I do not own Hetalia, okay? I know it's a long story so far, but I thank all of you for reading so far. Honestly one of the best things of my day is when I see that you read it and even better for kudos, reviews, faves, alerts and so on. So yeah. Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!
Natalya sighed as she leaned back at her desk. Today was the day before the holiday week that Lucille had given her. It was the end of the year and time for celebration and rest. It had been hectic since Feliks had come but he had kept his word that he would not disturb anything. But now it was the end of the day, and she was getting ready for the week ahead.
"Natalya, can I speak with you?" Lucille asked.
"Sure Ms. Bonnefoy." Natalya said as she got up and headed to Lucille's office. Shutting the door behind her, she turned and looked on as Lucille finished reading an email she had gotten. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes Natalya, I wanted to give you something before the holidays." She said as she pulled a velvet box from her desk and motioned for Natalya to come closer to hand it to her. She looked down at the ribbon as Lucille nodded. "Go ahead, open it up." She smiled as Natalya untied it and saw an elegant pen and pencil set with her name escribed in Cyrillic on it. Taking the pen, Natalya looked at it with awe. "You work so hard for this group, and I have grown quite fond of you as a protégée that has proven her worth countless times all while working on your education, something I admire. I have also gotten to know you outside work and think you're a bright young woman. I know you're my nephews' sister in law but how you take to their children, I'm glad you are working for me and that I know you. So, I wanted to find the perfect gift for you."
Natalya ran her finger across the Cyrillic engraving. "So, this is why you asked how my name is spelled in Cyrillic?" She smiled with a slight laugh.
"Maybe…." Lucille smiled. "And I have to say it has been a joy teaching you French for your Russian."
"Merci beaucoup et Joyeux Noël" Natalya replied.
"Dobro pozhalovat', a takzhe schastlivogo Rozhdestva i schastlivogo Novogo goda." Lucille said. "You will do well in the business world not just this company. I will be seeing the twins on Christmas." She added. "I will give them your well wishes."
"Please" Natalya asked.
"Of course." Lucille said. "Oh, and I won't tell Francis this, but I have taught them how to say grand-pere correctly like they say grand-tante correctly. I just like how my older brother reacts to them calling him 'Grand pear'"
Natalya smiled. "It is rather amusing. Ivan told me that even if they mastered French, they were going to keep calling him 'grand pear' from then on. He does it himself when talking about Francis."
"Nice." Lucille smiled. "Now, off you go, and I want you to relax and enjoy yourself. I know you have your fiancée's childhood friend over and he's quite boisterous but have some fun and if he's willing to help you guys plan your wedding or even design some of the dresses, let him."
"I am. He's come up with some beautiful modern takes on the traditional Russian wedding dress." Natalya said.
"Great." Lucille smiled as she shut down her computer, picked up her briefcase and headed out of her office, ushering Natalya along. "Now, I don't want to have to be in here until next year!" She smiled heading to her car as Natalya did the same. "Au revoir!"
"Do svidaniya" Natalya replied as she started her car and drove back to her and Toris' house, wondering just what Feliks hand in mind for Christmas and if it was more than just watching Home Alone in Polish for his YouTube channel."
"Oh dear." Lucille said, "Well if you need some time away from them, feel free to call me."
"I will keep that in mind." Natalya said as she drove off, thinking of if she needed anything still for Christmas. Today was the day that Toris and Feliks were going to finish the shopping for Christmas Dinner, something that Feliks had sworn to do. Natalya asked Toris if he knew what Feliks considered traditional, but all Toris did was shrug when they heard from the other room a yell "What? You don't have carp! No, Tilapia isn't the same! żegnaj bezwartościowy dział owoców morza!" So, from that she could tell that carp, or whatever the closest that they could find. From all Toris knew, some traditions where like Lithuanian but he didn't know much more. As she came home, she opened the door to hear a rather interesting conversation. "No, I am not a fisherman of the local streams! I heard there's carp, but I am not sitting out in the cold trying to catch one and let you have it swim in the bathtub until Christmas Eve!" Toris yelled.
"Spoil sport. I guess I will make do with the Cod and Gifelte fish I was able to get. You'd think as abundant as American supermarkets are said to be, they'd have carp." Feliks sulked.
"Uh…." Natalya began as she headed in.
"Oh. Talya!" Toris said. "Feliks and I just came back from the store."
"And don't I look fabulous?" He said as he motioned to a pink bow headband. "On sale."
"Uhhhhh…." Natalya said.
"I'll take that as a yes. And you are so blown away that you can't properly say what you think." Feliks said.
"What about carp?" Natalya said, the first thing coming to her mind after hearing about his desire to get a live carp and let it swim in their tub.
"Oh, the feast for Christmas eve, is traditionally carp back in Polska." Feliks explained. "And usually kept alive in the tub until before the feast when the lady of the house would kill and cook it. And I guess that lady is me in this case, but I'll save the scales. Heck my babcia put the scales in her bra for luck when I was growing up."
"Ummmm…." Natalya paused. "I have never honestly dressed a fish…."
"I found Cod though. It'll do." Feliks said. "I had read in the fishing manual in the sporting goods section of the Walmart Toris took me to that there is Carp around here. But he wasn't wanting to go fishing with me." Feliks said with a playful laugh.
"You'd push me in." Toris said. "And I was there looking for some things for the twins, see if I could get any ideas."
"We have a few gifts already." Natalya said. "I want to make sure we don't get anything they already got. I was planning on talking with Vanya after Christmas. Ded Moroz isn't visiting so to say until the 31st." Natalya said.
"Awwwwwwww…. Are you not able to join me for New Year's Eve too?" Feliks said with a pout.
"We'll see what we can do." Natalya sighed. "I know that my brother and his husband will be babysitting my other niece Charlotte while her parents have to tend to their duties hosting the New Year's Eve broadcast where her father works. They won't have her grandfather's babysit on New Year's." She added at Toris' look. "From what Matthew says, they party very hearty with one of their friends. "
"Oh." Toris nodded. "Mr. Alfred said something similar."
"Wait, you said Matthew and news station?" Feliks said.
"Yeah, why?" Natalya asked.
"He's dreamy." Feliks said. "Oh, I swing both ways." He added before Natalya asked. "I noticed the broadcast after I left the television on. Was watching some of the soap operas and trashy talk shows."
"Okay then. Well, he's married, and I would not take too kindly to you taking him from my sister like that." Natalya said as her hand hovered over a knife.
"Fine, fine. He's off limits. But a man can dream." Feliks said as he looked at his watch. "But my latest video should be uploaded. Time to check for any quality issues. And you had to spoil the fishing idea." He looked over at Toris. "Later yalls."
Natalya sat down and sighed. "Why does that not surprise me out of him?"
"Feliks is something else…." Toris laughed.
"You can say that again…" Natalya sighed.
"So, you're SURE Santa knows we're staying at Grandpa and Grand pear's house?" Nikita said.
"We called him last night and made sure." Alfred assured Nikita. She held tightly to a teddy bear wearing a Cubs jersey. "And you can bring Cubby too." He reassured her. "Now, let's pack your pjs and a change of clothes and that nice green dress Papa got you to wear on Christmas."
"I don't like it." Nikita huffed. While she loved princess movies and dresses, there were times she just wanted to be difficult.
"Well, your papa thought you'd look cute." Alfred said as Nikita pouted. "And you'd look like a Christmas princess. Like a version of Snegurochka, just in green and red." He said hoping that would get her to agree to wear it. She had pestered Ivan into telling the story again and again and again.
"Ooooooooooooh." Nikita said, everything suddenly being understood in her young mind. "Okay!"
"Good." Alfred sighed in relief. "Now we have to make sure your papa and brother are ready. Grandpear wants us there around lunch time so you can get settled in and he will have plenty of time to bake cookies to leave Santa."
"Will grandpa make his scones?" Nikita asked, sounding worried.
"God, I hope not…." Alfred sighed.
"What are you worried about podsolnukh?" Ivan asked as Dimitri looked on ready to go see his grandfathers.
"Same thing Niki is my dad making his scones." Alfred said.
"Oh. That's a good thing to be worried about." Ivan said. "But Dimitri is ready, and I packed some clothes for you too."
"You are just the perfect husband." Alfred said as he wrapped his arms around Ivan's neck and kissing him.
"Ewwwwwwwwwwww." The twins said.
"That's gross Daddy!" Nikita said.
"Can we go to Grandpa's now?" Dimitri said as he covered his eyes.
"I guess." Ivan smiled as he and Alfred took a hand of Nikita and Ivan Dimitri and headed to the car so they could drive over to Francis and Arthur's house.
Meanwhile, Arthur looked around, making sure the beds were made, the house dusted and vacuumed. He looked at the tree and smiled. He had placed Dimitri and Nikita's school ornaments near the one he had that Alfred had made in school, that he hung every year despite his embarrassment he felt growing up. In recent years, Christmas wasn't so much a deal as he had made it to be this year and that was because Matthew and Alfred were grown up. They had their own lives and while they did stop by and wish the family well, there was just not the magic a child had when they tore the wrapping paper and saw something they asked for or the magic they felt when they saw a gift from Santa on Christmas morning, despite he himself knowing full well where it came from. Francis came from the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Arthur, kissing his ear. "Merry Christmas mon cher." He smiled.
"Christmas is tomorrow, Frog." Arthur said.
"Well still. Merry Christmas eve." Francis said. "I have the macaroni and cheese ready being kept warm in the over for when the twins come over."
"And the Octopus hot dogs?" Arthur asked.
"Cut to shape and ready to be added." Francis said as Arthur looked on with a smirk. "What? I am not going to force gourmet food on my grandchildren at once. Besides, how I made the macaroni and cheese is so much better than anything that Alfred or Ivan can do. That is how you help refine a child's taste mon amor."
"So why didn't that work with the boys?" Arthur teased.
"I don't know, Mathieu has somewhat more refined taste than Alfred. I guess he takes after you. What the British call food…." He sighed.
"Piss off…." Arthur replied as he heard a knock at the door. "That must be them." He said pushing Francis to the ground and heading to the door. "Nikita, Dimitri!" Arthur said as they ran up and hugged him.
"Grandpa!" They said as Alfred and Ivan stepped in and helped the twins to take off their coats and hung them up.
"You little tykes." Arthur smiled. "Let me show you where you will be sleeping. Same to you Alfred, Ivan."
"Santa knows we're here?" Nikita asked.
"Of course, did your dads not tell him?" Arthur smiled.
"Daddy says he did…." Nikita said.
"Don't worry, we told him as well." Arthur smiled. "So, there's no reason Santa will forget you two." He then turned to Alfred and Ivan. "We have two guest rooms. When we were looking for a house, your papa thought that we should have two bedrooms for family to stay over. One for the parents, one for the kids." He opened a door. "And this is for you two." He smiled at Nikita and Dimitri. "Bunk beds for both of you."
"Cool." Nikita said climbing the ladder. "Top bunk."
"Are you okay with this?" Ivan asked Dimitri as he nodded.
"Yeah," Dimitri smiled.
"And the room for you two is right beside it." Arthur explained. "Francis and I thought of it when we bought this place. So, if Matthew and Katyusha visited with Charlotte, they could stay over as well."
"Sweet." Alfred said as he headed to the room next door. "Although I have to say you guys decorate like this is some sort of cottage…." Ivan rolled his eyes.
"Well, this is our house and our guest room." Arthur said. "I could say something about how yours was before you moved the twins in there."
"Yeah yeah…." Alfred laid back. "At least the bed isn't too bad."
"Well, when you are all settled in, your papa has lunch ready. One of the twins' favorites, mac and cheese with octopus hot dogs." Arthur said.
"Cool." Alfred said.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality." Ivan said.
"Nothing but the best for family, especially the grandchildren." Arthur smiled. "And you two best behave yourselves."
"We will." Ivan smiled as he took Alfred into the bedroom and placed their suitcase down. Where it was only a few days, he had managed to pack both of them the sets of clothes they would need in one suitcase to make things easier to travel with.
"It's nice." Alfred sighed.
"But not?" Ivan began.
"I don't know." Alfred said. "Last year we were in my old bedroom and Papa had kept it much like it was when I moved out."
"I know, but we have our own family now to make memories with, one of them being Christmas. You are normally so excited for it. Even when it's just the two of us." Ivan said as he held Alfred close.
"Yeah." Alfred smiled as he sat on Ivan's lap and kissed him.
"DADDY! PAPA! WE'RE READY!" The twins yelled as they barged into the room beside theirs.
"Oh! Kids!" Alfred blushed.
"Gross Daddy." Nikita said.
"We're hungry and Grandpear has lunch made." Dimitri said.
"Oh," Alfred said getting up. "Well then, let's make sure you two are fed so you can grow up big and strong. And Grandpear is a very good cook after all."
"Better than Papa?" Dimitri asked.
"Well, I guess it depends on what he's making…." Alfred laughed.
"How about you judge for yourselves little ones?" Ivan said as he followed Nikita and Dimitri out of the bedroom and to the kitchen where Francis was spooning out macaroni and cheese and placing a hot dog octopus on each one of them.
"A little birdie told me that this was one of your favorite things for lunch." Francis smiled. "And this afternoon we will bake cookies for Santa."
"Yeah Grandpear!" Nikita said.
"You're so sweet." Francis said as he held back his frustration at the 'grandpear' comment. "But make sure to eat well."
"And properly." Ivan sighed as he wiped some mac and cheese from Nikita's face.
"Sorry Papa." She sighed.
The rest of lunch was spent with the children telling all the adults of what they wanted, what they hoped Santa would bring, about the Ded Moroz visit they were hoping to get on New Years eve, which Alfred winked at Arthur and Francis who nodded. They had told them about their plans to incorporate a Russian style Christmas in with the usual style they did have. Alfred and Ivan had told them about the plans so they could coordinate on the gifts so there would not be too many that they got from one grandparent and gone to the other.
"So, Lucille, Matt and Katy are coming over tomorrow?" Alfred asked with a spoonful of mac and cheese. "This is good Papa."
"Yes." Arthur said.
"Can I help Charlotte open her gifts?" Nikita said with a huge smile.
"Can I?" Dimitri asked.
"You both can." Ivan smiled as he picked up the twin's empty bowls and took them to the sink. "This was delicious."
"See?" Francis said as Arthur rolled his eyes. "So, Nikita, Dimitri, you want to help me bake cookies? Santa gives you good gifts if you leave him good cookies and as you know, your grand-pere makes the best."
"Yes grandpear." Dimitri said.
"If we set our grandpa's scones, Santa would give everybody nothing but coal." Nikita pout.
"Hey!" Arthur said. "My scones aren't that bad!"
"Yes, they are Dad…." Alfred said. "Now let's watch some TV while Grandpear has fun with his grandkids. He then smiled at Nikita and Dimitri. "I will see what NORAD says about Santa. Have to remember, if you're still awake, he won't come, and you won't get gifts. So, when it's bedtime tonight you will want to go to sleep right away."
"I will!" Dimitri said.
"Can we try and trap Santa?" Nikita asked as Francis pulled some hats and aprons out for the twins to wear as little cooks in training.
"You do that, and he never comes back again and before you think Ded Moroz will pick up the slack, he will tell him what you have done." Alfred said.
"And Baby Yaga will steal your gifts from then on." Ivan said with his pleasant but scary smile.
"So, you know what you must do." Francis said.
"Of course." The twins replied.
"But before we put you to bed, as that won't be until after dinner, we need to bake the cookies and make them nice and fresh." Francis said. "And I will make those Butterbeer cookies like you found on Pinterest. Shame what you did to them." He said looking at Arthur. "It was a very easy recipe and yet you still burned them all. I never knew butterscotch could do what it did."
"Of sot off." Arthur said. "My baking isn't that bad."
"Oh, Santa won't have to bring coal, your cookies would be a nice substitute." Ivan said.
"Seriously? Why does everyone do this to me?" Arthur said.
"It's the truth." Alfred said. "So can't call us naughty liars."
"For that, we're watching a very old Christmas Carol, no Muppet version until the twins are done baking." Arthur said.
Translation Guide:
Merci beaucoup et Joyeux Noël-French- Thank you very much and Merry Christmas.
Dobro pozhalovat', a takzhe schastlivogo Rozhdestva i schastlivogo Novogo goda. -Russian- You're very welcome and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well.
grand-pere-French-grandfather
grand-tante-French-great aunt
au revoir-French-goodbye
do svidaniya-Russian-goodbye
żegnaj bezwartościowy dział owoców morza! -Polish-Goodbye you worthless seafood department!
Babcia-Polish-grandma
Podsolnukh-Russian-sunflower
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. I don't know how fast I can update. What with work being the usual upper management madness and schooling at the same time. I'm just everywhere and nowhere. But this stuff helps me get through the day and your reviews and hits and kudos keep me going. Anyway, remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,
Otherrealmwriter
Aka
Realm