as well as everyone who ever met the glutton boy.
"Anyway," Bepo continued, "When Law and Luffy met they knew they weren't soulmate."
"The chemicals in your brain won't lie," Ikkaku approved the pale round man.
"Oh no they don't," Law sighed, "When I met Kid I swore it was him and no one else."
"Everyone remembers." Penguin smiled. "You two were about to eat each other alive for the last onigiri on the stand." Law's friends recalled the gigantic Japanese buffet where the doctor finally encountered his soulmate a few months ago. Law pretended to be annoyed by this first meeting, but a playful glint inside his eyes betrayed his fondness for this memory.
"Speaking of my hungry future husband," Law recalled, "He wanted us to celebrate Christmas but since we'll all be working on the 24 and 25, I offered to host our traditional Early Christmas at our home. It'll be fine for you?"
The whole crew agreed. It became a habit for them to celebrate Christmas earlier and it had been at Law's place most of the time anyway. But there they would actually get to talk more with Kid.
"Good idea," Penguin approved.
"That is settled then." The doctor concluded and then he added. "Kid's friends will be there too."
His grey steel eyes defied anyone to say a word about it. While there was evident complaints about dinning with strangers for their Early Christmas, the nurses didn't voice it aloud. It was a matter they had discussed already: Law had come to the conclusion that it was about time his friends socialized outside of the hospital. Actually there weren't much discussion. Law had settled his mind and decided that they wouldn't avoid this meeting any longer.
Shachi sighed and starting his meal, "I bet they're all big, loud and eat twice their weight..."
He turned to Penguin who was massaging his temples under his cap, like every time he tried to get his soulmate's song out of his head.
"If it can console you maybe your soulmate has developed a fondness for Penguin hats and it pisses him off too?"
"Whatever he has it can't be more cliché than this song!"
"Isn't the point of Christmas?" Killer grinned as he took off his Santa hat and put on his kendo mask.
Zoro wasn't even rolling his eyes anymore. Since the many years they knew each other Killer had always a huge fan of the most wonderful time of the year. But as long as they could spare Zoro didn't care about what Killer was wearing.
The two men got ready and salute each other, one shinai in each hand. They started quickly, knowing each other from long enough to get into the fight with an amazing ease. But Killer wasn't very focused tonight.
After a few exchanges they parted and Zoro took off his mask to put a third wooden sword in his mouth. Killer shook his head and smiled under his mask, that was his favorite part of their training. When they could go all the way and create new technics. He got his head back in the fight and attacked.
Killer's wooden swords sliced the air and hit one of Zoro's. The green haired man swiftly got Killer's weapons aside and turned before aiming for the blonde's side. Killer blocked one of the shinai and avoided the two others right before they hit his mask. The grid covering his face hid Killer's look at the opening Zoro left on his right leg.
Killer took his chance, executed a feint before striking! But Zoro's third shinai hit the top of Killer's head before he had time to finish.
Killer groaned before saluting his oponent with a hand on his painful head. The art of kendo required respect before everything else but damn! Killer shouldn't forgot brain too.
Zoro's black eyes glared at Killer and he rubbed his green spiky hair, "What happened to you at the end? You never fall for a bait so obvious usually."
"Sorry I'm pretty distracted these day."
"That's what these classes are for. To help focus and hit you on the head when you don't pay attention."
Killer shoved the other swordsman and get a towel to dry the nape of his neck.
Kendo classes generally were a welcome outlet for Killer. With his two shinai in hands he could release all the built up tension of the week he accumulated at the garage where he worked with Kid. Annoying customers, challenging pieces of engines, he could let that all go in a fight. And it was a better way to work on his anger than getting into the bar fights he used to look for as a teenager.
That was in this very class he met Zoro. Their love and skill for swordsmanship had forged a strong bond between them since then.
They went into the locker room to change and Zoro asked: "You'll be there for the demo next week? I'd like to try a new technic I thought about at work, there's this annoying fucker-"
"No I won't." Killer cut, having already heard a hundred times the stories about this blonde chef that was rubbing all Zoro's wrong spots. "It's the beginning of the hockey season."
"Oh, right." Zorro recalled without letting his disappointment showing. "Thought it was next week."
Killer saw at the way Zoro's fists clenched that he was bitter. His sparing partner smiled sincerely.
"Sorry, love is calling."
"You really think you're gonna meet your soulmate during hockey season?"
"You never know," Killer said while putting back his jacket. "But I began to love winter at highschool and hockey just felt like a good compromised with sports."
Zoro snorted as he finished tying his motorcycle boots, "I'll never forget Kid's face when he was dying of cold because the snow had settled and you just jumped into the snow like you really missed it. The air of pure betrayal on his southerner's face was priceless!"
Killer laughed as he recalled too. It took some time for Kid to forgive him.
Zoro's phone buzzed in his pocket and Killer recognized the voice ordering through the speaker.
"Yes, we just finished. Ok, I'll be there. No I won't get lost this time!"
Killer snorted and they exited the dojo together.
"My beautiful girlfriend wants us to have diner with her college friends," Zoro complained after he hanged out his phone. "Please save me from this and tag along just for tonight."
"Ha! If you think one second I will ruin Nami's plans you are so mistaken Roronoa!"
"I tried..."
"Even if I wanted to loose my head and all my money, I promised Kid to help him organizing Christmas."
"Did he actually ask you or you just took over the event?"
"He was glad to leave it to me, it's the first time he'll celebrate it with Law so he needed a professional's advisor on the matter."
Zoro smirked then his eyes softened at the sight waiting for them on the street side of the dojo. Nami had her motorcycle gear on and her hand on her hips when she locked eyes with her boyfriend.
"We can't be late at the diner. So I went here before I called. Hi Killer!"
"Hi Nami."
Zoro walked to his soulmate and kissed her, his hand lingering on her waist and his shoulders relaxed immediately at her contact.
"Would it kill you just to trust me?"
"No," She smiled brushing Zoro's hair back. "But it'll cost me money and that's not something I'm looking forward to."
Zoro said "Witch!" But his tone sounded like I love you.
Killer looked at them with envy. What wouldn't he give to have that too. He never lost hope to find his soulmate but he was so ready for it! Why didn't it happen already?
"Have a good night you two."
"Night Killer." The couple waved and then the departed on Zoro's bike.
Killer breathed in and looked at the snow falling with a heartwarming feeling that wasn't his. His soulmate was there somewhere. He could feel it.
He put his earphones on beneath his thick blonde hair and looked for his favorite song on his phone. He could tell every measure of the song by heart and when the singing started he was right on time.
"I don't want a lot for Christmas,
There is just one thing I need."
"I need my books and my hot chocolate!" Penguin complained. "Why did we agree to this already?"
"Because Law is our friend," Shachi wisely answered, "And also he will kill us if we don't come to this dinner. Focus on the food Pen! At least we would survive this night by eating!"
The red head pushed Penguin's back toward Law's house. It never seemed so huge and... Christmas-y than this year.
"This is beautiful!" Bepo exclaimed in awe, with bright eyes.
The nurses gathered in front of the house couldn't deny despite their bad faith that the house was looking amazing. Christmas lights were shining all around the entrance and on the roof. It was reflecting on the fresh snow better than on a postcard. It looked like someone really had a hard time putting this all on.
"I'm glad I won't have to pay the doctor's electricity bill." Shachi joked.
Most of Law's friend reunited on the doorstep, probably thinking that the number would protect them of whatever people they were going to face tonight. Bepo pushed them all and knocked happily right under the holly crown on the door.
"How's the dessert Heat?" Kid demanded in hurry.
"Frosty and stocked in the fridge." Heat answered.
"And the appetizers?"
"Ready since 15 minutes already," Wire assured, passing his head through the door of the kitchen. "The boys already set the table and we have enough food to last a week. Calm down Captain, everything is going to be fine."
Kid brushed his hair and grunted halfway when recalled he tried to get them in order.
"Where's Killer?" The anxious red haired man asked.
"If I had money every time you said that tonight I wouldn't need to work anymore." Law mocked behind his back.
Kid turned to him and like each time he looked at his future husband his heart twist and he forgot his name. He looked at the doctor as he went down the stairs of their house, beautiful dressed in dress pants and grey sleeveless vest.
"Can I marry you right now?"
Law kissed him, "Don't be silly, we only have 4 months left before the wedding."
"So that's a yes?"
Law smiled and pushed Kid in the direction of the leaving room. "Killer is setting the karaoke, go find him. My friends should arrive soon."
Kid walked in the living room where a long table as been set and the tableware was shining. Near the Christmas tree he spotted Killer's hair. His best friend had a shiny red shirt that was surprisingly suiting him very well.
"Is this thing ready?" Kid asked pointing at the micro Killer was holding.
Killer smiled brightly and brought the mic to his mouth, "Only one way to find out."
In the kitchen, Kid's friends laughed when they heard them singing aloud.
"Don't worry," Wire reassured Law, "They're always like that."
"That's what is having me worry."
Knocks where heard and Law jumped, "Finally! It must be my crew!"
"Ah! Bring in the nurses!" Kid's friends exclaimed. The eight of them, all 6 feet tall and more, were an unusual sight in Law's kitchen. Unbothered, the doctor made his way through the pack and opened the door.
"Hello there, come on in guys."
Law hadn't finished that Kid's friends were already on the nurses like a bunch of curious oversized dogs.
Eventually, Law's friends managed to get rid of their coats and moved on to the living room.
"Is that singing?" Shachi questioned with interest.
Penguin cringed as he began to recognize the song playing. He quickly caught Law's attention, "Do you need any help?"
"Everything is ok, Kid brought a lot of hands to help." Law pointed out at the big guys.
"You sure?" Penguin was all shivering, he didn't feel well. He was sure about one thing is that he didn't want to go in there!
"Fine," Law yielded. "Help me get the wine."
But it was too late as Penguin recognized the lyrics already.
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever now
Penguin took a bottle from Law's hands and hold onto it, hoping it would make his sickness go away. But his stomach was flipping as he stopped before to the bright and decorated living room where everyone had gathered.
Their Early Christmas had rarely been so shiny and colorful. And it sounded like the singers were enjoying themselves already. It's almost the end of the song Penguin thought when he walked in the room. Almost!
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is...
Killer had his back against Kid's one and as he always did when they were singing his favorite song, he pointed the crowd on the last word. This time he knew exactly where to point without understanding why. But Killer's finger went right for a hatted man in an elegant suit at the end of the room. And he knew he was the one.
You!
The blonde man hold the note and Penguin's whole world shattered in the instant. Everything he was, every thing he experienced wasn't to him. The "you" pierced right through his heart and he knew that from this moment his only anchor to this reality would be this man. His voice vibrated through each one of his veins and their souls resonated all together to the core of the universe.
Killer couldn't breathe because this man had taken all his air. The whole room had quietened down witnessing their mating, and for a while it felt like the longest suspended moment.
Then the hatted man ran away.
Killer rushed after him because his life depended on it! Where was this man going with his air?!
"Wait!"
Penguin rushed outside, fighting the instinct that was screaming him to turn around. He stepped into the snow and the cold surrounded him. He was alone and lost... Then a hand grabbed his arm and Penguin stilled.
"Wait!" A lovely voice huffed behind him.
The contact on Penguin's arm was so warm. So right that he felt he belonged somewhere for the first time ever. Slowly he turned and for the second time he faced his incredibly tall blonde soulmate. Snowflakes were hanging on the spikes of his hair and steam was going out of his parted lips. Through the heavy fringe going down his face, Penguin saw two icy blue eyes like the glaciers of the North. A shiver ran through the nurse when the man took a full breath and swore, "Whenever you'll go I'll go with you."
Penguin believed him with all his heart; he never wanted anything else more in the world.
Killer began to worry when he saw tears running down his soulmate's cheeks. He cupped his face that seemed made just to fit his hands.
"Are you alright?"
"No! There was- you! And I was-! And you were singing that fucking song and I-"
"You don't like it?"
"Not much but... I was always troubled because it kept playing in my head every winter- yet I was never so glad than when I was hearing it because..."
"I was there with you," Killer finished for him.
"I'm sorry! That's the worst first impression to make!" The nurse apologized, "I- I wasn't expecting to meet you there, and you were singing that goddamn song and all of my friends were there." He sniffed, "And now I'm just- scared! And so happy at the same time! I'm sorry, I think I'm just having a massive freak out!"
Killer laughed with him and wiped down his tears.
"Would you like to come back inside?"
Penguin looked back at the house and saw all of their friends gathered at the windows, cheering and applauding them.
The hatted man laughed while crying overwhelmed by the strong emotions crashing over him. "I don't even know your name."
"I'm Killer. Glad to finally meet you." They couldn't stop smiling to each other.
"Likewise. I'm Penguin."
In front of Penguin's hesitation to go back in the house, a crazy idea came to Killer, "Penguin, would you let me kidnap you tonight?"
Penguin breathed more easily, "If it's including diner I'm yours till tomorrow morning!" After that sadly he'll have to work. But for now... Killer swept him off his feet and carried him in his arms like the happiest man on Earth.
"Till morning it is!"
Penguin stepped into the bedroom with a tray. He walked over the hockey equipment careful not to spill any of the coffee that he brought. The snow had fallen heavily during the night and he was glad to be inside and warm.
He put down the breakfast on his bedside table, right next to a picture of Killer and him for their 6 months anniversary at Sabaody Park.
The love of his life was sprawled over the bed, his hair all over the place and the bedcovers tangled in his long limbs. On his belly and under one of his arms, two balls of fur were sleeping with him. Killer's cats were two adorable misfits always sticking to their master.
Penguin very gently lied on the bed again, and watched them all three with fondness. Their chests were quietly going up and down. He took some time to fit in this new life but Killer helped. He was patient and caring. Penguin smiled; he could watch him sleep all day.
The warm scent of coffee woke Killer up. He felt the pressure of his cats against and the one of his mate beside him. So he didn't move. Keeping his eyes closed and his breath even, Killer pretended to be asleep so Penguin could watch him a little bit longer.
Finally one of cat decided he was time for him to stop faking sleep. Nord stretched on his belly and stuck his claws into his shirt. Killer breathed in sharply while Penguin took the cat off his lover. "Nord! Come on don't be an ass."
Penguin leaned on and planted a kiss of Killer's lips. That was his favorite part of their mornings together.
"Merry Christmas Killer."
"Merry Christmas my sweet Penguin."
Between them Syd meowed in protest because they were squishing her. As soon as she was free she ran toward Nord and snuggled back against him. The stray cats might act fiercely but in the end they were just lazy balls of fur constantly sticking to their master.
Penguin reached for the breakfast but Killer pulled to him in a tight hug. What could Penguin do? He was so weak for hugs.
They could have stayed like this all their hearts content if the two little misfits hadn't decided to mess with the toasts on they tray.
The snow was still falling heavily outside making the inside of their house looking like the comfiest shelter.
"Kid called yesterday," Killer informed while blowing on his coffee, "He and Law are still in Wano and they love the country so much they might stay a little longer."
"Sound like they're enjoying their honeymoon," Penguin commented.
"Who would have thought Law could relax."
"Certainly not me!" Penguin joked.
Killer let Syd passed on his tights and set herself on his pillow.
"So with Law and Kid out of the picture for while, what are you guys planning to do for Christmas?"
Penguin rubbed the back of his head, munching thoughtfully on his toast. "I dunno... the boys all have plans and... actually this time of the year feels too symbolic for me to go and celebrate Christmas like before."
"Technically we started dating in January, but if you wanna do something I'm listening."
"What I thought about is kind of Christmas list..."
Killer's eyes brightened at the mention of his favorite holiday. It's been so long Penguin hadn't seen that spark in his eyes. Now he was assured about what he wanted to do.
"So," Killer began with an old man's voice and a grin starting to spread on his face, "What do you want for Christmas this year dear Penguin?"
Oh god... How much he loved that man...
Penguin had just the best way to tell him. He took Killer's hand and said:
"I don't want a lot for Christmas... There's just one thing I need."
Killer's eyes opened wide. Not once he had sung this song this year, despite he loved it. He also knew Penguin didn't, so for love he had renounced to it and it was alright. But to hear those words from Penguin meant the world to him.
"I don't care about for presents, underneath the Christmas tree."
Killer's voice went all quiet with emotion and he whispered like he couldn't believe it, "I thought you hated that song."
"I think- you made me actually listen to it and I finally understand that... I just want you for my own. More than you could ever know-"
Killer cupped Penguin's face, his smile so wide he was almost laughing happily when he asked for Penguin, "Please sing it!"
"Make my wish come true!" Penguin sang with a smile. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to be with the man he loved and knew they would always be there for each other. "All I want for Christmas is-"
Killer jumped at his neck before he finished, kissing him all over. His lips, his cheeks, his forehead, his neck, pampering him with kisses while saying "You! You! I want you!"
They both fell over the bed laughing and kissing each other in a mess of limbs and blankets. This Christmas was beginning wonderfully!
