A/N: Thank you Vevici for beta-reading this story!

Pop!

Off came the cork of a champagne bottle. A loud cheer accompanied the sizzling of the liquid dripping out of the bottle.

Everybody gathered around Denmark for him to pour them a glass.

Yes. Once again it was Christmas Eve. There was the smell of cookies in the air, bright decorations everywhere and gifts under the small fake Christmas tree. Well, usually the Nordics preferred a natural tall one to grace their party, but the fake one would have to do for now.

This was a very unusual Christmas after all. They were celebrating it on board of a private jet that Denmark took the liberty of renting for them to fly to a skiing resort up north of Finland. This was a very generous way to treat his friends this year and at the same time it was quite fair considering that Finland took all of the camping expenses on himself.

Even after a half an hour of flight Norway was still staring at Denmark while rubbing his temple and questioning him."Mathias. Tell me again, to whom have you sold your soul to organize this?"

"Huh?" Denmark breathed out in surprise at the question. "Rather ask who got their soul back by getting even with me!" Denmark knocked on the door of the pilot cabin that he was standing next to and then opened it to check on the pilots.

The first pilot was dressed in a Santa Claus costume; the second younger pilot was dressed as an elf. Even with the ridiculousness of how they looked they maintained professionalism and didn't pay much attention to Denmark in favor flying the plane straight.

"What exactly did this guy owe you?" Norway asked looking up at Denmark.

"Oh, back in the days when I was an animator I met this guy." Denmark pointed at the first pilot. "He was drowning in his pilot training debts and I kinda had spare cash..." Denmark's voice trailed off. He looked up at the ceiling as to avoid Norway's gaze and started blinking nervously.

"So that's why you gifted us toothbrushes that one Christmas." Norway muttered.

"Dawww~! Come on, it doesn't matter now. Anyway, Christmas is about giving." Denmark patted Norway on the back. "Ain't that right Satana-oi?! I meant Santa!"

"Whatever you say." The pilot replied apathetically.

Denmark came up to the first pilot and patted him on the shoulder like an old friend. "Hey! Sants! Why don't you come in and join the party? We were just about to pass around the gifts."

"What are you saying?" The man replied in surprise. "I don't want people to get their morning paper with the title 'Drunk Santa crashed a plane'."

"Oh! Hey Olav! Come closer." Denmark noticed his brother curiously peeking from behind his shoulder. "You haven't drank yet, have you?"

"No, Matt-" Norway protested.

"Then it's settled! Olav will take your place! won't you Ole?!" Denmark winked at the man behind him.

The Santa pilot let out a horse laugh. "You can't be serious, Mathias."

"I'm telling you! I trust him more with my life than I trust... Well, you, for example." He pointed at the man.

Norway cleared his throat. "Actually I'm a well certified pilot, sir." He reached for his fat leather wallet in his back pocket and took out a plastic card to show the man. "Nevermind my young age I'm quite experienced."

Santa took a quick glance at the document then wide eyed he stared at both of Denmark and Norway. "Oh... What the heck. I trust your judging Mathias. Be what you want it to be."

"Thanks." Denmark flashed a wide smile filled with big straight teeth.

Santa switched to autopilot and emptied his seat for Norway. "There you go." He showed them with hand gesture. Carefully, he pushed himself out of the cabin and into the party.

Once Norway was seated in Santa's place, for a moment he just floated his hands above the controls and took in one sweet breath. At first his hands were shyly scattering above the equipment; the next second he was again flying this thing confidentially.

Denmark stood behind Norway with his hands on the chair and just following Norway's every move with his eyes.

After about seven minutes the elf pilot finally spoke up. "Excuse me, um Olav." The elf pilot got Norway's attention. "Where did you study piloting." He was looking in amazement at the young man.

"Life taught me." The pilot gave Norway a confused look. "Family business. Transporting people, flying things. It's a long story."

"Erm... Okay? You don't mind if I leave you for a moment? Got to take a leak."

"Sure."

"Just keep flying this thing straight."

As soon as the pilot left the cabin, Denmark's arms snaked up to hug Norway's neck and placed his head on Norway's left shoulder. "Nooor~... You alright?"

Norway didn't reply.

"You sure? Don't you have something to say to me?"

Norway suddenly turned his head and blew sharply into Denmark's ear.

"Ai!" Denmark jumped away from the pilot seat. "Nooor~! You know, that hurt." Denmark whined as he cupped his poor ear.

"Stop distracting me."

That exact moment someone shouted from the salon. "Mathias! Get back in! Were gonna exchange gifts now."

"Go." Norway commanded.

"Aw, alright." Before he left, Denmark planted a kiss on his little brother's soft cheek. Norway smirked at that.

Denmark came back into the saloon waving his hands. "Hey! Did anyone miss me?"

Finland passed him a glass of champagne. "Guys, let's start with Denmark's gifts. It's only fair." He proposed.

There were no protests. Everybody nodded in agreement.

"Aw, thanks Tino! You know, the best gift would be if I'd actually haven't broken that leg back then and went fishing with you and the girls."

"Um. Actually there was only one woman that agreed to go with us."

"Huh? What do you mean? What about Alice and her sassy friend?" Denmark's smile suddenly faded whilst Finland's only grew wider at the amusement.

"... You mean Elis and Sass? Ed's friends?"

"Aw, come on! NO! Don't tell me those are dudes! Are you serious? I misheard that back then on the phone?"

Finland's eyes filled with tears; he couldn't contain his laughter. "YOU thought?! Oh god, this is rich!" Finland's knees went weak and he crouched gripping his own stomach. "Were you drunk?"

"Fuck you man and your weird ass Finnish names! I didn't know this would be a sausage fest!"

In between fits of laughter Finland managed to squeak out some words. "Estonian names, actually!"

"Fuck you man!" Denmark couldn't help, but to join in with Finland and laugh at his own silly misunderstanding.

Finland would probably never live this down. But that didn't matter. At least Denmark didn't regret missing that fishing trip anymore. All was for the best.

Finland cleared his throat. "M-hm. Okay. Santa Claus. If you'd be so kind to pass Mathias' first gift."

Santa took the first gift that was in the pile under the small fir-tree and read out the tag that was attached to it. "The first one is from Olav."

"I'm in luck!" Denmark sat back in one of the white leather chairs. The gift was thrown at him, he caught it and started unwrapping the box. "Huh?"

"What's it?" Sweden asked apathetically with his arms crossed.

"It's toilet paper." Denmark held the gift up for everyone to see. It was plain white toilet paper.

Everybody went silent.

"Awkward gift." Finland commented.

"I know Norway has a weird sense of humour, but this is ridiculous and kinda cruel..." Denmark pouted.

Iceland politely covered his mouth and chuckled.

"Oh, so you think it's funny?" Denmark threw the toilet paper at Iceland's head, but missed. It barely brushed past his hair.

Iceland picked it up while Denmark started reading the card that was attached to the box. "Nah-nah-nah... Merry Christmas. Three months supply by mail?!" Denmark looked at Sweden in confusion as if he knew the meaning of this.

Sweden shrugged. Denmark tilted his head and blinked in reply.

He continued reading in search of more substantial information. "Wait!" Denmark stretched out his hand dramatically at Iceland who was half way done decorating the Christmas tree with the toilet paper.

"Turn off the lights! Turn off all of the lights!" He shouted in a crazy frenzy.

"What? Why?" Finland asked already leaning towards the switch.

"Just do it!"

Finland and Sweden turned off the nearest switches to them and in the darkness the toilet paper glowed a neon colour.

"Whoa! Egill, good idea! Let's decorate everything in here with this!" Denmark grabbed another roll that was remaining in the box, rolled out a big strip and threw it in a random direction.

Just then the second pilot came out of the toilet room and the paper fell onto his face. "What the...?"

Everyone burst out laughing. Even Sweden smiled at this. It was all just so amusing.

"Oh! By the way!" Denmark exclaimed. "Elf-guy, tell Olav that I dig his gift! Hehe!"

The pilot just looked at them like they were all morons, shook his head and entered the pilot cabin.

"Hey! Sants. Is he usually that gloomy|?" Denmark asked pointing his thumb at the cabin door behind him.

"Yeah, quite often."

Suddenly the plane radio was turned on and there they heard Norway's voice. "Attention, this is captain Olav speaking. We are now flying over the middle of nowhere and yeah... You're welcome Mathias."

The Santa pilot seemed unamused at this. "I think your friend is getting a bit too comfortable in that seat. About time I replace him."

"Give him another chance!" Denmark yelled, slumping back in the soft chair, but Santa Claus was already in the cabin shoving Norway out.

Norway, who was looking emotionally unaffected by his retirement slumped into a nearby chair and took a glass from the table next to it. "Turn on the lights. I want to see the rest of Mathias' gifts."

"Yeah! Like he said." Denmark supported that thought.

Before they clicked the lights on Sweden was already throwing another gift into Denmark's lap. "Fr'm me."

Denmark took the gift and started carefully inspecting it. It was a black bag decorated in snowflakes. He weighed in his arms and shook it to evoke any possible sound from it. "Well it's light and soft. Don't tell me those are exploding paper towels or something."

"It's not."

"Okay then. I give up. I'll just have to see." From the depths of the black bag Denmark was greeted by red knitted cloth. He took it out and unwrapped it with one blow against the air.

It was a sweater.

Denmark was speechless for a moment. He looked as if he saw a ghost; his eyes were opened wide and his jaw was hanging.

"No way! You cheapskate!" He roared after the primary shock passed.

Norway got up to get a get a better glimpse at the thing. "Wait. Ain't that..."

"Exactly! It's the sweater that I wore on the day I broke my leg! Berwald just knitted the hole up?"

The place where the hole used to be was carefully covered by a pleated Christmas heart. More like the half of it, because the red part was the exact shade of red as the sweater. It probably took Sweden a huge amount of time and patience to find the perfect hue.

Denmark ran his fingers over the heart. Even the heart's thread quality was the same as the sweater's.

"Ya like it?" Sweden asked not pulling his fist from his lips and looking at the floor.

"Well it's a tad bit childish, but I love it! I can't help to wonder at what point you snatched it from me?"

"Ya left it in my car."

"Oooh! Right." Denmark exclaimed at remembering when he had body temperature swings and he threw it in the back of Sweden's car. This sweater had a nasty history to it, but hopefully now it will remind him of the good times he spent with his family on Christmas.

Denmark pulled on the sweater, took the collar in his hands and sniffed it. "Did you hand-wash it as well? No. Don't answer that. I'm sure you're capable of it anyway."

Cause let's be honest here; Sweden was a perfectionist.

The Nordics agreed that on Christmas they wouldn't gift each other anything too fancy; expensive gifts would be left for birthdays. Usually on Christmas they compensated the lack of gifts by traveling off to somewhere. This year they were flying to skiing resort near Ylläs fell ifar up north of Finland, Lapland.

They arrived quite late at night at Kittilä airport, the closest city to Ylläs fell. How they got to the skiing village was a total blackout. Gradually Denmark remembered that they were driven there, but the question was; by whom? Most of them were drunk and tired and went straight to bed once they arrived to the big cottage they rented for the family.

The only ones who had any juices left in them were Norway and Finland.

Finland was probably feeling energetic because he was the first one to pass out and had a good sleep until their arrival to the village. Or maybe he just felt like he needed to do something active to get rid off the cramp he probably had in his neck. He didn't exactly fall asleep in the most comfortable of poses.

Norway just drank less than anyone that day and wasn't exactly feeling like a melting snowman.

One way or another, those two were feeling extraordinarily hyper, and once they were let out of the car and onto the fresh snow, like savage yetis they started a snow fight. It was a long going little rivalry between them.

As far as Denmark could tell, this all started as an argument about to whom the northern lights belonged. Of course they had to fight about it.

Denmark couldn't sleep for about an hour because of the screams of those two drunkards out there. But the real cause of Denmark's insomnia was Iceland sticking out the window and shouting the most threatening thing heard from him yet.

"Shut it! Or do I have to come out there and shove my icicle up your asses to cool you down?!"

"Hehe! You tell 'em Ice!" Denmark shouted in support from under his pillow.

That stupid threat lead to even stupider jokes and images in Denmark's head. To be exact, he imagined Iceland having an icicle and two snowballs instead of genitals. "Heh! Balls."