Chapter 8

"We haven't introduced ourselves to Eren properly." Tooth told Anya, who was staring at the washing machine. The two have been asked by North to wash Eren's clothes because he complained about the dirt and stench of it.

(Okay, Eren demanded for his clothes to be cleaned.)

"Yes, but…can we trust him?" Anya asked Tooth, her eyes still fixed on the clothes as it swirled around with the water inside the machine.

The fairy shrugged, not sure of what to answer.


"HAHAHA! HOT WATER IS THE BEST!" Jack listened to the boy's loud booming voice of approval. He could hear the water running from his position beside the bathroom's door located in North's second study room.

Jack knocked on the door. "Hey, everything all right in there?"

"Yes." Eren answered.

Jack shrugged, thinking that everything was fine.

"I'll leave your 'whatever gear' on the table, ok?" The winter sprite laid the contraption on the table and left without waiting for an answer from Eren.


The work inside North's workshop continued after the not-so-guardianship of Eren. The atmosphere was lively because 4 weeks from now will be Christmas.

Above the factory, where the gigantic globe stood, was North. He was focused on the globe, eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed to a thin line.

"Something's not right."

The lights on the globe shone brightly as it did before, yet an uneasy feeling built up inside him. North raised his invention, the fear gyroscope, and scanned the entire globe – again – for their enemy. He was about to finish his scan when something caught his eye.

"Bunny." He called the guardian who was in the middle of eating a gingerbread cookie.

"Yeah, mate?"

"Where's Eren?"

Bunny pointed at the door of North's second study room.


The door opened slowly as the brunette cautiously looked inside.

I guess he's still in the bathroom.

She crept in and closed the door behind her. She looked around.

"Which table should I put this on?" The girl held the newly washed clothes of the boy. Tooth gave her the task of bringing it up to the study room and placing it on the table.

However, there were five tables with different shapes and sizes inside the room and Anya had no idea which table Tooth was referring to. Her gaze fleeted from one furniture to another, choosing where she should place the clothes.

"I guess I'll choose this one—"

The bathroom door swung open and Anya froze. Steam from the bathroom poured out as the boy from earlier emerged. He was clad in nothing but the towel wrapped around his waist, and the sight caused Anya to squeal and hide her face behind the clothes in her hands.

Eren stopped. "Tch, the hell are you doing here?" He asked rudely.

"Um… w-well I j-just—" Anya couldn't form a coherent sentence as her face heated. She had been too late in covering her face that she saw the boy's upper torso.

"Speak up."

"I came t-to – um – deliver your c-clothes." She sidestepped to the nearest table, avoiding looking at the half-naked boy.

"Why are you covering your face?"

"Because you're n-naked. And I'm a woman. And, um, in Russian, it's improper for women to see the naked body of the opposite sex so—"

"I have a towel on and I just took a bath."

That did not help the already intense blush that was on the bunette's face.

Eren stared, waiting for an answer. But there was none. And her reaction puzzled him. He was about to say something else but an idea sprouted in his mind. His face grew a menacing smile.

"Hey, Anya." Anya lowered the clothes from her face, startled that the boy's face was just a breath away from hers. She backed away.

"Why are you moving away?" Eren asked darkly as he stalked forward towards the flushed girl.

"E—Eren?"

"Oh? Now you're calling me by my first name. You're turning me on." Eren advanced until Anya's back was pressed against the wall. She was cornered.

"E-Eren… please stop."

"I've been in this stupid world for four-hundred years and I've only pleased myself by eating sweets." He snatched his clothes from the girls hands and threw them to the table where his gear was. Anya squealed at having to see the bare torso of the boy in front of her, and at such proximity, too.

"I've heard some rumors," Eren started, his voice becoming low, "that Russian women tend to be," he placed both hands beside Anya, caging her between him and the wall, "wild. I guess that includes you."

"E-Eren please…" Anya begged, but Eren paid it no heed, his smile only spreading wider.

"Oh, don't worry, Anya. I'm fit in all the right places and I know enough about making a woman like you scream in delight—"

Eren's words made a vein pop in Anya's head. She made a grunt and focusing all of her strength in her right fist, she punched Eren.

Eren was caught by surprise. He hit the floor with a loud thud, eyes wide as he stared open-mouthed at Anya, whose face now purplish from anger.

"WHAT THE HELL, WOMAN?!"

"Bastard!" Anya spat. "I am a well-educated woman, and there is no way that I will give into such lewd acts!" She stomped her way towards the door, her anger getting the best of her. She pulled it open and gave the boy a glare. "Jerk!" And with that last word, she slammed the door shut behind her.

Eren could hear her heavy footsteps from where he sat. He rubbed his chin. Damn, that woman could punch.

He cursed and headed for the table where his clothes are. He reached for the necklace that hung around his neck, fingers wrapping around the object that's attached to it.

A key.


"I'm here." Eren slowly approached the guardians inside the globe room. Everyone turned their heads.

"Oi, Eren. Lookin' good in that weird uniform." Bunny teased, but the brunet just ignored him.

Jack Frost landed beside him and noticed the band aid on his chin.

"Hey, what happened to your chin? Did you slip or something?"

Eren's eyes flitted to where Anya was. Their eyes met and Anya scowled at him before looking away.

"Yeah. I was careless."

Sandy stood beside him and conjured up an image of a question mark over his head. Eren ignored it. There was no way that he was going to tell them that he just got punched by a woman.

"Listen up, everyone. Finally, they'd appeared."

North's voice echoed inside the globe room, catching everyone's attention. The large man had taken out his sword and placed it by his waist.

"What appeared, North?" Tooth asked.

"Dream-Eaters. And there's a lot of them. Come on, we might miss them!" North shouted as he headed for the lift, the thrill of going to a battle pulsing through his veins. Everyone followed after him.

"Let's go, Eren! Your seat might get taken!?" Jack tugged excitedly on the other's hand.

"Where are we going?"

Tooth, who was flying on Eren's other side, answered, "I don't know. Just trust North." She flashed him a smile. "I'm Tooth, by the way. I haven't introduced myself properly to you."

"And she's Anya." She waved a hand towards the girl who was trying to keep up with them. Anya looked up, eyes clashing with Eren's again, but she immediately looked away with a frown.

She obviously doesn't want to involve herself with him anymore.


The lift stopped and opened. The guardians walked down the stairs and onto North's launching pad. The old guardian called for the yetis who were preparing his personal transportation for launch.

"Hey, North!" North looked at Eren. "Just what the hell is happening?"

"We're going to St. Petersburg."

Anya looked at North, startled when he mentioned the palace. Her home.

What's happening there? The girl thought quizzically. She began to worry about the roses that were planted in Catherine Palace.

"And what are Dream Eaters?"

"Just monsters."

The brief and unhelpful answer annoyed Eren. He was about to ask for North to elaborate when a large door opened and heavy footsteps of an animal emerged from the inside. He watched, amazed as seven huge reindeers came out, pulling a sleigh behind them. Is mouth dropped open as the reindeers stopped and did a synchronized whirl.

"Whoa… never seen any of these up close." Eren approached one and reached out a hand in an attempt to touch the horn, but stopped midway when North laughed.

"Glad you're curious, but they bite." He warned as everyone climbed on the sleigh.

Eren was about to jump in when the Guardian of Nature cut in I front of him and climbed first. She glanced at him with disgust before getting on. The boy smiled, mocking the girl, and went in, sitting beside Jack and Bunnymund.

"Ya better buckle up, boy." Bunny said jocularly.

The boy opened his mouth to ask a question but North whipped the reindeers and the sled shot off at blinding speed. Eren clutched at his seat until his knuckles turned white. The sleigh made curved and turned upside down as the speed increased even more.

"There are no seatbelts!" Eren cried out.

"It's just an expression!" Jack laughed at the panicking boy.


Hoo-Hoo! Latest Chapter is out! Well nothing much happened in this chapter just Eren trying to hit on the Anya (he really does have the nerve). Special thanks Again to BlackRain105 :)