Author's Note: For BloodMoonLycan. This won't make sense to everyone, as it is based off my RPG universe.

While Christmas shopping had never been something he'd enjoyed, he actually found this year's company more favourable than in past holidays, and if nothing else, that made it tolerable… especially when he had so many gifts to gather together for the ever-growing League. It certainly wasn't easy. He had known from the start of November that he was going to have a lot of trouble with this year's collating of gifts… but he had a little help this time, which was beyond appreciated, considering how many of the people he was buying presents for were female, like his companion. He certainly couldn't frown on the potential for her to give him advice on such purchases… though he did feel silly at the prospect of having to buy so many 'feminine' gifts.

Special Agent Tom Sawyer had never been too great with buying gifts for people, no matter how close to them he was. He remembered one Christmas when his half-brother Sidney Sawyer had received a rather interesting bug… of course, Tom had been ten at the time, so it was a little different now. Though Tom had to admit it would be amusing to test for the reaction now.

His companion turned her head this way and that as they roamed the main streets of London, her grey eyes sparkling with festive delight. She had admitted to him that she'd been looking forward to the holidays for months, especially with everything they'd had to endure as of late. There was certainly a lot of 'cheer' to catch up on, for everyone. They'd been tried and tested at every turn, and they were all just about ready to drop… quite literally in a couple of cases. Tom had to admit he was feeling a little ragged, and Gabe hadn't been quite the same for… a while.

But that's to be expected, he thought to himself as his female friend looked to him, possibly wondering why he had gone so silent and so suddenly. Drusilla 'Dru' Mason smiled warmly in her unique and brightening fashion – she sometimes gave the spy a run for his money when it came to optimism – and in her Melbourne lilt, said, "What's the matter with you, Tommy-boy?"

Tom normally would have cringed or glared at the nickname, but from Dru, it was welcomed. She was someone he had quickly come to rely on, and look upon as a sister of sorts. She was loving, gentle, compassionate and sincere… not to mention fiery beyond belief; Tom had seen her in action – even fought her in Romania in one of his worst spells – and knew better than to toy with her temper. But he loved her like family, and would put his life on the line for her… as she would for him. Their recent trials had bonded the two like blood-relations, and Tom wouldn't change that for anything, he knew.

So it was that he smiled in return, and replied with a calm, "Nothin', Half-pint." Grinning at her mock-glare regarding the title for her – one he'd picked up in the time behind them – he looked around them for a little while. "We're not makin' much progress, are we? And it's comin' up on three o'clock."

"Correction," Dru pointed out with the casual lift of one erect finger. "You haven't made much progress." She chuckled quietly, and indicated her rather weighed-down hand on her other side. "I, however, haven't been as indifferent as you seem to be." She poked her tongue out playfully for a moment, and then laughed. "You can't just pass up on every idea I offer, or you're never gonna buy anything. What was wrong with that scarf for Mina?"

"… Mina already has a scarf," Tom explained simply, shoving his hands in his pockets as his breath curled cloudily away from his face. It was bitterly cold in London, and for the first time in years, he himself was wearing a scarf… and gloves. He didn't feel very much like a spy; it sure beat freezing to death though, he had to admit. "What would she want another one for?" He smiled quizzically down at his shorter companion. At first, he had never really taken any notice of her height, but with the nickname he had spontaneously given her one day… he'd certainly realised over time.

"There's one thing you have to learn," Dru began wisely, with a glint in her cunning eyes, "and it's that women love to accessorise. We always find a use for another scarf, or another pair of shoes, or another hat; bag; shirt… whatever you can think of." The female werewolf tossed a tress of her rich mahogany hair back over her shoulder to better reveal her youthful and pleasant features. "It's not always about practicality, like with you men."

Tom narrowed his eyes in retaliation. "Very funny."

"Not funny; true." Dru smirked in a victorious manner, and Tom rolled his eyes, before sighing.

"So what're you saying I should go back and get whatever I can?"

"Well, no," Dru objected with a swift shake of her head, snuggling into her scarf for a moment afterwards. "That'd defeat the object. You obviously had reasons for not getting them, or you'd be catching me up with the bag-issue right now. You have to feel that a gift is right for someone, otherwise there's no point."

"Well… obviously." Tom shrugged under his thick black jacket, and buried his lower face in his own scarf for a few moments, pensively. "Ugh, what am I gonna get Yumi?"

Dru pulled a face. "Oh dear…"

Tom cocked his head. "Why don't I like the sound of that?"

"Because the 'other half' is always the problem area. Gabriel… well… I have the same dilemma. I'm not sure what to get him, though I know what he likes and hates respectively… but nothing seems right for him, y'know?"

Tom frowned. This was starting to seem like more trouble than it was worth. He had never bought a present for anyone like Yumi before. Sure, he'd loved women before, but he'd never loved women before… enough to put up with their nosey ten-year old daughters anyway. Yumiko Sakai was one of the best – if not the best – thing that had happened to Tom for years, and he wasn't about to let her go. He'd nearly lost her to that bastard brother of the Fantom, but he and Dru had seen to it that the sadist had gone straight to hell for what he'd done to the League. He'd rocked their little world more than they'd been able to manage for a while… and had nearly torn them apart. With the help of his changeling minion, Caedes, their very existence had truly been threatened.

Needless to say… Tom would go to hell and back for Yumi, over and over again. He'd suffered to get her back, and didn't regret any of it to ensure her safety, or that of Noriko, her daughter. Subconsciously, he shifted his right hand, feeling the ring on his appropriate finger; the Claddagh ring that each member of the League wore to symbolise their position in the team. Loyalty, friendship and love… they were a family. They'd lost one of their unit… and that would never happen again. Aineen McIlroy had explained the significance of the Irish rings to them, and after gaining an understanding – along with several others aboard – Tom had turned the point of the heart towards him, signifying that his love belonged to someone… he was taken. Dru's was identical, her heart belonging to Gabriel Monroe. Their own relationship had almost been torn asunder, thanks to Caedes, but they had persevered and come through all the stronger in union for it. Though there was still that shadow of grief in both their faces, Tom knew Gabriel would kill himself to save Drusilla… and she for him. The lengths they went to for one another were heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. But then again, Tom supposed all the lovers in the League felt exactly the same way.

"I just wish the League would stop growing," he quipped lightly as grey clouds started to blow in on the winter breeze. It would snow soon, he knew. He preferred snow to rain though, always. "There are so many people to buy for; I don't know where to start."

"Well… who do you feel most confident with?" Dru asked him inquisitively, looking in his direction after stepping aside for an elderly gentleman with a cane and a dog. The dog either growled or pined in her direction; Tom couldn't be sure, but Dru ignored the animal, so he followed her example. "Who do you feel will be the easiest?"

"What do you mean by easiest? As in, who do I want to get done out of the way, or something else?"

"Something else entirely," Dru laughed delicately. "I mean… who are you sure about, gift-wise. Who do you think you'd be able to decide on really quickly with a gift? Mina? Sid? Kitten?"

While Kitten was an easy option, he had a better idea. He smiled, and looked to her. "Well, see, this is gonna be awkward now…"

"And just why is that, Tommy-boy?" Dru quirked a brow. "No more making excuses."

Tom shook his head. "No excuses." He glanced down in her direction. "Y'see… it's gonna be awkward, 'cause it's always harder to get a present for someone when they're standin' right next to you, Half-pint." He smiled lopsidedly, as was his way, and saw the dawning of realisation on her face.

"Oh…" she muttered. "Really? I'm easy to buy for?"

He leaned in conspiratorially, as if to part with some deep secret, and said, "I have a pretty damn good idea what to get you." He lifted a brow mischievously, and then added, "But I can't get it for you now, on account that you'd see it, which would ruin the surprise."

"You have a point…" Dru appeared deeply pensive for a collection of moments, before grinning. "Then again, I was always the one to sneak downstairs to the tree and rattle my presents to try and figure out what they were, or bribe my sister into telling me what she'd seen. Rarely worked, but… worth a try, right?" She laughed. "I get quite eager and impatient when it comes to presents that I know are for me." Appearing sly, Dru continued suggestively, "So if you really don't mind ruining the surprise… I don't care about knowing."

Tom cocked his head again, pausing in the street for a little while, with Dru mimicking him. People walked around them, their own shopping well underway it seemed, with the amounts of boxes, packages and bags that were being hauled here, there and everywhere. There were even carriages on the move with excessive amounts of goods, seemingly all for one person at times. "Well," he began finally, "it might be better that you know actually… but it'd be so great to see your face on the day when you got it…"

"Well, then don't tell me." Dru smiled sincerely, a warm flush to her cheeks; whether from the cold or the sentiment, Tom wasn't sure, and supposed he'd never know for certain. "I can wait, really."

"I would," Tom began, bringing one gloved hand from his pocket to point lightly in her direction for a moment, "need rough height and shoulder-width and what have you… measurements, if you will."

Dru narrowed her eyes, obviously trying to pick away at this puzzle in her busy mind. "Hmm… not thinking of buying me clothing, are you?" Either she was trying to put him off that idea or she was trying to guess, but he didn't know.

Tom laughed. "No… not exactly. But height and measurements would be handy." Grinning, he teased, "Though… you are rather short, so I could probably guess at maybe a foot under me."

She slapped his arm lightly with her free hand another mock-glare. "I prefer vertically challenged, thank you very much," she corrected sharply, and looked him up and down. "And I am not that small!"

"Well you're no giant," he chuckled.

"I can grow, you know… and you are well aware of what I mean by that, Thomas Sawyer." Her eyes flashed for just a second, glinting silver in the afternoon light, and Tom acted taken aback.

"You wouldn't… in front of all these people? Why, Drusilla Mason, you should know better, surely." He grinned winningly, and it was her turn to roll her eyes, which took her all of two seconds before the two of them laughed. "But seriously… you'll have to get your measurements for me, or buying your gift is going to be all the more difficult."

Dru nodded with a mock salute. "Will do, secret agent man."

Tom couldn't suppress the laugh that erupted at her quip, though he did continue with, "Don't call me that."

Shrugging, she conceded, "Fine. But it's what you are, isn't it?"

Offering her only a mild glare, he decided to turn back to their original topic, "So… that's one present sorted. Only…" He took a moment to count the members of the expansive team. "Thirteen more to get." He groaned, and rubbed his gloved hands over his face for a moment, before dropping them lightly to his sides again, looking to her lazily. "Oh jeez… I have thirteen people to buy for, Dru!"

"Aw." Dru pouted and smiled, pausing for a moment before a mischievous light flared in her eyes. "Not buying a gift for Holmes?"

Tom snorted rather unceremoniously, and looked to her as if she were insane. "You're kidding me…"

"I'm kidding you," she agreed with a nod. "Thought presents might improve his outlook."

"Doesn't mean I'm going to get him one though, does it?" Tom looked to her. "Unless you can gift-wrap a punch to the jaw…"

Dru held back her giggles, but her grin was evidence enough to her amusement. Sighing lightly, and looking around her, she shrugged. "Should we find somewhere to sit down and have a drink while you think about what to get people?"

Tom nodded eagerly. "You read my mind."

Dru smiled as they headed off to find a café or something of the like. "I'm learning how…"