A.N: Spoilers up to recent episodes and manga chapter 730 (or 731.)

Hatch 18: Gingerbreads

"Koala-chan, I'm not sure about this" Robin said as the younger woman dragged her in to a kitchen "I'm not really good at baking."

"Don't worry; the paste is already made. We just have to make it look like something else than a lump and put it in the oven" Koala said "C'mon, it'll be fun."

With a sigh Robin obeyed the other woman who had the habit of not stopping before she got what she wanted.

"There's lot of it..." Koala said in surprise as she saw the clump of paste "One tin plate won't be enough; we'll need at least three."

"More like thirteen, give or take a few" Robin commented as she inspected the clump "This is going to take us awhile."

"Well, then we better get started!" Koala said cheerfully "Maybe I'll even make a gingerbread house!"

Robin smiled. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all; in fact maybe it could be even fun. Making up her mind she set to work with the younger girl.

XXXXX

"I think there's something wrong with these..." Robin murmured, observing the gingerbread men she had made. Koala came over to look at them, holding in her laughter. Some had way too much paste, while some were so thin they'd probably break at the slightest touch. On top of that some were missing limbs or a head or had some extra that weren't supposed to be there.

"...looks like you were telling the truth about your baking skills" Koala said with a sweat drop, thinking: "Even Hack could do better than that."

"How about your gingerbread house?" Robin asked.

"I'm done with the pieces; just have to put them in to the oven before I can build it" Koala told, putting the tin plates with the house pieces in the oven. Luckily it was the kind where you could put two at once "That's the harder part, tough."

"Definitely too hard for me, then" Robin said "Would you mind helping me with these?"

"Sure" Koala said, giving Robin some advice with her current job. She would've never thought that someone, especially Robin, could be this bad.

"Okay, now that looks better" Koala commented Robin's next attempt "But I suppose it doesn't really even matter what it looks like as long as it tastes alright."

"I suppose you're right"

"Alright" Koala said "Time to put these in the oven and take the pieces for the house out!"

As Koala had done so they started to make another batch while waiting for the house pieces to cool.

"Yup, you're getting better" the younger girl commented "You learn fast."

"It's not so hard now that I got the hang of it" Robin admitted "By the way, isn't it time to check the oven?"

"Oh, right!" Koala said, hurrying over and opening the oven. They were a little darker than Koala intended, but not burnt "I made it in time..."

"Baking, huh?" Sabo asked as he suddenly appeared in the doorway, scaring Koala and almost making her drop the tin plate "Why didn't you invite me?"

"Don't do that" Koala hissed, ignoring his question "You scared me half dead!"

"Hello, Sabo-kun" Robin said "I didn't know you could bake."

"Hello, Robin-san" Sabo said, ignoring the still angry Koala who was glaring daggers at him "I'm not really that good at it, but anyone can do gingerbreads."

Robin sweat dropped and Koala giggled, making Sabo wonder if he said something wrong: "What?"

"Nothing at all, Sabo-kun" Robin said, giving a meaningful glance to Koala that Sabo didn't miss. There was definitely something going on in here. Shrugging it off for now, he walked over to Koala, picking up one of the freshly baked gingerbreads and taking a bite.

"Hey!" Koala protested "I wanted the first bite this year!"

"Too bad" Sabo said, sticking his tongue out at her "Early bird catches the worm."

Robin chuckled at the two as they started arguing, turning her attention to the task at hand.

"Do you two need help?" Sabo asked, but Koala denied it. She said they could handle it on their own "Well, tell me if you change your mind."

With that Sabo sat down on a nearby chair, pulling a small book from his coat pocket. From time to time he glanced at Koala, who was struggling with the gingerbread house, from the corner of his eye. She just couldn't keep the walls up.

"You sure you don't need any help?" Sabo asked in a singsong voice.

"No" Koala said with a glare "And do you think you can do better?"

"Yup" Sabo said "Do you wanna bet?"

"The winner gets the loser's deserts for a week" was Koala's reply "You win if you get this thing together neatly."

"Deal" Sabo said, rising up. Not long after he had a perfectly made gingerbread house in front of him, only needing the decorations "Done."

Koala's jaw dropped, looking at it disbelievingly. Robin was just as surprised, but hid it better.

"How come I never knew this side of you?" the girl asked.

"You never asked" Sabo said, starting to walk away "And remember: week's worth of desserts."

Koala sighed; she should've known that Sabo wouldn't make a bet he couldn't win. And on top of that it was almost Christmas; she had just lost the best desserts of the year.

"I can share some of mine with you" Robin offered, seeing the younger woman's sad expression, which immediately brightened at this. Hugging the older woman, Koala said: "Thanks Robin; you're the best!"

A.N: Tomorrow we'll see what few marines think about Christmas.