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Meg didn't like winter, when plants barely grow.
Meg didn't like Christmas either.
Her red sneakers squeaked as she stomped across the cold, muddy ground.
“Hot chocolate for you Meg ! " Kayla followed behind her like an over-friendly cat, holding up cups with rising smoke.
Meg didn't like winter, didn't like Christmas, but she liked food. Hence she surrendered not to winter, but to Kayla's masterfully made hot chocolate, she thought to herself.
"Is this for Christmas ?" Meg asked, pointing at the painted reindeers on the cup.
"Yeah ! I painted those with Jerry and Yan last week, but we couldn't find you."
Meg stared at her reflection in the chocolate, making a tiny distressed noise.
"Meg, my dear daughter, look outside the window !”
"The party torches are singing...what is that called again ? Carols ?"
"Last Christmas~ I -"
"-Gave you my heart~" That was Will.
"-became a servant~" That was Apollo
"Come on Dad !" Will complained as Apollo laughed, shooting gleeful glances as he beckoned Meg to join them.
"I'm not going to sing dummy." Meg grumbled. "I should go plant strawberries instead."
Apollo shot her an odd glance, before handing her castanets from the pile of instruments near them.
Harley pumped his fists next to her, talking about how much time he spent crafting combat castanets.
"What in the name of Hades are combat castanets?" Apollo muttered under his breath, and Meg had to agree.
Meg didn't like Christmas.
But she liked Apollo's music, and combat castanets. So as she clapped softly to the beat, she told herself that she surrendered not to winter, not to Christmas, but to Harley's puppy eyes.
“We don't celebrate Christmas here." Lu said, shushing her as if the reminder was already taboo in itself.
Apollo let her sit in the shotgun seat as he drove the Sun Chariot through the sky.
"Merry Christmas, handsome~" Apollo waved to a venti that flew near them. The venti froze, and frowned at them. "Christmas? We're Greek."
Apollo blinked slowly for a second, before resuming his normal sunny smile. "Globalisation ! My dear venti. That's how I remain the most stylish god on Olympus."
Meg sighed heavily, and laid back as Apollo kept driving.
"I don't like Christmas." Apollo complained to her after a few seconds. "I don't get why you kids all treat it like it's such a big deal..." He pouted. "The guy who's birthday you're celebrating isn't even your friend !"
Meg gaped at Apollo.
Is the dummy...jealous ?
Apollo resembled a deflating balloon as he continued to steer. "But it's a good excuse to spend more time with my dear demigod friends."
Meg nodded absentmindedly. "Don't worry, I don't like Christmas either." She said in what she hoped was a reassuring tone, completely missing Apollo's introspective gaze.
She pressed her hands and cheeks onto the glass windows in the Tower of Nero, staring at the lights outside. Her father, her real father used to give her warm hugs, warm chocolate, and drive her around to see Christmas lights and carols.
Now, that was as impossible as catching a fleeting dream.
On the 25th December, Meg woke up, brushed her teeth, and walked out of her cabin, fully expecting someone to replace their good morning with merry christmas.
Instead, Connor Stoll threw a snowball at Will, and shouted 'Merry Stollmas !'
Nico Di Angelo popped out of the shadows and smashed Connor into the ground. "Stollmas sounds horrible." He seemed to catch sight of Meg and the corner of his lips tugged upwards "Merry Megmas. " He waved.
Well, that was still not the weirdest thing she had heard. Meg thought.
The snow on the ground melted in a neat circle as Apollo dropped out from the sky, his chariot smashing down afterwards.
"The horses didn't like the red nose I put on them." He explained to a bemused Dionysus.
"Merry Megmas." Apollo grinned at her, all the while trying to salvage a burning bag of presents from his chariot.
Meg put her hands on her hips, the winter cold fogging up her glasses. "I'm not saying that. It's too embarrassing."
Apollo made a wailing noise and shook a burnt present sadly. He narrowed his eyes at Meg.
"Say it."
"No."
"Say it"
"No"
"Pleaseeee?"
"No..."
Meg sighed.
"Merry Christmas, dummy."
Apollo's eyes were bent in happy crescents, his smile warm and soft.
"Merry Christmas to you too, Meg."