Work Text:
Christmas was in less than six hours, and Poppy was determined to catch this home intruder named Santa Claus.
Lilac was still a bit of a baby, she figured. Believing that the jolly man was magic, teleporting into each home every night and was ‘uncatchable’, but Poppy knew better! She had caught a peek of him with Jellie last christmas, from the top of the stairs! Just as she tried to catch him, Jellie meowed and he ran.
But she’s not losing her chance this time!
Poppy waited until her Mama went to shower and her Daddy was handling Sunny before laying out her traps in the living room. She stood tall on her tiptoes to wrap a string around the stairs banisters, preparing a trip wire that would be set off even going near the tree. After some careful prying, she urged off Jellies collar and used the bells to make a signal. Undetectable to anyone that wasn’t listening!
She was just about to set up some sort of capture system when she heard the familiar pattern of her sister's feet against the hardwood, and she quickly spread her wings to stop her from setting off the tripwire.
“Woah! Lilac- hold on! You nearly set off my trap!” Poppy exclaimed, watching Lilacs eyes open wide as she leaned down to inspect the wire. “Is this for Santa?” she whispered, awestruck, and Poppy puffed her chest out and flared her feathers in pride, “It is! I’m catching him once and for all this year!”. Lilac furrowed her brows in worry, voice trembling, “what if his beard gets caught in the trap and he gets hurt?”. Poppy rolled her eyes, poking Lilac in the forehead, “He won’t get hurt- see, I even set down pillows if he trips!”.
Lilac nods, smiling now as she balances on the balls of her feet, “Do you think he’ll drop everyone else’s presents if he falls? We’ll have so many!”. Poppy let out an excited cackle, and the girls clapped their hands together- of course the sound of the shower stopping made them make a sprint for their rooms.
Less than five hours till Christmas, and Poppy was brushing her teeth next to her sister, devising her capture strategy. Her Mama was bent over Sunny, murmuring some not so nice words as Sunny bit down on the finger trying to smear toothpaste in his mouth.
“Sunny! No biting- you threw the toothbrush, so now you have to deal with this” Mama scolded, and Sunny looked pretty upset. Both the girls let out a stream of giggles as Sunny spit up the toothpaste unsuccessfully, instead just having it drip from his mouth and onto his shirt.
As Mama let out a groan and carried Sunny out to be changed, Poppy excitedly tapped Lilac on the shoulder, whispering with her toothbrush in mouth, “Do you ‘fink Sanfa is on ‘hs way?”. Lilac whispered back, muffled around her toothbrush, “Mn’ no, he has fo brush his feefh af’er dinnmer ”, Poppy nodded in agreement and accepted she’d have to wait a little longer.
Mama walked back in, sighing as Sunny tugged at his hair, “You girls nearly ready? Santa will be on his way soon and if you girls aren’t in bed he won’t come” . Poppy quickly spit out her toothpaste, wiping her mouth and rushed off to bed with her sister, Santa had to come!
Four hours till Christmas, and Poppy was only giggling as her Daddy lifted Jellie above their heads, pretending that she was a magical reindeer.
“Dadddyyy! She’s not a reindeer, she doesn’t even have her horns!”, Poppy giggled, swatting at the cat's tail as it swiped right over her face. “Those are called antlers! And she does have them, she's just back from trimming, that’s all!” Daddy replied as Mama walked in, his voice soft “Sunny just went down, Scar, shush”. Daddy’s smile got real wide when Mama walked in, as it always does, and he set down Jellie right onto Lilacs face, much to Lilacs enjoyment.
“Hey songbird” She overheard her Daddy whisper, and both the girls groaned as their Mama initiated a much too gross kiss. Though when Poppy peaked through her fingers all she could see was Mama's scolding face, “you guys have got to sleep soon, so stop getting so riled up” (Poppy watched as her Daddy seemed to be scolded just as much as them).
“Yes, Mama”, They said in unison, and Mama leaned down to kiss both their foreheads before carrying Lilac to her own bed on the other side of the room. Their Daddy of course had to get his own kisses in, and soon they were getting their lights turned off. Poppy laid in an excited wake, pretending to be asleep as she heard Daddy whispering about Jellie’s missing collar.
Three hours till Christmas, and Poppy was giggling with Lilac under their blankets- tucked under their mattresses and lifted in the middle of their beds by a lightsaber toy. They had already snuck enough chocolates from Daddy’s Christmas stash to keep them awake for weeks, so Poppy was certain she was staying awake for Santa!
And then her sister yawned.
“Lilac!” She whispered, “Stay awake- Santa will be here in only a few hours..” Poppy nearly had the thought to shove another chocolate into Lilac's mouth, but she could see the way her sister's eyes started to droop. Suddenly she remembered a summer day from months ago, where Sunny had been down for a nap and Lilac was out with her in the yard. Simply weaving flowers over and over again to form a crown, like her Daddy had shown her, when Lilac had yawned just like that…
“Lilac, hand me another…. Lilac? Lilac!” Poppy furrowed her brows, glaring at her half awake sister, leaned against her own hand clutching a flower. Lilac's eyes blinked open again, and she let out a whine, “Can we go inside? ‘m sleepy…” Poppy was frustrated, her sister was always tired now she supposed, but she needed her to help with the flower crown! “You took your nap like- a couple seconds ago! Just stay awake like me!” Poppy flashed her best salesman smile, trying to convince her sister, but she yawned anyway, already blinking back to sleep.
Poppy was frustrated, groaning in disappointment as she stood up and went to tell her Mama about her sister. Mama had been simply cuddled up with Daddy on some porch swing they had made, and thankfully Mama only looked a little concerned with the fact Lilac wasn't with her. Poppy stomped her foot, brows furrowing even more at her Daddy’s smile, “Lilac won't play with me!” She whined. Mama looked amused, even though his eyes flickered to the area where Lilac was happily napping in the grass, “Oh? Are you playing a game she doesn't like again? Is that why she's- um, laying down?”. “No, she's asleep! Even though she needs to help me with my flower crown!” Poppy grumbled as Mama elbowed Daddy off the porch swing, though her grumbles were quieted when Mama signaled for Poppy to sit next to him.
“Baby bird, your sister is still young- and she's adjusting to coming off from having an afternoon nap. You shouldn't be upset because she's tired..” Mama ran his fingers through her hair, but Poppy only folded her arms. “But I already got over my afternoon nap…” “And you did that months ago, your sister's younger and will do things later than you.” Poppy lit up a bit at that, she supposed she did do that a while ago..
“Will I always be older than Lilac?” Poppy tilted her head all the way up at her Mama, and from the upside down angle her Mama had a smile and wet eyes as he leaned down to kiss her forehead, “Yeah… you will always be older, I suppose.”.
Poppy blinked, before nodding. She moved off the porch swing, walking towards where her sister napped- her Daddy sat next to her.
“Oh, hey peanut! Sorry, she's not getting up to play with you anytime soon…” Daddy whispered, and Poppy only smiled as she sat by her sister, urging her sleeping head onto her lap.
“That's okay, i'll make flower crowns as she sleeps”
She barely noticed her Daddy's eyes water..
Poppy sighed, grabbing a pillow from the bed and crawling over to Lilac, murmuring “Here, i'll wake you when Santa comes', Lilac smiled sleepily, completely fine with that arrangement. Poppy chewed another chocolate as her sister's snores rang out behind her, she was older- she supposed, and she had to be the one to capture Santa.
Two hours till Christmas, and she boredly looked at the pictures and drawings in one of her Daddys books, detailed drawings of a theme park she faintly remembered, and plenty of Jellies. She let out an annoyed sigh, this Santa guy was taking ages! She grumbled as she laid backwards, holding in a yawn with watery eyes…
Where's Santa…?
One hour till Christmas.
Then a half hour…
Fifteen minutes……
Then the jingle of Jellie’s Collar!
Poppy shot upwards, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth and jumping to her feet- quietly sprinting out her room and down the hall. She knew Santa was coming! And when she tiptoed down the stairs, holding her breath, she caught the magical sight of a red outfit! She held in an excited chirp, Santa! , though she nearly screamed when she saw Mama leaned against the wall by the Christmas tree. She stayed very quiet, praying her Mama didnt scare the intruder away, Mama was always too protective…
“I don't know why you dress up, they don't even see you” Mama said, sounding awfully amused. Santa had said something, and Poppy strained her ears to try and hear the muffled sound to no avail, Santa seemed very frustrated with his beard… “Though, I do appreciate that you leave the coat open..”, Mama fluttered his eyes, and his wings got all poofy in the way that she's seen make Daddys face red. Poppy leaned down a bit as Santa moved..towards Mama?
Poppy barely blinked before Santa was pulled by his beard, Mama was vicious! Poppy leaned just that bit forward, preparing herself to save Santa from Mamas assault, but-
OH MY DAYS MAMA WAS KISSING SANTA!
Poppy felt her wings instinctively curl over her face as she shut her eyes, the lingering sight of Mama being tilted down by Santa burned into the back of her eyelids- and she was sure Santas hands did not belong down there! Poppy felt like crying- why would Mama kiss Santa! Poppy ran as quietly as she could up the stairs, she needed a place to hide! She ran to Mama and Daddy’s room, whimpering about the thought of her Daddy’s reaction, but as she creaked the door open she was greeted to an empty room!
Well, besides Jellie. Poppy couldn't hold it in anymore, and as Jellie wrapped herself around her legs, Poppy let out a wail.
In an instant, she smelt the familiar scent of a horrid spice and wilting flowers, though she only recoiled at the flowers. Through her tears, she saw Santa! Of all people, he had the nerves to approach her!? Santa had quite the potty mouth as she swatted at him and pulled his beard, eyes still blurry from tears as she felt her Mama's hands lifting her up. She let out a growl at Mama, and the voice of her Daddy surprised her, “Oh shit Songbird, she growled at you-”. Mama swatted Santa over the back of the head, letting out a growl of his own, “Language Scar!”.
Okay, well, now she was confused.
She wiped her eyes, whining as she looked at.. “Daddy? You’re.. Santa?” Mama let out a curse of his own before Daddy issued a light smack to the back of Mama’s head. “No- Peanut, well- I guess you're old enough to um, know this now- I’m not Santa by the way-”. Poppy whimpered, “Daddy! I saw Mama kissing Santa!” She wailed, and her Daddy looked red faced and stressed. Mama let out a noise of embarrassment, his scent of wildflowers seeming sweet, “Baby Bird- Santa isn't real. Your Daddy was just dressed as Santa.”.
She didn't even hear her parents sigh as she wailed even harder.
“Okay…” It was an hour into Christmas, and Poppy was sitting between her parents in their bed. “Santa is made-up stuff?” She confirmed, and her Mama nodded “and your Daddy really enjoys made-up stuff, so he dressed as Santa.”. Poppy nodded slowly, understanding “and that's why Daddy is crying?” “No, he's crying because he can’t be Santa for you anymore.” Mama rolled his eyes as Daddy buried his face further against the crook of Mama’s neck, crying.
“You’re older now, and we couldn't keep the truth of Santa hidden for much longer..” Mama even sounded choked up, and Poppy leaned into them both, murmuring “and i'll always be older… Lilac still believes in Santa though, because she's younger.”. Mama let out a choked sound, his own eyes watering as he pressed a kiss on her forehead again- she supposed since it was upside down, Mama's smile was a frown.. “Yeah, Baby Bird… you'll always be older, and you'll keep getting older.”
Poppy shot up, turning to her still teary father “Daddy! Lilac still believes in Santa, right!?” Daddy nodded with tears in his eyes, mumbling “Yeah- hic I hope she does..”.
“Then I know what we can do!”
Two hours into Christmas, and she shook Lilac awake. “Lilac! Lilac! I caught Santa!” She whispered, her sister jumping awake, her hair a rat's nest and her eyes sparkling in excitement. “You did?!” Lilac cheered, and they ran hand in hand down the hall and down the steps- the sight of glitter trails and a Santa hat stuck in a line of fishing wire. Poppy stomped her foot, putting on her best pretend voice, “awe man! He was just here!” Lilac squealed, looking around the room in amazement.
“Look Poppy- He ate the cookies! Drank all the milk- Oh my gosh! He forgot a reindeer!” Poppy smiled so wide; her cheeks hurt! She didn't mind being older- not one bit.
The girls happily lifted a dressed up Jellie while their parents leaned against the stairway.
“How did we raise them so well?” Grian whispered to his mate as he excitedly looked over at his daughters. Scar’s whole face was filled with light, Love radiated off him as he whispered back “i've got no clue. Lets just hope they don't get any older, my poor ‘ol heart can't take anymore...”
It really couldn't, because Grian had to urge his sobbing mate back to their room as Poppy flashed a knowing smile up at them at the top of the stairs, Grian’s own eyes beginning to water.
They grew up too fast.