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It was late, deep in the middle of the night.
It was the night before gyftmas, or christmas, how monsters in about half of the multiverse had adopted to call it from the humans of their worlds.
Everything was quiet in the castle.
Everyone was asleep.
...
Well...
Maybe not everyone.
Cross lay awake in his room. He waited.
Waited for his time.
They all had agreed that each of them got a certain time during the night to put their gifts for the others under the tree in the living room.
Through their Soulbond they knew exactly if someone would try to spy. Killer was the one most likely to do so.
But he had promised not to. He would do everything for Cross, and this knowledge warmed Cross from the inside. Like did Horror's care, Nightmare's understanding and Dust's gentleness.
His phone vibrated with a silent alarm and Cross checked the time.
Then he checked for his mates via their bond.
The time was correct, the others asleep.
Perfect.
Cross got four gift packages from his closet, one for each of his mates.
Then he produced a fifth one from the top drawer of his nightstand.
It was the smallest, probably the smallest to be put under the tree, but it was the most important one.
It was meant for everyone.
On silent, socked feet Cross crept to the living room.
There stood the tree.
It was decked in baubles and ornaments and tinsel, in all their Magic's colors.
Nightmare's cyan and royal purple, Dust's reddish purple, Killer's brighter and Horror's darker red and Cross' lavender. Plus silver to accentuate and compliment the different colors.
It looked wonderful.
Who knew, next year...
But that was thinking too far ahead.
Still...
Cross sighed softly and let the giddy affection well up inside him and bubble over.
He put the gifts under the tree, made sure the smallest would be the last to be found. Then he stood, pulled his robe a little tighter around himself, and took in the view of the tree with all the presents.
When he turned around he spotted the small side table with four cups of milk, all empty except one, and the small plate with one chocolate chip cookie left.
He pet the small beast on his shoulder, before drinking the chocolate milk and taking the cookie.
Munching on it happily he returned to his room, desummoned the beast and went to sleep.
☆☆☆
The next morning.
Killer was usually the first to wake up, and called for everyone else through their bond. He vibrated with excitement and curiosity, what he would get for gyftmas.
Cross was already awake, the others gave sleepy responses over the bond.
Like Killer didn't even try to reign in his excitement, Cross let them feel his affectionate amusement.
They all sent love and affection to each other while they left their rooms and meandered to the living room.
Killer zoomed around with unrestrained energy and stole kisses here and there, which earned him good-natured chuckles and looks from the others.
He was like a giddy child on gyftmas morning.
Well, at least the gyftmas part was right.
Like it was tradition in the castle, Nightmare did the honor of handing out the gifts from under the tree.
...
Some time later almost all presents had been opened.
Killer had gotten a lot of stuff for his cats, which were like his babys to him. If one wanted to make him happy, give him something for his kitties.
Cross got him a book about cat breeds and behavior. Killer loved it, even when he didn't know who got it for him.
There were only the recipient's name on each present, not who it was from.
What mattered was, that Killer loved the book. As did Dust with the nightsky projector, Horror with his new cook book and Nightmare with the new novel.
Cross had been showered with gifts from the gang. He got more fluffy dog-themed hoodies, blankets and high end colored pencils, since he had started drawing again and really enjoyed it.
Finally there was only one last gift under the tree.
The small rectangular box with 'Everyone' written on the name tag.
Nightmare looked at the others. It was impossible to tell who it was from.
The others noticed his hesitance and looked at him, curious. Cross' excitement went unsuspected since everyone else was happy, giddy and curious. Only, Cross was curious about how the others might react.
Nightmare still wondered how to proceed with this mysterious box.
Going by the shape and size one could assume it held a wrist watch, but how could a watch be for them all.
Just as Cross inhaled to say something, Killer got impatient. "What is it, Noot? Can't you read the name or something, squishy-pie?"
Nightmare looked up. "No, that's not it, Killz. It says it's for everyone." His tone of voice conveyed the rest.
"Then just open it and show us Nightlight," Horror purred.
Dust sat down next to Cross, who had himself wrapped up in one of his new fluffy blankets and gently rubbed over it where it covered his belly. He really liked soft things.
Nightmare shrugged, mumbled 'okay' and pulled on one end of the lilac ribbon.
Careful he opened the small box and peered inside.
He wasn't sure what he was seeing.
In a filling of pastel purple packing paper lay a small... plastic thing. It was about the size of an old fashioned elictrical fever thermometer, only it had some kind of small window like opening in the middle, with a white field and with a small blue line going through the middle.
Nightmare blinked, uncomprehending.
The Trio exchanged glances, before Killer stepped up to Nightmare to see what had him so bamboozled.
"What is it?" Dust asked at the same time Killer got up to check for himself.
"I... actually don't know," Nightmare admitted. "There are still things in modern life i'm not familiar with."
Killer gently took his hands and looked inside the box.
His eyes went wide and they all felt the surge of disbelief and wonder.
Cross hid his soft smile in his blanket.
Killer turned around to look at Horror, Dust and Cross. "Okay, whose is this? It's not Noot's, or he would have let one of us open this. And i know it's not mine. So it must be from one of you."
"Why don't you just tell us, what it is, Killz?" Horror rumbled, getting a little impatient himself.
Killer reached into the box and showed them.
"It's a pregnancy test. And it's positive."
Nightmare's head whipped upwards. "Wait, what!?"
Killer looked at him over his shoulder. "One of them has a bun in the oven."
...
*three voices screaming* "WHAT!?"
Seeing Horror and Dust as shocked as he was, Killer looked at Cross, the only one who didn't seem surprised at all.
"Applesauce? You?"
Cross blushed and smiled shyly. "Merry gyftmas."
The next thing he knew, he was surrounded by his mates, showering him in kisses and affection.
Next year they would have to add a new color to the tree.