Day 2! Most of these will be uploaded around now, simply because it's easier for me to post them later because I'm on break now and have no intentions of waking up early and will be doing various things (hello, Christmas shopping...)

This one's a little longer, thankfully, but all in all pretty cute.

$4$

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is
You…

- "All I Want for Christmas," by My Chemical Romance (Don't mock me. It's a really good cover, despite the fact that I am no longer a 13-year-old girl. Look it up on YouTube.)

Magenta didn't like Christmas.

This wasn't because she was a naturally abrasive person by nature and just disliked the holiday because everyone else loved it so much (please… like she would try that hard), or for some idiotic, simpering Hot Topic emo kid hates the world bullshit. She just didn't the holiday season.

And why the hell would she? She lived the most confusing holiday season of anyone she knew. Her mother was raised staunch Italian Catholic- she was the oldest of five, lived in Brooklyn for the first 20 years of her life, and was completely badass (and a Super). On the other hand, her father was an only child from central Jersey, Jewish, and a denist. Oh, and he didn't really give a crap about his religion, even though her mother felt guilty and decided it would be best if they celebrated both holidays each year. Maybe most kids would find it fun to get gifts on each holiday, but she just found it annoying and confusing.

This was why it was easier just being atheist.

She still had to buy presents, though. Which sucked, because that required money.

So here she was. She needed a job, and of course, because her life sucked so hard, this was the only place that was willing to hire her.

Oh yeah. He life sucked. Really, really hard.

"What do you want for Christmas, Little Sally?"

If she did much more of this, she was going to take a Red Ryder BB Gun(1) and eat it.

"Oh, now let me get my right-hand elf, Holly, to get you a little treat."

She wanted to tell him so badly what he could do with his 'little treat,' but that would doubtlessly get her fired and she really needed the money because she still had to get presents for Layla and Zach. And she kinda wanted to get Zach something nice.

Damn her life.

She gave the little blonde girl a candy cane, smiled slightly (because that was all the fake emotion they were ever gonna get out of her) and picked up Sally and handed her off to her mom. She turned back to the waiting crowd of impatient parents and overexcited kids and said, "Alright, next in line."

The line shuffled forward, the next people stepping forward to hand in their paid ticket so they could have their little precious plopped on 'Santa's' lap and snap a few cute photos at a price just short of their souls (actually, it was more towards the tune of $39.99(2)).

But when she saw who was next in line, her brain and everything else that went along with it shut down.

She wasn't really all that recognizable. Her hair was tied back in two low pigtails at the nape of her neck and tied back with curled red ribbon. The mall forced her to wear a ridiculous getup of red and white striped stockings, a green dress with a red belt, red gloves, and a red and green felt cap with a drooping, pointed top that had three bells at the end of it. Oh, and green booties with pointed, curled toes and another bell at the end of each one.

She looked like the Ghost of Christmas Hell threw up on her.

And yet, somehow, he was here. What the hell? It's not like she told anyone she was working here. In fact, she made sure no one actually knew she had a job at all. Any time she couldn't make a plan with Layla or the rest of the gang, she would make up some perfect excuse like her mom was forcing her into lockdown to clean her room (it was almost always in a state of near biohazard), or a random dentist appointment. And since the guys hated the mall and Layla wasn't a fan of fascist corporate conglomerates forcing their biased views down her throat while slaughtering several million animals each year to fuel their wretched clothing lines, it wasn't like she ever really had to worry about running into someone she knew at the mall.

Plus, none of them had kids, so it wasn't like they would ever need an excuse to get a picture taken with some old fat guy in a red and white suit.

And yet he was here. She wasn't sure if it would be smarter to turn and run in the opposite direction or just plead the Fifth and pretend as though she didn't have the slightest clue who he was.

He seemed to make up her mind for her because he grinned at her in that sheepish, dopey way of his and said, "Hey, Mage." His face was rapidly turning kind of scarlet, clashing horribly with his pale hair and green clothes, reminding her of the very holiday she was working for and hated.

"I know you're probably pretty pissed at me right now," he said, wincing slightly and bouncing on the balls of his feet. "But I was shopping for Christmas presents and I saw you here and before I knew it was standing in line and you actually look really cute dressed as an elf. Just sayin'." Now he was actually scarlet, and she was pretty sure if the lights were off right then he'd be brighter than a homing beacon.

And she was pretty embarrassed about this, too. It was bad enough she was dressed like a damned elf, why did he have to choose today of all days to shop and notice her here?

She glanced away, her own cheeks tingeing with pink as she noticed all her coworkers, Santa, and the parents and their kids were watching this awful little conversation unfold. "Listen," she began.

"Anyway," he said at the same time, rushing forward even though he knew he cut her off. "I know it's not Christmas yet but I saw you here and I just wanted to do this-"

Before she had the chance to look back up at him in confusion, he leaned down and gently kissed her.

He pulled back slowly, giving everyone the chance to appreciate her truly stunned expression. "Merry Christmas, Mage," he said, giving her his dopey grin one last time before he turned around and began his trek back into the actual mall.

Even though she hated her job, and Santa, and all those annoying parents and their screaming brats, nothing could stop the small smile from forming on her face.

Maybe Christmas wasn't so bad after all.

$4$

This was really cute, and it'll probably be one of my favorites of the entire 12-Days series. I don't often write Magenta/Zach, which is a shame because I think they're adorable together (well, I also think the kid that plays Zach is adorable, too- and he's on that admittedly charming TV show 10 Things I Hate About You, so I get to watch him and want to hug him pretty regularly).

So far, I have the first 3 days finished (I finished Day 3 before this one) and Day 4 started and a good idea of what I'm doing for Day 5 and 6.