A Franski Christmas

Blowhole knocked on the door. "Kowalski, are you almost done wrapping yet? You've been in there for almost an hour."

"Heh… I've been having… Technical difficulties."

The dolphin made a face, mouthing a repeat of Kowalski's last phrase. "Do you need help?"

Kowalski sighed raggedy. "Yeah… You can come in."

Blowhole opened the door and then snorted with a grin. "My, Kowalski, if you were my present this year you could have just worn a bow and saved yourself the trouble."

The penguin scowled at him from his tangled position on the floor. Wrapping paper and ribbon and tape were all over the box, the floor, and himself. "I'm not the present. Tape is just the arch-nemesis of feathers."

"Well, what a shame since I have to unwrap you anyway." He picked up the scissors. "Hold still and maybe we can avoid you losing too many feathers in the process."

Kowalski nodded and then laid very still as Blowhole began to snip away at the tape and ribbons. A few feathers were lost, but not enough to cause a bald patch or anything.

When finished, Blowhole plopped a pre-made red bow on Kowalski's head. "See? This is all the wrapping you need, Mittens. Nice and simple."

"Haha, you're hilarious." He rolled his eyes with a slight smile before sighing and looking at the large box. "I suppose Chrome Claw doesn't have to have his actually wrapped, does he?"

"Yeah, he'd just eat the paper anyway." He looked at the box with a raised brow. "What'd you get him?"

The penguin also gazed at the box before rubbing the back of his head. "A large rubber bone and some fish? I honestly wasn't sure what to get a monster lobster."

"Nah you did fine. He should like that. Parker's going to hate the squeaking."

"Good. Call it revenge for him being a Scrooge."

Blowhole sighed with a small smile and shook his head. "One of these days I'm going to cuff you two together by the ankles until you get along."

"I thought you liked me. Why would you think of sentencing me to death like that?" He touched his chest with a dramatic expression. "Parker would not be above amputating my foot to be rid of me."

"And vice versa I'm sure." The dolphin eyed him.

Kowalski smiled innocently. "Let's not try it to find out, Francy."

Blowhole chuckled and shook his head. "Are you ready to do our gift exchange? Or do you need to wrap yourself to that present still?"

"Oh yeah I'm ready. It was easier to manage." He picked up a slender package and handed it over with a smile. "It's not much, but I think you'll like it."

"Mittens, like I told you last year, you don't have to worry about getting me anything, " he said, but went ahead and opened the side of the wrapped package. He pulled out three silver framed pictures of them together, two smaller and one a little larger.

"I know it's a little sappy—"

"No no, I like it, Kowalski." He leaned forward and pecked his head. "One for the bedroom, one for the lab, and…?"

"I was thinking that one could go with you when you're on your business trips."

Blowhole nodded with a small smile. "So one for the sub." He sat them to the side. He then rolled over to a closet and took out a package and brought it over. "Your turn." He set it down in front of him.

Kowalski unwrapped it and opened the box. "A blanket?"

"A weighted blanket." He nodded. "With how you keep burrowing under me in the bed, I thought something like this might help you sleep better when you're at the HQ. Plus, it's supposed to be calming or something."

The penguin nodded, pulling it out from the box before sniffing it. "And it's lavender scented."

"Oh it is?"

"Yeah, I like it. Thank you." He smiled at him.

Blowhole smiled and then leaned away. "So… You need to go get back for that kidsmas thing, right?"

"I do… But you are going to swing by, right?"

"Heck yeah I am. Can't let the kiddies miss out on Santa Flukes, can I?" He smirked with a wink. "And then after that I'll kidnap you for my Christmas party."

"Perfect." He waddled for the door, dragging his weighted blanket after himself.

Blowhole watched him for a moment before reaching down and grabbing the other end. "Why don't you leave this here for now and you can take it home after the party?"

Kowalski blinked. "That makes more sense."

The dolphin nodded and rolled it back up and returned it to the box. He then opened the door.

Both stepped through, but were forced to stop when they saw Red One was standing there with a camera and a grin. "Sorry Doc, but I'm afraid you're not going anywhere yet."

"What?"

Red One pointed upwards and the other two looked up at the mistletoe haphazardly taped above the door.

Blowhole then looked down at Kowalski. "You know, I really don't get this terrestrial tradition. Why are you supposed to kiss under a tree hemiparasite? How is that romantic?"

Kowalski chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "I can give you a run down on the history behind it later, just know there is a superstitious aspect to it so you better kiss me just to be on the safe side."

"Oh yeah better be safe than sorry over complete nonse—"

"—Francis."

"Alright, alright, crabcakes." He leaned down and gently kissed Kowalski's beak. "There. Is the peng-u-in content now?"

Kowalski stared him in the eye. "No. That was a smart-tail kiss not an honest kiss." He crossed his flippers.

The dolphin sighed and gave a sideways nod. "Trial 2." He kissed him again, a little longer this time before breaking it with a small smile. "Better?"

"Much." The penguin smiled back.

They then look over at the sudden flash of Red One's camera and the smiles flipped to annoyed frowns. Blowhole leaned up as the lobster skittered away.

"You better not be planning to post that to your little fan club blog, Red One!" He then huffed and looked down at Kowalski. "He's going to post it."

"Yep. But I guess that's what we get when you're like a celebrity to your lobsters."

The dolphin grinned. "I better be."

Kowalski rolled his eyes and shook his head and he started waddling away. "You're insufferable."

"Thanks, I like you too."