So, happy first of December, everyone! For the Christmas season, I decided to write a Stella and Duman shenaningan fic, which inthought would be a fun way to cekebrate the season. I'll be trying to update daily from today to the twenty-fifth. And note that this is just a silly story, so if bits don't make total sense, just roll with it, it's just goofy. And Merry Christmas!

Snow tousled Duman's fur as he swooped over Gardenia, enjoying the opportunity to spread his wings. He'd been cooped up for days in the new hideout…finally he had the chance to move a little. And his Christmas shopping had provided the perfect opportunity to get out for a bit. Well, okay, Christmas stealing; he had zero cash. Plus…well…it wasn't like the freezing sewers were all that festive. He'd like to be able to deck them out, but Ogron was insisting they'd be out any day now, back to their rightful place or some junk, so apparently there was no point to decorating.

He stuck his tongue out, snapping up the flakes twirling their way over his face, grinning in the dusky light. This place was kinda pretty from above. He should bring Gantlos up sometime, he'd like the view. Though Gantlos had rather objected to taking a ride on his griffin form before. Something about him having zero coordination or regard for safety. Well, he hardly wanted him missing out…the city was like a carpet of snow and sparkles! Couldn't hurt to take a quick pic, right?

Keeping his large wings flapping steadily, he summoned his cellphone to his claws with magic he wasn't really meant to be using. The screen lit up with a bleep, several text notifications popping up across his wallpaper.

'Aw, Stell…' His (slightly top secret) fairy friend had sent him half the Christmassy gifs the internet had to offer, each one accompanied by suitably excited emojis. 'Merry Christmas!' 'Happy Holidays!' 'Mangoes!' She wasn't quite up to speed on the holiday yet. But it was so cute!

Being careful not to break his third phone this year, he ran off a quick text in reply, just a happy Santa emoji. Texting and flying. One of his worse decisions this week.

He glanced up disinterestedly for a heartbeat, and his blood ran cold. Something was coming right for him!

'Geese!' A whole flock of geese was swarming right for him! He'd get knocked outta the sky! Rapidly, heart beating madly, he dove to the left, just managing to dodge the herd.

'Phew…' He felt his body make rapid contact with something. More geese?! Nope! As he felt himself start to plummet, all he caught sight of was bright red and brown fur. What the hell-?

'Pull up, pull up, pull up-!' A few metres above the snowy grass of Gardenia Park, he managed to pull out of the nosedive, shakily coming in to land.

'Whoa…that was way too close.' He turned human again, shivering in the snapping winds. He loved this outfit, but it was so not built for the cold…

What had he crashed into? Glancing around, he caught sight of a huge snowdrift, skid marks slashing their way right into it.

'Oh, please don't be dead, whatever you are…' he muttered, scrambling across the park and rapidly digging at the snow. Quickly, his midair acquaintance revealed itself. Was…it some kinda helicopter? No, it was made of wood.

'Aaaaaaah!' An antlered head shoved itself out of the snow and he scrambled back in shock. Was that a reindeer?!

It was quickly confirmed as such, dragging itself upright and shaking itself off with a dissatisfied huff. It glanced around a moment, before spotting Duman. He quickly scrambled back, sensing the creature was very much aggrieved with him and his distracted flying.

'…I so wasn't texting.' He didn't know why he said that. Or why he was talking to a reindeer. He just felt very judged right now!

The animal huffed again, pawing at the snow beneath it, snuffling at the ground. The snow turned red, and Duman's eyes widened. That thing was glowing!

…Wait. What was a red-nosed reindeer doing flying through the skies of Gardenia the night before Christmas Eve?

'…Oh, ho ho no…' he muttered, jumping forwards into the form of a badger, optimising his front paws to dig away the snow. A minute later, he fell back into his human form, sitting back on the snow in quiet horror.

'Oh, this puts a spanner in the festive works…'

The reindeer huffed, as though saying, 'You said it.'