Yes, a Christmas fanfic in the middle of summer. Weird, I know. I came up with a headcanon that Camilla knits really awful Christmas sweaters for everyone and I had to write it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem. I'm pretty sure we all know that, though.
"I'm not sure I want to be the one to tell her." Corrin whispered, just outside of Camilla's door. "You know what she'll do! She'll think I don't love her, and try to make me love her again by constantly telling me she loves me! She'll never leave me alone!"
"Hey, I like Camilla's sweaters!" Elise said. "Why don't you?"
"They're embarrassing." Leo said. "Xander should tell her."
"Why me?"
"You are the oldest. She's more likely to understand if you tell her." Corrin reasoned. "If it was any of us, she would hug us, and never let us go, and tell us how much she loved us until we said we wanted her sweaters. And probably not then."
"I still don't understand why you don't like them. I think they're cute. In a weird sort of way. Besides, it's family tradition!" Elise said.
"We have to tell her." Xander said. "I can't have us wearing sweaters when Hinoka and her family are here! And, worse," He shuddered. "She'll make her and her siblings one too."
"I can't wait to finally meet your girlfriend! I'm sure she's awesome. I can't believe you've been dating for, what, a year? Yeah, and we're only going to meet her now! What are her siblings like-"
"That's not what we were talking about, Elise." Leo said.
"Aw, I was just trying to change the subject. I don't want you to break her heart."
"I'll do what I must." Xander said, quietly opening Camilla's door. His siblings hid behind the door, hoping Camilla would not notice them. "Camilla?"
Camilla looked up from her knitting. "I heard everything Xander."
"What? You did?"
"I can't believe you would do something like that…"
"Camilla… I'm sorry."
"I need a better apology."
"I'm sorry we don't like your sweaters."
"Ah-ha! So that's what it is!"
"You didn't really-"
"No. I knew I would never get the truth out of you if I didn't trick you. But I can't believe you don't like them. Did… Did the others feel the same way?" She had a heartbroken look on her face, as Xander had prepared himself for.
"No! I mean… Elise loves them!"
"What about Leo and Corrin?"
"Well… You know Hinoka and her family are coming over for Christmas, and we really don't want to make a bad first impression."
"Don't avoid the question."
"No. They think they're, well, embarrassing."
"I knew it. You and Leo I could expect, but my darling Corrin feels the same way?" She got a fierce gleam in her eyes. "I know what that means."
"That you'll stop making them?"
"That they're not good enough! I have to try harder! More extravagant!"
"M-more extravagant?" Xander shivered as he had a flashback to the sweaters from the year before.
"I suppose I'll have to restart… I'd already made sweaters for Elise and all her friends." She smiled. "But it's worth it. Thank you, Xander."
"What! No! That's not-"
"If you'd excuse me, I have some materials to buy."
Corrin, Leo, and Elise scrambled out from behind the door and as far away from Camilla's room as possible, before she walked out.
"Hey Camilla!" Elise said, bouncing into Camilla's room. "How are those sweaters coming along?"
"Wonderful! I only have one left."
"Yay! Can I see mine?"
"Sorry, darling. But isn't it tradition for them to be a surprise?" Elise pouted. "Aw, maybe just a peek."
"Really?"
"Yes, but in exchange for some information."
"Aw, no fair! Blackmailing your sister? C'mon, Camilla!"
"Heh, heh. I'm sorry, but I really need to know: what do you know about Xander's girlfriend's family?"
"How should I know?"
"So he hasn't told you anything about them?"
"Well… Maybe a little."
"Tell me everything! Size, favorite color-"
"Woah, I don't think I know all that."
"Well, tell me what you do know."
"To start, Hinoka has three siblings…"
"When are they gonna be here, Xander?" Elise asked.
"Any minute now."
"I can't wait to meet them!"
"I feel the same." Camilla said.
Xander grimaced. There was a knock at the door. "That's them. I want you all to make a good impression, okay?"
"Okay!" Elise grinned, as her siblings nodded. The question seemed mainly directed at Camilla, and her sweaters. But, they all knew nothing they said would change her mind.
Xander opened the door, and in came a girl with bright red hair. She gave Xander a quick hug before coming inside. "Hey." Her siblings came in after her.
"I hope you'll all make yourself at home here." Xander said.
Camilla whispered to Elise, "I thought you said she had three siblings!"
"I thought she did! I don't know who that one girl is."
"Everyone, this is Hinoka." Xander said, gesturing to the redhead, even though it was obvious enough. "And these are her siblings, Ryoma, Takumi, Sakura, and Azura."
"Azura, hmm?" Camilla mumbled. "I suppose it's not too late to make another."
"Nice to meet you! I'm Elise!"
"I'm Leo."
"My name is Corrin." Hinoka and her siblings looked a bit shocked. "What is it?"
"Oh… We just had a sister by the same name. But she went missing ages ago." Hinoka answered. "So, I guess it's not you."
"No. This is my family, so it couldn't be. I'm sorry."
"You didn't do anything, so no need to be sorry."
Elise nudged Camilla. "Oh!" She exclaimed, snapping out of her daydreams, her ideas for Azura's sweater. "I'm Camilla."
"Hey, Xander! Shouldn't we get father in here?" Elise asked.
"Of course."
"No need." Garon walked into the room, and Azura tensed up.
"Father! This is Hinoka." Xander said. "And her siblings."
At that moment, there was another knock at the door. Xander answered it, and all of his and his sibling's friends flooding in.
A while after dinner, Camilla made an announcement. "I have a present for everyone!" Her siblings, save Elise, cringed.
"You didn't have to do that." Ryoma said.
"It's tradition!"
"It really is!" Elise said. Everyone else nodded in agreement.
"I'll be right back!" Camilla ran into her room, and came out with a stack of boxes. "We'll start with our guests!"
"There really was no need for-" Ryoma began.
"Of course there was." She handed him a box, and then handed his siblings theirs. She sat the other boxes beside her, waiting to see their reaction.
Takumi opened his first. He gasped, horrified. He held a bulky sweater covered in glitter and Christmas lights. There was a crest on the sweater, one that Elise had told Camilla was the symbol of their family. Hinoka elbowed him, as if a warning to be nice. He said, "Thank you?"
The others opened theirs, to find them all equally horrible. The only difference was the colors. They all said thank you, though it seemed none of them meant it. Camilla, however, did not realize that.
"I'm so glad you like them! I wish I could have made them more elaborate-"
"More elaborate?" Takumi muttered.
"But I didn't know enough about you. But, on the bright side- literally- the Christmas lights actually work!"
Hinoka found a switch on her sweater, flipped it, and it lit up. "How in the world did she do that?"
"And I'm afraid Azura's was thrown together last minute. I didn't know you would be coming."
"It's okay." She smiled.
"You're all so sweet!" Then Camilla handed out the rest of her boxes, having to go back to her room to grab more boxes several times.
"Now for the best ones!" She handed a box to Elise, who squealed, Leo, Xander, Corrin, and Garon.
"Wow!" Elise pulled her pink sweater over her head. It was covered in twice the glitter as the others. "I love it!"
As her other siblings opened there's, they all told Camilla the same thing, but with less enthusiasm. Because they hated them.
Garon opened his, and actually smiled (much to Hinoka and her siblings' surprise), a genuine smile. "Thank you, Camilla."
"I'm so glad everyone likes them!"
"Where's yours?" Elise asked.
"Mine? It seems I forgot to make one for myself this year."
"Camilla…" Corrin felt a twinge of guilt. Camilla had put so much work into their happiness, she had completely forgot about herself. And Camilla loved sweaters.
"It's not problem. I can always make one later."
"How did you find the time to make all of these?" Hinoka asked.
"Oh, it's not as hard as it seems. It did take was a few sleepless nights, but it was worth it." Hinoka and her sibling seemed a bit thrown off by how nonchalantly she said it. "I would gladly make everyone a second, right now, if it would make you happy."
"N-no!" Hinoka said. "I mean, we're perfectly happy with your, um, wonderful gifts."
"I'm so glad. Next year, you should should all bring your friends, too! The more the merrier!"
"Are you sure you could make that many sweaters?" Hinoka asked, hoping she couldn't.
"Of course she can! It's tradition!" Elise said.
"She is right, you know. Now who wants cookies?"
"That's another tradition! Camilla's famous cookies!"
Leo whispered to Corrin, "Personally, I think it's a better tradition."