Author's Note: Hello, hello! How are all of you doing? As you can see, I've started yet another story. This was originally going to be a oneshot in DGM Plot Bunny Round-Up, but I felt that what I wanted to write would have made it too long. Now I need to worry about finishing it all before New Years Eve (because I doubt I'll be able to finish by Christmas)…
By the way, I'm also writing this entire story in just one document instead of splitting it up chapter by chapter. So I need to be careful regarding all the cultural, author's and end notes and chapter titles. Actually, I think it would be best to just not write the end notes for this story.
Warning: Tyki MikkxAllen Walker; Fem!Allen; Aged-Up Characters; Modern AU where Coronavirus doesn't exist; Cursing where appropriate;Final rating subject to how much smut ends up being included; Gratuitous Portuguese (because those lessons need to be put to good use); Probable OOC-ness; Mixing American and British spelling of words; And an American writer relying on the Internet for accurate information about Christmas in Britain and Portugal
Disclaimer: D. Gray – Man is the property of Katsura Hoshino. This little slice belongs to my strange imagination.
Christmas Sweets
Chapter One: Chocolate Truffles
- xXx -
Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Christmas Eve
"Here you are, Lenalee: a selection of every single coffee-flavoured sweet I have in stock for Komui, along with lemon lollies for Reever and candied fruit for the rest of their co-workers," Ellen announced as she finished packing said sweets into four reusable canvas bags belonging to her customer and friend.
Lenalee smiled with relief as she opened up her wallet to retrieve a credit card. "Thank you, Ellen. These will definitely help bolster their energy during tonight's crunch period."
Ellen lightly chuckled as she totaled up her friend's purchases. "There's no need for thanks, Lenalee, seeing as you just helped me with my bills. Though I must admit, it is rather horrid luck that their latest deadline was moved to tonight."
"More like an overly demanding publisher," Lenalee sighed, inserting the chip side of her card into the card-reader. Grabbing the stylus to sign for her purchases, she further elaborated, "They didn't like Komui's pace regarding the alpha build, so they've pressured the Black Order into doing crunch."
"I might not know the particulars about video game development, but it seems quite abhorrent for them to force developers like Komui and the others to work all night. And all on such short notice as well," Ellen frowned in concern as she finished pressing keys and settled in to watch the register print out Lenalee's receipt.
Lenalee nodded in agreement and pulled her credit card out from the reader before accepting her receipt. It, along with her card and wallet, promptly disappeared into the right pocket of her unzipped winter coat colored the shade of spring leaves. "It's bad enough that they have work on Christmas Eve. Add on the fact that the coffee maker is still out-of-order due to yesterday's incident with Komulin V…"
Ellen grimaced as her friend left that sentence regarding the latest fiasco involving Komui's robots dangle in the air. She was well aware of exactly what type of damage the Komulin units could and have wrought. Suffice it to say, she was very thankful that this one happened without herself being present.
"And I imagine that the weather is not helping either," the white-haired woman murmured as she and Lenalee stole a peek outside through the large shop window with the words 'The Wandering Pierrot's Pocket Sweets' decorating its surface in black and white cursive script.
As Ellen's sweets shop was located in the basement of her home, they were not able to see how much snow was covering the streets above. Still, the stairs leading up to her walkway already looked as though someone smeared an unseemly amount of marshmallow fluff on each step. And the layers grew even thicker with each passing moment due to the heavens sprinkling fresh snow onto the ground below since early that morning.
What's more the local meteorologist, Hevlaska, predicted yesterday that Leeds would be visited by a blizzard formed in the Midlands. As with most of her forecasts, this one proved correct. The blizzard had successfully lacquered its birthplace in white enamel layers before journeying northward, leaving a monumentally opaque trail of snow in its wake. The last report that Ellen had heard about the blizzard, given an hour ago, placed it forty miles from the outskirts of Leeds.
Now, at the current time of three in the afternoon, it was a mere five miles away.
"No, not at all…" Lenalee murmured, then turned to Ellen with a speculative gaze. "Why don't you come with me, Ellen? I can make room in my car for you and Timcanpy, and then we can all head over to Komui's office. That way you won't risk being snowed in without any of your friends on Christmas." The Chinese woman then sighed as she glanced at her bags. "As it is, with so many of us scattered about the globe and unable to return to Leeds due to the blizzard, the party won't be happening in person."
'Well, that's a shame,' Ellen thought to herself. Ever since they had moved to England from Hong Kong, the Lees would host a Christmas party for all of their respective friends. Naturally, given the type of people they befriended, that meant the affair was the most boisterous and chaotic event to ever grace their little corner of Leeds. And they wouldn't want it any other way.
Then a question entered the confectioner's mind and prompted her to ask, "But Lenalee, didn't you mention earlier that you weren't able to pick up enough food at the store due to today's panic buying? And what about Komui and the others? Won't they mind us distracting them from their work?"
Lenalee nodded. "Yes, the store's shelves didn't have much. But between what I did manage to buy and what I already have at home, there's enough food to last for a few days. As for Komui-" She stopped talking to release an exasperated sigh over the thought of her very loving but quite impulsive older brother. "Honestly, he'll more than likely rejoice at our presence – and use it to procrastinate further. I swear, there are moments where I think he needs a full-time minder."
"Still, despite all that," the Chinese woman continued with a softened gaze resting upon her friend, "he and the others will truly be happy to see you. And I'd rather not leave you alone at a time like this. Especially since tomorrow's your birthday."
The white-haired woman looked down at the floor as a bashful smile spread across her face and a warm glow filled her heart. Once Lenalee learned that Ellen's birthday was Christmas Day after befriending the latter in secondary school, the Christmas party also became an occasion that supplied the younger of the two with extra presents, food and attention. Lenalee's firm assertion that they would properly celebrate Ellen's birthday along with Christmas had been very touching. The white-haired woman could still remember that first party; her sixteen-year old self standing in front of the marzipan-covered fruitcake with "Happy Birthday, Ellen" etched in royal icing, surrounded by Lenalee and everyone else… and trying not to shed tears of joy.
Before then, few people who met Ellen had bothered to acknowledge that the twenty-fifth of December was anything other than Christmas. The holiday always seemed to overshadow her birthday, making her feel that her coming into the world just didn't matter.
That her existence didn't matter to others, aside from her adoptive father Mana and later legal guardian Cross.
But from that birthday forward, Ellen did.
Now, however, the circumstances were different.
"I'm truly thankful for the offer, Lenalee, but I'll have to decline so as not to burden you," Ellen apologized to her friend, regret upon her face.
"Burden me?" Lenalee repeated with surprise, a concerned frown taking up residence on her face. "If you're trying to allude to your… larger than normal appetite, then don't. When I said that I had enough food, I meant that it was enough for all of us," the young woman asserted as she grasped Ellen's right hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"That did cross my mind, yes," Ellen admitted. "But my biggest concern was actually time."
The white-haired woman's eyes then roamed about her shop, taking in the handmade sweets resting on tables and shelves located all around. "Before Timcanpy and I can leave, I'll need to close up both my home and the shop," she started to explain, removing her hand from a bemused Lenalee's grasp. "Not only will the doors and windows have to be locked and shuttered, but the sweets not in cabinets must be stored in the back, money from the till placed into the safe, measures against snow damage and theft taken… There is so much I would have to do that I'm afraid the blizzard will arrive before I could finish them all."
"I would be more than happy to help you with all of that, Ellen," Lenalee offered. "Two pairs of hands will make the work go faster."
Ellen, however, just shook her head sadly. "Even with your help, it would still take too long," she sighed as she looked at the other once more. "And that's before today's last pick-up order is considered."
Lenalee blinked at the mention of that specific business tactic. As a way to spread the word about her shop farther afield, Ellen recently introduced the option for her customers to reserve a rotating inventory of sweets on the shop website and pick them up within two days – basically it was just another form of take-out, though with the stipulation that the sweets will be mailed to the customer if they are unable to pick them up and don't want to cancel their order. While only people within driving distance of Leeds were able to fully utilize the offer, the confectionery nonetheless received more than enough business to justify any and all costs.
"You still have one left? Given everything else, I would have thought that everyone who placed an order already claimed it," the green-haired woman commented as she spared a glance towards a slim door a few feet behind Ellen – the only way to access the back rooms, and thus the pick-up orders, from the storefront.
"Well, it appears that the customer who placed this order has been detained in some way," Ellen offered with a shake of the head. "What's more, they've ordered so many sweets that the total amount could easily feed an entire primary school."
"A primary school? Are you actually serious, Ellen?"
Ellen couldn't blame Lenalee for the disbelief demonstrated by her tone of voice. The confectioner herself took a long double take when she first read the order. She was quite thankful she hadn't been drinking any type of beverage at the time; otherwise, the urge to do a spit-take would have been too great to suppress. "I even took a photo of the order. Would you like to see it?" she offered while holding up her smart phone.
Morbidly curious, Lenalee couldn't help but nod her head. Once Ellen found the photo and handed over her phone, the green-haired woman analyzed the image featuring several different types of sweets overflowing from cardboard boxes resting on a table. Every single box, neatly lined up in a row, had a piece of paper with the same name scribbled across it. And exactly how many boxes were there in total?
Nine.
Nine full cardboard boxes. Each of which were large enough to hold a large microwave.
Taking the phone back from her now thoroughly speechless friend, Ellen continued, "Seeing as the customer probably won't be able to pick their order up, I've already sent them an email about shipping their order or canceling it. If they choose the former option, then I'll need to get an address, pack all the sweets, and finally drop the package off at the post office." The white-haired woman paused to consider that last statement, then amended it. "Well, the post office visit will have to wait until after the blizzard passes or Boxing Day arrives – whichever comes first. However, that still leaves three steps to complete. And that third step will quite likely take the most time, given the sheer volume and variety of sweets."
"But surely you can put all of that off until after Christmas, Ellen!" Lenalee strongly countered once she finally regained her voice.
"Unfortunately, I can't," Ellen sighed. "While my business has been turning a tidy profit for a while now, it hasn't been enough for me to hire another person to help around. That means I alone can do this. And with how much they ordered – not to mention what I have planned for Boxing Day – I need to begin today. To delay could risk my confectionery's reputation for excellent service."
That last factor was of particular concern to Ellen. In an age where online reviews held significant sway, complaints about poor customer service could prove especially damaging to a small business like hers. And since she had no idea how the customer in question, a Mr. Sheril Kamelot, would react to news that she procrastinated on mailing his sweets… well, it was best to err on the side of caution.
The confectioner turned her head to look at the back door and added, "Even if I do agree to go with you, Lenalee, I would still have to store all of the sweets away. That task alone will take a long while, seeing as each box weighs over five pounds. Plus some of them, like the chocolate truffles, need to be stored at specific temperatures."
The green-haired woman's face fell as trepidation spread through her body. "So, what you're saying is that you'll spend this Christmas not only with just Timcanpy for company, but by preparing a package for one single customer?"
Ellen quietly took hold of Lenalee's hands and gave them a comforting squeeze. "What I'm saying is that there are too many tasks to finish for me to risk keeping you here one second longer. Not with an incoming blizzard that's poised to be the second coming of the one from January 1995."
Lenalee frowned with worry as she kept a steady gaze on Ellen's face, trying to persuade the other to change her mind on staying. But her silent pleads were met with the understanding but still unyielding look shining within the confectioner's silver-grey eyes. Having no choice but to accept defeat, the Chinese woman looked down at the floor and pouted. "Sometimes you're so maddeningly stubborn, Ellen."
Ellen raised a curious eyebrow as she asked, "More so than Kanda?"
"No, but you're certainly giving him a good run for his money right now."
The white-haired young woman gave her friend a rather sheepish grin. "That's rather easy to accomplish, given that he's currently stranded at an American airport due to the weather. Though once he finally does return, his surliness will surely have increased ten-fold."
Lenalee groaned at that accurate prediction. "Great. I'll need to recruit a team of former AFOs to escort Kanda to our next gathering."
"A better strategy would be to have the AFOs escort Kanda around the clock." Ellen's grin grew mischievous and her eyes glinted as she added, "That way he'll finally learn not to be so rude around other people."
"I think pigs will fly before that tactic works, Ellen," Lenalee dryly commented.
"Remind me to set up an appointment with a local farmer, then," Ellen responded with a tone that sounded a bit too innocent.
A few snorts burst out of Lenalee's mouth, unwilling to let her ignore that last quip. The snorts turned into full-blown laughing that quickly pulled in Ellen. By the time the women could stop laughing, wide smiles were on their faces and the mood was light and airy.
Unfortunately, a subsequent glance through the shop window reminded them that the aforementioned blizzard was still on its way – and was getting closer with each passing second.
Removing her hands from Ellen's, Lenalee sighed and looked down at her knee high sherpa boots. Given the Chinese woman's normal preference for stiletto heeled pumps, they along with her black ski-pants were a plain sign of her capitulating to the elements. "Oh well, at least Komui and the others will be happy with the sweets," she commented as she zipped up her coat and grabbed the handles for two of the bags.
Ellen moved from behind the counter and went over to the coat rack for her own black parka. "Here, let me help you with those."
After deciding that leaving though the shop entrance and trying to mount the snow-smothered stairs would take too long, the two women walked through Ellen's front door and made the thankfully short trek to Lenalee's car. While the car warmed up its engine, they wasted no time packing the sweets into the boot of the car. But when Lenalee slammed the lid down, instead of moving over to the driver side door, she turned around to face Ellen.
"Are you sure you haven't changed about staying?" the Chinese woman asked her friend. "Like I said earlier, everyone at Komui's office would be happy to have you there."
"I haven't, Lenalee," Ellen confirmed. "Thank you for making the offer again, but Tim and I will be perfectly fine here."
"Alright," Lenalee sighed in resignation. "But expect a call on Zoom tomorrow. I am not letting a blizzard stop me from at least wishing you a 'Happy Birthday'."
Ellen smiled and said, "I had no doubts about that, Lenalee."
"And," Lenalee tenaciously added, "I want you to promise me this: you will only pack or store that order either today or on Boxing Day." She then sent her surprised friend an uncompromising look. "I know that running your own shop means working long and irregular hours, but exceptions have to be made for holidays and birthdays. Particularly if they land on the same day."
Ellen felt her face flush in embarrassment. Lenalee's admonishment was both well-meaning and deserved, given how many times the confectioner overworked herself this year. "I promise."
Observing the sincerely contrite look on Ellen's face, Lenalee's own softened with a smile right before she brought her younger friend into a warm hug. "Call me if anything happens, okay? Or even if you just want to talk," she gently implored into the other's ear.
"I will," Ellen replied while nodding, the young confectioner's own arms wrapping around Lenalee to deliver a slight squeeze that conveyed her gratefulness for her friend.
As the two women let go of each other, Ellen picked up a large shopping bag from Morrisons that had been standing sentry by her feet. Inside the bag were several Christmas presents that she had packed while Lenalee gave Timcanpy, a poodle mix, a belly rub.
"Here are some of the presents, Lenalee," the white-haired woman said while handing the bag over. "Yours, Komui's, the others at the Black Order, and Kanda's."
Lenalee grabbed the bag's handles and took a peek at the grey towel protecting fragile gift wrap layers and ribbons from the snow. "You included Kanda's present as well?"
"Your home is closer to his than mine, so you're more likely to see him first once he returns," Ellen reasoned as they walked to the driver side door of Lenalee's car.
"That makes sense," Lenalee nodded as she opened the door to place the bag in the passenger's seat. "What did you get him for Christmas, anyway?"
Ellen stuck her hands into her pockets and simply said, "Just some homemade sweets."
Lenalee abruptly turned her head to look at her friend in confusion. "But Ellen, you know Kanda hates them."
"Oh, I think he'll like this present."
"What makes you say that?"
A light twinkle entered Ellen's eye as she whispered her response into Lenalee's ear. When the confectioner moved back, she saw that any lingering doubt on the other's face was replaced by quiet amazement. "Oh, I see…" she laughed, "yes, Kanda would certainly be a little intrigued by that." The Chinese woman then tilted her head in thought. "How did you come up with the idea, anyway?"
"From a YouTube video. Considering Kanda's favorite foods and the fact Japanese sweets use less sugar, I thought it would serve as a good foundation for his present," Ellen replied.
"Hmm… I can see the logic," Lenalee admitted as she got into the car and put her seat belt on. "Still, it will take a little effort to persuade him into eating your present."
"Well, in that case," Ellen grinned, mischief dancing in her eyes, "it's rather fortunate that the one person who can convince Kanda into doing anything will be the one handing it over."
Lenalee freely laughed at that true statement. "Right then, it's time for me to leave. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Ellen," she said after closing the door and lowering the car window in order to address her friend.
"Alright, Lenalee. Be careful on your way to the office and tell everyone I said 'hello'. And Happy Christmas!"
"I will. Happy Christmas!"
With those farewells and a few extra hand waves, Lenalee put her car into gear and slowly pulled away from the pavement to plow through the snow-covered streets.
Ellen kept watch, waiting until Lenalee's car had disappeared around a street corner to turn back towards her home. As the young woman looked up at the brick façade of the Victorian back-to-back, she felt an unwelcome tendril of melancholy unfurl in her chest. But before it could take root in her heart, she firmly shook her head and lightly slapped her cheeks twice.
'Alright, there's no time for moping about,' Ellen scolded herself as she opened the iron gate to the low brick fence surrounding her residence and walked towards her front steps. 'I still need to check to see if Mr. Kamelot has responded to the email. Then, depending on his answer, the sweets will either be packed or stored in a separate area. And that's not including shutting up the shop proper, checking the books, deciding what to cook for tonight's dinner, playing with Tim…'
With that myriad of thoughts swirling about in her head, Ellen opened her front door and entered the warm embrace of her home. It was more than certain the confectioner would be spending this Christmas Eve in a peaceful, almost boring manner.
Blizzards tended to guarantee that.
- xXx -
Cultural Notes
Leeds – The largest city in West Yorkshire. Once just a small borough during the 13th century, it became a major center of the wool trade during the 17th and 18th century, then transitioned into a mill town with several side industries (flax, iron foundries, printing, etc.) during the Industrial Revolution. Now it's the fourth populous urban area in the UK. Several video game developers also have divisions located there.
West Yorkshire – A metropolitan county in England. Formed in 1974 after the Local Government Act 1972 was passed. Once was a major player of the coal, wool and iron industries. Part of the historic county of Yorkshire.
Sweets (UK) – Candy.
Lollies (UK) – Lollipops.
Crunch – When people work unseemly long hours in a short amount of time. Depressingly common in the video game industry.
Midlands – Central region of England. Includes the historic counties of Lincolnshire, Rutland, Derbyshire, etc. Partly comprised of land that once belonged to the Kingdom of Mercia.
Minder (UK) – Caretaker.
AFO – Stands for 'Authorised Firearms Officer'. They are the only police officers in Britain who are allowed and have trained to use guns. The vast majority are assigned to the Metropolitan Police in London.
Morrisons – The fourth largest supermarket chain in the UK.
Boot (UK) – Trunk.
Happy Christmas (UK) – Merry Christmas.
Back-to-back houses – A type of terraced house (think townhouses in the US) in the United Kingdom. Mostly built during the Industrial Revolution so as to house the rapidly growing working class population, these homes generally have two stories, a shared rear wall, and an enclosed courtyard featuring toilets and water sources for several households. Because these homes were cheaply constructed, they had poor ventilation and lighting, little privacy (the earliest back-to-backs had only one room per floor), and greatly fell short of hygiene standards. Eventually the building of new back-to-back homes were restricted in the wake of the Public Health Act 1875 (though Leeds kept up construction of nicer back-to-backs until the 1930s). While the vast majority have long been demolished, many still stand in Leeds and Bradford. Liverpool and Birmingham both also kept a back-to-back house as a tourist attraction.