❝ ＸＭＡＳ ＡＬＯＮＥ ❞

Twinkling stars lit up the night sky as the moon shone its white light across the snowy landscape of the street below, as well as the frozen roof of a welcoming apartment block.

It was Christmas Eve - and Gummy was wrapped up with excitement just like the presents underneath his Christmas tree.

Gummy laughed out of joy, admiring the sparkling tinsel and star-shaped decorations hung across the branches of his deep green pine tree.

He sung happily to himself while adding the final finishing touches to his holiday displays.

"Haha! Finally a Christmas I always dreamed of...

...alone!" Gummy jumped as he enthusiastically spun around, his fluffy red Santa hat almost tipping from his head.

"Ahem?" (Y/n) looked towards Gummy, smiling at his behaviour, her arms folded and her legs crossed in her (o/c) Christmas outfit as she slouched into Gummy's pastel green sofa. She laughed gently as Gummy realised what he'd said.

"Oh right..." Gummy ran over towards where (Y/n) was sat, bouncing onto the sofa beside her with his jelly butt. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and snuggled his head into her neck. "Alone with my girlfriend!!"

(Y/n) giggled, sliding her arm around Gummy's waist, resting her head against the top of his head.

It had been a few months since (Y/n) and Gummy had admitted their feelings to each other, and ever since then, Gummy had been going around boasting that (Y/n) was now his girlfriend, which she happily accepted.

And since Kala and Harry had gone to spend the December holiday with their own families, Gummy and (Y/n) now had some special time to spend together.

"It's just going to be us and Santa!!" Gummy cried, leaping from the sofa in excitement.

He wandered over towards his TV, which had a countdown ticking on the screen and was dressed with sparkling red tinsel.

"Santa should be here in six hours according to NORAD, better set my clock!" Gummy cried, taking out a small and rounded silver alarm clock decorated with a little Christmas hat and holly leaves. He tapped the clock so the timer would alert him to Santa's arrival in six hours' time.

"Only six hours until Santa!" He cried, dashing over to his kitchen counter and plopping his Christmas-y clock onto the work surface.

(Y/n) giggled as she watched him from her seat in the living room, as he took out a tray covered with a thin baking sheet, as well as a piping bag of delicious cookie dough that he'd prepared earlier. He squirted the dough onto the sheet in 26 neat blobs, before enthusiastically pushing the tray into his mini oven that was perched beside the stove.

"Like this baking sheet, I will butter up Santa with the most delicious cookies he has ever had in his life! That fuzzy old man will have no choice but to bring us the most presents ever!" He cried, watching his cookies slowly rise in his oven - that was size of his microwave that sat at the other side of the counter.

Suddenly, a noise of what sounded like sleigh bells rang through the apartment. Gummy and (Y/n) both turned their attention to the outside world, gazing out of Gummy's large, oval window into the dark, sparkling night sky. Fear and surprise filled both their eyes.

Nothing to be seen.

"What was that?" (Y/n) asked turning towards her 'boyfriend', who was expressing his deep thought; fingertips against his chin and gaze towards the ceiling.

"Was that something on the roof?" He thought aloud, turning his gaze towards his little Christmas clock perched against the kitchen counter. It read "6 hours", meaning six whole hours until Santa was due to arrive.

"Is that right?"

Gummy grabbed the clock, bashing it with his clenched fist until it read "3 hours".

"I need time for the cookies to bake, so let's leave it at three. Santa can't arrive until this clock says so!" Gummy plopped the clock back onto the surface, a little frustration flowing through his tone.

At that moment, the sound of ringing bells and blowing breezes played from outside, sounding closer than before. The noises gave the sense that something - or someone - was right outside the apartment.

Gummy quickly jumped as he swirled his body to face his 'girlfriend', panic in his eyes as he gave a little frightened shriek.

"Who could that be!? Since I know Santa's not coming for three whole hours, there's only one conclusion I can come to...

...it's a burglar! He must be after my Christmas cookies!" Gummy cried running across his living room in panic.

(Y/n) sighed. "Gummy, I don't think it's a burglar..."

"Who else could it be!?" Gummy asked, a concerned expression across his face and a small hammer now in his hands.

"Well, couldn't it be-"

"Santa!? No! He's not coming for three more hours! I need to protect the cookies from the burglar!" Gummy cut in.

(Y/n) sighed and smiled a little. "Just the cookies?"

Gummy smiled warmly at his girlfriend. "Well, you know, of course, you too..."

(Y/n)'s smile widened, a feeling of safety lighting up inside her like a burning flame within a fireplace as her boyfriend began banging nails into the doorframe.

She knew he would always be there for her...

~

Gummy reached towards the top of the doorframe, balanced on his tip toes. The hammer in his hand sent a constant banging sound through the apartment as he aggressively hit the nail into the doorframe.

After a few minutes, Gummy stood back to admire his work, letting go of the small hammer and whipping the remaining nails from the corner of his mouth. His front door was now coated with criss-cross panels of wood to prevent anyone from getting inside.

Gummy smirked as he saw the impressed look across his girlfriend's face as she wandered from her slouched position on the sofa towards him.

However, the sound of rattling within the chimney above the stove and a man's laughter broke the atmosphere.

"Oh no... you aren't trying to squeeze down my chimney, are you!?" Gummy asked rhetorically, sounding more frustrated.

He dashed over towards the stove, turning the knob and activating the blue flame. "Chimneys are for Santa, you cookie burglar!"

The flames rose towards the chimney's entrance, almost brushing against the heels of the black boots that popped through.

The sound of a man's chuckle echoed from inside the chimney and out into Gummy's kitchen. "That's no match for my fire retardant special boots!" He cried with pride.

Gummy's expression changed from proud to concerned. He then turned to (Y/n), who was watching from the other side of the kitchen counter, her fingertips against her forehead in what looked like concern and anxiety. Gummy smirked, turning back to the shiny, jet black boots.

"Special boots, eh? Oh ho ho, I got you!" Gummy said, rubbing his hands together almost in an evil manner.

He slid the knob against the stove counter back to its original state, disabling the indigo flames. He grasped his fingers around the boot's toes, sliding them off as he began to pull towards him with some force.

He pulled out a feather and began to brush it against the socked feet. Laughter echoed through the chimney and out into the apartment, passing the feeling onto (Y/n) as she began to giggle too.

"Tickle tickle tickle!" Gummy teased.

"Stop it!" The voice laughed as the tickling sensation began to reach him.

Gummy smirked, his voice becoming more intimidating and his expression began to show his dangerous thoughts. "Don't worry - the tickling part is over now..."

He laughed evilly, dropping the feather and taking out two firework rockets. He strapped them to the anonymous feet with tight wooden rope, earning a worried look from his girlfriend.

(Y/n) nibbled her nails with nerves, making her way around the kitchen counter before trying to prevent her boyfriend from going ahead with an extremely dangerous plan.

"Gummy, I don't think this is a good idea..."

Gummy chuckled. "Don't worry, (Y/n), we'll get this cookie burglar out of here in no time!"

"But Gummy..."

Before she could say anything else, Gummy had already pulled out a lighter and triggered the fireworks. The sparks began to crawl up the wire, eventually reaching the bright purple rockets.

(Y/n) scrunched her (e/c) eyes closed, blocking her ears with her hands. She prepared for a loud bang, which soon followed.

The anonymous figure began to shake, until the crackling sound sent him flying through the chimney and back out into the deep, charcoal black midnight sky.

(Y/n) gasped, hearing the sound of screaming blowing through the winter wind as she watched the sparkling fireworks disappear into the night from the nearby window.

Gummy slapped his hands together in pride, smirking at the sound of screaming in the distance. He chuckled.

"That's the end of that problem..."

(Y/n) saw his adorable expression and sighed, walking back towards the pale, jade sofa. She'd noticed over the last few months that Gummy's behaviour around her had... changed? He seemed to prioritise (Y/n)'s emotions and needs over his own, or anyone else's for that matter.

He had come to the point of doing literally anything for her...

...even if it meant shooting someone out of his chimney via fireworks.

~

Gummy kept close to the glass pane of the oven - his eyes watching the baking dough, his nose smelling the scent that surrounded them, his ears listening to the running oven and crackling of the baking cookies.

"Rise my cookies, rise!"

His content expression snapped into a frustrated frown as he noticed the sound of sleigh bells as it was once again running through his apartment.

He rose from his crouched position, aggressively turning towards where his girlfriend was turning her attention from watching the countdown that still ticked away on the TV screen.

Gummy groaned. "The cookie burglar again!?" He cried.

"Or it might be-"

"Bring it on!" Gummy interrupted, punching his hand with his fist in determination while (Y/n) sighed, rolling her eyes and giving up trying to tell Gummy who she really thought this could be.

"I am ready to defend my cookies, come holly or high mistletoe!" Gummy cried, pointing towards the large, oval window leading to the cold, snowy night time.

"Again - just the cookies..." (Y/n) wandered over towards Gummy, watching the determination fade from his expression and guilt appear.

"Well, y'know, you too..." Gummy blushed a little as (Y/n) booped his nose and giggled, earning another cheeky smirk.

"C'mon, since I can't talk you out of it, let's go..."

~

"This box of Christmas goodies should take care of you!" Gummy cried, looking down onto the snowy trees that surrounded the roof of the apartment. He carried a relatively large box of Christmas decorations, foods and other holiday related materials. (Y/n) watched from behind, rubbing her hands up and down across her arms to protect her from the freezing breeze.

Gummy watched as a silhouette slowly began to move below the balcony, the sound of crunching snow and rustling leaves blowing within the breeze.

Gummy began to sing. "♫ On the first day of Christmas I gave my burglar freak, a massive fruit cake! ♫"

He pulled out a large fruit cake from the box of holiday treats, tossing it down towards the mysterious silhouette with great force. The sound of the cake splatting against the face of the figure below and a loud "ow!" filled the frozen air.

Gummy then pulled a large glass bauble from the box, shiny, red, and decorated with golden swirls. He continued innocently singing.

"♫ On the second day of Christmas I gave my burglar freak, this glass Christmas ornament! ♫"

"And boy is it heavy!" Gummy chucked the ornament down the side of the apartment block, flinching slightly at the sound of cracking glass and another almighty "ow!"

(Y/n) nervously bit her lip behind her boyfriend, anxious about what the consequences of this could be. Even though this person was apparently attempting to break into the apartment, she still didn't want to see or hear him hurt.

Gummy, on the other hand, was getting a little carried away...

"Hey! You wanna know what I gave my burglar freak on the third day of Christmas!?" He called from the snow dusted roof.

"No! Not at all!" The voice called back in pain.

Gummy completely ignored the answer as he continued with his song. ""♫ I gave my burglar freak... ALL THE PRESENTS I NEVER WANTED!! ♫"

With that, Gummy dropped the whole of the box down from the very top of the roof, even standing on his tip toes to increase the distance.

The box, along with the rest of its content, sailed past the snow coated trees. It bashed against the silhouette, knocking him from his position climbing up the side of the building. He landed against the snowy ground with a thud overlapping a crunch.

However, after a few seconds, (Y/n) noticed the figure below rising from his collapsed position and attempting to climb back up the building.

"Uh... Gummy?"

Gummy smirked as he noticed what his girlfriend was nervously pointing out, running back down the steps and inside his apartment - heading to retrieve what he had planned to use if this ever happened.

(Y/n) rolled her eyes as her boyfriend took off back down the stairs, returning seconds later with a large metal bucket in his grasp.

He tipped the bucket over the edge of the balcony, creamy beige liquid slopping out all over the trees, snowy ground, and the silhouette handing against the outside wall.

"How about some rancid eggnog!?" Gummy cried, watching the liquid pour all over the mysterious 'cookie burglar', sending him sliding from the wall and landing back down onto the snow with a another small crunch.

"Merry Christmas! To one and all! Even to my friend the burglar who appears to be... egg-nostic..." Gummy pulled back the metal bucket, watching the silhouette fall once again.

Gummy smirked cheekily, sarcastically waving towards the body that laid flat on the ground, soaked with eggnog, and turning back to (Y/n). She rolled her eyes and giggled at his behaviour, earning an adorable wink that caused her to turn away in a blushing mess.

"Ho ho ho..."

Gummy turned back towards the edge of the balcony, his cheeky smirk becoming more of a confused frown. He ran back to the railing, grasping to hastily look back down towards where the figure had collapsed.

"Is he saying ho ho ho..."

Hope rose in (Y/n)'s chest that Gummy would finally realise who the 'cookie burglar' possibly could be...

"Why would that make him laugh?" Gummy asked rhetorically and innocently, with his girlfriend face palming behind him.

The figure leapt back up to continue his final attempt at climbing across the brightly painted building.

Gummy groaned in frustration, clenching his fists. "This guy just won't quit! I must defend my cookies for Santa!"

"And..."

Gummy blushed, slight embarrassment filling his big, blue eyes. "And protect my girlfriend from the burglar..." he smiled, earning another boop on the nose from (Y/n).

She slid her hand into his, guiding him back into the apartment to begin the protection of the cookies.

~

A long checked blanket was flung across the kitchen floor, a large mound underneath. The sound of rustling and grumbling filled the kitchen as Gummy watched with his hands on his hips and pride in his eyes. (Y/n) struggled to step over and avoid all the failed traps that covered the living room floor just like the snow covered the grass outside.

Gummy glared down at the wriggling body coated in eggnog, cupcake frosting, sprinkles and now a huge blanket. "The cookies are for Santa! You can't have any!" Gummy cried, frustration rising in his voice and appearing across his expression.

(Y/n) couldn't take it anymore. "But Gummy what if that is Santa!?" She cried, leaping over the last few failed traps and joining Gummy on the other side of the kitchen counter. She pointed down to the wiggling bundle on the floor.

Gummy's frustrated expression became more of a smile from the sight of his girlfriend. He turned his gaze to where she was pointing. "Don't be silly, (Y/n), Santa still isn't coming for another three whole hours! It can't be him!" He chuckled.

Suddenly, a bashing against the door filled the apartment. The knocking sounded aggressive, as if whoever was on the other side wanted to bust the door down.

Gummy's smile grew with surprise and excitement. "Tinsel my toes! Now who could that be..?" A thoughtful expression crossed his face until an idea shot into his mind like a burglar strapped to a firework...

"Maybe it's Santa!"

(Y/n) rolled her eyes and giggled at her boyfriend's silly but cute behaviour.

Gummy wandered back over towards his ticking alarm clock propped against the counter, jumping over the wriggling body to do so.

"Nah, impossible... Santa's not coming for another three hours!" He read the numbers that were glowing bright cyan from the black background of the clock's screen, reminding himself of how long he'd still have to wait.

(Y/n) kept pointing towards the rustling body under the blanket, trying to get her point across that the burglar could actually be Santa, and that they'd know if they just pulled the blanket off.

But Gummy didn't notice. "Hmmm... it must be sooner by now..." He took his clenched fists and bashed the top of the sphere shaped clock, causing the aquamarine numbers to drop to read '0 hours'.

At that moment, the thumping against the door continued, until the wooden panels nailed across the frame shot off, the actual door soon following.

Gummy grasped (Y/n)'s hands with reassurance as she joined him on the other side of the kitchen, panic in her eyes. All she could think was that they'd been attacking the real Santa, and now some real burglars had shown up.

However, those responsible for the destruction of the door leapt into the apartment, fighting stances here, there and everywhere. The panic in Gummy and (Y/n)'s eyes faded as they could now see who it was.

"Well deck my halls!" Gummy cried, slowly letting go of (Y/n)'s hands as he could see there was no longer anything to panic about.

"Giant Christmas cows!?"

At the destroyed doorway stood four angry, and now also offended, reindeer, hooves prepared to punch.

Gummy thought for a moment what to do, although he wasn't concerned since these 'Christmas cows' didn't seem to be a threat.

An idea then sailed into his thoughts, like a fruit cake being tossed from a rooftop. A cheeky smirk crossed his face. "A Gummy's gotta do what a Gummy's gotta do..."

Gummy ran out from behind the kitchen counters and to the other side of the living room, leaving (Y/n) watching with curiosity and slight concern. The tall, beige reindeer turned their noses to where the 'cookie burglar' was wrapped within the red and green material, not noticing what was about to strike from the other direction.

"Yippee-kai-ay, Christmas cows!!"

The reindeer shifted their attention towards Gummy, who was now stood in front of them while swinging a string of Christmas lights as if they were a lasso. He tossed the wire decorated with hanging lightbulbs towards them, catching them within seconds. The wire tied the large, beige animals together in one throw,