Challenge [250]: Sugar and Spice, "Comfort and Joy"

[kiaxet]

Title: Comfort and Joy
Challenge: [250] Sugar and Spice
Word Count: 323
Notes: BBS (again) but completely nonspoilery. This one's heavy on the sugar, but it's the holidays and who doesn't want a little holiday sweetness? Plus, these three in Christmastown was too good to pass up.





For Terra, it wasn't the discovery of a world that was Christmas every day (even if it had come through a world that was Halloween every day), or the winter wonderland they'd stepped into when they arrived, or the validation of a long yet quietly held belief; it was the look on Aqua's face (good-humored acceptance with just enough chagrin to make it funny) when she found out she'd been wrong all those years ago. "After all," Santa himself reminded her, using her long ago argument with one very important word changed, "most reindeer can't travel between worlds."

For Aqua, it wasn't the cheerful beauty of Christmastown (who knew there could be so much color in one world?), or the restoration of a dormant childish belief; it was the relief in Terra's eyes when he stood before the jolly, impartial judge of Naughty and Nice and found out he was still in Santa's good books. "If darkness were reason enough to be on the Naughty list, we'd never have a very long Nice list at all, now would we?"

For Ven, it wasn't the new friends he'd made (he'd been expecting the elves to be cool, but who knew penguins were so much fun?) or the fun he'd had with them (notably, being clobbered in a snowball fight against those same penguins); it was the difference he saw in his friends when he came inside from the cold, shaking snow off his pants and excitedly describing the epic snowball war they'd just missed. Aqua was wearing an actual smile, not one of those small ones she was forever hiding behind her hand, and Terra mirrored it, standing as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Something about this place - the lights, the laughter, the sheer joy that danced through the air - had changed them all for the better.

The peppermint hot cocoa they shared afterwards wasn't too bad either.

Comments

[kawaiigami.livejournal.com]

XD XD XD XD XD XD Yay Christmas fic~

I adore these three, and them getting some Christmas happiness is happy making. They're all so wonderfully them here. :)

[kiaxet]

Of course Christmas fic! There has to be Christmas fic on Christmas! :Db

They really do need more happy, and that's about what I was going for here. Glad you liked it!

[kawaiigami.livejournal.com]

Holidays demand holiday fic, darnit! X3

It was lovely. :) Also also, you're icon is adorable. Is gankable?

[kiaxet]

Yes. Yes, they do. XD

Thanks! And I ganked the icon from someone else originally, so I sure hope it is. |D Credit's in the comments.

[kitsuneikkin.livejournal.com]

This is the cutest thing ever. <3

I love Terra the Santa believer and Aqua the skeptic, and Ven playing with penguins (I actually thought he was gonna go penguin sledding at first... xD).

And all three of them totally need more fluff.

[kiaxet]

Aww, thank you! ♥

I figured Terra would never give up on the idea of Santa being real, and Aqua would approach it far too logically for her own good. (I debated penguin sledding, actually, but figured Pwned By Penguins would be funnier. Christmastown penguins are awfully good shots, you know. :Db)

They do! We never really get to see it in the game.

Edited because I wasn't sure if my icon counted as spoiler material and didn't want to risk it. |D

[cygna-hime.livejournal.com]

;khsfglk TOO MUCH ADORABLE CANNOT COPE

Ohgod I cannot decide whom to hug first! It is a DILEMMA, I tells you!

[kiaxet]

OVERWHELMING AMOUNTS OF ADORABLE IMMINENT 8D

Obviously you should start at the beginning! It's a very good place to start. Of course, group hugs are always an acceptable strategy.

[synchroshatter.livejournal.com]

Why can I totally see Ven having a (not so) secret affinity with penguins? It seems so...fitting. And the whole thing with Terra believing in Santa and Aqua not was priceless. And adorable. Especially with Terra being relieved he's still on the Nice list. XD

I love how you write the three of them. And I wish this was an actual scene in the game. Especially Ven getting his arse kicked in a snowball fight. XD

[kiaxet]

Because penguins are awesome. :Db And I can completely see a younger Aqua trying to take a logical approach to the whole Santa thing and Terra going, "Okay...uh-huh...sure," and still quietly keeping his belief.

Thanks! The game really did need more scenes of the trio that weren't about things going to hell. And I'm telling you, Christmastown penguins really are crack shots. XD

[iki-teru.livejournal.com]

fffffff, cuuuuuute. Warm happies all around.

"If darkness were reason enough to be on the Naughty list, we'd never have a very long Nice list at all, now would we?" oh. Santa. I heart you.

[starflashed.livejournal.com]

This is so amazing. I wish this actually happened at some point in the game (but I guess that's what fanfics are for, huh?). Lol this is so cute, though. The way you set it up and the little segments you had on all three are so fitting... I can't even stand how adorable they are here--but I mean that in a good way. ;)

Awesome awesome awesomely AWESOME job on this! <3