I felt bad that I had nothing to show on Christmas morning for you guys, so I wrote this. Hopefully it's not as bad as I'm afraid it is. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(To those who care, I'm updating Domination next. That is all)

Christmas morning.

I opened my aged eyes with all the excitement of a tired old man, which, I suppose, I was at this point. No shrill scream of excitement from happy children or a warm embrace from a partner met me as I dragged myself up to greet the morning. I was, as I have always been, completely and utterly alone.

This thought was depressing enough to potentially send me back under the warm comforters, but I had work to do. With no one to share Christmas with, it struck me as rather stupid to celebrate it at all, so why not get some work done instead? I still have a mountain of analyst reports that need to be addressed, after all. Christmas was just another day for me, as it's always been since the first holiday after the accident. Nothing more than a marketing opportunity and possibly a bottle of strong liquor...

Yawning, I ambled into the shower. The water was the perfect temperature upon turning the nozzle, though I hardly noticed. I moved on auto pilot, from the shower, to the closet, to the hallway. My entire mansion was utterly silent. Cold, too, though certainly not in temperature because that geothermal heating system was doing its job, as it should. No, the mansion was cold in a different sense, although, in retrospect maybe it's not different at all. These halls have always been quiet and lonely, and today is no different.

I stopped by the study and merely looked at the plethora of work to be done, already feeling tired. Indulgence seemed to be called for this morning, so I put it off for at least a few more minutes for some coffee and perhaps a nice, warm breakfast. More silence greeted me as I slowly made my way down the hall, deciding to forgo ghost powers to take the long way. However, when not even Maddie the cat broke my long, solitary walk, I had to wonder why I was bothering.

Daniel had said that he might stop by later today, but I didn't believe him. The boy, well, man now, has been a little uncomfortable around me since a rather awkward truce has developed between us. To be honest, I think I'm a little uncomfortable around him as well, but I doubt for the same reasons as he. Neither of us actively planned to end up in such a vaguely defined position as a truce. It just...happened. I suppose it was inevitable when I stopped throwing my heart and soul at Maddie, and when Daniel became comfortable enough around me to ask for help. Perhaps age and a little growing up had something to do with it as well.

Of course, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't welcome to the change.

I've always been rather fond of Daniel, but that's something everyone knows, even his own parents. No one exactly knows why I'm so fond of the little badger, but that's something between Daniel and I. Even his own friends fail to understand the connection between us, the one Daniel finds harder and harder to deny with each passing day. The satisfaction I feel when he comes to me for problems is paramount, even if the occasions are few and far between. Someday, he'll better understand our developing relationship, as I suppose I will too. For now, however, I certainly enjoy playing with my little badger, as he's somehow become the sole focus of all my plotting. The little rat should feel honored too, I think.

With a small smile that had somehow wormed its way onto my face, I stopped by the library to pick up a good book. Perhaps I could put off work a little while longer this Christmas morning. There was no shame in enjoying a good book by the fireplace, after all. The maid brought me my morning coffee as I made my way to the preferred sitting room. It wasn't a very big room, but I'd had it decorated quite nicely. The fireplace took up most of one wall, and a long couch sat opposite of it. Bookshelves took up another end of the room, and a large window the last wall, directly behind the couch. I'd whimsically requested a Christmas tree be set up beside the fireplace, though the action was pointless. The only thing it really did was remind me of what I didn't have, but perhaps I could look at it as a mere decoration this morning. The maids did do a nice job of decorating it.

Feeling strangely more content than I had this morning, I gently opened the cream colored door into my private sitting room. As expected, the space was quiet save for a warmly crackling fire. Without much thought I set the cup of coffee on the table and glanced at the tree, nearly falling over when I discovered what was laying underneath it.

Daniel, my Daniel, was sleeping softly amid an array of wrapped gifts, looking as though he'd set them there and then decided to take a nap. I knew this couldn't be true however, because the boy was bound tightly with a red ribbon. There was a telling note attached to the ribbon on his head, and once I got over my shock, I carefully picked it up.

Dear Plasmius,

Merry Christmas. Come to the truce party next year.

Skulker

I had to read the note two more times before it really set in, and when it did, I promptly burst into laughter which quickly woke my present up. Needless to say, he wasn't nearly as happy as I was this Christmas morning.