You are Anon, marooned on an ice floe. It's been days since you last had human contact, and-

"Let's help him up, Sonata."

Two sets of slender arms lift you up and you wobble on your ice skates.

"Ah, thanks girls."

Adagio smirks.

"You know, you should have said you didn't know how to skate."

You try to move forward, but your foot slips and you grimace as they catch you again.

"Yeah, well I saw how excited you three were, and I didn't want to hold you all back."

Sonata leans over and gives you a peck on the cheek.

"Aw, you're a sweet guy. For realsies."

Adagio hums in evil contemplation.

"You know, Aria needs to be sweeter, she didn't even come over to pick you up."

You have a bad feeling about this. Sonata grins.

"Maybe his sweetness will rub off on her?"

"What a wonderful idea!"

With that they start skating, dragging you behind them as you struggle to stay upright.

"Uh, girls, this is a bad idea..."

They ignore you and go faster. You whimper. Then they let go, and you focus on just keeping your skates straight. You collide with a soft bundle of swearing and growling. The two of you slide until you gently hit the wall. Aria glares up at you.

"When you're done humping my shattered body, could you get off?"

You roll off and to the side.

"Sorry! It's the other two, they did this. Um. Are you alright?"

She slowly gets up, using the wall for support. You sort of follow her example, just with more slipping and scrambling.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little thirsty."

"Oh, that's good. We can-"

"Thirsty for revenge."

You sigh.

"Of course."

Aria grabs your hand and drags you off onto the ice. You begin to suspect that she was an Olympic speed skater in a previous life. Even though she is towing you behind her, she's gaining on the other two as they flee. With a wordless cry of triumph, she hurls you onward, and tackles Adagio. You manage an inarticulate yelp before you bowl Sonata over. You roll off of her with a groan.

"Aria sends her regards."

Sonata giggles as she helps you up.

"She can be so nice sometimes!"

As the four of you slowly get to your feet, an official comes skating over.

"Look, it's the holiday season, so I'm only going to give you a warning. No horseplay on the ice, got it?"

Adagio nods seriously.

"We understand, it was just a bit of youthful high spirits. We'll be good from now on."

The official seems barely satisfied by that answer, and skates off with a frown. The girls break down laughing once he's out of sight. You just sigh and wobble.

You pull into the parking space for your apartment, the sirens all in the back. (They tend to fight too much over shotgun if you let them.) You slowly get out of the car, aching somewhat from the exertion and collisions from earlier. Sonata holds your hand sweetly as the other two disappear into the apartment.

"Thanks for coming with us, it was a lot of fun!"

You give her hand a squeeze.

"No problem, I enjoyed it too...eventually."

She giggles.

The four of you sit on the couch, under a blanket, and sip from mugs of hot chocolate. Sonata leans against you on your left, and Aria from your right. Purple grump smiles grimly at the claymation movie.

"That's right, no one wants to see your damn mutant nose. Father of the year, right there."

You meet Adagio's gaze on the other side of the grump, and perform a synchronised eye-roll. You get rather drowsy, with a belly full of hot chocolate and two warm girls leaning against you. Adagio smiles tolerantly and collects the empty mugs and carries them off to the kitchen. Sonata pulls a lever on the side, the couch reclines, and your feet are lifted up on a foot rest. Well, you know where you are sleeping tonight.

Apparently the girls do too, because they snuggle up to your arms. Adagio comes back, and makes a face at the new development. She lifts up the edge of the blanket by your feet and crawls under and up to your chest. She lays her head on your chest, and wriggles a bit before getting comfortable.

"Comfy?"

You get two little contented sighs, and a grunt.

"Goodnight, girls."

"Goodnight!"

" 'Night."

And another grunt. You smile fondly as you sink into sleep.

It's dark when you wake up. Something feels off. Siren roll call:

Adagio: On your chest

Aria: Right arm

Sonata: Gone

Tom Servo

Crooooooowwwww

Then you hear what woke you up in the first place.

"Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas"

Maybe if you stay very still...

Sonata's face looms out of the dark.

"You're awake!"

"Agh!"

Your startled yelp awakens the other two. Adagio gives you a sleepy glare before resolutely resting her head back on your chest. Aria rolls over and curses.

"It's two in the fucking morning. Go back to sleep, Sonata."

"But it's Christmas!"

"Then take your stocking to your room, and have fun over there."

"But I want to cuddle~" Bluey whines.

"And we want to sleep. You can't always get what you want."

Sonata pouts, then brightens up. She grabs her stocking and then slips back under the blanket, scooting her backside up against you. Adagio gives you another sleepy glare.

"Having fun down there?"

"Sorry, hand full of butt right now."

"Yeah yeah, just let me sleep alright?"

"Understood."

Your consciousness fades to the sound of candy being unwrapped.

You wake up again, this time with pale winter sunlight shining through the window. Sonata sits at the base of the tree, obsessively stacking and restacking the presents. From the smell in the air, Adagio is making something like pancakes, or maybe french toast. That leaves Aria, still asleep.

At some point, she stretched an arm across you, and her face is pressed against your pectoral. You shift a little, charmed by her sweet embrace. At that slight movement, she nuzzles her face against your chest. Goddamn, she's cute when she sleeps.

She must have sensed that thought, because her eyes blink open. Aria turns a confused, sleepy gaze at you. You smile.

"Morning."

"Mm."

She blinks a few more times and looks around. Purple slump frowns and exhales through her nose. She tries to get up, but then she just falls back in your chest.

"Sonata's the worst."

You give her a light back scratch with one hand.

"Whatever you say."

She hums in pleasure at your ministrations, it almost sounds like a cat purring. After a few more minutes of just lying there, she stretches against you, also not unlike a cat. As Aria gets up, she takes the blanket with her for a robe.

"Hey!"

She glances at you.

"Oh, right."

She pats your head.

"Good pillow."

You feel oddly flattered. Then she wanders off towards the kitchen. You rub your arms in the slightly chilly morning, then walk over to Sonata.

"Merry Christmas, Bluey."

She jumps up and gives you a big hug.

"Merry Christmas Anon!"

You hug her back, savoring the warmth. Then she breaks free and drags you to the kitchen. Adagio looks up as you enter.

Dat apron.

"Merry Christmas, Anon. Have you ever had crepes before?"

"M'christmas, and I don't think so. Is that what those are?"

There is a large pile of what looks like a cross between a tortilla and a pancake. You grab a plate as she explains it to you.

"There's a bit more egg than in your normal pancake, and the batter's thinner. What you do is spread some sour cream, powdered sugar, and some fruit, and roll it up."

You follow Sonata's example as she assembles the dish.

"Sorta like a dessert burrito?"

"I suppose."

"Sounds good. Thank you, Adagio."

She flips a crepe and smiles at you.

"You're welcome. Oh, and don't wait for me, I'm just going to cook a few more, then I'll join you three."

You cut into the rolled pastry, spearing a it with your fork. A bit of strawberry syrup drips onto your plate, carrying a bit of sugar and sour cream with it. You quickly slide the morsel into your mouth and chew. It's surprisingly good, a nice balance of sour, sweet, and tart. You swallow.

"Hey, this is pretty good! You have my compliments, chef Dazzling."

Adagio performs a bow, a wry smile on her face.

"You're too kind."

You're on your second crepe when she joins you. After five, you're too stuffed to even consider the candy in your stocking. Sonata is bouncing in her chair, looking at each of you with bright eyes.

"Is it present time yet?"

Aria cricks her neck.

"Might as well be."

Adagio hesitates a moment, her eyes on the dirty dishes on the table.

"It is Christmas. We can do chores later."

Adagio stands up decisively.

"Very well, let's open our presents."

Despite her show of reluctance, you notice she isn't any slower than the other two about leaving the kitchen. As you enter the living room, Sonata flags you down to your pile of presents. You say pile, but it's only three, money is a little tight in the Dazzling-Mous household. Adagio clears her throat.

"We'll each open one, alright?"

General nodding. At some subtle cue, the four of you tear into the wrapping paper. Your first present is...

You open the small box to find a pad of ten hand-written coupons.

"Good for 1 free hug from Sonata Dusk. This coupon is non-trans-fer-able, for realsies."

You are pretty sure you can get Sonata hugs whenever anyhow, but this is pretty cute, so you don't mind. You look around to see everyone else's gifts. Sonata is happily putting on some snowflake patterned knee-high blue socks. Aria is looking unimpressed with a stack of temporary tattoos, but you see a hint of a smile on her lips. Adagio is sniffing at a largish bottle of shampoo. She gives you a questioning glance.

"Yes?"

"This was pretty expensive, wasn't it?"

It was.

"Don't worry about it. Do you like it?"

She trails her fingers across the label, considering.

"Yes, I do. Thank you, Anon."

The other two turn curious gazes at her, and she stares right back.

"Now for the second gift, girls and boy."

Whatever interest they had is gone as they focus on their next acquisition. Your box is heavy, and rattles a little. You open to find...

You immediately scowl at Aria, who glances at her pad of coupons.

"Handcuffs, really?"

She gives you a predatory grin.

"I thought I might teach you some restraint."

You hold your ground, if just barely. She can be so intimidating when she's sexy, and vice versa.

"I suppose I can practice using them on you."

Her grin widens.

"Just try it."

You hear a thump off to the side. Sonata is happily clamped onto a struggling Adagio, a stuffed penguin sandwiched between them.

"Lucky penguin."

Adagio scowls at you.

"I could use some help here!"

You tear off one of your coupons.

"Sonata, I'm using a hug coupon right now."

She gives Adagio a final squeeze, then latches onto you, holding you tight. You hug her back as best you can.

"Adagio give you something nice?"

Bluey looks up at you with shining eyes.

"It's the best! Look at penny!"

She shoves the nearly spherical penguin doll in your face.

"Oh, that is very nice."

"Mmhmm!"

Adagio recovers her breath, setting aside what you suspect to be yet another set of handmade coupons. After another quick hug, Sonata scampers back to her last present. After a round of nods, the wrapping paper flies.

...

It's a collar. A dog collar. With a leash.

You look up to see Adagio trying on a black choker with a silver brooch. You hold up the dog collar.

"Did I miss the memo about a merry dominatrix Christmas?"

Adagio adjusts her new necklace and gives you a sweet smile.

"Don't worry, we love your gifts too. I suppose Aria and I just happened to think of you along the same lines."

You sigh theatrically.

"I may be needing Sonata's hug coupons more than I thought, this year."

You hear a pop. Sonata gazes in wonder as the little hemisphere of rubber jumps high into the air.

"This is amazing! Thanks Anon!"

Adagio gives you a sidelong glance.

"A cat toy? Really?"

You shrug.

"She seems to like it."

You are suddenly forced onto your back, and your vision is filled with the face of a horse.

"Do you think this is funny?"

The horse growls with Aria's voice.

...

"Pfffft ha ha ha! Yes!"

She whips off the horse head and glares at you. You don't care, you're still laughing . Sonata sidles up to Aria.

"Can I see it?"

Aria hesitantly hands it over. Bluey dons the mask slowly, and you are reminded of a certain lord Vader. She turns this way and that, the muzzle collapsing and wobbling under the torque.

"Wow, I can't see a thing in here..."

Aria just stares, her lips trembling. Sonata starts crawling, heading directly for Adagio. Princess Poof tries to back away, but she hits the couch. Blueberry's horse lips hit Adagio's face head on, collapsing under the pressure.

"Mwah!"

Aria fails to conceal her smile at Agent Orange's disgusted expression.

"See? It is funny."

Purple grump's smile turns into a scowl, and she punches you, admittedly somewhat lightly.

"Whatever."

For the rest of the morning, Aria tries for a full sleeve of tattoos, Sonata alternates between cuddling her new friend and playing with the cat toy, and Adagio takes a long bath. You content yourself with cleaning up the dishes and throwing away the wrapping paper. It's not the most extravagant life you lead, but it is dazzling in its own way.