Christmas Eve all around the world (excluding the desert regions) were chilly and snowy. Mount Paozu had gotten the worst of it, with its snow damn near up to the knees of a full grown man. If you were, oh let's just say... Krillin, you would just about disappear in the white, freezing fluff.

The snow wasn't the only difference in Mount Paozu.

All over the world, the adults had tucked the children into bed right before they made a promise of Santa Claus arriving at midnight. As expected, the children would moan and groan about not possibly being able to stay awake that long to sneak a peek of jolly ol' Saint Nick. At least in the morning, they would feel warmth in their hearts seeing the cookies left behind for the man in red be half eaten.

Oh, and of course the carrots for his reindeer.

But in a certain cottage on Mount Paozu, Santa Claus didn't make the delivery.

It was Mrs. Claus.

At least, it had been the last seven years when a messy-haired child came into the world.

Once she was certain the younger hybrid was fast asleep in the room he shared with his older brother, Mrs. Claus plopped down on the sofa and smiled sweetly at the cold cookies resting on one of her fine China plates. The young boy had made them himself this year, extremely excited to see what Santa would leave for him. After all, he had been a very good boy - he almost saved the world from Majin Buu, for crying outloud!

Mrs. Claus outstretched a red-sleeved arm, and placed the tips of her fingers around the chocolate chip cookie. She made a face after forcing herself to take a nibble out of each circular dessert.

"That boy sure is sweet, but his cooking isn't!"

She gulped down the half-glass of milk, and made a mental note to go outside and eat a carrot or two that the boy had left in a bowl. After consuming the liquid, she patted her stomach and observed the gifts underneath the tree. A smile had returned once more when she noticed there were more gifts this year. Curiosity got the best of her as she stood up from the couch to get a better look at the name on the gold package.

Goku...

"What the heck are ya wearing, Cheech!? You look like a tomato!"

Mrs. Claus whipped around so fast she thought her neck was going to break. She was facing the orange-clad chest of messy-haired Saiyan, who was staring down at her with amusement reflecting in his orbs. A manicured hand smacked his pectorals, wiping the smile right off his face.

"Goku!" she whispered harshly. "You're talking way too loud! You'll wake Goten up!"

Chi-Chi wasn't sure if her face was painted crimson due to her scolding, or her embarrassment at her husband catching her in such a get-up. It was a Santa suit three times her size, but a hand-made belt was wrapped tightly around her waist to reveal her petite figure. With her hair was tucked neatly into a Santa hat, it was the only way to make her look like the Misses.

Goku scrunched up his face as he looked down at his wife, and his confusion turned to excitement when he realized what was going on. "Ah, I see!" he winked and gestured at the costume. "That's not a tomato suit! That's my old Santa outfit you use to make me wear and-"

"Goku, PLEASE!" Chi-Chi scolded once again, but cupped her mouth when she noticed her tone was a bit higher than it should have been. She was quiet for a moment and looked around frantically while her husband poked and prodded at her outfit. She gently slapped his hand away after taking a sigh of relief. "Alright, I can still hear him snoring."

The innocent Saiyan looked sadly down at his hand that was slapped. "Gosh, Chi-Chi... If I knew I was going to be such a problem, I wouldn't have ended my training so early..."

The wife struggled to keep her face locked on anger mode, but it was just too hard especially when Goku put those sad eyes on her. It was true that she had kicked him out of the house since he devoured the Christmas ham and shattered all the ornaments, but she thought he'd enjoy some snow training. He never seemed too much into anything else, anyway.

Sighing, Chi-Chi wrapped her small fingers around Goku's wrist and moved him away from the presents in fear he'd smash them on accident. Even after being dead for so long, his body had even more mass to it then she remembered. "It's not that, ya big lug..." she released his wrist and teasingly tapped his jaw like they were in a boxing match. "Since Goten was born, this is how we've done Christmas Eve. It's not like you were much of a celebrator when Gohan was young, either..."

Goku crossed his arms over his chest defensively and raised his chin up. "Are you kidding me!? I love Christmas!"

"Oh, shush. You just love the food."

"True," Goku snickered as his wife rolled her eyes. His mouth closed and turned upwards until he was wreathed in smiles. Two large hands were placed on dainty shoulders. "But didn't you miss having me around messing this day up for you?"

The tilting of her head to the side like a bashful child caused Chi-Chi's hat to slide slightly so that one ear was exposed. Goku chuckled at first seeing the irritated fragment of skin, but lowered it to a mere snicker when his wife shot him 'the look'. "Are you sure you're not trying to be a tomato?"

Flustered, Chi-Chi turned her back on her husband and glared up at the Christmas decorations hanging on the wall. The moonlit sky seeping through the window were illuminating them against the darkness of the house. "And I remember years ago this ridiculous outfit was yours, so watch what you say!"

"Only 'cuz you made me!" Goku chuckled while looking at Mrs. Claus' backside. The belt she thought she had wrapped so tightly around her waist had loosen, and the pants were sagging to the point a pair of old-fashioned, frilly white underwear revealed themselves. "You know, that underwear looks an awfully lot like the pair Oolong wished for all those years ago..."

Despite the beating his chest was currently receiving, Goku threw his head back and howled. "Why. Don't. You. Go. Back. To. TRAINING!" Chi-Chi spoke with each thud her balled up fists could manage. "Goten's gone through every Christmas without you for the last seven years! We didn't need you then, and we don't need you now!"

Goku's howl turned into a soft chuckle. Underneath Chi-Chi frustrated demeanor, he could see her struggling to keep her smile at bay. He caught both her fists before they could get another punch in. "I'm sorry to say this, but if you're sending me off to train now.. I guess I'll have to come back tomorrow and take the boys on a picnic!"

"A...picnic?" Chi-Chi, with her hands still clenched within her husband's, took a step back to observe him skeptically. "Uh-huh. What the heck kind of picnic happens in the snow!?"

"Ah, but I'll simply Instant Transmission them to somewhere warmer!" Goku flashed her a cheesy smile so wide his eyes closed.

"Mmhm..." Chi-Chi scowled slightly, but her voice was teasing. "And who do you expect to make the food for said picnic?"

"Uhhhhhhh I dunno!" Goku sweatdropped. "Perhaps the best...darn...cook in the world?"

Chi-Chi stuck her nose up at him with a smug look on her face. Her husband knew damn well the best food he had ever eaten always came from her! Her cold hands tightened around his, now appearing as if they were holding hands instead of Goku taking them hostage. "Well... you guys have fun then!" she released her grip as Goku's face went into confused mode. "I need to finish putting the gifts under the tree before Goten wakes up!"

"Wait!"

Mrs. Claus looked over her shoulder when she felt her arm being squeezed. Her thin, black brows furrowed together. "Whaddya want now!? I told you to leave!"

Goku smiled like a timid child and even scuffed his boots for good measure. He removed his hand from her and used it to rub the back of his neck. "You're gonna come with us tomorrow...right?"

Chi-Chi blinked. "Hold on... You're actually being serious about that picnic?"

Then Goku blinked until a silent blink fest ensued. "Yeah, sure. Why not?" When all Chi-Chi did was gape, he added, "It's my first Christmas with Goten. I've gotta make it memorable for the little guy, right?"

The Saiyan began to grow uncomfortable when his wife did nothing but stare. The poor guy had said everything he could (and meaning it!) to be let of the hook, and now she was beginning to scare him!

"Uh, Chi-Chi? Why do you keep looking at me-"

His words were muffled by her lips. Her red-dressed arms wrapped around his neck to deepen the kiss, and Goku could smell and taste the chocolate chips that were in the cookies she nibbled on earlier. His eyebrows lifted up, becoming delighted and placing his hands on the small of her back. That's what he enjoyed most about this thing Chi-Chi did; getting an extra taste of whatever she had eaten that day.

It was always sweet.

Once they parted, Goku whispered in her ear that he'd take care of the carrots outside. He left his stubborn wife with a promise of returning immediately tomorrow morning for the picnic, and disappeared without a trace. Chi-Chi sighed dreamily, and finished putting the last of the gifts inside her potato sack under the tree while humming a Christmas carol.

The humming was so loud, she hadn't heard the scurrying of feet across the hardwood floor that belonged to a young boy, who witnessed something he certainly shouldn't have.

"Goten... Goten... Hello! Ya got wax in your ears or somethin'!?" Trunks hurled another toy plane at his best friend's head, hoping to snap him out of whatever day dream he was having now. He honestly didn't know what went on in that kid's head, sometimes.

Plunk!

"OW!" the child rubbed the sore spot after the metal plane had landed on the hardwood floor of Capsule Corps' living room. He sniffed once, but was able to conceal his pain. "What the heck did ya do that for, Trunks! I wasn't doing anything!"

The lavender-haired child shook his head and tucked his hands into the pocket of his green jacket that matched his old gi. He walked over to where his lowly friend was sitting cross-legged and plopped down beside him. Goten's eyes were focused on a spot on the distant wall. "No, but you look like you saw Majin Buu naked or something. What's up?"

"Oh, Trunks..." Goten looked over at the troublemaker so forlornly that it caused him to really wonder if something bad happened. "It's terrible! I-I..."

Trunks' eyes widened seeing his friend on the verge of tears, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You, what...?"

"I SAW MY DADDY KISSING MRS. CLAUS!" he wailed, and Trunks fell backwards. His blue eyes focused on the ceiling for a moment before rolling them. He slapped himself in the forehead as he jumped back on his feet.

"Goten, only a diaper baby like yourself believes in Santa Claus so seriously-"

"NO!" he wailed once more, causing Bulma to stop in her tracks. "SANTA DOESN'T COME TO MOUNT PAOZU ONLY MRS. CLAUS! AND MY DADDY KISSED HER! MY MOMMY DOESN'T KNOW!"

The Briefs cringed at the sound of Goten's cry, and Bulma lowered the basket of laundry that was in her arms onto the floor. She was trying to stifle a laughter, knowing that Chi-Chi had always done that Mrs. Claus routine for years now. The poor kid must have witnessed his parents sharing a moment. The blue-haired woman offered the sniffling boy her hand and helped him to his feet. "I think you were just having a dream, kiddo! Your dad would never kiss Mrs. Claus, he loves your mother too much!"

Trunks rolled his eyes at his mother's attempt to humor Goten, but knew he'd get hell for telling him the truth. Vegeta killed that Santa fantasy before he even turned three, but Goten was so infatuated with the idea of Mrs. Claus bringing him gifts that he'd look like a bad guy for exposing Chi-Chi's lies. Before he could open his mouth, Goten blurted out.

"NO! NO! It was not a dream! It was real, and it was HORRIBLE!" Goten sniffed and wiped a tear away from his eye. "Mommy and Daddy never play kissy-kissy face with each other, but I guess Mrs. Claus used her magic on him or something!"

"Oh, honey, I'm sure your mother and father kiss all the time!"

"Yuck!" Trunks stuck out his tongue at Bulma, and despite her warning glare, the boy pulled his friend away from her. He grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Listen, Goten! You've gotta tell your mom! It'll be funny!"

"FUNNY!?" the child exasperated, and then became the shaker. "Trunks, I barely got my dad back! I don't want him to die again!"

Bulma snorted against her will. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when that confrontation would take place. She leaned down to scoop up her basket of warm clothes and winked at the boys. "Goten, don't be so stressed out! If anything, your mother will have a good laugh about it!"

The messy-haired child used the long orange sleeve of his new jacket to wipe the snot off his nostrils. "I guess... If you say so... You're the mommy here..." Goten picked up the toy train his grandfather Ox had given him and secured into his inner pocket. "We're going on a picnic or something today when the cheater gets home...So I need to leave..."

Bulma's laughter could be heard from upstairs, and Trunks placed a hand on Goten's shoulder. "Don't worry, dude. If she kills him, I have the Dragon Radar in my room."

A/N: Going to be a VERY short story completed this week! It's just super chilly here, and the radio is playing continuous Christmas Music, and I'm trash for the Son Family. Gosh...

I'll be updating my other stuff this week as well, as I've completed all my major papers for school! :-) I hope you guys enjoyed this so far, and it'll be completed VERY soon, being VERY short. I do this all to make someone smile!