25 Days - The Night Before Christmas

"Do we really have to go to bed? Can't we stay up a little longer?" Bartz pleaded with Light.

"No. It is essential that you get sleep and-" He eyed Zidane. "And that you do not cause disruption for those who are trying to get sleep." Zidane pouted.

"Just that once that we set up the firecrackers, and now he beats on me all the time." He grumbled. Tidus bounded up to Light.

"Oh, we'll be quiet if we can please please please please stay up!" Tidus jumped desperately. "We won't get to see Santa!"

Light was about to respond by saying that there was no Santa, when Frioniel gave him a dangerous look, and he stopped.

Frioniel came over wearily. "You know, it's already ten o'clock. He's probably going to be here later. So just sleep till you see him."

"But doesn't Santa come to this address at like, twelve thirty two?" Zidane asked.

"Yeah, we checked!" Luneth piped.

"Just GO TO SLEEP!" Jecht thundered, taking another swig of his drink. "Enough arguing or I'll hit all of you with a Jecht Shot!" Tidus knew it was about time to give up, so he stomped dejectedly to his door.

"Come on…" Luneth sighed, rubbing his head.

The doors shut with a slow, sad click.

Beep. "Bartz!"

"Yep?"

"We've gotta stay up!"

"I'll sneak over." Click. The door opened, and Bartz shut his cell phone. "Yo."

"You got any coffee?"

"Mm-hmm." He opened up a thermos. "Want some?"

"No, I just asked for it. Yeah, of course."

"Pfft. Here, we gotta call Luneth and Tidus."

They arrived shortly afterwards. "Yo, sexy just came back!" Tidus announced as he opened the door.

"So, let's stay awake, huh?" Luneth said, sitting casually on the ground.

A clatter rose from the front.

"Huh?" Zidane slurred, getting up and rubbing his eyes. "What's the time?"

Tidus responded, "Twelve thirty two." He paused. "Twelve thirty two!"

Luneth pulled out his sword. "Give me a second."

"Are you trying to murder Santa?" Bartz nearly yelled.

"Well, it might be a robber or something!" He popped open the door and slipped out. After a short while, Tidus, Bartz, and Zidane followed.

Luneth seemed to be staring in shock at the roof. "Luneth." Zidane shook him. "Hey what's the problem?"

"It's…it's…it's…"

"Squall?" Bartz and Zidane yelled.

"Squall is Santa?" Bartz yelped confusedly. The stoical faced man only whistled, egging on his sleigh of chocobos.

"Now Pochi, now Raven, now Yuna and Raine! On Cloudy, on Lior, on Flavius and Blaine!" Squall called.

Without a word, the gunblade wielder searched for a chimney, but upon finding none, he jumped into the incinerator.

"What?" Tidus leaned over the edge. "Isn't that the incinerator?" A resounding thump echoed from Tidus's room. Tidus hurriedly ran over, Luneth, Bartz, and Zidane in tow. "Are you OK? How'd you even get here?" Luneth set down the first aid kit he had brought.

"Christmas magic." Squall opened up his bag, and Bartz's eyes sparkled happily.

"You got presents for us!"

"Yeah. Catch." He tossed presents at them.

"Awesome!" Zidane exclaimed, shaking it mercilessly.

"Be quiet. I gotta do my work." Squall said, hauling his bag over to Exdeath (their Christmas tree.) "Go to sleep. You guys already saw me." He turned and winked. "Merry Christmas."

"Did we sleep through it?" Bartz asked, stretching and rubbing his eyes.

"Guess we did." Luneth said, a little depressed.

"Oh…" Zidane gasped a little. "No, we didn't." He held up the present he had been cradling.

"Squalllll!" But the lion was nowhere to be found.

"Guess we'll thank him later." Tidus said happily. "Race you to the tree!"

"You're on!"

A/N: THIS WAS HARD TO WRITE. WHY. I feel as if I started strong on this fanfic and I'm ending weakly. ;^;

Oh well. Merry Christmas Eve~