For my special champ  Zee-Zee for  Swapsies

Have a very merry christmas champ, and don't stay up for Santa ^^

Love you always, Uncle Runt.

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Zee-Zee yawned quietly looking out from his little pillow fort setup just across for the christmas tree.
"Hey Champ?" Uncle Runt said confused squatting down to peer into the fort.
"Hi Uncle Runt!" Zee-Zee giggled quietly, "You gotta be quiet, Gem is getting sleepy!"
Runt peered into the little pillow fort smiling at the sleepy looking Gem grinning up at him.
"We gonna gets sandy!" she giggled cutely as Zee-Zee nodded, "Yuh huh ... well I am at least, I'm an almost big fully grown up boy and can stay awake all that long!"
Runt giggled cuddling Gem out of the fort, sitting on a nearby pillowless couch and setting Gem comfortably in his lap before patpating the space beside him.
Zee-Zee scampered up onto the couch cuddling into his Uncle Runt.
"So you want to try see Santa huh?" Runt asked smiling a little as Zee-Zee and Gem both nodded.

Runt smiled a little but Zee-Zee could see it was one of his sad smiles as he stroked Gem's hair softly before quietly speaking;
"I don't think you should."
Zee-Zee raised an eyebrow, "W..why not?"
Runt looked around before whispering very quietly, "Because if you see him, you can't get any presents from him again."
Zee-Zee gasped as Gem whimpered looking distressed.
"W..w.wwha!" Zee-Zee complained, "W..why not?!"
"Because if you see him, you can't believe him in any more, you know. Santa works fully on belief, if you see him; even for a second, you will know and you can't believe in something you know to be true."
Zee-Zee looked confused up at Uncle Runt taking in everything he had said before looking to the christmas tree and looking back to Uncle Runt thinking carefully.
"Y..yo...you've seen him!" Zee-Zee exclaimed jumping a little causing Gem to wobble in Runt's lap and a steadying comforting paw to hold her a little closer.
Runt nodded blushing a little, whispering quieter, "Best not tell anyone else, they'll get jealous."
Zee-Zee nodded and mimed zipping his lips shut.

"I was very young, maybe a little older then Gem is but not as grown up as you Zee-Zee." Runt started to say.
"I didn't really think i'd see Santa." Runt sighed quietly, "I actually wanted to give him a gift."
Zee-Zee giggled and nodded listening as Gem gurgled quietly, "Wassit a cookie?"
Runt smiled and nodded, "That's right baby, all I wanted to give him was a big warm hug."
Zee-Zee giggled more, "She thought you wanted to give him a cookie uncle Runt!"
Runt giggled as well patpating Gem continuing with his story, "Well it was very late and I was very very tired but I heard a shuffling noise near by."
Runt quietly shuffled his paws across the floor as Zee-Zee covered his mouth squeeing slightly, "It was Santa!"
Runt nodded, "Yes, his shiny boots lined with fake fur shuffled into view, soft green pants, a warm chubby cuddly tummy covered by a red shirt, matted fur around his face and that hat with little bell on. It didn't look like what I was expecting but... I knew I just knew it was him." Runt said a little sad tone in his voice.
"He reached down and patted me, he looked sad as he told me what i've just told you, once you know Santa is real. You can't believe in him."

"That's really terrible..." Zee-Zee whined quietly looking up to Uncle Runt.
Runt shook his head, "It's not all bad..." He looked around again leaning in to whisper to Gem and Zee-Zee, "I get to be Santa's secret helper."
"WHAT?!" Zee-Zee yelped in disbelief.
Runt grinned and nodded, "Yuh huh, every christmas eve! I get to use the matter discombobulator."
"Matter dico..disco...w.." Zee-Zee struggled with the word.
"Wassat?" Gem asked tugging quietly on Runt.
"Well do we have a chiminknee?" Runt asked looking around the room.
Zee-Zee shook his head as Gem giggled at Uncle Runt.
"Sooooo how does Santa get in?" Runt asked.
"Magic?" Gem smiled back.
"Magic matter discomboulator!" Runt grinned, "That's just what you were going to say right baby?"
Gem nodded eagerly not really understanding but happy to See Runt smile.
"So when there's no chiminknee, Uncle Runt uses the matter discomboulator to MAKE ONE!" Runt beamed.
"Chiminknee!" Gem giggled wiggling a little pawpawing up at Runt's nose.

Runt smiled and fuzzles Zee-Zee's headfur softly cuddling him and Gem up extra close, "So please... don't stay up for Santa, I want you both to have many more happy christmases."
Gem nodnodded but Zee-Zee was quiet for a moment before nodding.
"Well let's get your sister to bed Zee-Zee and then maybe you can be a extra special big almost fully grown up boy and help Uncle Runt tidy up the front room!"
Zee-Zee groaned flopping slightly, "I don't know Uncle Runt, I think i've lost all my energy!"
Runt nodded sternly, "Oh I can see that, welll."
Runt giggled cuddling Zee-Zee up carefully in his other arm as he carried both the cubs to the nursery bedroom.

"Now Gemmity, you want to sleep with your cousin Ari or your big sister Amiko?" Runt asked angling her to the appropriate cribs.
Gem whined tiredly pawpaing at both not wanting either to feel left out.
Runt nodded and smiled, "Zee you just stay here a moment..."
Zee-Zee watched as Uncle Runt quietly lifted Amiko's crib next to Ari's crib sliding them right up against each other and lowering the crib bars turning it into one giant crib!
"There, that better?" Runt asked smiling warmly.
Gem nodded wiggling in Runt's paws as he placed Gem carefully in the crib as she quickly curled up between Ari and Amiko.
"Now how about you champ?" Runt turned to Zee-Zee.
Zee-Zee looked around the cribs pointing to a small empty one, "Can I sleep there with Tommy please?"
Runt nodded carefully lifting up the bear plushie and sliding it into the smaller crib.
Runt beamed happily fuzzling Zee-Zee's head fur, "Night champ."
"Love you always Uncle Runt!" Zee-Zee squeeked snuggling in with Tommy before making a little chirp sound.
"Ohohoh! Uncle Runt!" Zee-Zee said excitedly.
Runt smiled hovering over the bed, "Yes champ?"
"Tommy wants his cousin Barthlomew to come to bed as well!" Zee-Zee announced.
Runt nodded looking over to the much larger plushie, "Are you sure, it might get a bit cramped in there..."
Zee-Zee nodded, "Yupyup, Tommy isn't quite as grown up as me and needs a plushie too."
"Okies Champ..." Runt carefully positioned the large bear plushie into the bed smiling lovingly at Zee-Zee, "Anything else champ?"
Zee-Zee nodded, "Yuh huh."
Runt leant in grinning, "What's that."
"I love you Uncle Runt!" Zee-Zee beamed curling up with Barthlomew.
"I love you too champ!" Runt smiled quietly padding quietly out the bedroom.

Runt closed the door quietly making his way to the kitchen and flicking the child monitor to loud as he wiggled happily onto the kitchen seat, finally relaxing with a little happy sigh.
He glanced up at the wall clock, still an hour to go as the door behind him clicked open, Zena and Nicole walking in giggling a little, dressed up in fancy evening wear.
"Hi puppers!" Nicole grinned cuddling down around Runt giggling happily, "We had such a great evening!"
Runt smiled back nuzzling up at Nicole, "Good to hear, all the cubs are in bed."
Nicole patpatted Runt softly, "Almost all of them..."
Runt raspberried up at Nicole, "That's right missy, not all of them yet."
Nicole blushed brightly and cutely squirming a little, Zena sniggering at the interaction between the two.
"You best both watch out or i'll send you BOTH to bed early!" Zena said folding her arms sternly but breaking into a giggle.
The door rattled as Chocolate Kitsune and Zed stumbled in shaking off some snow.
"There may have been a terrible snowball fight out there, good thing we were able to get out of it in time..." Zed nodded to Chocolate who grinned shaking some snow off his gloves.
Zena rolled her eyes cuddling up with Zed, "Reallllly."
Zed nodded innocently, "E... y..yeah it was manic, snowballs flying this way and that but we ... were ... ... what is that?"
Zed blinked looking around curiously.
"I ... oh.." Nicole smiled and patpatted Runt softly, "Your ride?"
Runt nodded quietly, his ears twitching in time with an almost inaudible ringing noise, he stood pulling on his coat.
"See you all in the morning!" Runt said going to the door peering out into a sudden snow storm that had appeared from nowhere.
Taking a step out and vanishing into whiteness.

"Runt?" Zed blinked as Runt stepped out vanishing into the snow, "W..ah?"
Nicole smiled and slid a warm cup of chocolate into Zed's paws.
"He's off to help Santa for the evening, come on we'll get to see him soon."
Chcolate yawned and stretched nuzzling against Nicole, "Why don't you explain somethings to these two, I'm going to get a nap so I can be up with all the cubs in the morning."
Nicole nodded giving Chocolate a little kiss on the forehead as he left before she smiled, beckoning to Zena and Zed.
Zed raised an eyebrow in confusion as Zena shrugged, but they followed Nicole as she went to the front room.
Leaving the kitchen empty as the light on the child monitor blinked.

Zee-Zee picked himself up off Timothy wiggling a little smiling up at Barthlomew.
"Thanks for catching me!" Zee-Zee said nuzzling Timothy, his old bear.
Timothy just smiled as Zee-Zee cuddled him closer.
"Oh!" Zee-Zee giggled reaching up into the crib, pulling out the pillow from between the bars.
"I'll need this of course!" Zee-Zee smiled cuddling Timothy closer and waddling with pillow in paw towards the door, silently opening it and slinking towards the kitchen seeing the adults sitting down talking, not noticing as he walked past.

Zena's eyes widened in disbelief as she listened to Nicole.
"So ... every year?" Zena asked.
Nicole nodded, "Eeeyup, he goes to help Santa."
Zed rubbed the back of his head taking it all in, "That's ... pretty amazing, how come ... you are only telling us this now?"
Nicole nodded, "Runt said it was okay to, I mean your son and my daughter, they practically think they are brother and sister."
Zena giggled and nodded, "They do get on so well."
"So if indeed you are part of our pretty crazy extended family..." Nicole started to say, "It's best you know this about us as well."
"I thought it was hard to take in the whole puppy thing..." Zed giggled at Nicole.
"Hffff." Nicole huffed quietly blushing a little, "That's just sometimes for fun."
Zena giggled and patpated Nicole on the head.
"Anyway." Nicole interupted the teasing, "He'll be here in a moment."
Zed nodded looking around the room, "How... exactly does he get in?"
"He makes a Chimney." Nicole said pointing to a wall.
"He ... ... " Zed sat down quietly holding his forehead as there was a quite noticable FOOP noise filling the air.

Zed looked up as from nowhere, there was a perfectly functioning fireplace complete with stockings hung with care.
"W...ww..wwha..." Zed stammered as Zena slinked close cuddling into him.
"It's okay." Zena said smiling up at him.
Zed shook his head looking in disbelief as Runt suddenly appeared in a bright shimmer of snow followed seconds later by Santa.
"Hohoho!" Santa chortled smiling at the adults who's eyes lit up with childlike glee.
"How are all you good boys and girls this christmas?" Santa asked looking over the adults as Runt blushed standing a little behind him.
"Doing good thank you Mister Paws!" Nicole giggled standing up to give him a hug.
Zed slowly stood up holding onto Zena's paw tightly.
"Santa... I ... how could I forget you?" Zed blushed cuddling suddenly and tightly into him.
Santa smiled cuddling Zed back holding him as Zena watched on with a little twinkle in her eyes.
"It's the last gift I give to those that manage to catch me... Not being able to remember it." Santa smiled cuddling Zed more.
Zed blushed softly and looked to Zena cuddling her close as well, "I caught him, when I was eleven..."
Santa nods, "You made such a good trap I just couldn't avoid it!"
Zena giggled, "You always were very clever."
Zed felt his fur burning bright red, "Just like our son." He looked towards the little pillow fort that was still setup around the tree.
"Speaking of which, they are all in bed, there should be your milk and cookies in the kitchen, just how you like them." Nicole smiled.
"Thank you!" Santa chortled heading to the kitchen leaving Runt there blushing slightly in his cute elf costume.

Santa swung open the kitchen door carefully smiling at the large glass of milk on the table with some cute tree shaped cookies.
"It's okay Zee-Zee..." Santa sighed softly, "You can come out... I really wish you had listened to ..."
Santa stopped blinking as Zee-Zee waddled into view, a large pillowcase over his head and walking backwards.
"SANTA!!" Zee-Zee giggled, "I ... uh ... believe it's you! I don't know for sure, right?"
Santa stopped for a second stroking his large fuzzy beard.
"You really are as clever as your dad was champ." Santa giggled patpating the top of the pillow case carefully.
"You can't see me, so you'll always believe in me, right?" Santa asked.
"Yup yup yup! Uncle Runt gave me the idea!" Zee-Zee replied.
"Did he now... I'll have to have words with him then..." Santa giggled.
"But I stayed up super late and I've been a really good almost fully grown up boy!" Zee-Zee said hopefully.
"I would say staying up super late is not very good, but carry on." Santa said cautiously.
Zee-Zee eeped quietly, "I'm sorry but this is important."
Santa sat down listening quietly as Zee-Zee explained in a serious voice, "I know Uncle Runt saw you but it was an accident, please Santa, I want him to get christmas presents again."
Santa sighed happily cuddling Zee-Zee up against his warm body, "I think that is the best christmas gift, anyone has ever asked me for."
Zee-Zee could feel himself blushing under the pillow case as he nodded, "I love Uncle Runt, he is the best babysitter ever and everything!"
Santa patted Zee-Zee softly again pointing him towards the door, moving him slowly and carefully around the kitchen.
"I'm going to carefully take the pillow case off Zee-Zee." Santa whispered, "Do not look back, run right towards your Uncle Runt and give him a big cuddle."
"Okay!" Zee-Zee said excitedly before suddenly holding onto Santa giving him a small squirrel hug as well; "I love you too Santa. Thank you!"

Zee-Zee felt the pillow case removed and had to squeeze his pwas very tightly as he rushed into the next room up to the group of adults.
"UNCLE RUNT!" Zee-Zee pounced him cuddling tightly into him, "I didn't see Santa!"
Runt giggled nuzzling Zee-Zee, "Oh that's brilliant champ, very very clever."
"Hi love..." Zena nuzzled softly at Zee-Zee smiling, "What are you doing up so late?"
"Mommy!" Zee-Zee nuzzled back at Zena, "I wanted to see ... well not see but speak to Santa!"
Zena giggled happily and nuzzled, "Oh Zee-Zee that was super clever of you!"
Zed nodded cuddling in as all three adults cuddled in around Zee-Zee.
"Hohoho!" Santa giggled as Zee-Zee was burried nice and deep in fur unable to see him again, "Well we must be going, I can't stop time for ever after all ... wait ... ignore that I said that."
Santa chortled again as Runt nuzzled Zee-Zee, "See you in the morning champ."
Zee-Zee nodded and nuzzled back as there was a POOF sound and Runt and Santa were simply no longer there.
"Mommy! Daddy!! That was Santa!" Zee-Zee giggled pointing at where the chimney was.
Nicole stood up cuddling in with Zed and Zena, "Eeeyup and his super special helper, Uncle Runt.