Gunderkeen one-shots

Christmas Sweaters

Halfborn's POV:
It was that time of year. The time I needed to start knitting the holiday sweaters for my hall-mates -and Sam, the dwarf and the elf, of course.

I had started in October, collecting measurements and yarn. December, as usual, had snuck up behind me and place in a chokehold. I had only completed Sam's, Hearth's, and Blitzen's sweaters, and had Magnus', TJ's Alex's, Mallory's, and my own to start and finish.

Picking up my needles I bagan to knit Alex's pink sweater with a green Christmas tree on the front. My fingers worked with decades of practice, nimble and sure. I chose my Christmas songs translated into old Norse CD to play while I worked.

Five hours later I was 3/4 of the way done with the sweater for the green haired einherji, my fingers began to cramp and pain flared through them. A huff left in lips, how am I supposed to finish 5 sweaters in three days? I wondered internally.

Deciding to take a break from the tedious work and see what my girlfriend was doing with her afternoon. My knocks on her door were met with shouts from two people and extreme cursing. I knock again and this time there was shuffling and the sound of wrapping paper being moved around.

"What do you want, Gunderson?" Alex peeked his head out the door.

"What are you and Mack doing in there?" I ask, knowing full well they were wrapping everyone's gifts; however, I made a show of craning my neck to see into the room.

"None of your damn business, oaf!" My loving girlfriend calls from inside her room.

"I'm just taking a break from making the Christmas sweaters." I say trying to sneak past Alex.

"Shouldn't you have finished those by now?" Mallory called.

"For your information it takes a long time to make perfect sweaters." I call back.

"Just make ugly Christmas sweaters." Alex said.

"My sweaters are beautiful. I guarantee Mallory is wearing one right now!"

"Shut up, ragdoll." I just hear Mallory's grumble.

"No, ugly Christmas sweaters are sweaters that are supposed to be ugly." Alex explained, blowing a tuft of green hair out of his face. "Give me one second. Don't move." With that the door was slammed in my face and the shuffling and cursing resumed.

I try to turn the nob and find it locked. With a sigh I am forced to wait for Alex to return.

"Here." Alex swings the door open ajar, just enough for him to stick his arm with a magazine out it. He then slammed the door again and Mallory and Alex continued their wrapping.

The magazine page open showed a family each wearing sweaters with hodgepodge of puffballs, glitter, lights, and sloppily made snowmen and reindeer. It was perfect, I didn't have to worry about not knitting neat rows, or thinking of well thought out designs. With new energy in my fingers I returned to my room to get back to my knitting.

As Christmas eve rolled around I set my annual plan into action. I carefully fold my sweaters and wrap a bow around them before placing them outside my hallmates rooms. I had given Sam, Blitz, and Hearth's their sweaters in person the day before.

Mallory's POV:

The Christmas sun peeked into my room. I smiled like a child. Yes, I like Christmas. Even though I haven't been to a church service since my death -and long before that, I enjoy gathering with friends and eating food; being grateful for einherji that were with us and those who we had lost.

I slip out of my warm blankets and to the door to receive my first gift of the day. In front of my door was a forest green sweater wrapped in a red bow. Picking it up, gold, green and red sequences wink at me in the form of a penguin. White puffballs covered around the tree, resembling snow. I smile at my boyfriend's handywork.

Pulling off my pajamas I change into leggings and my new sweater. Adjusting my sleeves to cover my knuckles I notice a message stitched in red on the inside of the right wrist.

"Merry Christmas Vixen

Love Your Oaf"

I smile and after finishing washing up for the day, I make my way out of my room to join my hallmates for the holiday.

Halfborn was sitting at the table, sipping hot chocolate and reading a Christmas book. His sweater was red with random cluster of puffballs in red, green, yellow, and white. A giant snowflake was stitched in blue.

"Decided to take Alex's advice. He's never going to let you forget it." I say, walking up and kissing his cheek.

"Yeah, well it was either that or the sweaters would start losing arms." Halfborn put his book down, he places a pecks my lips.

"You two are disgusting." Alex joins us, decked in her green and pink striped sweater with a large Christmas tree made of puffballs and small real ornaments hanging from it on the front. "She and her, today." We both nod at her information of the day.

"You're the same with Magnus." TJ walks in. His blue sweater had tinsel and beads wrapped around him. The decoration most likely covered holes in the knitting, but nobody was going to insult Halfborn's hard work.

"What about Magnus?" The blond had come up behind Alex and was snaking his arms around her. "Girl today?" His question was met by nod by his significant other.

I had set myself into Halfborn's lap and was helping myself to his hot chocolate.

"Yeah, we're the gross ones." I grumble into the mug.

Magnus' sweater was yellow with a bell shape outlined in green beads and sequences. A three dimensional bow was sewn into the middle of it.

"Was the bow necessary?" Magnus whines.

"Yes." Halfborn smirks.

"I think the oaf as done a half decent job, all things considered." I say finishing up Halfborn's hot chocolate.

"I was going to finish that." My boyfriend complains.

"But, it's Christmas. The time for sharing." I protest.

"Time for sharing my arse." He grumbles. "I hate you."

"Funny, my sweater says something different." A smirk forms of my lips.

He rolls his eyes and stands up, forcing he to stand as well.

"Let's get to Blitz's and Hearth's then. I promised we would help with the food and such." Magnus says. We all gather wrapped gifts from our rooms and make our way to the elevator.

"This is going to be the best Christmas yet, I can feel it." TJ cheers. "Wait, that's just tinsel, never mind. Halfborn did you make my sweater tichy on purpose?"

"That sweater is as soft and warm as, Ms. Keen's lovely personality." Halfborn countered.

"So, you did make it tichy." TJ stated.

Halfborn smirked, "for once I agree with TJ, this is going to be a good holiday."

A/N

Merry Christmas to all! For those who do not celebrate, I personally am unqualified to write a chapter to highlight your holiday. I implore you to write one yourself, reading Gunderkeen fanfic can often to better when you didn't write it. That goes for all, you are all fully capable of writing anything you wish. Anywho, Merry Christmas, have magical holiday and stay insane fellow fan-humans