Hey everyone, Allen here. I survived Finals. Looking forward to writing some stuff this winter break.
I decided that, for this Christmas, I'd write another post waves Oneshot. Only this time, I've put more time and work into it. This takes some influence from previous one-shots I've done like "The Iwatani Household" as well as my main fic: Diligence of the Shield Hero.
I followed this prompt in writing this: Finish this sentence in 10 different ways: "This Christmas, I hope…"
What would you put after that? This Christmas, think of some things you'd like to do on that day. Whether for yourself or for your family and friends. I hope you guys enjoy this!
This Christmas, I Hope
This Christmas, I hope… to be more kind. (Naofumi)
"Raphtalia, where's Rifana?!"
"Weren't you watching her?" The half-tanuki girl replied curiously. She was dressed in her Miko outfit. Resting on her shoulder was a six-month-old boy with auburn hair and green eyes. Unlike his sister, Jun had no tanuki features whatsoever and was currently sucking on his thumb.
"Well, last I saw, she was playing with Raph-Chan. Then I went to find that suit Motoyasu made for me and now I can't find them anywhere, and I don't know where they could be and… and…" Naofumi groaned in realization.
"Raph-Chan, what have I said about using illusion magic to play hide and seek!?"
"Rafu!" A cute voice called out from somewhere in the room. A childish giggle accompanied it.
"Come on you two, you're going to make us late to the party!" Naofumi called out.
"But I want to play!" Rifana loudly complained.
Naofumi, who'd started listening intently after realizing what his daughter was doing, immediately found the source of her voice and grinned widely. "Because here, I rule!" He grabbed the invisible little girl from behind the couch, eliciting a shriek of surprise from her as he lifted her and spun her around. "You should realize that you never stood a chance in my house!"
"Ahahahahaha!" His daughter shrieked as Raph-Chan's illusion melted away, revealing the black-haired four-year-old as well as the adorable little monster resting on top of her head.
"Rafu!" Raph-Chan made the cutest face possible at Naofumi as the spinning came to a stop.
It wasn't very effective. At least, not as effective as it'd once been. "Raph-Chan, you know tonight's a special night. If you keep playing tricks like this, I can always leave you behind."
"RAPH!" The adorable little monster straightened in shock.
Raphtalia laughed, rubbing Naofumi's shoulder from behind. "Naofumi. You're acting as if neither of us can just teleport to the castle at any time." Her katana was sheathed at her side, much like how his shield rested on his wrist in bracelet form.
"Well, we can, I mean, we are, but that doesn't mean we should be late!" Naofumi replied sternly.
"And you think our friends won't be late?" Raphtalia asked curiously. "After all, not all of them can teleport."
"..." Naofumi set little Rifana back on the ground. The girl looked up at her daddy curiously as he leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"Make sure to cause lots of trouble for mommy when we get there, ok?" He was grinning widely as he said it.
"Got it, Daddy." Rifana gave him a toothy smile and a thumbs up. He ruffled the hair between her ears, pride as a father filling his being.
"What did you say, dear?" Raphtalia asked.
"Nothing. Right, Rifana?" Naofumi winked at his daughter.
"Mhmm!" Rifana clasped her hands behind her back and grinned widely in a surprising resemblance of her father before giving him an obvious wink back.
Raphtalia stared suspiciously at the two. Her mom's sense was pinging like crazy. However, before she could think more about it, Jun started to shift restlessly on her shoulder and began to whine. Almost immediately, a horrible smell filled her nose.
"Oh, da- dang, I can smell that from here." Naofumi corrected himself just in time as he swiped his hand in front of his nose in disgust.
"Was Daddy about to say a bad word?" Rifana asked curiously.
"Of course not, now let's allow mommy to change her son's diaper so we can get to the party," Naofumi said sweetly.
"My son?!" Raphtalia looked up at her husband in disbelief.
"Weren't you the one who wanted to have a momma's boy?" Naofumi grinned so widely at her, that Raphtalia didn't know whether to punch the look off his face, grab him by the shoulders and kiss him so deeply that the rest of the world would be forgotten about… or both.
It was so infuriating how Naofumi could elicit such responses from her at the same time!
"Rafu!" Raph-Chan, thankfully, volunteered to help out.
"Good, at least somebody around here is responsible." Raphtalia directed a look at Naofumi and Rifana, who both stuck their tongues out at her at the same time.
Yep, she was definitely going to remember this. If Naofumi thought he was going to get away with it, then he had another thing coming.
This Christmas, I hope… to be less stubborn. (Itsuki)
"Hey, Itsuki!"
"Naofumi!"
The two retired heroes met up in front of the castle, giving each other a warm hug. "Did you get taller?" Naofumi joked, looking the former blonde kid over.
"Har, har, very funny, at least I have an attack stat." The bow Hero shot back with a grin.
"You know, that never stopped me." Naofumi's grin turned into a smile.
"Indeed. It's, it's really good to see you again, Naofumi." Itsuki said warmly.
It was surprising, really. The years had done the former blonde kid well. He was still the shortest of the four heroes, but he wasn't a kid any longer. His face had since filled out, and there was a warmth in his eyes that hadn't been there before.
Since the waves had died down, he'd taken to using his talents as a musician wherever he could. He was rarely at his home in Lurolona these days. He and his small family were typically out traveling the world. Naofumi hadn't seen him too much over the years, especially after the Shield Hero became busy with taking care of his own family.
He'd at least managed to make it to the Bow Hero's wedding though. Itsuki and his wife had been really cute together after the little jerk pulled the stick out of his butt. Naofumi had been glad to see them stay together even after the Waves ended.
"So, are Ren and Motoyasu here yet?" Itsuki asked.
"Nope, I think we're the first ones here." Naofumi sighed. Raphtalia had been right about the others being late, apparently.
"Any idea what's holding them up?" Itsuki asked worriedly.
"Motoyasu's still single somehow, so he probably wants to be fashionably late. Ren, I bet he's struggling to get his kids ready like I was." Naofumi answered. "Can you believe the guy has three of them already?"
"Yeah. I don't know how he handles it." Itsuki grimaced in sympathy. "That's why Rishia and I decided to have only one kid for now. I'd like time to get better at being a father first before we have more."
Naofumi's initial train of thought came to a stop. "Isn't your kid already three years old though?" Naofumi asked.
"Yeah, what about it?" Itsuki responded.
"... Itsuki, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but… waiting longer to become a better father isn't going to help." Naofumi rested a hand on his shoulder. "I have an extra year on you, and I still don't think I'm a better father than when I started."
"..." The Bow Hero stared, unable to comprehend what Naofumi had said.
"Some days you'll think you're doing something right. Most of the time though, you'll realize you're just winging it. And that's okay. Kids are a tricky bunch and you'll never be the perfect father." Naofumi then smirked. "All you have to do is focus on being there for your kids. Eventually, the rest will fall in place."
Itsuki looked slightly crestfallen at that. "Damn. When the hell did you get so wise? Did you meet god or something?"
"Oi, don't you remember I had to raise Filo and be a father for many of the kids in the village before I had my own children?!" Naofumi asked angrily.
Itsuki started to laugh. "Ok, fair enough, I… I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I'm still afraid that I won't do good enough by them after my… after my…"
The warmth in the Bow Hero's eyes faded somewhat. Memories of years ago swam through his mind.
"I-Itsuki, could you help me with Leon?"
And just like that, the sound of his wife's voice brought him back to the present. The warmth returned, and he smiled gratefully at Naofumi. "I'll talk with Rishia about it,"
Speaking of his wife, Rishia and Raphtalia had finally finished catching up. The green-haired girl was holding a squirming, three-year-old boy in her arms and was approaching them.
"Good. I'll be seeing you inside." Naofumi said.
"I'll talk to you later, Naofumi!" Itsuki smiled as he tipped his hat to the Shield Hero, before running to help his wife with their son.
As he ran off, Raphtalia approached Naofumi. Her son was now curled up in her arms asleep. "Did your chat go well?" She asked.
"Yeah, for the most part." Naofumi frowned. "I think he's still troubled about things from the past. But… when he heard Rishia's voice, he became happy again."
"Do you think he'll need to go back to therapy again?" Raphtalia asked worriedly.
"I don't know. He knows himself better than I do. But I think it's safe to say Rishia and his kid are doing good for him. Much like how you guys have been doing good for me." Naofumi then smirked. "I might have also convinced Itsuki to have another child or two while I was at it."
"Naofumi…" Raphtalia pouted, but then she started to smile. "Actually, Rishia was telling me how she's been ready for another kid for a while now. Maybe this will help them out."
"Oh, crap, I helped them out? Help me rewind time so I can fix that." Naofumi joked.
Raphtalia laughed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Come on, your wife's cold and Jun is sleeping. Let's go inside already so I can sit by the warm fire and let Mirellia spend her time with the cute mini you."
"Alright alright. I guess we can wait for the others inside." Naofumi smiled as he put an arm over her shoulders. They then walked through the doors into the castle.
This Christmas, I hope… to be more understanding. (Raphtalia)
"Ah, Melty!"
"Raphtalia!" The not so little former princess raced down the hall to hug Raphtalia, but upon seeing the sleeping baby in her arms, Melty stopped just in time and began to blush in embarrassment. "Sorry, I didn't see him."
"Thank you for being considerate." Raphtalia leaned into Melty, who gently hugged her back. A few years had allowed the former princess to grow almost as tall as Raphtalia. She'd also become stacked just like her mother. She had become far more kind, graceful, and considerate compared to when she was a child.
It was weird for Naofumi to think she'd been a brat not so long ago.
"Hmph. I see Naofumi is still as rude as ever." Melty huffed, seeing the look on his face. "You could have at least developed a better poker face to hide your thoughts."
There, that was more like it.
"I'm just thinking about how much better you are now compared to when you were a child, Melty," Naofumi smirked at her.
"Well… as long as you think I'm better." Melty began to smile again.
Damn it. The little girl had really grown up. Oh well, it'd been a long time since he'd last called her Second Princess. Though there was no way he was going to address her as "Her Majesty" as he did with Mirellia.
"By the way, where's the King? Is he not here to greet Raph-Chan?" Naofumi asked curiously.
"Rafu!" Raph-Chan raised her paw up happily upon finally being acknowledged for the first time since their arrival.
"Unfortunately, he's been called back to Q'Ten Lo to help with the festival there." Melty sighed sadly. "It's too bad. He was really looking forward to seeing everyone again. I think he also wanted to see what Christmas was like since they don't celebrate it in Q'Ten Lo. We thought this would finally be the year that it would happen…" She then perked up. "But my mother and father are here! Actually, I believe I saw Rifana with them! That's why I came out here to see you!"
"Wha-" Naofumi looked at where Raph-Chan was. Sure enough, Rifana wasn't there! When had the little girl snuck off?! How had he not realized this sooner?! And hadn't he told her to cause trouble for her mother and not him?!
"Rifana!" Naofumi ran off down the hall into the castle.
"Rafu!" Raph-Chan followed right behind him.
…
Melty giggled into her hand, then continued smiling at Raphtalia. "He's still a handful, isn't he?"
"Indeed, he is. But, he's my loving handful to deal with." Raphtalia smiled happily.
"That's good… and to think, you two already have two kids…" Melty's face was twinged by sadness. "I'm really glad you two are able to raise more of your own. You deserve that kind of happiness…"
"... Are you and your husband still struggling to have a child?" Raphtalia asked worriedly. "If so, Naofumi can make you a potion to increase your guys' fertility stats and-"
"No, that isn't necessary!" Melty immediately protested, a blush filling her face briefly. "It's just… it's complicated," Melty admitted.
"You… you do get along with Ruft, don't you?" Raphtalia asked in surprise.
"Of course I do! It's not like that at all! He's grown up a lot in the last few years thanks to Papa and he's gotten a lot better about his Raph-Chan obsession!" Melty quickly waved her hands in front of her. "It's just… it's really hard running two countries at the same time. Even with advisors helping us out, our time is split between one or the other. So we don't get to spend as much time together as we used to."
The two women sat down in padded chairs in the hallway. "Is that the only reason?" Raphtalia asked.
"I… I don't know…" Melty stuttered.
"... Melty, I helped take care of you back when you were living in the Village. I know you well enough to tell when you're hiding something." Raphtalia said calmly. "It's ok. You can talk to me. I'm here for you."
…
"Do you think… do you think I could be a better mother than my mom?" She hesitantly asked.
Raphtalia frowned, and Melty rushed to explain. "Not to say she's bad or anything! In fact, she feels more like a mom since she gave me the crown and retired! It's just… it's just…"
"I don't want to be like my mother, raising my child, taking them places, teaching them everything they'll need to replace me. But I don't want to be like my papa either. Spoiling my child with everything to the point that they turn out like… like…" Melty sadly sighed, wiping a tear from her face. "I want to be the kind of mother you were to me. And as much as I hate to admit this, I want their father to be more like Naofumi was to me back then too."
"Sure, he was rude and insensitive for the most part. But he did show care to me, to Filo, to all those other kids. He helped us to learn things that'd help us out in our lives. He made mistakes. But he was still a good father despite them…"
"I'm nervous. I'm supposed to rule one of the world's most powerful nations… yet I want to raise my child the way you two helped to raise me during the Waves. I just, I don't know how I could do it…" Melty looked at Raphtalia sadly but was surprised to find tears in the half-Tanuki's girl's eyes. "Raphtalia, you're crying!"
"I-I'm sorry." Raphtalia sniffled. Melty quickly pulled out a handkerchief, helping to wipe the tears away from the older girl's face. "It just… it makes me so proud to see how much you've grown. I was so worried back then with everything that was going on that we weren't doing enough to take care of you. To show you that we truly loved you."
"But, but today, you helped me realize we did good enough."
Melty looked surprised as Raphtalia started to smile again. "It's okay to have those worries, Mel. The fact that you're thinking so hard about this tells me that you're going to be a great mom. Your child, or children, however many you have, will be lucky to have you as their mother."
…
Melty sniffled and began to cry as she quickly leaned in and hugged Raphtalia. "Th-Thank you. I needed to hear that."
Raphtalia hummed, leaning her head against Melty's hair. That was another thing to note. She no longer wore it in ponytails these days. The shoulder-length curls framed her mature face like a painting.
"Wa- Waaaah!"
"I-I'm sorry!" Melty quickly let go. Her hug had woken the baby up.
"Oh, dear. It looks like he's jealous that mommy was giving someone else her attention." Raphtalia sighed and put Jun over her shoulder to begin patting him on the back again in an effort to calm him down. She gave Melty a pained smile. "Go on ahead. I'll be there in a moment."
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'll make sure to save you a chair by the fire!" Melty stood up, bowing to Raphtalia again and again as she rushed to rejoin the festivities while internally cursing herself for waking up the cute and adorable baby.
Mirellia was definitely going to be happy when she got to hold him.
This Christmas, I hope… to be more confident in myself. (Rishia)
"Fueee, Leon, please calm down." Rishia pleaded. The quiet little boy squirmed in her grip more than ever.
"Does he need his diaper changed?" Itsuki asked worriedly.
"No, he wants to run around and play," Rishia replied. "No, Leon, not until we get there. Oh, Itsuki, which room was it?"
"I thought you knew? It's been a while since I last visited the castle." Itsuki said in surprise. Hadn't Rishia also been the daughter of nobles? He would have thought she'd know the place better than he did.
"Fuee… it's been a while since I last came here too." Rishia whimpered. Little Leon continued to struggle. Why wouldn't mommy let him go already? She was too suffocating.
"Crap. Ummmm…" Itsuki paused at an intersection. "If I remember correctly, that way goes to the throne room, and that way would be the war room… I can't remember if I ever got to see the living room, now that I think about it." Itsuki mumbled.
He looked to Rishia who was valiantly trying her best to hold onto the little boy. However, it was becoming quite apparent that Leon was tired of being held by his overprotective mommy.
"Leon, please." Rishia pleaded.
"No!" Yep, he was definitely on the verge of throwing a tantrum. Rishia was about to panic.
"Here, allow me." Itsuki reached out, taking the little boy from her arms.
"Fue- oh." Rishia watched curiously as Leon looked at his dad.
Itsuki proceeded to make a stupid face. "Are ya giving momma trouble?"
Leon giggled, smiling widely at his father's tongue sticking out to the side and the lopsided look in his eyes. He then began to giggle more as Itsuki made more ridiculous and stupid expressions one after the other.
After a few faces, Itsuki handed the happy kid back. "There, that should buy us a few minutes."
"Oh, um… thank you, Itsuki," Rishia said gratefully. She looked down the third way they knew nothing about.
She wished there could at least be some servant to guide them. But there was also a celebration going on in town. Melty had dismissed everyone to be with their friends and family. What they were holding was to be a private, special celebration meant for only the heroes, their closest friends that could make it, and their families.
"Hey, even if we're lost for a while, at least we're lost together, right?" Itsuki smiled widely at her.
"Y… Yeah, you're right." Rishia smiled back. "Let's go this way then." She suggested.
And so, the happy couple did.
They eventually did find their way to the living quarters of the castle. Where, by that point, they found more people waiting for them. But they took their time, enjoying the peace and quiet they had before being thrust into the chaos once more.
This Christmas, I hope… to be braver than before. (Ren)
"Ah, hey Ren," Naofumi called as he saw the Sword Hero. He'd just finished having a talk with Rifana about running off on her own.
"Naofumi, you're here already?" The grown Sword Hero asked in surprise. "We waited outside your place for like, an hour."
"Why did you do that?" Naofumi asked in confusion.
"Didn't we agree to come here together?" The Sword Hero asked.
… Had they planned on that? Naofumi couldn't recall.
"Yay, Auron!" Rifana cheered happily as she ran up to Ren's son. She dragged him and his two sisters off to play with some of the other kids in the large room.
"Damn, not even a shred of guilt from that one." Naofumi rolled his eyes.
"Rafu!" Raph-Chan ran off after the kids to play as well.
"Did your daughter give you some trouble or something?" Ren asked.
"Yeah. She seems to have a knack for it." Naofumi grumbled.
"I couldn't imagine why." Naofumi didn't miss the Sword Hero's sarcasm.
"Yeah, well what about your kids?" Naofumi snidely asked.
"They were actually pretty well behaved, considering how we waited outside in the snow for you," Ren remarked. "I should thank my wife for that. She's done a good job teaching them how to behave."
He wouldn't expect anything else from a girl who'd been raised by a dragon.
"I'm… I'm sorry that I forgot." Naofumi rubbed the back of his head shamefully. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting."
"Well, we're here now." Ren shrugged before he smiled. "And it's fine. I think we all suffer from dad brain from time to time."
"Anyway, where's your wife? I don't see her with you." Naofumi asked.
"That's because she went over there to the comfy chairs." Ren pointed, and Naofumi looked.
Ren's dog girl was indeed in a red armchair near the fire. She'd sunk back into it and was talking with Eclair and Raphtalia. She had a happy smile on her face and her hands were resting on her swollen stomach.
"Wow… I really must have not been paying attention to you guys." Naofumi rubbed his eyes in disbelief. His dad brain must have been going off the charts to have not realized Ren's wife was pregnant the last time they'd invited them over for dinner. "Ren… you two do know about contraceptives, right? What is this, your fourth kid?"
Ren blushed. "Well… we did have a set of twins last time."
"And your first daughter is older than Rifana. I can't believe you." Naofumi shook his head. "And to think I remember when you two came to me because you were having fertility problems after your first daughter was born."
"Well, at least you know the potion you made for us works." Ren pointed out.
"Still, have you at least considered slowing down. Raphtalia wants a lot of kids too, but she's at least pacing herself." Naofumi frowned. "I can't imagine how your poor wife must feel."
Ren looked like he was about to answer. However, his two-year-old son ran up to him and hugged him around the leg. "D-Daddy! S-Sinon scared me!"
"Auron." Ren looked up as his five-year-old sister approached. Looking down sadly at the ground.
"I-It was't on purpose." Her dog ears hung low and her small tail dragged behind her. Her amber eyes were full of tears.
Ren sighed. "Sinon, it's okay to have fun with your younger siblings. You have to remember to be nice to them though. You wouldn't want to hurt them, would you?"
"No…" The little girl answered sadly.
"And Auron." Ren got down on his knees so he could address his son more easily. "I'm sorry that your sister scared you. And she's sorry too." He smiled. "Could you accept her apology for me, please?"
"O… Okay." Auron responded.
"That's my boy. Come here, both of you." Ren pulled both kids close, hugging them at the same time in a display of pure fatherly love. Afterward, he gave them both a smile and rubbed their heads between their ears. "Know that daddy loves you. Now go, it's not every day you get to play with all of your friends. So enjoy it while you can."
"Ok. We will! Thanks, daddy!" Sinon looked to be in a brighter mood, and Auron was smiling again too. Together, both siblings ran back to play with the other kids.
"Sorry about that, now, what were you saying Naofumi?" Ren asked the Shield Hero.
Naofumi, who'd been silent as he observed what happened, chuckled as he shook his head. "Oh, it was nothing important."
'I keep on forgetting that he's not the same kid I once knew.' Ren had really grown into his own. Perhaps he was still on the lean side thanks to his swordsmanship training. But he definitely stood taller than before. And he carried himself around with more confidence.
The Waves had been a struggle for them all. Physically, and mentally. They'd all been broken and pieced back together by them. Naofumi was just happy that Ren had been put back together in a way that gave him the confidence and happiness he'd been lacking before.
The kid honestly deserved it.
"Naofumi, why are you looking at me weirdly?" Ren asked.
His wife was lucky to have someone like him around. Perhaps that's why they were having kids so quickly… thoughts for later, he supposed. For now, Naofumi wanted to end the sappy moment and go to more familiar territory.
"I was just wondering why Auron?" Naofumi asked.
…
"Wh-What do you mean?" Ah, that nervous stutter. There was the old Ren Naofumi remembered.
The Shield Hero smirked. "You totally took that name from a game, didn't you? Let me guess, he was an edgy swordsman who wielded a sword of some kind." While many things were different in their old worlds. Some games were great enough to be similar no matter where you ended up in the multiverse.
"He wasn't edgy! He was the best character in the entire series and nothing will ever change my mind!" Ren paled several colors as he looked around for any close-by people. "B-But don't tell Wyndia where the name came from. She thought it sounded cool."
"And here I was thinking you'd dropped your chuuni side entirely. Guess I was wrong." Naofumi began to laugh.
Ren blushed. Naofumi would have teased him more. But then, Wyndia appeared at Ren's side, a frown on her face.
"Dear, is Naofumi bothering you?"
Damn. Did all women have some sort of sensor in their heads alerting them when something was going on? Ren quickly moved to reassure her. "It's ok, honey. We were having fun with each other, that's all."
"Oh… well, I came over to see if you'd be able to massage my shoulders," Wyndia said, suddenly looking shy. "But if you're busy, I'll be okay-"
"No, I'll be more than okay with that! Remember, I told you I'd be happy to make your pregnancy easier any way I can! Sorry, Naofumi, I'll talk to you later, but first, my beautiful and amazing wife needs my help!" Ren smiled as hugged Wyndia close. Wyndia blushed more deeply but didn't try to push him away. She started to smile instead as a familiar warm feeling filled her heart at his words.
"Oi, just remember we're at a party with kids. You gotta keep it PG for them." Naofumi sternly told them.
…
"W-You wouldn't think we'd actually-" Ren started to stutter after a short, awkward pause during which the two of them processed what Naofumi had said.
"Don't think I forgot how loud it was the night I gave you two that potion," Naofumi smirked widely. "Or how you had Sinon stay over in my house during that time. Or how the village complained about the noise. Or how you asked me to make a new bed for you guys. Or how you had to call in Motoyasu to get your walls soundproofed. Or-"
The couple both blushed a fierce red. Unable to say anything, they hurried away before Naofumi could finish, and the Shield Hero couldn't help but laugh even more at their expense. It was too damn funny. And it was completely their fault for-
"Naofumi." He looked to the side and jumped in surprise.
"Raphtalia, how long have you been standing there!?" Hadn't she been in the chair talking with Wyndia and Eclair?! How was she standing near him now with her arms crossed judgmentally!?
But then again, Wyndia had snuck up on them. Perhaps his wife had helped the dog girl over here? Now that he looked, Eclair wasn't over there anymore either.
He really needed to pay more attention to his surroundings.
"Long enough." She sighed as she shook her head. "You tease them way too much. Don't you think you go a little too far sometimes?"
"Come on, don't tell me you forgot about that time, I mean seriously, who the heck breaks a bed doing… that?" Naofumi omitted the word as Rifana ran past them with her friend.
Raphtalia blushed deeply. "I'm just paying them back for how awkward they made things during that time, that's all!" Naofumi defended himself.
"Well right now, let's focus on the party. There are others we need to catch up with. Just remember, no teasing." Raphtalia told him, forcefully changing the subject.
"Fine, whatever. Can't believe it takes a gathering for us to see who else is still doing well in the village… while at the castle." Naofumi rolled his eyes. "By the way, where's Jun?"
"Where else could I drop him off so I can keep an eye on you?" Raphtalia smiled widely.
Looking over, he found that Mirellia was holding the cute little baby. She and Aultcray were both fawning over how cute he was.
Damn… his dad brain was really kicking him in the balls. He'd forgotten that Raphtalia planned on handing Jun off to his godmother. Was this going to be a problem for the rest of the night?
Most likely.
"Alright, fair enough. Let's see how everybody else is doing then." Naofumi shrugged. Raphtalia locked arms with him, and they moved to greet the rest of their friends that had made it.
This Christmas, I hope… to be more caring. (Wyndia)
"Thank you." Wyndia pecked her husband on the lips after his massage helped to loosen her shoulders.
"Do you need anything else dear?" Ren asked, looking her in the eyes.
"I… I could use something to drink. And… and I'm pretty hungry." Wyndia looked away shyly again. There was such love and care in those blue irises of his.
"Alright, I'll be right back!" Ren kissed the top of her head and rushed off to the main table to find her something.
Wyndia blushed again. But the blush slowly melted off into a smile. She rubbed her belly again as she pictured the little baby growing inside in her mind. "You're lucky, you know. Your father isn't only strong. He's caring, and kind, and gentle too."
"I can't wait for you to meet him, little one…"
"I was meaning to ask how things were going between you and Ren." Eclair sat down across from her again. The swordswoman was smiling warmly at the young dog girl. "It looks like I'll have nothing to worry about this year too."
"What do you mean this year?" Wyndia asked, glaring at the swordswoman suspiciously.
"Oh, it's nothing." Eclair continued to smile. "I just like looking out for my two former pupils is all. I want to make sure you're both happy together and that no problems are going on."
"Oh…" Wyndia's glare disappeared. "Yes. Everything's fine. He's such a good father to the kids Eclair, and he shows so much love to them and to me… I… I really don't deserve them." She smiled sadly as she shook her head.
"W-What?" Eclair looked confused.
"He gives me so much of himself… and our children are so wonderful… I don't deserve any of this Eclair, I-"
"Wyndia, don't. You know that isn't true." Eclair told her firmly. "I might not be around all the time anymore. But I definitely know Sir Ren wouldn't be who he is today if it wasn't for everything you did to help him out."
"I… but, you helped him out too." She said sadly. "And what would I know about raising children? I was raised by a dragon…"
Eclair breathed in deeply. "Yes, me, Naofumi, and plenty of others helped. But none of us cared for Ren the way you did. I wanted to help him and the heroes to save the world. You wanted to help him be happy. You've made a bigger impact on him in ways that we couldn't."
"Besides, even if you were raised by a dragon, he must have taught you a thing or two about parenting." Eclair's smile grew a little bigger. "I wish my son could be as well behaved as your kids."
"I… I know… I'm sorry." Wyndia's ears fell on her head.
"Is this the pregnancy hormones?" Eclair asked. "Do I need to grab Ren for you-"
"It's fine! Don't worry about it! He does too much for me as it is!" Wyndia quickly waved the rose-haired knight's suggestion away. "It's just one of the burdens of carrying a child, I suppose." Wyndia began to rub her belly, and smiled and grimaced as she felt the baby kick. "They come with all sorts of challenges. Physically and emotionally."
"But… but they make it all worth it after they're born. I know it…" She smiled, seeing her three kids playing with the others.
It was definitely bias on her part. But they were the best ones in attendance there.
"Hmm…" Eclair thought about it before she began to smile fondly. "Before, I didn't understand why someone would make time to have love in their life. But I do understand now. If you ever need any help and don't want it from Ren, feel free to let me know. I'm always happy to visit you two even if it isn't a holiday."
"Thank you. That means a lot to me, Eclair…" Wyndia's smile grew just a little bigger. She decided on her own to change the subject to something happier. "Speaking of love, how are you and your husband doing?"
"Oh, I just had to go over and help him." Eclair rolled his eyes. "The idiot suffered a humiliating defeat in his wrestling rematch against his cousin and was acting pouty about it."
"By help, were you trying to console him?" Wyndia asked curiously.
"Of course not." The rose-haired knight smirked. "I merely hammered into his skull that he'd have to train harder if he wanted to win next time."
"And that worked?" Wyndia asked in disbelief.
"Of course! After all, I've turned him into a man after my own heart!" Eclair smiled with pride.
"Why am I even acting surprised? It's always training when it comes to you. Why did I think it'd be different with your husband?" Wyndia sighed. She would have felt sorry for the poor hakuko if it hadn't been for the fact that he'd been crazy enough to fall for the crazy rose-haired knight.
"Only because training is the best way to overcome any adversary." Eclair smiled widely.
"Not always…"
"Did you say something?" Eclair asked.
"It was nothing."
She watched as Eclair's four-year-old son played with her two-year-old daughter, Mion. The auburn-haired, blue-eyed girl looked curious and was happily stroking the strawberry-colored fur on his arms. It was… honestly really adorable to watch… okay, maybe it hadn't been such a bad match-up. Their kid was the closest one in adorableness to her and Ren's children.
"Do you two plan on having another kid anytime soon?" Wyndia asked after a moment of watching the two kids interact. She wouldn't mind seeing more adorable interactions like this while they were young.
"Oh hell no. I'm sorry, but one was more than enough for me." Eclair shook her head. "It took me almost a year just to get rid of all the weight I put on while I was pregnant. I couldn't imagine having to deal with another nine months of hell."
"Oh…" Wyndia rubbed her own stomach worriedly.
"I don't mean anything bad by it of course. I just think one is more than enough for us. It doesn't help that he's so much like his father too." Eclair sighed. "I'm afraid he'll grow up to be just as big an idiot as him."
However, that didn't keep Eclair from chuckling. "I can't help but love them both though. So maybe that makes me an idiot too."
Wyndia understood what Eclair meant. She still remembered the times she'd called Ren a dummy. They'd both done a lot of growing up since then. But she could fondly recall those times as teenagers when they were both young and stupid.
Some people never grew out of it, apparently, as Eclair's husband showed. But the swordswoman still cared for him regardless of that. It felt nice, seeing how far her and Ren's former mentor had come.
To think there'd been a time where the knight hadn't been interested in romance at all… miracles truly did happen.
"By the way, what did you name your son?" Wyndia asked curiously. She couldn't remember if she'd asked it before or not. It was probably the pregnancy brain getting in the way.
"His name's Macaron."
"..."
"..."
Wyndia stared. Eclair blinked several times, waiting for a response from the dog girl. "Is… is something wrong? Sir Naofumi helped us to come up with the name."
"No, nothing's wrong at all." Wyndia forced a smile on her face.
Eclair… Macaron… Naofumi just loved pulling jokes on other people, didn't he?
She made a note not to ask the Shield Hero for names when her child was born.
Ren came back shortly afterward with some food and water, and the two of them enjoyed eating and talking with their former mentor together as their kids played around in the background.
This Christmas, I hope… to work harder than before. (Eclair)
"Sir Naofumi!"
"Dou-Lon." Naofumi gave a warm hug to the tall hakuko. "Are you enjoying the party?"
"Yes. It's so great to see so many familiar faces again…" Dou-Lon began to pout. "Though my cousin is still stronger than me for some reason."
"Well, Fohl is the Gauntlet Hero." Naofumi shrugged. "I'm not too surprised that you lost your wrestling competition since you aren't a hero." Looking over, he saw the other hakuko male had changed into his therianthrope form and had begun playing around with some of the kids. A few of them looked to be from members of Itsuki's party that were in attendance.
As for Raphtalia… she was talking to Fohl's wife near the other end of the room next to a table full of desserts.
"It isn't fair! Why did he end up with a Seven Star weapon while I didn't?!" Dou-Lon loudly complained.
"I don't know. It's not my place to tell the weapons who to choose. And it's not like a weapon chose your wife either." Naofumi shrugged. Anyway, what's been going on with you lately?"
"Sir Naofumi, I should be asking you that question. You are far more important than I could ever hope to be-" Dou-Lon began to reply.
"Just answer the question Dou-Lon." Naofumi crossed his arms in annoyance.
"Things have been going well for me and Eclair!" Dou-Lon immediately responded happily, remembering that Naofumi hated being worshipped at the last second. "The home's doing well, though it's still weird for me to call a mansion a home. I never had the privilege to grow up in such a large house. But it's given me and Eclair plenty of space to raise our son in!"
"Good to hear. I was almost worried you two would burn the place down." Naofumi chuckled.
Eclair's old family mansion had been rebuilt sometime after he and the other Heroes had received the Seaetto region from the Queen. After the Waves had ended, Eclair and her new husband had moved into her old home. Despite being rebuilt, there'd been many things that'd been lost or damaged. Banners. Fine china. Her and her father's collection of swords.
The Queen's servants had saved what they could. These days, Eclair spent her free time getting those items restored alongside tracking down and buying back items that'd been looted from her house in markets around the world. It was all so she could restore the honor of her Father's old home.
"But how could we burn it down?" Dou-Lon asked curiously. "Neither of us knows fire magic."
"I… don't worry, it's nothing." Naofumi shook his head with a smile. "How about this. I have an idea that could help you win against Fohl."
"An idea-" Dou-Lon's eyes widened in realization. "You're going to buff me with magic, aren't you?"
"What makes you say that?" Naofumi asked.
"Because you always get that look in your eyes when you plan to do something unfair," Dou-Lon said. "And since you can't attack, the only thing that comes to mind is that spell of yours."
"I, but… Well, ok, you're correct. So, are you in?" Naofumi asked.
"It'd be totally unfair and completely unsportsmanlike for me to do this to my heroic cousin that throws it in my face about how weak I am every time I lose against him." Dou-Lon grinned widely. "Of course I'm in!"
It was moments like this that Naofumi remembered why he'd kept the hakuko man around. Naofumi's grin morphed into a smirk. "Fohl won't know what hit him."
Dou-Lon began to chuckle evilly. "It's time for the eve of my vengeance to commence, cousin!"
The two began to laugh evilly together.
This Christmas, I hope… to eat lots of delicious crepes! (Keel)
"I sense a disturbance in the force." Raphtalia turned her head suspiciously to look across the party at her husband and Dou-Lon.
"Wu es et?"
"Keel, don't talk with your mouth full." Raphtalia lectured the younger girl. "Nobody can understand you when you do that."
Keel swallowed. "Hey, it's been a while since I had crepes made by someone besides me. Cut me some slack. Now, what is it?"
"Honestly." Raphtalia rubbed her forehead. Her younger dog friend had hardly changed. She wasn't wearing her maid outfit anymore and had settled for some simpler villager garbs now that the threat of the waves was over. She'd also acquired a food belly, likely from eating all those crepes over the years. The fact that she got to spend all her time cooking at the village restaurant probably didn't help either.
She saw Naofumi and Dou-Lon nod to each other and shake hands. Almost soon after, she saw a familiar glow cover the man. Then, the proud hakuko turned and strode confidently over towards Fohl.
"Oh, Gods, don't tell me Naofumi is cheating to help Dou-Lon win against Fohl." Raphtalia sounded very annoyed. Was her husband incapable of behaving even at a party? It was bad enough that Dou-Lon insisted on these rematches at every gathering.
"Eh, it's fine." Keel waved her hand in dismissal. "Not like it'll help that poor idiot win in the end."
"You're not worried?" Raphtalia asked.
"Of course not. My husband's the strongest man in the world." Keel said with pride. "There's no way he'll lose to that weak cousin of his."
"Hmmm, if you say so," Raphtalia said unsurely. Even if Fohl was strong, Naofumi knew spells that could make even weak people a big threat.
Dou-Lon had already issued a challenge to Fohl at this point, and the two were getting set up to go at it once again with all the kids watching them.
"Anyway, back to important things, why haven't I gotten to hold little Jun yet?!" Keel complained. "Mirellia hasn't let go of him ever since you gave him to her!"
"I-I'm sorry. She is his godmother… and if I remember correctly, Mirellia did have a son at one point in her life." Raphtalia answered.
"She did?" Keel asked in disbelief. "I didn't know about that."
"She talked about it a while back. She never said what happened to him though." Raphtalia put her hand to her chin in thought. She should really ask the former Queen about him one of these times.
"Well, I don't care! Former Queen or not, she should learn to share!" Keel stuck her tongue out in annoyance.
"You could always get yourself a baby you know. You and Fohl have been married for how long now?" Keel patted the younger girl's belly in a teasing gesture.
Surprisingly though, Keel began to blush. "Actually…" She then began to smile.
…
It took a moment for Raphtalia to realize it.
That wasn't a food baby Keel had. It was an actual baby!
Raphtalia nearly shrieked in delight. It was the fact that they weren't alone that she managed to stop herself in time. Still, excitement was painted on her face. "How far along are you?"
"Almost four months." Keel smiled happily.
"Oh Keel, I'm so happy! We're both going to be mothers now!" Raphtalia hugged her best friend. Keel excitedly hugged Raphtalia back.
They were both filled with happiness for a moment… but then, Raphtalia's face fell. "I wish Rifana was here…"
Keel's face fell too. "Out of the three of us, she wanted to be a mom more than anyone…"
The two girls were depressed for a moment. Remembering what'd happened to their old, sweet childhood friend.
But then, Raph-Chan jumped on Raphtalia's shoulder. "Rafu!" The little monster pointed happily at Keel's stomach.
"Is she making fun of my gut?" Keel pouted.
"Ahaha, no, I think Raph-Chan is happy for you," Raphtalia replied happily. "So you can tell that she's pregnant, huh?"
"Rafu!" Raph-Chan nodded happily and cutely.
"Awww, ok, I forgive you this time you little rascal." Keel began scratching Raph-Chan's chin.
"Rafu! Raph! Raph! Rafu!" Raph-Chan began cheering happily. Yes! She finally had attention again! This felt amazing!
"AH!"
A shout of surprise came from across the room. Looking over, both girls found Dou-Lon lying on his back. His body was firmly pinned against a table.
"How, just how are you so strong?!" The hakuko screamed.
"Way to go cuz. You actually had me going at a fraction of my power there." The Gauntlet Hero smirked down at his defeated hakuko cousin.
Naofumi stared at the pair in shock. The spell he'd cast on Dou-Lon had tripled his stats. How the hell had Fohl beaten Dou-Lon even with that?!
Had his stats become even higher since the Waves had ended? Given that Fohl still liked to compete in the arenas at Zeltoble, it was definitely a possibility.
"See, I told you there was nothing to worry about." The dog girl smirked. "If Fohl can wrestle a level 200+ Kraken while debuffed and wearing chains on his legs, then there's no way his weak cousin could beat him."
"Thanks for reminding me why I don't like the Zeltoble arenas." Raphtalia began to smirk as well as she saw Eclair approaching the pair. She did not look very happy. "Should I try to help out, or…"
"Nah, those idiots totally deserve what's coming to them." Keel laughed.
So they continued chatting happily with each other. Raphtalia already couldn't wait for her best friend's baby shower. And Keel was looking forward to being a mom.
Raph-Chan continued to watch her two friends. The little monster looked very pleased where she rested on Raphtalia's shoulder as an observer.
'Don't worry. Even if I can't have any kids of my own, that won't stop me from doing my best to be there for yours.'
'After all, who else is going to help them learn how to get in trouble?' Raph-Chan began to chuckle to herself evilly at the thought. Yes. She wouldn't just stop at Rifana. All the kids of her two friends would become troublemakers just like her!
Muwhahahahaha- oooh, treats! Raph-Chan bounded away towards a table holding some particularly delicious food on it.
This Christmas, I hope… to show my love to my family. (Aultcray)
"Finally! We're here!"
"Ah, Sir Motoyasu." Aultcray bowed his head respectfully to the Spear Hero and those behind him. "I take it you were able to find our remaining guests."
"Of course. What kind of a party would it be without me?" From behind Motoyasu, the Scythe Hero's head appeared. L'Arc had a smirk on his face that quickly disappeared as Therese pulled on his ear.
"You know it isn't that kind of party, L'Arc." She said rather calmly.
"Of course I know that Therese. It's not like I can't see the kids here." L'Arc rubbed the back of his neck nervously as the bottles he'd been taking out of his weapon's gemstone sank back into the weapon.
"Honestly. Even after all these years, you're still the same." Glass rolled her eyes.
"Glass, come on, there are friends to catch up with and food that needs to be eaten!" A girl with a fishing pole on her back said happily as she grabbed the kimono girl's hand in excitement.
"W-Wait, Kizuna, we should be considerate to our hosts-" The Hunting Hero didn't listen as she happily dragged her helpless, but smiling girlfriend along behind her.
"Awwww, they're so sweet together," Therese said happily.
"Of course they are," L'Arc grumbled as he rubbed his sore ear. No booze? No bachelors to make fun of. What kind of party was this? There was no way it could get worse.
"Oh, I see Master Craftsman. Let's go, L'Arc." Therese said happily.
On second thought. It could get worse. "What, you don't want to catch up with your other friends first?" L'Arc asked.
"They'll understand. I must see how he and his family are doing." Therese answered.
"If I didn't know any better, you just want to see if Naofumi managed to make any more accessories since last time!" It was like all the effort he'd put into getting good under that one merchant in this world had been for nothing! Not only had it been a while since one had last exploded, but he could also pump out accessories that were just as good as Naofumi's!
He could! He swore it was the truth! If only he could get Therese to acknowledge it!
Therese's eyes shined bright. "Not only that. I must see if Master Craftsman's talents have passed on to his children."
"Therese, their oldest is four!"
His complaints fell on deaf ears. And the redhead grumbled as he followed behind his wife.
"Thank you for going out of your way to pick them up, Sir Motoyasu," Aultcray said gratefully. "Mirellia was worried if they'd be able to make it."
"It's no problem!" Motoyasu gave the former Staff King a thumbs up. "From what I saw, their countries are still adjusting to the transition."
"Yes, you could say the same for our allies in this world." Aultcray rolled his eyes. "I'm so glad that me and Mirellia no longer have to deal with that mess."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, it looks like things are finally looking up for some of them!"
"Thank God." Aultcray sighed in relief. "Melty really wants to make sure we integrate well with each other."
"Yeah, but I'm still bummed out that the rest of their friends couldn't make it." Motoyasu shook his head. "You'd think everything would work itself out with the waves being over."
"We did have… peculiar circumstances occur. And from what I've gathered, some of their countries had been at war for quite sometime before the Waves occurred. Give them time, Motoyasu. I'm sure we'll all be able to adjust to these changes eventually. It has happened before."
"Yeah. But wasn't that like, hundreds of years in the past?" Motoyasu shook his head. "Anyway, enough about that! We're here to bond and have fun and all that! Speaking of which, are Filo and Fitoria here yet?!" He asked excitedly.
"I'm afraid those two are still busy cleaning up the Prado desert," Aultcray answered in a disappointed tone. "I'm unsure how long it'll be before they're done and able to rejoin us for gatherings such as this."
"Awwww, but I was looking forward to seeing my two favorite angels…" Motoyasu deflated for a moment. But then, he perked up. "Oh well, time for me to fulfill my other role then! Being the cool uncle to all my brother's kids!" He waltzed past the Staff Hero.
"Hey, guess who's here kiddies?!"
"Uncle Motooooo!" The surprisingly large group of kids ran up and began to dogpile the Spear Hero.
"Ahahaha! It's nice to see you all too! Did ya miss me?!" Motoyasu asked excitedly, getting a variety of excited responses in return.
"Unbelievable," Itsuki murmured.
"If he loves kids that much, he should get a few of his own," Ren spoke next to him, jealousy filling his tone.
Naofumi would have said something. If not for the fact that he and Dou-Lon were still being chewed out by Eclair for trying to cheat against Fohl.
"But honey, I was merely taking advantage of Sir Naofumi's generosity to-" The poor hakuko was cut off by Eclair twisting his arm behind his back.
"I swear, this is why you need to train! Fighting with stats is nothing if you have no form, bakako!" She snarked at him.
"Hey, I thought we agreed to no longer call me that!" Dou-Lon whined in pain.
"That's only for when you're not being an idiot hakuko!" Eclair said mercilessly.
Naofumi sweatdropped, and said nothing as he watched Motoyasu giving Rifana and several other kids a piggyback ride at the same time.
This Christmas, I hope... to see everyone I care about next year. (Naofumi x Raphtalia)
A couple of hours later, it was finally over.
"That was great."
"We should do this again sometime." Glass and Kizuna happily agreed with each other. They smiled widely as they held hands in the cold snow.
"Seriously L'Arc, why did you have to make us so late? I barely got to talk with everyone." Therese poked the redhead's side.
"How is it my fault?! You're the one that took forever getting ready!" L'Arc complained.
"Only because someone didn't tell me the Spear Hero was there to bring us to the castle." Therese shrugged.
L'Arc groaned as he and the rest of the various attendees of the party slowly exited the castle. Light snow had begun to fall from the clouds in the sky.
"Remember, we'll be having dinner next Friday," Ren told Naofumi. "Don't forget about it."
"I won't forget as long as I'm not called in beforehand to help deliver the baby," Naofumi responded with a smile.
The Sword Hero and Shield Hero hugged. Then, Ren put an arm over his wife's shoulders as she hugged their kids close.
"Transport Sword!" In a flash of light, the Sword Hero and his family disappeared.
"Good luck, Rishia." Raphtalia gave the green-haired girl a hug.
"Y-You too, Raphtalia." Rishia smiled happily, then hurried over to Itsuki, who was holding Leon in his arms. It looked like he'd just finished saying goodbye to one of his former party members. A large man wielding an axe, who disappeared in a flash of light, alongside his wife and their children.
A moment later, Itsuki and his small family also teleported away using the Bow's transport skill.
"Bye! I can't wait to see you at the restaurant!" Keel waved happily at the two before her husband portaled them back home with his weapon's skill.
"Da- darn it, I didn't even get to make fun of kiddo!" L'Arc loudly complained.
Naofumi smirked. "Better luck next time with that boy."
"Just you wait, Naofumi, I'll make sure to visit you real soon! I have the castle here saved now! There's nowhere you can run to hide from me!" L'Arc smirked back, raising his scythe overhead.
"Ooh, I can look at Master Craftsman's accessories far sooner than I thought! Thanks for pointing that out dear!" Therese said happily.
"No, I didn't mean like that, Therese!" L'Arc loudly complained.
He, Therese, Glass, and Kizuna teleported away.
"We'll see you later, Sir Naofumi." Dou-Lon saluted Naofumi happily. He'd just put his son in the back of a filolial drawn wagon.
"Are you sure you don't want me to teleport you guys? I have room." Naofumi pointed out.
"It's fine," Eclair responded. "I've become accustomed to seeing the peacefulness of the countryside whenever we travel. It does take much longer, but, it is nice to spend a nice, calming ride with your family from time to time." She stated with a smile on her face.
"Ok, well, take care you two." Naofumi hugged them both. After a moment, Dou-Lon was directing the carriage out of the gates.
Now, it was just them, Mirellia, Aultcray, their children, and of course, Motoyasu.
"I need to ask. How are you of all people still single?" Naofumi asked in disbelief.
"Aw come on Naofumi. How can I be the weird uncle if I have an aunt to keep me in line?" Motoyasu joked.
…
Naofumi crossed his arms. The Spear Hero sweatdropped as he sighed. "Can't you just leave a brother be? A guy like me won't land a good girl no matter what he tries. Believe me. I have."
"Not even S'yne worked out?" Naofumi asked.
"Well…" Motoyasu bit his tongue. "You know what happened after Rino came back…"
…
Naofumi sighed. "I'm sorry you've had a few couple relationships that turned toxic on you."
"That's an understatement." Motoyasu rolled his eyes.
"Still, there are plenty of fish in the sea." Naofumi continued. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find the girl for you someday. And you'll have the same happiness that me, Ren, and Itsuki have right now. I promise."
…
Motoyasu smiled at Naofumi's attempt to cheer him up. "Don't worry. Until then, I'll just have to keep on being the best uncle Moto to all of my brother's kids, I say! After all, that is a form of happiness all on its own!"
"Sure," Naofumi smirked as he gave the blonde man a hug. "You take care of yourself out there. You got me?"
Motoyasu saluted Naofumi. And in a flash of light, he disappeared into the night.
After saying goodbye to everyone, he looked towards Mirellia. The older beautiful woman was still saying goodbye to his daughter. But at least Raphtalia was holding a happy, smiling Jun in her arms again.
"Remember, you're always welcome in my home dear." Mirellia gently told the young girl.
"Thank you Auntie Mirellia!" Rifana said happily. "I'll miss you!"
"Awwww, you're too adorable, come here!" Mirellia hugged the girl close again.
"Um, Your Majesty, it's kind of cold out here." Naofumi pointed out.
"Oh dear, we wouldn't want you catching a cold." Mirellia looked down in shock at the girl. She started to giggle into her hands.
"We had a lot of fun this year. Thanks for inviting all of us into your home." Raphtalia said gratefully.
"I'm just glad everything went well. The castle chefs were able to prepare just enough food before retiring for the night." Mirellia said happily.
"Seriously, thank you. We had a great time." Naofumi told them.
The adults all shared in one last hug as Rifana hugged Raph-Chan close. The little monster wrapped herself around the little girl to help keep her warm. Then, finally, they portaled to their home.
It had been a great celebration of this world's version of Christmas. It was more in line with what Naofumi remembered happening in his world at this time of the year. Without a focus on gifts, and instead just… spending time with those you cared about.
Wrapped presents rested in the corner of the room for tomorrow morning. Waiting for when little Rifana would awaken her parents to see what she'd gotten this year. And even though it wasn't how he'd grown up, Naofumi smiled, almost unable to wait to see how happy their little family would be tomorrow morning.
"Hey," Naofumi said to his wife.
"Hmmm?" She hummed curiously.
"Just felt that I should say I love you." He smiled widely.
"Oh… well, I guess I love you too." She smiled back sweetly.
He didn't catch it at first. It wasn't until he leaned in for the kiss that he'd been expecting that he realized something was wrong.
For one, there was no Raphtalia to kiss him back. And two, he now had extra weight in his arms that hadn't been there before. Looking down, he found small, quiet Jun staring up at him. He was sucking on his thumb again, and a horrible stench was coming from his diaper.
"Uh… Raphtalia?" Naofumi said confusedly.
"You can kiss me after you change your diaper and put him to bed dear." Raphtalia winked at him as she led Rifana up the stairs. The tanuki girl was smiling mischievously. "I'll be waiting, love. Don't take too long, or I might just think about going to sleep before you're done."
…
"Gah?" Jun stopped sucking on his thumb to mumble at his despondent father.
"Dang… she really got me good there." Naofumi shook his head. Seriously, nobody was better at payback than Raphtalia.
He smiled down at his son. "Just you wait. Our next child will definitely take my side. And then, I'll be able to get away with whatever I want."
"Gah!" Jun smiled happily. At the same time, the stench from his diaper became much worse.
Oh, oh, gods. Why did he have to unlock shields that made his sense of smell better?! What did you feed him, Raphtalia?!
Holding back the urge to vomit, Naofumi took his son to the changing table. Hopefully, he'd be able to put him to bed in time to join his wife in their bedroom to spend some alone time together.
Perhaps, if things went well, by next Christmas, they'd have another baby to celebrate the holiday with...
Thoughts for later, the author supposed.
Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you, whoever you are in the world reading this right now, are able to spend time with those you love and those who love you. In the middle of this worldwide pandemic, I hope this fun little story brought you a moment of peace, comfort, and good laughs all around.
Till Next Time
Allen