The following story will probably contain slash. But Meh, you're probably used to that by now.
I also do not own Penguins of Madagascar because if I did, there would be a lot more of the thing that was previously mentioned.

It was absolutely freezing outside. Ice hung from the tips of the trees and draped the bare branches in a glistening shroud that clung to the frozen wood. The grass was standing erect with silver, parts flattened down and crushed to form foot prints swerving off into the park. The sky was a flat sweep of grey, seemingly moments from caving in and spilling its heavy load across the city. People had their jacket collars up, burrowing into their clothes for even the faintest trace of warmth left lingering in the deep folds.

Across from them, up eight stories and behind an ice fogged window a hand rubbed at the glass to clear a look out space. A boy sat on a comfy window seat and sipped quickly at his warm hot-chocolate, the sweet plumes of steam rising to brush his face. He smiled at the people bustling about thought the cold swirling air and pressed his numb fingers further against his mug, remembering the bitter cold that had gnawed on them constantly as he had trooped across town and back.

"I still don't understand why anyone would want to go anywhere in this weather."

His dark blue eyes flickered from the woman across the street huddled in a puffer-jacket and fumbling with a cigarette in her gloved hands to focus up on the speaker. The man's face was drawn, dark brows furrowed over his pale blue eyes as if he was trying to determine some complicated math problem that would give him the answers he wanted. His long jointed fingers were cupped around a steaming cup of translucent pinkish water, the tiny wrists leading onto equally pale fore-arms with dark grey sleeves brushing at his elbows.

The boy smiled up at the older man. "Because it's Christmas Kowalski! No doubt there are a million and one things they have to do."

The only response was a silent raise of the eye-brows as he sipped at the hot strawberry flavoured tea idly.

"Do you know what skipper has planned for us this Christmas?" he asked.

Kowalski shrugged. "No more than you do. Though I suspect we'll just be staying here for another year."

The boy nodded and turned back to the bustling crowds. "That'll be nice. I mean, Australia was cool, but it just wasn't Christmas without the cold."

He nodded. "I suppose it is the things we are used to that we enjoy the most."

Before the boy could press the matter further the door opened and Rico shuffled in, eyes narrowed and mouth set squarely in to a grimace. He still had tan skin now, even in the middle winter where even King Julian had to use fake-tan to stay 'summer fresh'.

"Headache any better?" Kowalski asked, setting down his glass and approaching the other man. He shrugged and mumbled something barely understandable, shuffling from foot to foot in his fluffy purple slippers. Kowalski pressed a hand against his forehead. "Your fevers gone down which is a relief. Hopefully no more vomiting." He noted, removing it and pressing two fingers instead to the inside of his wrists and focusing on his black watch instead. "Pulse normal… You should be fine in about eight hours if you take two Panadol now and two more in four hours." He stated. "If your nose gets blocked again just use some more nasal spray."

The weapons expert snatched his wrist back. "Ank oo 'oc'or Ko'alski." He smirked, weaving around the taller male to walk over to the top cabinet and swing the door aside.

"I could easily get a qualification if I wanted to!" He warned. "And that's not the sort of tone you generally take with someone who was sitting up with you all night as you vomited into the toilet!"

Rico rolled his eyes and dry swallowed the two white capsules before sticking his tongue out at the scientist.

"Wow! So mature!" He snapped, turning sharply on his heel and walking back towards the couch stopping only to snatch his glass of pink tea off the table and sink into the arm-chair that's back faced where Private was sitting.

The front door opened and Skipper walked in, unwinding the scarf from around his neck and throwing it over the back of a chair as he nudged the door shut with the toe of his boot.

"Greetings Skipper. How was head?" Kowalski asked as the team leader quickly unfastened the buttons on his jacket.

The team leader shrugged his broad shoulders and he slipped his arms from the heavy black jacket. "Pretty good. No enemy activity over this part of the festive season apparently, which is actually putting everyone more on edge but no one really knows what to do about it either way." He stated. "I would tell you more, but then I would have to kill you."

Private giggled and the team leader set his piercing mid-blue eyes on him. "No joke soldier. You know how it is."

'Classified, Classified, Classified!' Rico mouthed behind him, clearly mocking the team leader for his well-known paranoia.

Private bit the inside of his cheeks to avoid giving Rico away and focused solely on his leader instead. "Speaking of 'The Festive season' is Christmas here again?" He asked.

The leader nodded. "Yes Private it will be, we don't really have enough leave for a trip anywhere. Not after Rico messed up the flight plans when we were on that mission to Romania." He added, scowling over his shoulder at the weapons expert who only shrugged and smiled eerily. "Anything important happen while I was gone?" He asked finally.

Kowalski made a faint thinking noise. "Not really. Nothing I can remember off the top of My head anyway."

Skippers eyes narrowed sharply. "What colour were Johnsons eyes?"

"Green."

"Good, now tell me the colour of their back-pack."

"Charcoal grey with a black stripe down the middle." Kowalski sighed. "Why am I answering useless questions about Johnson?"

"To make sure no enemy mind-wiped you." He replied, as if it were the most normal thing in the word to assume.

Then the door opened again and their upstairs neighbour was standing there. Marlene had olive skin and long thick wavy brown hair that was usually piled up in a messy bun on top of her head save for the bock fringe that covered her forehead and often dropped into her hazel eyes. She looked fairly defeated and not in the mood to put up with anything by the look of her sullen expression. "Can I come in?"

The four shared a quick but meaningful glance, hardly pausing as they read the eyes of their fellow team-mates.

"Sure." Skipper smiled, turning back to face the woman as she walked in and slumped down at the dining room table. Moments later Rico pressed a cup of tea into her hands and passed one to Skipper as well.

Kowalski stood up from his chair, unfolding his long legs and stretching with a long yawn before turning back to their female neighbour. "You don't look as if you're having a good day. Care to share?" He offered.

She blew out a puff of air upwards, ruffling her fringe as she closed her eyes. "I'm not, surprise surprise. Even after saving up every penny I could spare I don't have enough money for a plane ticket home for Christmas." She sighed. "This could quite honestly be the first time I'll have to spend it away from my family."

"Oh… I see." Kowalski mused. "So you're feeling homesick and facing bitter disappointment?"

Marlene looked up at the scientist. It was her 'I'm-this-close-to-dragging-you-across-town-and-beating-you-with-a-brick' look. "Yes. I am. And to top off this wonderful experience, I'm going to be alone on Christmas, aside from my bottle of vodka of course. Hooray for me!" She smiled bitterly.

Private sometimes hated how he always did this. Jumping into things instantly without thinking about it and winding up in some colossal trouble because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. "You can celebrate Christmas with us! We aren't going anywhere, right?"

Skipper shot him a look instantly, but it while it was the usual disappointed glare, there was actually a level of detached respect in his eyes. "That's a great Idea private. I mean, it is Christmas after all."

Marlene looked very surprised. "Oh guys, thank you, but honestly I couldn't-"

"You can and you will." Skipper corrected with a slight glare. "You have nothing to do on the 25th and we look like idiots celebrating it on our own."

The woman fiddled with her bun before finally nodding. "Sure. I'll come."

Private smiled broadly. "Oh Yay! This is going to be the best Christmas ever!"

Then the door was pushed aside again and their other neighboursentered. Maurice was in the front, his dirty blonde hair messed up and ragged like he hadn't slept in a week. This was definitely different when you looked at mort who ran eagerly around the tallest male with an excited gait and wide eyes. King Julian stood proudly behind his advisor and grinned, and threw his arms wide. "Your king is here!" He proclaimed.

Skipper blinked impassively. "If I throw a stick will you go away?"

Maurice cleared his throat. "The great and mighty King Julian is here, to spread festive Christmas Cheer." He droned, sounding bored silly by the whole charade.

Private jumped as he felt an arm over his shoulder, head jerking to the side to See the King basically lying on top of him. "Are you liking the rhyme? I was the one who was thinking it up!" He boasted, before suddenly changing attitude and sitting back on the window-bay and snapping his fingers. "MORT!"

Within the next four seconds the eight year old had jumped in front of his King and was staring eagerly up at the feet on his head. "I'm a foot-rest!" He giggled gleefully.

Skipper groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Julian, would you just go away?"

The man appeared startled, bright orange eyes going wide. "You don't want me here?" He asked, lover lip quivering pathetically.

Skipper raised one eye-brow. "What? Was I being too subtle."

The king sniffed and lifted his nose into the air and stood. "Fine. I am knowing when I am not wanted." He huffed. "And to think I was going to be sharing all of my festiveness with you over the christmasy days."

Suddenly Marlene jumped up, her face bright and excited. "Oh my god! I know what we have to do! Seven sets of confused eyes turned to her and her smile only grew bigger. "Secret Santa!"

"Secret wha?" King Julian Asked, raising one eye-brow.

"Secret Santa. It's a simple Christmas gift giving game where the players' names are placed in a hat and everyone draws out a name and buys a gift for that person. The idea is that you get a gift for the person who doesn't know it's from you, and you at the same time receive a gift that is from a mystery person." Kowalski explained with a grin. "I've always wanted to try it."

His eyes lit up like a child's. "Yes! I am liking this Secrety santa game! I say we all play! Then, I will be the most secrety santa of them all!" Julian shouted.

Mort looked up with admiration in his eyes. "Yes! You are being the most bestest ever!" He cheered

Skipper shook his head. "No. Na-uh. No way. I am not getting involved if ring-tail is." He snapped.

Private frowned. "Oh come on skipper! Get in the spirit of Christmas! This will be fun!"

The team leader looked around at the gathered people. Even Maurice seemed interested by the prospect. Under the hopeful stares he caved. "Urgh. Fine." He growled.

Ten minutes later Marlene carefully shook the ice-cream container she had in her hand, attempting not to let the little scraps of paper fall out. "Who's first?" She asked, holding the container above her head and rattling it slightly.

King Julian pushed his way to the front. "As the King, it will be me that is going first." He stated loudly before dipping his hand into the names. He fished around for a while, before quickly snatching out the scrap of paper and clutching it to his chest. He pulled it back a fraction before smiling widely and slamming it back against his chest. "This person is to be having the best secrety santa ever!" He stated.

"Right." Kowalski sighed standing and crossing over to the girl. "I'll go next if it's all right, I was awake all night helping Rico vomit up everything left in his stomach and unlike him didn't get to sleep in all morning so I'm going to bed early."

"Take your pick." She stated, gesturing for the container.

He quickly picked the first piece of paper he felt and glanced at it. "Come on." He snorted as he ripped the piece of refill paper in half. "I was at least expecting a challenge."

"Don't be quite so cocky Kowalski." Skipper warned. "The bigger they are-"

"The harder they fall." He finished with a yawn. "I'm going to bed, if anyone needs me suck it up and deal with it."

Marlene felt a tug on her skirt and looked down to she mort looking up at her with big pleading eyes. "Can I be going next? Pleeeeeeeease?!"

She lowered the container and let the boy pick out his name. He read it slowly and then cheered. "Yay! I gotted-"

He was cut off as private slapped his hand over his mouth. "Mort! The whole idea is that you don't tell everyone who you got!" He urged.

Mort giggled loudly. "Oopsies! I am getting the bestest person ever!"

Private sighed and picked out his own one, looking at it with a look of anticipation. "Ooh! This is going to be so much fun!"

Rico went next, and only stared incredulously at his before walking off to let Maurice take his place.

"I gotta tell you Marlene. This has to be one of the best Ideas I've ever heard of." Maurice chuckled, fishing out a name and reading it quickly.

"No problem. I'm guessing it saves you from buying for King Julian for once?"

He smiled wryly. "You have no Idea."

Skipper stepped up with a deep-set scowl. "I really don't like this." He stated as he pulled out a name. "I can tell this is just going to end in disaster, like that game night you tried."

Marlene raised one eye-brow as she let the last name fall into her palm. "It was great until we ran out of snacks if I remember correctly."

"Just you wait."

"No Skipper." She laughed. "Just you wait. This is going to be awesome."

ITS BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS XD

Well anyway, it's probably a bit early to be starting this but I want it to be finished by Christmas… so… You know.

ANYWAY… I thought I'd do something a little different in this story when it comes to romance. I want you to help me! So review with some pairings you want to see happen! undoubtedly there are some that I probably won't do and there are some that I'm leaning towards because they just fit with the story but nothings set in stone yet!

Also I need two villains to be romantically involved. So Review with any two villains (Excluding Dr Blowhole, because he's just to boss to be just ignored when spotted) that you want to see canoodling. (CoughSavioandClemsoncough) The one with the most votes will win.

Also, yes, I did put all their names in a hat and draw them out in order to get who they are secret Santa's too. Lol I'm weird.

Merry November everybody XD