All characters © their respective owners
-DECKTHEHALLS
KN: On the first day of Christmas my true love wrote for me…
Warnings: ToanXPaige, Toan is silent, and characters are OOC.
-WITHBOUGHSOFROMANCE
It went without saying that Toan was the luckiest guy in the world on a day when people gave other people gifts. He reaped those rewards, but then again, being the guy who rebuilt the world and made everyone happy kind of helped.
"Hm…my son is a popular one, isn't he?" his mother commented as Toan came in with yet another gift from a grateful person that didn't live in Norune Village. She strolled casually around the house that was cramped from all the wrapped items that occupied it. "This one," she picked up one of them, "must be another expensive sword. Not like you really need them, since there's no reason to fight anymore, right?"
Toan only nodded, even though he practically slept with a dagger under his pillow, a sword under his bed, and a knife in his drawer. One could never be too careful, after all. He knew his mom didn't want him to get in dangerous situations anymore now that the world was safe and there was no need. Especially since he never did find out if his father was still alive or not. But if there ever was another call to defeat the Dark Genie, then Toan would answer it in a heartbeat.
"They certainly gave you a lot of food too." She pointed to the various types of breads, cheeses, meats, and fruits. "It doesn't look like anything I could cook or anything that would fill you up, though. More like travel provisions…" She sighed. "Well, you should probably put some of these in the barn if you plan on sleeping in your bed tonight."
Toan smiled as he took some of the packages to the barn. He missed his mother in all that time she was trapped in the atla. His llama stirred when he entered. Once he set them down somewhere, he went to pet the creature gently. Which reminded him, where did his cat, Xiao, go?
"Hey! Toan!" a voice yelled from outside. He left his llama as he headed outside. Paige's bright smile greeted him. "Your mom said that you'd be here. I…I made you something." She said as she searched through her pack. He only smiled as she did so. "You like these, right?" She pulled out a fluffy doughnut. He nodded as she handed the pastry to him. "I hope you like it. I made it myself!" Just as he was about to try it, another voice yelled.
"Toan! There you are, sweetie!" the voice chimed out sweetly. Paige turned in its direction and gasped as her face turned red. Toan also looked up from his treat and his eyes widened. "You're not happy to see me?" Ruby asked. Toan shook his head and smiled. He was a little surprised that she was here, though…and wearing clothing much too revealing for a modest village like Norune. Wasn't she cold? Osmond had sent him a gift via rocket, so Ungaga and Goro had also attached their gifts to it when the rocket passed through their homes.
"Um…Toan? Who is this woman?" Paige asked. Toan opened his mouth to introduce her when the genie beat him to it.
"Not a mere woman like yourself." She answered. Her eyes raked down Paige's petite figure. "Though you seem to be more of a girl than a woman…" Paige's eyes narrowed slightly. "I am the most powerful genie in the Town of Queens, the best merchant town in the world!" She declared happily.
"How does Toan know a powerful genie such as yourself, then?" Paige inquired. Just as Toan was about to explain how he met her, the bodacious woman beat him to it again.
"Because I am his lover!" She exclaimed. Toan's jaw dropped, and Paige's face turned bright red. "Speaking of which…Toan, who is this girl?" She asked as she lowered her head to get a better look at the village girl. "Did you keep a cute girlfriend on the side even though we're madly in love?"
"T-T-Toan!" Paige managed to get out. "I-Is this true?!" She demanded angrily. Toan shook his head furiously, his face turning the same shade of red as hers.
"Ohohoho! Kidding!" Ruby declared in between laughs. Paige stared at her confusedly while Toan wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. "You two look cute together." She smiled.
"We're just childhood friends." Paige said while Toan nodded in agreement.
"Such a shame, then." The genie clucked her tongue. "Well, Toan, I'm here to give you your gift personally!" She placed a hand under Toan's chin to lift it slightly upward. "A Christmas kiss!" A hand instantly grabbed Ruby's and pulled it away from Toan.
"H-hey!" Paige yelled as her hand gripped Ruby's. Her face was still quite red.
"I'm just kidding around!" Ruby's smile never faltered as she pulled her hand away. She reached into her pack, and pulled out a diamond. "I don't know if you're still building up your weapons, but this will be useful either way." Toan accepted the gem as she handed it to him. "You can always give it to your cute girlfriend when you ask her to marry you." She waved good-bye as she smiled mischievously.
"We're just friends!" Paige asserted to the genie's retreating back. The blush faded from her face as she turned to look at Toan. "You made some strange friends when you were rebuilding the world." Toan smiled and nodded. Her eyes flicked down to the doughnut that was still in Toan's hand. "Well, you can try the doughnut now." She said as she looked back up at him. Toan looked down to the temporarily forgotten doughnut that was still in his hand and smiled. Just as he was about to take a bite, they heard yet another interruption.
"Mmmmreow…" they looked up to see Xiao on the roof of the barn. Toan's cat appeared to be chewing on a piece of…mistletoe. Paige and Toan's faces turned bright red for the umpteenth time that day as they realized what this meant.
"Er…I…" Paige faltered. Sure, Xiao was chewing on the plant (she didn't look like she was eating it; it seemed more like when a baby teethes) but it didn't change the fact that it was still there. They still had to follow the tradition.
They looked at each other before they both turned away in embarrassment.
It was quite a while before they managed to shyly look at each other again.
-FALALALA
KN: But do they kiss? Does Toan ever get to eat that doughnut Paige baked for him? I'll leave that up to you, readers. I know I'm that obscure minority that supports Toan and Paige together in an obscure RPG. I'm also probably one of the few that supports Dark Cloud yaoi and yuri too. I know Norune village most likely doesn't celebrate Christmas as it is a fictional world, but fanfiction is written for fun, after all. I apologize for the OOC, too.
Holiday moral: That mistletoe is there, and it will FIND you. Don't relax, that's when it strikes!
