"Weeeeeeeee!" The tiny baby flapped her pudgy limbs in the air.
"Gotcha!" Marco caught his baby sister. He placed her back down on the changing table to refasten her onesie and blow a little raspberry into her tummy.
"Whoo, I gotta lay off the hot chocolate," he sighed. "Alright Posey, how's about you and me get back down there and finish trimming the tree?"
"Co-Co!" She replied.
Marco chuckled. "Nah, I'm already on a sugar rush and you're too young for it," He carried her out of the room and down the hallway to the stairs. "So, I'm thinking we add a few more holly berries and candy canes, you not try to eat them this time, and then-whoa!" He was halfway down the stairs when something flew by and yanked his sister out of his hands.
"Jingle Bells, Posey smells
She just laid an egg
But she's so cute that when she toots
We'll change her anyway!"
Marco rolled his eyes. "Yes, references to baby poop. I'm sure that's exactly what Pierpont had in mind when he wrote that diddy, Star." He chuckled as he watched his girlfriend, dressed in a reindeer onesie (complete with
hooded antlers) swing back and forth on a tire swing made from Christmas lights and a wreath, his sister now in her hands. "I thought you were putting up lights in the front yard?"
"I waaaaaas," she sang, dismounting and greeting her boyfriend. "but then Angie slid out a fresh batch of cookies and well-" she giggled.
"You couldn't help yourself," Marco reached over and wiped a mess of crumbs off her chin, "could you?" They shared a kiss and he smacked his lips. "Mmmm, gingerbread." A rich and inviting smell came from the kitchen, making both teens sigh in it's sweetness.
"Help yourself," Angie Diaz poked her head out from the kitchen. "To the cookies, I mean." "How's the Les Treize Desserts de Noël coming, Mom?" Marco asked.
"Halfway done," she said. "I'll get to the rest after the mall trip. And remember, no touching until you can name all thirteen."
" Oui-oui mademoiselle," Star replied. "Speaking of wee-wee," she leaned down to Mariposa, "Is someone all clean now, lil cutie?"
Mariposa responded by reaching up, trying to grab the antlers hanging off Star's head.
"Oooh, we can't have you all stinky when Eclipsa gets here and we all go out to meet SANTAAAA!" She squeed in delight at the last word, making Marco sigh.
Star had just turned sixteen a week ago, just as he had at the end of November. It had been her first time at home since the Cleaving, as she'd been working at the office with Eclipsa setting up their No Being Left Behind chariety organziation, and the former princess had wasted no time in transitioning from the serious, politically focused young woman who'd helped destroy magic back into the fun-loving, playful, and energic girl that he'd first met two years ago.
Not that he could blame her. The destruction of magic had already been taxing enough on her, but the proceeding months had been something else entirely. Instead of relaxing like a normal teenager, Star had been alongside Eclipsa, working to bring order to their newly hybridized world. Even with his sixteen years of questing in the Neverzone, Marco still found himself amazed at his girlfriend's endurance. Stuck in a tiny, square office filling out bill after bill, attending endless confrences and meetings in both California and Washington DC, and having to basically educate Earth on EVERYTHING Mewni-related, it was a wonder she hadn't lost her mind.
So yeah, her regression wasn't completely unwarranted and it WAS admittedly pretty cute seeing her getting hyped up and uberexcited for the holiday. That was the Star that he'd befriended and later fallen in love with.
It's just that the boy himself knew sooner or later, he'd have to tell her the truth about Santa. And he dreaded seeing the truth hit her like
SMASH!
Like his dad slamming into the side of the house.
"Look Posey, it's Daddy!" Star pointed over to the window where Rafael was hanging upside on the other side, his body wrapped in Christmas lights.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Safety harness," he muttered, trying to free himself. "Well, I got Frosty up. Now we just gotta get Santa's sleigh and reindeer and the rest of these lights and we'll be good."
"Well, take a break, Raf. The Butterflies will be here any moment!" Angie called.
"Okay. Whoa!" There came a thunk that made the house shake. "I'm alright!"
"Don't hurt yourself," Angie came over and took Mariposa from Star. "I'll take her. You two finish up the tree." "Sure Mom."
"With pleasure, Mrs. Diaz!"
"Star, you know it's okay to call me ' Mom,' right?" Angie asked.
"Yeah, but that makes it sound like Marco and me are married." The two blushed as they glanced at each other and she giggled. "I don't think I'm ready yet."
"And I don't think that would even be legal," Marco added.
"Sure it is," said a voice directly behind him, causing him to scream and jump in the air. "Just need parents' permission."
As Star laughed, Marco spun around. "JANNA?!"
"Hey Daiz," she said. "Mind if I crash here?"
Before he could answer, Star pushed past him to hug her. "Janna!"
"Hey Star. Still rocking the Rudolph, I see?"
"Haven't taken it off since."
"Knew you'd love it. Oh, hey Mrs D, M Jr," she walked over and fist-bumped Posey. "What brings you here?" Angie asked.
Janna sighed. "Well, if you can believe it, my folks are out of town for the holidays and it's kind of gloomy, spending Christmas all alone at home. Mind if I crash here?"
Before Marco could reply, Angie answered. "Of course. Make yourself comfortable." "Don't mind if I do." Kicking her boots off, Janna plopped down on the couch and took out her phone.
Marco sighed and folded his arms. As much as he just wanted to shut up and accept her as a friend, Janna's antics still got on his nerves.
"Come on, Marco, it's Christmas," Angie said. There was a ding from the kitchen and she handed him Posey. "Ooh, there's the cookies!" She dashed off.
"Okay Janna, spit it out," Marco said. "What's going on?"
Janna put on a fake sad and vulnerable face. "What? You don't think I'm just a lonely old soul begging for the sweet company of friendship?"
"Nope."
She dropped it. "Good. Well, it's pretty simple really. You see, my folks and I don't really celebrate Christmas together. We just do our own things until it's time for the gifts."
"Wow, really?" Marco asked. "And they don't mind?"
"Hey, you know my folks," the morbid girl replied, "Chillest people on the planet. Long as I don't end up behind bars, they pretty much let me do anything I want."
"I can relate to that," Star said, "My folks took the yurt community down south for the winter."
"What about Tom?" Marco asked, not trying very hard to hide his annoyance. "Why aren't you spending Christmas with him?"
Janna shrugged. "Eh, I figured he deserved some alone time with his folks. Right now, they're all having this big Christmas ball down in the Underworld and it seemed a bit too festive for my tastes. You know his mom's totally obsessed with the holiday? She even froze over the whole underworld so they could go ice-skating."
"Oh yeah, I heard it on the news," Star nodded.
"Face it Daiz, you're stuck with me," Janna relaxed, smiling smugly as Marco groaned.
The door bursts open and a snow-covered Rafael stepped in. "Man, it's cold out there. Oh, do I smell cookies?" He headed for the kitchen. "Oh, hi Janna."
"Sup Mr D."
Star smiled. "Well, I don't mind if you stay. Make yourself at home." She turned to Marco. "I better go change before Eclipsa gets here. I'd wear this to the mall, but Santa might mistake me for one of his reindeer and take me away."
"Star, I don't think that's a possibility," Marco said.
"Yeah. Sides, Claus doesn't take kids," Janna agreed. "That's Krampus' job."
Both teens starred. "Who?"
"You've never heard of Krampus?" The teens shook their heads and sat up. A wicked grin spread across her face. "He's an ancient pagan European spirit, some say even older than Christmas itself."
"You know how Santa punishes naughty kids by giving them coal? Well, over in Europe, they used to believe he did something worse, something much, much worse. They say that when he went out delivering presents, he would always bring with him a buddy of his. An assistant, you might say, who had the job of going to the houses of all the naughty children and punishing them for being bad." Her eyes lowered into an evil glare.
"W-what would he do?" Star asked, both she and Marco now a bit uneasy.
"Well, some say that he beats them with a giant birch rod. Others say he stuffs them in this big sack and takes them down to the underworld! Others say he just eats them."
Star gasped. Marco rolled his eyes.
"Nowadays, most people seemed to have switched to the coal version," Janna shook her head in disproval. "But there are some, like me, who believe he's real and that's he's gone AWOL. Got tired of only punishing bad kids. Now, he wanders the planet, looking for poor, unsuspecting kids… to EAT!"
Star yelped and jumped back and Marco shook his head. "That just sounds like a myth." "Says the guy dating a former magical princess," Janna smirked.
"Hey, I spent sixteen years traveling between deminsions and I never heard of anything like that," Marco shot back.
"But you did hear of Santa, right?" Star asked hopefully.
Marco sighed and nodded. "Yeah."
Star squealed. "I'm gonna go change. Thanks for the story, Janna." In a flash, she was gone. "So…" Janna asked. "Are you… ever gonna tell her?"
"I… I don't know. I mean, look how happy she is," Marco said. "I want her first Christmas to be as perfect as Posey's. Heaven knows she needs some happiness after all the crap we went through."
"Touche," Janna replied, "Well, you don't have to worry. My lips are sealed."
"How about you stay out of my stuff like you're at it," Marco added.
"Nice try."
There came a knock at the door.
"Oh well, here come the guests." With his sister in her arms, Marco opened the door.
"Marco!" Eclipsa immedately hugged the boy. "Oh, I haven't seen you in months. Merry Christmas, sweetie!" "You too, Eclipsa," he replied.
"I heard about your birthday. Sixteen years old, congrats. Oooh," she leaned down, "and look at what we have here."
"Say hello, Posey."
The baby babbled.
"Oh my word, you are adorable," she reached forward. "Come here, let auntie Eclipsa get a good look at you." She cuddled her, stroking the baby's tiny tuff of hair. "Oh Marco, she looks so much like you."
"Yeah, I hear that a lot," he turned to her husband. "Hey Globgor, hi Meteora." He reached to shake the monster's hand, but Meteora hissed. She turned happy when she saw her friend and the two babies babbled hello to each other and hugged.
"Aww!"
"ECLIPSA!" Star bellowed down the stairs, now dressed in a red dress, candy cane tights, and reindeer slippers. With a jumping leap, she seized the woman in a huge hug.
"Oh, Star, so nice to see you again!" they separated. "Merry Christmas. Love the outfit."
"Thanks, birthday gift from Marco. Hi Globgor!" Star rushed over and hugged the giant monster before scooping Meteora off him.
"Ohhh, you look so cute in your little parka!" She twirled the baby around and hugged her close. "Guess who's missed you? Guess who?" The baby laughed and hugged her back. "Oh, I missed your cute little tail!"
Marco turned back to Eclipsa as his parents approached. "Oh, Eclipsa, these are my parents. Guys, this is Star's aunt, Eclipsa."
"Angie Diaz," Angie shook her hand. "This is Rafael, my husband."
"We've heard a lot about you," Rafael shook her hand too, "It's so nice to finally meet you." "As am I. Oh," she admired Rafael, "Look at you. No wonder your son is so handsome." "Speaking of good looks," Angie turned to Globgor, "Who's this handsome hunka-hunka?"
"My own side piece," Eclipsa eyed her husband, who cleared his throat and smiled. "This is my husband, Globgor."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both." He leaned down and kissed her hand, causing her to blush, before shaking Rafael's own. "I'm sorry for my silence. I was just a little worried that my appearance may have startled you."
The Diazes smiled and wrapped their arms around him.
"Oh, we're no strangers to monsters in this house," Raf said.
"Come in, both of you, it's freezing and I just made hot coca," Angie added.
"Oh, your house looks so lovely," Eclipsa looked around. "Very cozy. Oh, Janna! I didn't know you were coming."
The girl waved from the couch.
"She's crashing here for the day," Star explained.
"She promised she'd also help with the decorations," Marco added.
"Well, that's awful nice of her," Eclipsa said, taking a cup of cocoa from Angie. "Meteora's really excited about meeting Santa."
"Posey is too," Marco added, he and Star looking down at the two babies.
"So, are we all going?" Eclipsa asked.
Angie and Raf glanced at each other in consideration for a moment before Raf spoke up, "Well actually, we were planning on having me stay here and finish up the lights while the rest of you go."
"Really?" Eclipsa looked surprised. "Are you sure?"
"Well, there's no telling how long our trip to the mall will take," Angie explained. "I've got a little shopping to do on top of our Santa visit and with the tempature dropping, I'd rather be done with the house before it gets too cold and dark."
"Are you sure that'll be safe?" Eclipsa looked out to the falling snow outside. "I mean, him being here alone?" "He won't be," Globgor quickly said. "I'll stay here and help him finish up."
Eclipsa shot him a glare, knowing the real reason for her husband's offer, but Angie seemed delighted, "Oh, that would be great."
"Honey?" He asked, looking a bit desperate.
Giving a slight eye roll, Eclipsa sighed, smiled, and said, "Fine with me." She went over and took Meteora from Star.
"Sure you don't want to come, Janna?" Star asked, putting on her coat.
"I'm good," Janna replied.
"Well, if you're staying, could you please check on the last batch of cookies in the oven?" Angie asked. "Help yourself, but please don't touch any of the French desserts."
"Don't worry, I hate foreign food," Janna replied. "You guys have fun."
"Come on, cutie-pie," Eclipsa cuddled her daughter. "Let's go meet Santa."
"Anta!" She squeaked.
"That's the spirit!" The two of them, Marco, Star, Mariposa, and Angie all headed out the door. "Don't wait up," Angie called as they left.
"We'll be on the roof if you need us," Rafael and Globgor headed for the back door. "Janna, would you be so kind as to bring down a box of lights from the attic?"
"Sure," the teen said. Right after they left, an evil grin spread on her face as she looked up to the attic. "Family albums, here I come."