Chapter Text
“What is that?“, there was a look of utter disdain on Illya's face, who had just entered their office and spotted the foreign objects on his desk.
Napoleon leaned back with a cordial smile.
“That, oh partner mine, is an advent calendar.“
Illya slowly approached his desk. “Who put it there?”
“The Grinch”, Napoleon replied amused. “I did, who else? So relax, it's not gonna explode.”
“Must we really take part in this capitalistic hell?”, Illya walked around his desk and hang up his jacket.
“First of all, it's self-made, so not that capitalistic. Second, don't you listen to the radio? Christmas”, he sang, “is the most wonderful time of the year.”
Illya looked at him, worry on his face. “Are you going to be that cheerful all through December?”
“Oh no, that's just the start”, he tipped his chair back with a grin.
“Oh why do I have to suffer”, Illya sat down. “Remind me again, what is the purpose of this?”, he pointed at the 24 boxes arranged on his desk, wrapped each in green or red paper with matching bows. Napoleon had spent quite a few nights on it.
“To get in the spirit of Christmas of course”, he clapped his hands together. “And it's also an apology, of sorts.”
“What exactly are you apologizing for?”, now Illya sounded interested. “You have accumulated quite a lot of offenses against me this past year.”
“Oh Illya, and here I thought we are friends”, he let his chair fall back on the floor. “But this is for all the sweets I may or may not have stolen out of your desk.”
Illya snorted. “Then I do hope those”, he picked up the parcel with the big number one written on the tag, “are filled to the brink. You owe me a lot of sweets.”
“Well, only one way to find out”, Napoleon picked up his file again, but glanced over at Illya, who slowly unwrapped package number one. His expression didn't change, but his gaze somewhat softened when he discovered the licorice in it. Napoleon hid his smile behind his papers.