Archive of Our Own ^beta

Dietrich's mattress bounces.

„„Deedee! Dee! Dee! Dee!““

More bouncing.

„„Get up get up get up! It's—““

„„Christmas!““

He groans, opens his eyes. „Wha' time is it?“

„Christmas!“ squeals Manny.

Karla tugs at his arm.

„Alright, alright, I'm going.“ Dietrich hauls himself out of bed, rubbing his eyes.

Manny and Karla each grab an arm and drag him—

„What about Bunny?“ he croaks.

Karla lets go, darts to the little ones' room.

Manny drags him out the door, down the hall, down the stairs, down the hall, into the sitting room, then he pulls away and falls upon the presents as though they were water in a desert.

Dietrich slumps onto the sofa.

Manny sorts the gifts into neat piles for each of them, chattering and chirping the whole while.

Karla skips in, a dozy Bastien on her hip.

Bastien lights up when he sees the presents, squees in the ear-splitting way only a small child can, and squirms.

Karla sets his feet on the rug.

He toddles to the nearest gift, grabs hold of the ribbon, and yanks.

„No, Bunny,“ scolds Manny, „that one's not for you.“

Undaunted, Bastien scoots to the next box, takes hold. „Mine?“

Karla indicates a pile a little farther on. „These are yours.“

Bastien squeals, flings himself at the gifts.

Karla picks up—hesitates. „Should we wait for Father?“

„Mine mine mine,“ chants Bastien quietly, picking at the wrapping.

Dietrich sighs. „Father won't be back until evening because of the snow. His plane's stuck on the ground.“ Scrubs a hand down his face. „He called last night after you went to bed and said he wished he could be here, but we should go ahead without him.“

Bastien twists around. „Mazur?“

„Mother doesn't join us for presents.“

„Open?“

„Go right ahead, everyone.“

Bastien, Manny, and Karla beam.

Dietrich waves, 'Go on'.

Karla shreds her way into a selection of fancy chocolates. She sets them aside for later, attacks the next package.

Bastien forces his way into box holding a pair of zebra stuffies from Oma and Opa. He squeals and tucks one under each arm, starts on the next box.

Manny is frozen in place.

„What is it, Manny?“ prompts Dietrich.

Manny reverently lifts out the toy pilot's helmet with its 'Space Champion' decals.

Dietrich smiles. „You like it?“

„Where did you find it?“ he breathes, turning it to and fro, „They're supposed to be sold out!“

„I didn't, Opa did and wouldn't tell me where. Try it on.“

Manny settles it on his head, snaps the visor down. He smiles the biggest smile Dietrich has seen from him in a long time.

Dietrich swipes at his eyes. „It looks good on you.“

„Thank you!“ Manny suddenly sobers. „May I call Opa to thank him?“

„I think we should wait a bit. It's awfully early still.“

„Oh. Right.“

„How about you open the rest of the gifts?“

Manny grins and joins Karla and Bastien in their assault on the wrapping paper.