The First One
Matthew blinked at the Italian man's words. Did he really give off such an aura as to be recognized instantly as Santa Claus? Sure, he wasn't the big man himself yet, but he would be. Feliciano looked like a child who had, well, just met Father Christmas, eyes shining bright, full of hope and happiness, the widest grin on his face as he shook with excitement. Matthew spared a glance at the pair of brothers, who were staring at Feliciano like he was dancing on a polar bear juggling elves and stuffing his face full of date cake. In short, they stared at the happy man like he had reached a new level of stupidity.
In a fraction of a second, Matthew felt something slam against him and tackle him into the couch. Before he could even grasp his head around what had just happened, the force had situated itself into the blonde's lap, sitting sideways to face him as Matthew's arms automatically moved to support Feliciano's back and rest on his knee. To the on looking Gilbert and Ludwig, it reminded them of a child sitting on a person dressed as Santa's lap at the local mall, excited to tell the stranger all they wanted at Christmas and take pictures. Which, regrettably, Feliciano dragged Ludwig every year to go do; they were going to go later today.
Matthew watched as Feliciano's grin brightened and mouth started to talk. "Oh, Santa! I'm so glad you're here! Luddie and I were going to go see a man dressed as you later today, but since you're here, we don't have to! I'm sure you already got my letter, but in case you didn't, I'll tell you what I wish for. I want a new pasta pot for Christmas, one that's big and shiny! I love making pasta, but my pot is wearing down and not big enough to make enough for everyone, so I'm asking you for a new one. Oh! But what if I'm not on the Nice List? Please tell me I'm nice! If I wasn't, then would make me naughty? Ve~, I don't want coal; I want a pasta pot! Have you ever had pasta, Santa? I love having pasta, especially when me and my brother, Lovino, make it together! Do you want me to make you pasta right now? You must be hungry, coming down from your workshop! I can make you any type of pasta you want; rigatoni, spaghetti, vermicelli, capelli d'angelo, bigoli, bucatini, pici, bavette, fettuccine, lasagne, linguine, mafaldine, scialatelli, stringozzi, cannelloni, fusilli, garanelli, gemelli, manicotti, penne, conchiglie, corzetti, farfalle, fiori, gigli, lanterne, orecchiette, rotini, rotelle, or strozzapreti! And then the sauces! Any sort of red sauce or alfredo or anything, really! Ooo! I'm hungry now, aren't you, Santa? Luddie! What do you have to eat here?" The man took a breath. "And I want a cookie."
The young Santa tilted his head back and gave a hearty laugh at the Italian's exuberance, while he heard Ludwig sigh. "I'm sorry about my friend, he can be a little childish," Ludwig apologized, coming over and tried to pull Feliciano off of Matthew, who wrapped his arms around "Santa's" neck in response, pouting. Ludwig looked like he was about to yell at the pouting Italian, when Matthew cut in.
"It's fine," the blonde said, still smiling. He reached into the large pocket of his sweatshirt and pulled out a sugar cookie, presenting it to the Italian. "A cookie for you, Feliciano," he said softly, so only the person clinging to his neck could hear him. Before the brunette Italian could grab it, Matthew quickly added, a bit louder, "Careful, it's still hot! They're fresh from this morning."
Feliciano's eyes widened when Matthew said his name, like he really just proved his theory that the blonde was Saint Nick. He nodded quickly, making a grab for the sugary cookie, and then promptly shoved it into his mouth and chewed. When the brunette was done, he smiled at Matthew, and said, brightly, "Ve~, thanks, Santa! It was so yummy!"
Like it was planned, though Matthew didn't think it was, the silent thus far brothers cut in with a unanimous "Santa Claus is not real, Feliciano!" Said Italian flinched visibly and Matthew felt the tiniest bit offended, though he was used to nonbelievers. The childish man moved off of the young Santa, done with requests, and flashed a secretive smile which Matthew happily returned.
Now sitting properly, Feliciano turned to the men, pouting. "Is to," he insisted, and then gestured to Matthew beside him. "Look! He's right here!" The blonde gave a meek look, staring at the wood floor, not daring to meet either of the brothers' gazes.
Ludwig's stern voice spoke slowly and deliberately. "Feliciano, there is no existing Sankt Nikolaus, and frankly, it's very rude to call this stranger 'Santa', when he clearly does not look like him." Ludwig paused then asked, "Just who is this, bruder? It's not like you to bring home people off the streets." The tall blonde glared at his brother, crossing his arms.
Gilbert laughed, standing to clap his brother on the back. "This—" he gestured wildly to Matthew—"is… what's your name again, hobo?" His red eyes rested on the quiet blonde, pausing to pick up the name, while his brother took on a look of irritation. The albino continued, not waiting for an answer. "Well, anyways, he'll be staying here until…" Gilbert trailed off, not thinking ahead this far.
Matthew quickly picked it up. "H-hopefully before the twenty-fourth," he said, wavering under Ludwig's stare. "I'm M-Matthew Williams, by the way." The young toy master was afraid of Ludwig for an entirely different reason than Gilbert; Ludwig had achieved the Nice List for most of his life— though there was about five years where he didn't—but he was very… intimidating. The blonde reached into his sweatshirt pocket, this time producing a candy cane, which he quickly stuck in his mouth. After a few moments, he added, "I'm not a hobo, but I really don't have a place to stay."
The albino smirked, going over to sit between Matthew and Feliciano, worming his way in as his brother took on an exasperated look. "Gilbert, you shouldn't bring strangers home randomly. Why did you pick up this man, especially when you didn't know his name?" Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose, scowling. Matthew tried edging away slowly from the albino, still not comfortable being within close proximity of the "naughty" albino man.
"I knew his name, I just awesomely forgot it," Gilbert responded, a smooth, lazy smirk gracing his face. "I took him home because remember what Feli told me last week?" Feliciano perked up and made a sound of remembrance, while Ludwig's scowl deepened. Matthew was sorely confused; there was a greater scheme other than an act of kindness to take him to the albino's apartment? "He told the awesome me that I needed to do something 'nice' to get into 'holiday spirit' or some shit like that." The naughty man rolled his eyes but smirked at Feliciano.
He would not lie, Matthew was the slightest bit disheartened when Gilbert said that. The albino was what the List's records said every year; naughty. The blonde assumed that if Gilbert wasn't told to do something kind and had assumed Matthew was a hobo; he wouldn't have taken him home or even looked at him, for that matter. Gilbert had probably picked Matthew because the blonde didn't exactly look dirty like a homeless person usually would. If his father words were true and the first person he met was his Mrs. Claus, then the young Santa feared for the future of Christmas. Gilbert didn't have holiday cheer, he wasn't nice, he didn't even believe, and he probably hated children. This was the man that was supposedly going to be the best friend the blonde would ever have? The blonde certainly couldn't see himself having a relationship with Gilbert that was similar to his parents. Matthew felt like a failure compared to all the Santas before him; of course he—with all his luck—would get a missus who was so wicked. The blonde quickly felt himself get depressed and he tried to snap out of it, shaking his head slightly.
Coming out of his thoughts, he picked up the end of Feliciano's sentence. "—now that he's here, he can stay, right, Luddie? Because it would be really mean to throw someone out onto the streets, especially in this weather, ve!" Feliciano was bouncing in his seat, and in a second was across the room, clinging onto the stoic blonde's arm.
Gilbert's smirk broadened. "Yeah, Luddie, don't be a Grinch! Let… uh, Birdie stay just until the twenty-fourth!" The albino managed to wrangle Matthew into a semi-hug, giving him a noogie to the head, just shy of a curl that bounced on the blonde's head. The young Santa felt very uncomfortable in Gilbert some-what embrace, though it also set an odd feeling in his stomach, like little gingerbread men running around. The naughty man release him and Matthew scooted further away while the red-eyed man laughed and with a teasing tone said, "Awe, you're blushing, Birdie!"
With a start, Matthew lifted a hand to one of his cheeks and found an abnormal amount of heat pooled there, and with Gilbert's tease, he blushed more. What did this mean? Was this an onset of a crush? The blonde quickly banished the thought. There was no way he could fall in love—or even befriend—this naughty man, destiny to be a missus be damned. Then, Matthew paused and thought of Gilbert had been calling him; the albino still couldn't remember his name! "I'm Matthew, not 'Birdie'," the blonde corrected, pulling the swiftly dwindling candy-cane from his mouth. "A-and…" he trailed off, not finding an excuse for his blushing, promptly sticking the candy-cane back in his mouth, as an excuse to not talk.
If anything, Gilbert laughed more and this time Feliciano chimed in, the traitor. Matthew glowered at nothing and pouted, still blushing, and swallowed what was left of the candy. "Oh, and L-ludwig, if you want me to leave, I will," he added quietly, looking to the floor, the teasing gone from mind. He made move to stand when a hand shot out, dragging him back to the couch. He stared, astonished, at Gilbert, whose hand was still clasped around his wrist, which was spreading a warm as cocoa feeling throughout the blonde. Matthew silently cursed the feeling, trying to peel his wrist away from the inviting warmth.
Gilbert talked around Matthew, gaze on his brother. "Matthew is staying until the twenty-fourth," he stated, firmly. "What's wrong with showing a little awesome 'niceness' around Christmas, Lutz? We've got enough awesome money to support another person, and who cares? It's only for a month!" The albino glanced towards the young Santa, smirking. "And if Birdie here murders me in the night, you can say 'I told you so' and inherit every awesome thing I have. Deal?" Matthew was horrified to be even considered doing something so naughty; everyone who has ever murdered gets on the Naughty List until they truly feel regret for what they did, and only then were they forgiven. But for a Santa to murder… that was unheard of!
Ludwig was silent, mulling over the deal. He glanced at Gilbert, who gave a thumbs-up, then looked at Feliciano, who was at his side, who smiled encouragingly at him and whispered, "For Santa, Luddie!" It was then that Ludwig settled his gaze on Matthew, who avoided those piercing blue eyes, playing at the edge of his red sweatshirt before gripping it under Ludwig's heavy stare. It was almost out of nervous habit that Matthew reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a screwdriver and a small toy car, fiddling with it, disassembling it fully less than five seconds before reassembling it in another five, repeating the process. He hardly noticed the odd stares he got from Ludwig and Gilbert, though the Italian only smiled and cut in, "So, can he stay?"
It was silent for a few seconds longer, Matthew disassembling and reassembling the car anxiously. With a grunt, Ludwig walked over to stand before Matthew, who fretfully looked up. The large blonde held out his hand. "Ludwig Belischmidt; welcome to our home, Matthew Williams," he introduced.
Gilbert and Feliciano looked up excitedly, the albino smirking, and said exactly at the same time, "He can stay?" They both bounced with anxiousness.
"Ja, he can stay," Ludwig affirmed, attempting a small smile. Matthew took the hand offered, smiling, and shook it.
"An honor, Ludwig."
A/N: So, I think this should be said, the original title for this was "Naughty Mrs. Claus", but decided against it. XD Next chapter will focus more on Gilbo. :)
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