Summary: Somebody has a very cruel sense of humor when it comes to Christmas gifts... Pity Cloud and Tifa! PITY THEM!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I don't own the song in its original form. I do, however, own this new version of it!
Queen's Quornor: Most of the kids have been picked up once Cloud got a chance to call their mommies. Right now, only Marlene, Axys, and Denzel are at the bar. I have also discovered something, and now believe I know how Mystic feels about Zack. I just can't write Rude, for some reason. I can do rude, I just can't do Rude. Get yo' minds outta da gutter! I don't care for bald guys that much. Probably because my daddy's bald and I've had more than enough of that.
Day Eight
On the eighth day of Yuletide, someone evil sent to me...
"Tifa, this is getting ridiculous." Cloud gesticulated to Reno and Rude, sitting at the bar with two tall glasses of water in front of them. "We've had Yuffie, the Turks, the Remnants, and now our closest friends' kids dropped off in front of our bar, done up like Yuletide gifts. And your new security camera is doing us no good whatsoever; they always cover their face and hair so we can't identify them!"
"Cloud, calm down," Tifa shushed, looking at the three silver-headed men making puppy chow at the kitchen table. "This is probably going to be over Yuletide day."
"What makes you think that?"
"It's like the old song," she answered, going over to where Yazoo was melting the chocolate. She examined it carefully, then bestowed upon him an approving smile. The longhaired Remnant blushed softly at her unspoken praise, a pleased smirk playing about his lips.
Cloud leaned against the lintel of the kitchen door, watching Tifa with a scowl. Unnoticed, Reno reached for a bottle of vodka, quietly poured his water out into the sink behind the bar, and replaced it with the booze. "What old song?"
"You know. 'The Twelve Days of Yuletide'." The martial artist watched Loz and Kadaj mixing the rice cereal with the melted chocolate. "That's good, guys. Don't forget to dust it with the powered sugar when the squares are covered, ok?"
"Sure thing, Mother," Loz replied, turning the cereal over again.
Cloud felt his lips turning upward and quickly covered up his near-smile. The Remnants were cute, and they were eager to please, but he was having a hard time convincing himself that they, especially Kadaj, were not going to wait until they were asleep and stab them in their spleens. "So we have to put up with this nonsense until the 25th?"
"I think so." Tifa sighed as the door knocked. "Think that's our little friend?"
"Who else?" Cloud took a deep breath and raced for the front door, yanking it open with the hope of catching their phantom in the act.
Too late. Cloud was faced with front stoop crowded with...
"Coffins?"
...eight Vincent's coffins, seven kids a-hyper, six stolen weapons, five mastered materia, four Shadowfoxes, three Remanents, two drunk Turks, and a clumsy little thieving brat.