Disclaimer: I do not own Galactik Football.

The Sulky Elf

Rocket looked at the grinning face of his girlfriend in horror.

"Seriously?"

Tia beamed in return.

"Do I have to?" he whined.

She pouted and he sighed, gathering the garments from her hands and going to the bathroom to change into the present she had bought for him, all the while muttering on how stupid he was. And it was a good thing he had taken notice to that, for in all honesty, he had had it coming.

It had happened two days prior. That weekend was going to mark the beginning of the New Year on Akillian –which was the biggest event celebrated over the entire planet with all sorts of presents, traditions, songs and parties and whatnot.

Tia and Rocket, both clueless, had gone out to shop for presents for their friends and families. The shopping arcade was a crazy place they both liked to avoid usually, and it had never been as crazy as it was then, Rocket was sure. They had had to wait in lines for hours, be beaten by mental people who wanted to reach for the specific thing they wanted, witnessed little kids dragging their parents around wishing for toy after toy and it had been an overall exhausting experience.

"At least," Tia said as they got out of the post office after sending her presents to her parents, "It didn't go to waste, we got everything we wanted."

"I still need something for my Mom," Rocket said, giving a look at his bags, "Are you sure I don't have to get anything for your parents?"

"I'm sure," Tia reached up and messed his hair, "That's sweet of you to think about it but you are not so close anyway."

"Maybe we should be," Rocket wondered to himself, "You get along pretty well with my parents, you got them presents."

"Your parents are lovely people and we spend a lot of time with them, that's why," Tia said rearranging the bags she carried, "Mine are barely around. Besides if you did send something over to them and I hadn't told them in advance so that they could find something to send for you, they would never forgive me."

"If you say so," Rocket said, "What should I get for my Mom, then?"

"I don't really know," Tia stopped and looked around for inspiration, "I got my Mom one of those historical romance books she likes to read for fun. It's her guilty pleasure," she said when her eyes landed on a bookstore, "But I've never seen Keira reading one."

"No, she reads more about classical theatre and things," Rocket pondered, "And she has every other book on that and some more already."

"Something decorative, like a portrait?" Tia suggested.

"That would be more like a present for the house," Rocket scratched his hair, "You were the one who said that it was not nice to get your parents things that were not solely for them on special occasions."

"Oh, right," Tia said, remembering how she had scolded Micro-Ice to not to give that blender to his mother for her birthday. Especially not with a note on how he was looking forward to fresh morning juices she would make with them. That was like a buying a present for yourself.

Amongst all the noise surrounding them, they fell into silence.

"How about something to wear, then?" Tia said, "One never has enough clothes on Akillian."

"You never have enough clothes on Akillian," Rocket corrected, "We seriously should have that checked, it's not normal."

"I'm under Dame Simbai's constant control," Tia rolled her eyes; "It's not as bad as you make it out to be."

"Has Dame Simbai ever seen you when you're cold?" Rocket pestered, "When your hands are all ghostly white and your nails start turning purple? It looks like you're dead."

"That doesn't happen quite as often," Tia retaliated, "I don't even feel so cold."

"Yeah, they're cold beyond the point you can feel them, that's why," Rocket shook his head, "They're like ice when I touch them."

"Stop touching them then," Tia shrugged.

"It's scary to see," Rocket muttered. "Anyway, put on your gloves, let's get out of here."

"But Keira's present?"

"I'll check some of the vintage shops around town," Rocket said,as they made their way through the parking lot, "She's into such stuff. But I can do it after I give you a ride back to Academy."

"Why? Let's get this over with as we're at it," Tia said.

"But you'll get cold..."

"Honestly, Rocket," she rolled her eyes again and got behind him, "Just drive will you?"

And so they had gone to those shops. And in one where there were many weird costumes and props and things, Rocket had actually found something his mother would love: an old original recording of a song she loved to sing. But as he turned around to tell Tia that she could stop looking, his eyes caught onto something and he set the record back in its place slowly as not to draw attention to himself and approached her with a few strides, a plan already formed in his head.

"Hey, Tia," he said casually, "What do you think of this?"

Tia looked up and quirked an eyebrow at him:

"It's a Santa's little helper costume," she explained as if that was an answer as to what she thought about it.

"Yeah, I know," he rolled his eyes.

"Why would you want to buy your mother such a thing?" she said, giving him her full attention now, "Are you trying to liven up the bedroom of your parents?"

He shuddered at the thought:

"No, uh, don't say such things," he shook the mental image out of his head and concentrated on the plan at hand, "Mom had played such a character in one of her short student films, I think it might be a nice way to remind her of the good times..."

"Really?" Tia quirked an eyebrow, "Let me see it when we get back, I can't believe I missed it."

"Okay, I will."

Such a movie did exist, but Keira was an old Mrs. Claus in it, not a sexy little helper (thank Flux!), so he still needed find a way to distract her from that.

"Well, if you really think it'd be a good present..."

"Will you try it on?" he asked suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Tia looked at him like he had grown a second head.

"So that I'll know which size to buy," he shrugged, nonchalantly.

"No offence to Keira, but I doubt we're the same size."

"I know, we'll just get two sizes bigger or something." Well, he had never said it was a great plan.

Tia was looking at him like she was trying to see whether he had gotten drunk over the brandy they had tasted at Planet Akillian when they stopped there on their way from the arcade –they had merely gotten small shots of it and she had never seen Rocket get drunk but it was a plausible explanation. Her eyes darted between his perfectly innocent face and the red and white costume he was now holding towards her. She shrugged and took it from him, making her way towards the changing cabins. Rocket fisted the air in triumph behind her.

When she came out with a playful smirk, his mind was made. The red satin fit her like a glove, complementing her curves and accentuating her pale skin. The top was strapless and the skirt was full and stopped at her upper thigh with white fur attached to its hem. There was a thick black belt around her waist. She had worn the high heeled black boots and the red hat with a furry top to complete the picture. Rocket suddenly had a new found love for this holiday.

"Well?" Tia put her hands on her hips and looked at him expectantly, "Are you getting it?"

"Most definitely."

And he had thought he had managed to get the one with her size and also the record for his mother without her realizing but apparently he hadn't given her enough credit. Because when he had given her the wrapped up costume, instead of being surprised and scolding him on how they had agreed not to buy gifts to each other, she had smiled brightly and pulled out a box of her own.

To say Rocket was mortified to find a Santa's elf costume in it, was an understatement. And he couldn't even do anything but purse his lips and look incredibly unhappy since she thanked for her present as if he had not tricked her into trying it and lied to her about getting it for his mother. She even wore the hat for the rest of the day; so he couldn't even make jabs about it.

But the situation he was in right now was entirely Thran's fault, so maybe he could whine later to him. He was ready to chunk the stupid thing into the depths of his wardrobe and never see it again but Thran had gotten sick; so sick that he couldn't get out of bed and he couldn't join in on the festivities or see the decorations. He was stuck in his room with Ahito snoring all day long in the opposite bed.

So Tia had come up with the brilliant idea that they needed take the spirit to him to cheer him up and what better way was there to dress up in their new costumes and sing traditional songs for him? Rocket needed to wipe that sulk away from his face; he did like seeing her as the Santa-lady, right?

And thus Rocket was clad in white and green striped socks, pointy green boots, some dark green khakis and a woollen turtleneck pullover of the same colour with black suspenders over his shoulders. Oh and there was the green hat; whose pointy furry top insisted on falling into his face. He was not a happy elf.

Thran had been happy though, Ahito had woken up to his cheers and they had both clapped as Tia sung for them and Rocket stood around awkwardly. He had most definitely wanted to run away when Micro-Ice had led the rest of the team to the twins' room with a camera in his hands.

But everyone had a good laugh over it and Mei commented he pulled it off quite nicely and D'Jok wanted to try it on but Tia said it was for Rocket only and even though Micro-Ice threw a wolf whistle at her and the guys all agreed she would be a little helper they'd want around, he didn't mind much because they were right and he was aware it was all friendly banter.

Tia caught his gaze and winked at him and he smirked; one day, the costume was going to make an appearance again and then he would have it his way.

A little something, because I like torturing Rocket.

Editted some typos I saw.