Where Thou Art, That Is Home (Hetalia Fanfic, Part 2)

Chapter 126~!

"Hey... What is this all about?" Tael asked hesitantly, bashfully holding out a book for Tatiana and Milo to see.

"That's a Christmas present," Milo answered, giving him an odd look. "You mean you don't know what that is?"

The snake boy shook his head and lightly bit his lower lip, revealing a little fang-like incisor. "No..."

"Do you know anything about Christmas, then?"

Tael had to think back to that shopping trip he had taken with Matthew and Alice. It seemed so long ago, and yet it had really only been a couple of weeks. "Uh... I've seen a Christmas tree. And those bright stars."

By bright stars, he meant the sparkly ornaments that shopping malls often hang from their rafters around the Christmas season.

Tatiana glanced at her older brother, who looked unimpressed. "Hey, Tae, how 'bout we teach you 'bout Christmas?"

"Huh?" Milo asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

'Tae?' he wondered, too. 'She gave him a nickname?'

"Really?" Tael asked.

"Yeah, this'll be fun!" Tatiana cheered, and then quieted when she remembered that Evan was down for a nap at the moment. "Yeah, this'll be fun."

"What are we going to do?" Tael asked as if he was trying to not appear as excited as he really was.

"Uhh~" she sang, leaning back into the couch cushions. Her light blonde hair was in their regular pigtails and decorated by green and red bows today in the spirit of Christmas. "Daddy doesn't let us use the stove by ourselves, so... We can watch Christmas movies!"

"That does sound fun," Tael agreed. Milo, in his normal moody self, chose not to say anything and just frown into his handheld game.

"Milo, will you make some popcorn for us?" Tia asked sweetly of her brother.

"No."

"Aw, why not?"

"'cause."

"That's not a reason! Please? You're the only one who can reach the microwave without the stepstool, and you know I don't like heights." Tiana gave him her best begging puppy dog look and clasped her hands together in front of her.

Like mother, like daughter.

"Ugh, fine," Milo groaned as he rocked forward to get to his feet. "But I'm putting that cheese powder on it."

"Nooo!" Tiana wailed.

"Keep it down," Matthew said, poking his head out into the hallway. "Evan's still sleeping."

"Sorry, Daddy," Tatiana apologized.

"Still putting cheese powder on it," Milo stated.

"Milo, make two, with and without." On that note, Matthew returned to his work.

"Uugh... Fine."

~

"So, you get presents when it's Christmas time," Tael said halfway through the movie 'A Christmas Story'. "Why?"

"Because it's the season of giving," Tia recited, popping a handful of popcorn into her mouth. "You have to if you want to get anything. And there's Santa Claus to think about, too."

"Santa Claus?"

"He's a guy who comes down the chimney and puts presents in your stocking and under the tree!" she said excitedly, turning her sparkling indigo gaze on him. "But you have to be good all year round if you want to get anything. Otherwise you get coal."