December Rose

Christmas Joys

Author: Madisonne

Part: 2 revised/2

Warnings: Yaoi, angst, Christmas-time fic, but couldn't wait to post it!

Disclaimer: For some reason, the people at Bandai keep on forgetting to return my calls... So, no, I don't own them yet. Operative word: YET! MWA HA HA HA HA!!! Ahem... Don't steal, or else I'll sic my demon-chibis on you. Stop laughing! They can strip a cow of its meat in one minute! Or is that piranhas? Hmmm...

Notes: A special 'thank you' to Lancynth m. erin, and Crimson Flames, who were my review goddesses/gods for the first part! Thanks a bundle! :-D!

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"There?"

"A little to the left, I think."

"Here?"

"Uhm, that looks about right."

"Hand me that hammer, would you?"

He gave the tool to the out-stretched hand.

Loud pounding cut off any attempts at further conversation.

"There, that'll hold. Give me a hand down."

"Pushy, pushy." He helped him off of the chair.

Feet firmly on the ground, Milliardo looked up at his handy-work. The garland seemed to have been repaired successfully.

"It better hold." Treize said, teasing.

"Santa heard that." Millardo shot back.

"I don't need Santa, I've got you."

"You are corny beyond belief. Wait, did you just call me fat?!!"

"Of course not, love." He said glibly and turned to go back into the house.

Making a face at his back, Milliardo scooped up a handful of snow and hurled the packed ice at the back of his former superior.

"Ow!" Treize complained as the cold, wet bundle hit him in the middle of the back. Realising what had just happened, he grew jokingly indignant. "Why, you little beetle..."

He tossed another gob of snow and stuck out his tongue. "I am not a beetle!"

"Really? Could've fooled me!"

Fortunately for Milliardo, Treize's missiles were easy to avoid and he ended up the drier one of the two.

Recognising that Milliardo was far less effected in their faux-fight, he switched strategies.

"Treize? What are you planning? I don't like that smirk; you always have some evil scheme when..." His words were cut off as the other pounced, rolling him into the snow, instantaneously soaking him through to the skin. "No fair! No fair!" He protested, laughing all the same.

"Oh yeah, says who?" He proceeded to shove snow down the back of his companion's shirt.

"No! That's cold, darn you!" He squirmed, trying to escape the grasp of the ex-general, but to no avail. "You're going to give me a cold and I can guarantee you that I won't be the one sleeping on the couch!"

"Oh really..." Treize gave up his snow-stuffing tactic and began to relentlessly tickle the one he'd captured. "I'm thinking that I have the upper hand here..."

"Until I do... This!" Milliardo clobbered him in the head with a handful of snow and, while Treize's grip loosened, he slid out from under him. Running to the door while laughing, he managed to get inside and lock the door behind himself.

Treize's look of complete disbelief when he hit the door at a run, only to find that his former captive had locked it, was enough to send the other into fits of laughter, doubling at the waist. When he managed to calm himself down, it was only enough to stand with the door's support.

"Let me in, you heathen child!" Treize shouted at the door.

"What?" Milliardo mouthed. "I can't hear you!" But he could. Perfectly. And that made it all the more enjoyable.

"Please?" He put on his best puppy face.

Milliardo just shrugged back at him and waved. Then he left the room.

Outside, Treize pouted. It wasn't fair. That was cheating. Although, stuffing freezing white powder down his friend's shirt probably wasn't nice either.

Deciding that the freezing man outside had probably learned his lesson, Milliardo came back into the room and let him in.

Treize gave him an 'I'm so hurt' look and stepped through the door. "You," he spoke slowly. "Don't fight fair."

Smiling innocently, he shrugged. "I just used what I had."

"Beetle."

Milliardo smacked him over the head.

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"Once you're out of the shower, we should probably start dinner." Treize called into the bathroom.

"Okay..."

"Try to hurry up, too, we've only got so long."

"It's your fault I'm even here!" He jokingly snapped back.

"Why, I never!"

"Oh, so you're saying that you weren't the one who pushed me into the snow and got dirt in my hair?" The shower turned off. "And you got my one clean jumper all wet."

"Oh, I am so sorry." It was clear that he was teasingly unrepentant.

Milliardo stuck his head out of the bathroom door. "I am so very glad that Saint Nicholaus sees everything."

"Sees everything, does he?" Treize asked. "Then you, my friend, are in quite a bit of trouble."

He shut the door in response. Minutes later, he was dressed and into the bedroom, his slightly soggy hair hanging down over his shirt, causing watermarks across his hairline.

"Wet?"

"That generally happens when people shower, Treize." He smiled at him, poking him in the stomach.

"Brat."

"I know." He smiled again, this time with a self-satisfied look.

Rolling his eyes, Treize pulled him to the door and continued to pull him through the hall and into the kitchen. "We need to start cooking now if we're going to have Christmas Eve dinner."

"Alright, alright." He mock-sighed. "The things I do..."

"Pull out the book, love." Treize's order was admonishing, but still playful.

"Fine, fine..." Milliardo mock-fumed as he went on his mission of retrieval.

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"Who the blazes would that be?" Milliardo asked, startled at the ringing of a doorbell.

"On Christmas Eve? No idea..." Treize looked up at him from his task of mutilating the cooked turkey.

"I'll get it; you're busy." He scampered out of the kitchen before Treize had a chance to tell him that he had flour all over his face and arms. Opening the door, he was startled to see a young woman with a bundle clutched at her chest.

"Mr. Peacecraft?"

"Yes?" He asked.

"It's me, Rose, from the adoption agency?"

"Oh, yes!" His brain lurched and promptly kicked him for forgetting his manners. "Please, come in."

She smiled gratefully and stepped out of the dark, damp cold.

He shut the door behind her and motioned her into the reception room.

"Who is it, love?" Treize called from the kitchen.

"Rose, from the agency." He called back. "Please, sit down."

She took a seat on the nearest chair and began to speak as Treize showed up in the doorway, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. "I assume you two still would like to adopt a child?"

Both of the men felt the pangs of semi-forgotten wounds in their hearts, but nodded in response.

"I may have the solution." Leaning over, she deposited her bundle into Milliardo's slightly stunned arms.

"A baby..." He sighed. "She's so beautiful."

Treize looked up from the child's enchanting face. "But how... I thought it was illegal."

Rose seemed slightly uncomfortable. "Yes, well, her mother died just yesterday and I was the only one at work. Since I still had your final forms, Mr. Peacecraft, I just signed over her custody to you."

"Milliardo."

"I'm sorry?" She looked confused.

He smiled at the baby. "My name is Milliardo; you don't have to call me by my last name."

"But what about the visits? I mean, won't someone be coming back to check up on her?" Treize asked, hoping that the child was truly theirs.

She grinned. "Yes, but I was just 'conveniently' assigned to your area."

Milliardo looked up for the first time since receiving his precious bundle. "But won't you get into trouble if they find out?"

Nodding, she shrugged. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."

He shook his head in wonder. "I don't know what to say, other than 'thank you'."

"How old is she?" Treize asked.

"She's just turning ten months. But there is something you should know before you get too attached."

They both gave her a quizzical look.

"I believe she is deaf. While I was working this morning, I accidentally dropped my coffee mug and it shattered. While the other babies I'm watching over the break started to wail, she was silent, in fact, she hadn't even turned to acknowledge the noise." She gave them both a scrutinising look. "Are you sure you're ready to deal with this?"

Milliardo nodded. "All that matters is that this little baby needs our help and our love. The conditions of those are all-encompassing. We'll care for her no matter what."

"You two are good people." She smiled at them, simply stating how she felt. "I wish you luck."

Treize looked up at her. "Does this mean that she can stay with us now?"

Rose nodded. "I need to get back to the other babies, my husband can only be trusted to watch them for so long before he goes into infantile-exposure shock. I trust that your house is completely baby-proof as it was when we inspected it?"

Milliardo nodded. "We've even have a bottle of milk ready in the refrigerator to be warmed. I guess neither of us could bring ourselves to empty it."

She smiled at the two of them. "You two are wonderful. I'll swing around sometime next week to make sure everything is going fine, okay?" Seeing the two nod, she continued. "Have a fantastic Christmas!"

The pure happiness in both of their eyes made up for her having to spend an entire day working out the paper work and logistics for them.

"You too." It was Treize who spoke, his eyes telling hers that he truly meant it.

"Wait," Milliardo called as the woman headed for the door. "What's her name?"

The woman cocked her head, trying to remember. "I don't think the detectives found anything that led to her name... I left it blank at the office; you two can make one up for her, it seems appropriate." She smiled at them one last time and let herself out of the house. "Merry Christmas!"

For a moment, the two were frozen in place, looking down at their new daughter.

Treize caught a sniffle from Milliardo and realised that he was crying. He eased down onto the couch next to the other and pulled him into a strong hug, encompassing the baby in the embrace. "Shhh..." He soothed. "Don't cry."

"She's so pretty..." Milliardo hiccupped.

"She is." He agreed, reaching to smooth white-blonde hair that curled around his fingers.

"I wonder what colour her eyes are..." He pondered.

"We should look at our list of names," Treize suggested. "We can't just keep referring to her in the third person."

He nodded in agreement. "I think it's in the solarium, by the tree."

Moving his weight slowly, so the other two wouldn't be jostled, he left the room and retrieved the paper.

"What did we say?"

"December, Adair, Kaya, or Leila for a girl."

"Hmmm... I like December..."

Treize nodded his approval.

Thinking a bit, Milliardo smiled. "December Rose. I like that."

Treize smiled. "A perfect name for a little... Our little angel."

The three of them remained cuddled together for a long time, watching each other.

The snow falling outside billowed onto the windowsill in soft puffs, a perfect Christmas Eve picture, one to grace a perfect Christmas Eve gift.

One thing was certain, Christmas was made for people like the three inside and the wind hummed a prayer along the breeze for eternal happiness.

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Notes: Awww, this one ended happier! I have a sequel, but will only bother posting if people like it. That means REVIEW!!! Please?