Deck the Halls—A Holiday Special
-x-
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
-x-
The December morning air was crisp and cool, the smell of snow drifting through the small home. Windows, frosted over. Snow covered automobiles. Powdered over rooftops. And of course, tree branches sagging with the weight of the white stuff. There was never a better time of year than the end of it. The time that reminded everyone to think of others and all to be merry and bright. Every child's most coveted holiday. The reason for all store closings. And work leaves.
Christmas.
And never was there a more exciting time than Christmas morning.
A boy of about six crept into his parents' bedroom, still clad in his green striped pajamas. He didn't want to disturb them, but he couldn't wait any longer either. While he knew seven am was not exactly the most appreciated time for most people, he couldn't hold still in his own bed. He needed to go downstairs. He needed to sit under that tree. The one they had so painstakingly picked out, and spent hours decorating for weeks.
He spared no expense at jumping into their bed, figuring they were going to wake up one way or the other. "Daddy." He whispered, lightly prodding his sleeping father.
No response.
"Momma." He tried the more lucid parent.
She stirred for a moment before rolling over to her side.
He shook his head, he needed reinforcements, this wasn't a mission he could tackle alone.
So he crawled off his parents large bed, ran out the door and right down the hall. Into his younger sister's very pink, very girly room. He made a face at the pink paint and flower filled wallpaper, before heading to her princess bed.
"Mari. Mari wake up." He lightly jostled her shoulder.
She began to wake up.
"Mari, its Christmas!" He said excitedly.
Groggily, she shook the sleep from her body, her blue eyes opening to him. "Christmas?" She squeaked.
He nodded vigorously at the four year old.
That was all she needed to throw the covers off herself.
"We gotta wake up, mom and dad." He told her, as she stepped onto the floor in her footed pink pajamas.
She nodded in agreement. "I want the presents!" She chimed.
He took her hand with his, "Well, come on then!" He tugged, running down the hall.
They bounded into their parents room, jumping right between them. "Mommy, it's time. Wake up!" The little boy said, now not able to wait a minute longer.
"Daddy, Christmas time! Presents!" The girl put her tiny hands on the father's arm, shaking him.
They both stirred groggily, their mother before their father. "Ryo, sweetheart, what time is it?" She asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"Seven something." He began bouncing on his knees.
"Santa came, momma. There are these many presents under the tree!" The girl spread her arms as far as they could go.
She smiled at both her children. "Matt, baby. It's Christmas." She leaned over to her husband, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
He stretched lazily, giving a loud yawn.
"The cookies we left are gone too, Mom!" Ryo told her.
She laughed, giving a pointed look to Matt. "I guess Santa was hungry, it's a good thing you guys left him a snack." She ruffled his already mussed blonde hair.
"Time is it, Mimi?" Matt asked, stifling another yawn.
"Seven." She rolled her eyes.
She couldn't even be irritated though, because both her kids looked beside themselves with excitement. Both of their blue eyes glittering up at her, smiles stretching over their faces.
Mari crossed her tiny arms over her chest. "Get up already, Daddy!" She scolded. "There are presents and snow and stockings with candy." Her eyes widened in awe.
Matt grinned, scooping his tiny girl into his arms. "Candy, really?" He asked, tickling her ribs.
She giggled, writhing in his arms. "Daddy!" She shrieked
Mimi shook her head. "She'll get hurt, babe. Let her go." She gave his shoulder a slight push, before stepping off the bed.
"C'mon Rye, let's get downstairs." She held out a hand for her son.
The blonde jumped off the bed, taking her hand.
Matt followed after them, Mari in his arms chirping about the miracles of Christmas and Santa Claus.
Both eyes went wide at the sight of the pile of presents underneath their much too extravagantly decorated tree. And stocking filled with candy canes and chocolate hanging over the electric fireplace.
Ryo shook off his mother's hand, Mari jumped out of her father's arms, both racing to slide into the monstrous pile of gifts.
Mimi stifled a yawn behind her hand, taking a seat on the sofa. Matt sat beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "You know, I didn't even like Christmas until you came along." He murmured into her hair.
Mimi laughed. "Believe me, Scrooge. I remember." She agreed.
"You just, you gave me no choice but to appreciate the stupid gift-exchanging holiday." He said. "Especially after that one present…" He trailed off, running his fingertips over her arm.
Mimi looked up at him. "Which one?" She asked.
"You know, you had just turned eighteen, I finally had my own apartment." He hinted.
It clicked. "Right…that one." She winked. "You found me, wrapped in nothing but a big red bow." She said wickedly.
"I know it was—
"Whoa, look at this!" Ryo exclaimed from his place on the floor. "It's so cool!" He held up gigantic fire truck, with working lights, sirens and intercom.
"That's awesome buddy, see it pays off to be good every year." Matt told him.
"Mommy, who's this from?" Mari padded over, a wrapped gift in her hand.
Mimi turned it over, "Santa, of course, baby." She patted the top of her brown hair.
"Tai and Sora." She muttered to Matt. "You remembered to give them the presents for Junior, right?" She asked in a low voice.
Matt nodded. "Dropped them off yesterday after work." He assured her.
Mari plopped down at their feet, her tiny hands ripping through the green and red paper.
"Wrapping paper suffers so much abuse." Matt winced. "We shouldn't even bother using it, it only gets thrown away." He suggested.
"Yeah, let's try that next year." Mimi said sarcastically.
"I wanted this!" She yelped.
Matt raised his eyebrows. "Easy Bake Oven? They still make those?" He asked.
Mimi nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder. "Daddy's going to help you bake." Mimi teased, scrunching her nose up at Matt.
"Yeah, I don't think so." He kissed her forehead.
"Woah, cool! It's the T-Bot 4000!" Ryo held up the robot. "I wanted this the most!" He said in amazement.
"You like it, sweetie?" Mimi asked.
He nodded vigorously. "Yes." He beamed.
Mimi nodded, "Good, give me a kiss then." She said, waggling a finger for him to come over
He pecked her on the lips, before running back to the tree.
"Really hope he plays with that. So expensive…" Matt shook his head.
Mimi chuckled. "I know, but it's the one thing he really wanted." She smiled at their son.
"Mommy, is this for me?" Mari came over with a box almost too large for her to carry.
Mimi gently took it from her. "Come here." She patted the spot next to her.
Matt helped her onto the sofa. "See this says, Amara Rei Ishida. Know who that is?" She smiled down at the four year old.
Her big blue eyes widened. "Me." She pointed at herself.
"So go on, open it." Mimi handed her the gift.
"It's the baby alive she's been begging for." Mimi informed Matt.
He frowned. "Those things are creepy." He commented.
"Baby Alive!" Mari swooned, hugging the doll to her chest. "Daddy, how does Santa know exactly what everyone wants for Christmas?" She wondered.
"Because you write to him, baby." He explained. "Remember the letter you wrote with Mommy, the one we mailed to the North Pole?" He asked her.
She nodded.
Matt ran a hand through her soft brown hair. "Well, Santa checked his list of kids who had been good this year—
"Like me." She said confidently.
Mimi dropped a kiss on the girl's forehead.
"Yes, exactly. So he listened to you." Matt finished.
Mari beamed at both of her parents. "So if I be good all the years, I'll get all the presents?" She marveled.
"Yeah. That's exactly it, Mar." Mimi said, giving a small laugh.
She kissed both her parents before running off to join her brother.
"I believe it's time for your gift, Mrs. Ishida." Matt whispered into her ear.
Mimi's eyes lit up. "Finally." She said exasperated. "I've been waiting for my present all morning." She said playfully.
Matt laid a soft kiss on her lips. "Just one second." He got off the couch, lifting the cushion up.
Mimi watched him quizzically, not sure why he would behave so strangely. When he pulled out a small, rectangular box from underneath it. Wrapped in red wrapping paper, with a bow across the length of it.
Mimi waited for him to hand it to her; she glanced up at him before carefully unwrapping it. There was a box inside it, she took the lid off. "Matt…it's beautiful." She gasped, holding the delicate diamond bracelet against the sunlight.
It glittered and shined, each elegant stone reflecting and refracting light into her eyes. She gave it to him. "Put it on?" She extended her wrist.
He gently put it around her wrist. "Do you like it?" he asked genuinely.
Mimi raised an eyebrow. "I love it, thank you!" She threw her arms around him, her cheek lying against his neck.
He smiled into her hair, hugging her real close. "Good, coz you know I'm not great with picking out jewelry and stuff." He mumbled.
She giggled. "I know, but it's amazing. I'm in love." She held the bracelet in front of her eyes. "Be honest, your sister totally helped." She said, still unable to stop smiling.
Matt opened his mouth to deny it, before closing it. "Yeah…" He said sheepishly.
"Well, Zoe's got excellent taste." She winked. "But, seriously, I love it." She promised.
"Anyway, since we're exchanging gifts and all, might as well give you yours." She continued coyly.
Matt raised his eyebrows. "Nothing hand stitched…right?" He asked cautiously.
Mimi gave him a glare. "No." She said, rolling her eyes. "I only did that once and you could appreciate it you know." She pouted.
Matt chuckled. "It was a really bad sweater, baby." He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
She gave him a dirty look, before getting up and walking towards the tree.
"Well, it kinda was." He defended.
Mimi rummaged through the wrapping paper and still unopened presents to find the one she had been searching for. "What's that momma?" Ryo asked in the middle of unwrapping yet another toy.
Mimi looked down at the box. "It's a present, for Daddy." She answered.
"Daddy gets presents from Santa Claus?" Mari chirped. "Isn't he too old?" She wrinkled her nose.
"No one's ever too old for presents!" Matt said from his seat on the couch.
Both of them laughed, as Mimi padded over to her husband. "So it isn't a sweater or anything that needs to be assembled." She guaranteed.
"Always a plus." He agreed she gave him the square box.
He opened it to find a gold watch. "Rolex? You really think I'm worth the trouble?" He smirked.
Mimi lightly hit his chest, "Like it?" She asked timidly.
He gave her a smile, "I do." He said honestly. "Thank you." He bent down to place a kiss on her lips.
"Good Christmas?" She asked.
"Always." He laid a hand over her cheek.
-x-
A/N: Started this Christmas day, but I didn't really get to finish it till 2am. I thought the idea was cute, it was really a holiday fluff piece. I think Mimi and Matt would have the cutest kids. So yeah. Reviews are nice. It's the holidays, be generous.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
-Chris.