This is also posted as another chapter in my Soul Eater fic. Enjoy this mediocre Christmas Fic and Merry Christmas!
No Mistletoe (Christmas Special)
He knew that he was officially screwed the moment he agreed to take part in it. The damn gift exchange. When you're stuck in your freezing house in Germany training for 365 days a year (including that crazy one where you leave sugar treats for some overweight jerk so he can break into your house and leave presents that he somehow knew you wanted), you're pretty slow when it comes to the holidays.
When Siegfried first received the name of the person he was assigned to purchase gifts for,
("Secret Santa?" That's just ridiculous)
his throat went dry and immediately requested that he switched with his partner. Of course, he had no intention of even thinking of a "perfectly symmetrical" gift for Lord Death's basket case of a son, so he later changed his mind.
He sat with his hands clasped against the sides of his head (in a noble yet hilarious attempt to keep his brain from tumbling out), his seventh cup of eggnog sitting patiently on the table in front of him, the name of his assigned person throbbing in his brain.
Maka... what the hell am I supposed to buy for...
...
"...Maka? Dude, easy: just buy her a book or something."
"A book? what are you, nuts?" He was already frustrated about arguing with his partner over such stupid things: who was in charge of purchasing the eggnog, who was in charge of decorating the apartment (ri-diculous) and, just recently, over Siegfried's "distasteful" sweater (because switching from a gray sweater with black stripes to a red one with white stripes apparently makes you look like a giant fucking candy cane).
"Yeah, I'm serious. What are you getting all worked up over?"
He sighed. "I really want to get her something meaningful. To me, getting her a stingy book doesn't cut it."
"Even though she loves to read?" Sig nodded. "I can't say that I agree, honestly."
"Oh?" Here we go again; more stupid arguing. "Why's that?"
"You're thinking with your hart too much." He pointed to his skull. "Your sweatshop up here needs to start working."
"Wait, what? It's wrong of me to want to get something to show her how much I love her?"
"What I'm saying is that you need to cool it. Maka doesn't know that you like her yet. Unless you're planning on telling her on Christmas Eve, spending your cash on something expense isn't the best idea."
He opened his mouth to say something and closed it. He couldn't argue with that. "Alright, you've got a point. Still, I have to get her something... He lowered his eyes. "Crap."
"Hm?"
"I have a really awkward idea."
...
"I'm sorry, but you do not reach the age requirement to enter. You must be 21 years or older to enter Chupa-"
"Please, I just want to speak to Mr. Death Scy-"
"Siegfried?" The familiar voice made Sig's already reddened face grow hot. "What are you doing here?"
He turned around quickly, trying his best to come up with an excuse. "Maka! Hey, I was just, uh, you know, taking a walk, and-"
"...And you tried to enter Chupacabra's..." She gave him a disgusted look.
"Nonononono! I mean, I just wanted to ask your father-"
As if on cue, Maka''s father slumbered past the waitress and out of the foul-smelling building. "Hey hey hey!" He cried drunkenly. "These ladies really know how to celebrate during the holidays, huh...?" His awkward question trailed off as he noticed his daughter and her expression. The tip of his Santa hat dangled in front of him pathetically.
...
"MAKAAAA! Why won't you love me!?"
Maybe it's because you're a drunken mess all the damn time? Sig slid a box of tissues across the table with his finger. Thankfully, I was able to explain to Maka why I was at that hellhole without revealing that I was getting her a gift...
"So why did you want to talk to me?" Spirit asked, sobbing. He plucked a tissue.
"Well, I'm sort of Maka's... Secret... Santa..." He twiddled his thumbs, his face red.
"And you came to me for an idea of what to get her?" He blew his nose rather loudly as Siegfried nodded. "Very wise of you. So, what was the gift that you had in mind?"
"Well, Jaxx was thinking of getting her a book, but-"
Unacceptable! He slammed his fist on the table.
"B-but I said that was nonsense and that I should get her something better!"
"Heh, damn straight!" Nothings too good for my sweet little girl!" He clasped his hands together, his eyes bright.
Jeez, this dude is a lunatic.
...
She had her ear against the door from the moment she heard her father's irritating sobs. She was about to walk off with a look of irritation on her face when she heard Siegfried's voice.
Ugh... why does he have to be so pathetic... but why is Siegfried... ... Oh...
She waited until the conversation was over and greeted Siegfried as he stepped out of the office, surprised reaction and all.
"H-hey! How's everything going?" He asked her.
"Fine, you?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking back at the office. "Things... could be better."
She smiled. "So you're my Secret Santa, huh?"
"Wha? How did you-"
"Trust me, I know my Papa's crying when I hear it. I couldn't resist listening in."
He shook his head. "Well, since you already know... is there anything in particular that you would want?"
Maka lowered her eyes
(She looks so cute when she does that)
and said: "Really. You of all people are asking me that? Knowing what my hobby is?" As if to prove her point, she brought out the book that she was hiding behind her back.
Sig chuckled. "Trust me; getting you a book was the first thing on my mind, but..."
"But...?"
"Well... I wanted to get you something more... you know..." He looked away, unable to keep a blush off of his face. "...Meaningful."
She cocked her head to one side. "Meaningful?" She noticed his reddened face and darting eyes and smiled. "...Siegfried?" When he looked back at her, she walked over to him and slowly kissed his cheek, hands behind her back in that adorable way, blonde pigtails bouncing. She pulled her head back and giggled at his reaction. "Mistletoe," she said softly, and walked off.
Siegfried, who was having a nervous breakdown on the inside and a mini heatstroke on the outside, looked up slowly and was surprised to see that the ceiling was completely empty.
...
Sig hung his gift from Blackstar over the couch in the apartment as Jaxx devoured his gift from Tsubaki with bliss.
"SO," Jaxx asked, his mouth full, "you got Maka a book after all, eh?" No response. Jaxx watched his partner turn around with his hand on his left cheek. "Dude?"
"...I'm never washing this cheek again." He threw himself on the couch, the mediocre signed self-portrait of Blackstar hanging on the wall above.
"No mistletoe."