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The New North Pole

Written by Leo_Todrius

Supported by my Patrons

As an architectural choice, glass and steel had the tendency to feel sterile and lifeless. It was futuristic, yes, but it let just as much out as it let in. Winter was particularly difficult given how austere everything was outside. The trees had lost their leaves, the streets were usually wet and the skies were cloudy... but all it took was a bit of Christmas to bring light and warmth back. The trees outside had been webbed white white lights, making the leafless branches look like ice crystals instead. The white columns inside the building had been wreathed with green garland. While most multi-use cosmopolitan buildings went for unified colored schemes, the Northern Summit building had elected for a traditional rainbow of colors that made a kaleidoscope across the various Christmas trees, living indoor shrubs and the slanted skylight roof. All of it brought a smile to Chris Kleiner's face.

A fair hand brought a red cup up to Christopher's lips as he sipped, green eyes closing for a moment as he savored the mix of peppermint and cocoa in the cup. He had sworn to himself not to repeat a flavor during the Month of December, but with as many visits as he was making to the Cocoa Express, he was on the fast track to breaking that promise. Chris set the cup down and reached up to adjust the reading glasses resting on his nose, then to brush back a loose strand of strawberry blond hair behind his ear. While he wore no jewelry, there were holes in his ears indicating he had once gone with earrings. Christopher was thirty two years old, wearing a white polo shirt with a red sueded microfiber jacket over it. His pants, too, were a dark red denim that was nearly black. He preferred warm colors in winter, especially for his own wardrobe.

Christopher's haircut was simple, a swept back mid length cut that was common enough from when he had gone to college, not bothering to update it in the years since. Only a refinement of the corner of his jaws hinted at his actual age, a general lack of baby fat leaving his features rugged. He seemed comfortable and at peace, though he drew his focus back from the directions and swiped across the tablet resting before him. The screen woke back up at his touch, illuminating with a blue background split into rows and columns. Faces scrolled by along with employee files. Chris kept scrolling until he slowed, catching sight of a familiar face. Chris slowly lifted his head, looking across the sky bridge to see one of the vendors pushing their cart along the walkway. A few more scrolls, a few more faces. One by one, he flagged the employees he saw working in the shops all around the Northern Summit. With them isolated and brought to the fore, Chris stood up and began walking. He tucked his tablet to his ribs with one hand, carrying his cocoa with the other.

Credit had to be given to those that ran the Northern Summit. Even the air smelled of cinnamon and melted marshmallow. It was common enough for malls to scent the air to inspire people to shop, but the Northern Summit was so much more than just a mall. Yes, there were shops on the ground floor, but the second floor offered more refined services to the public. There were tax agents, accountants, personal coaches, life training, masseuses and more. The third floor offered businesses a place to have remote meetings, even satellite offices... and from what Chris could tell, the fourth floor had limited residential services and manufacturing of some sort. The fourth floor was not his concern, though. He had been brought in to do a job and he would do it.

The red headed man leaned against the guard rail, looking over to the novelty shop on the first floor. A nineteen year old with black and purple dyed hair and nose rings sat behind the counter with his chin resting in hands with black painted nails, the black and white striped t--shirt only highlighting his motionlessness. Setting down his drink, Chris brought out his tablet and scrolled through before coming to a stop.

"Judah Santos..." Christopher muttered under his breath. He looked at the file, then down at the nineteen year old, then back at the file before frowning. The details just weren't matching up. The employee file described Judah as lazy, disinterested, a seat filler until more qualified applicants came along... At the moment, if one were to take a snapshot, Christopher supposed he could see how someone would think that, but the shop was immaculate. Everything was perfectly stocked, perfectly folded and on display. Everything that was supposed to light up did, everything that was supposed to move did. There just weren't any customers, nothing to stir up the status quo.

With a rejuvenating sip of his peppermint cocoa, Christopher stepped onto the escalator and rode his way down to the first floor. The tablet screen was darkened and Chris moved into the shop. Soulful brown eyes peeked out from curtains of guyliner, a small but innocent smile crossing Judah's black painted lips.

"May I help you sir?" he asked. Chris smiled a bit.

"I'm looking for a gift for my boyfriend... Something a little unpredictable, fun, but sweet." Chris said. Judah's otherwise pale cheeks blossomed a bit with a little bit of a blush and he smiled a smile that Chris remembered too well. When one was in the closet and encountered someone that was gay, there was strange bit of recognition that filled one's heart.

"Unpredictable but sweet..." Judah considered, "Are you thinking clothing? Memorabilia? Jewelry?" Judah asked, moving out from behind the register to start moving through the shop. Chris saw the teenager's gauge piercings and envied them, though he knew he would never have pulled off skinny jeans like that.

"Memorabilia." Chris commented for lack of a better idea. Judah moved to the back wall, brown eyes scanning the items mounted on the wall and behind glass cases. He ran a pierced tongue over his lips before glancing at Chris.

"Is your boyfriend a nerd?" Judah asked. Chris could eel that the shopkeeper had meant it in a good way and he nodded for sake of the exchange. His boyfriend was, in fact, fictitious.

"Okay, unpredictable but sweet..." Judah repeated, moving to open a case. He opened it up and extracted a small metal clasp. The metal itself was a passing facsimile of gold, while the leaf brooch appeared to be made of a translucent emerald or unusually clear jade. The detailing was exquisite, showing every vein of the leaves.

"It's a replica of the leaf of Lórien from Lord of the Rings. It's meant to symbolize the spirit and commitment of those who fight to save Middle Earth. It's a beautiful pieces on its own, but it can evoke feelings of togetherness, of teamwork, plus if you shipped any of the characters together it has a whole other level." Judah grinned. Chris smiled warmly at that.

"Do you gift wrap?" Christopher asked. Judah nodded. Chris smiled more, "I'll take two, one box, and..." Chris paused for a moment as if visualizing something in his mind, "Silver and purple diamond print wrapping paper." he said. Judah's jaw dropped.

"We just got that in, it's my favorite..." the gothic boy whispered. Chris grinned.

"I mean, you know style after all." Chris said. Judah blushed even more before taking the replica and one more behind it, darting into the back room to wrap them. Taking a half step away from the case, Christopher brought out his tablet and woke it up, scrolling back to Judah's file. One hand supported the tablet while the other typed with a rapidity most rare for one handed use. Christopher wrote that his assessment was that Judah was an exemplary employee, going above and beyond for his customers. Work was done with such efficiency that the lack of other tasks could lead him to looking bored. Allowing him to read, design his own displays or take on more leadership opportunities would no doubt put his idle hands to good use. As Christopher gave the employee file his stamp of approval, Judah emerged with the metal foil clad box.

"I'll ring you up right over here." Judah said. Christopher smiled the entire time, tucking his tablet under his arm. He finished off his cocoa before swiping a card through the reader to pay for his purchase.

"Have I seen you around here before?" Judah asked after a moment, printing out the receipt to give to Christopher.

"Maybe here or there. I really like this place." Christopher said. Judah nodded eagerly.

"Me too, I mean... Most malls are dying or whatever. The fact that Northern Summit is owned by one entity sort of helps keep it afloat. I'm really glad. It's nice to have a place to work that's so... happy?" he asked. Christopher smiled at that.

"You'd be surprised how rare of a thing it is." Chris said with a bow of his head, "I'll catch you around sometime... Judah?" he asked, making it a point to look at the shopkeeper's name tag.

"I'd like that." Judah said with a beaming smile. Christopher left the shop, feeling a bit elated. He walked at a leisurely pace down the main promenade, heading back toward the Mocha Express. He had to try not to blow his cover, but he was always so happy when his work had a positive outcome. Chris had made it a few yards from the Mocha Express when a very tall, very broad shouldered Asian man with a crisp black suit with a green tie stepped in front of him. His eyes were obscured by dark aviator glasses. A dark black mustache adorned his upper lip, a soul patch hanging down beneath his bottom lip, and his ears were... decidedly pointed.

"Christopher Kleiner?" The man asked with a voice deep enough that Chris could feel it in his diaphragm.

"Yes?" Chris asked, looking up at his sunglasses.

"Mister North would like to hear of the progress." the suited gentleman said before gesturing to a private elevator just a few steps off the main path down a side corridor. Chris nodded slowly. He had been hoping to get a refill on his beverage, but now seemed as good of a time as any.

"Lead the way." Chris said with a bit of mirth despite the fact that the larger man already had. The two walked towards the elevator, though Chris couldn't help but look up towards the fourth floor high above them.

****

The elevator doors opened up into what could have been considered a penthouse office. Christopher's earlier feelings on steel and glass had been pushed to the limit in Mister North's office. Every desk had a glass surface, every piece of furniture had exposed metal. One wall and the entire ceiling were glass panes in a forty five degree joint just above head height. There were even business awards made out of crystal and frosted glass. A white Christmas tree sat to one corner of the office and every Christmas light in the room was white. Despite being well lit, it was hard not to feel chilly.

"Christopher, Christopher!" A joyful voice came. Chris looked up to see a young man in his late twenties, his platinum blond hair frosted white at the tips and styled into points that would have looked at home in a video game.

"Mister North." Christopher replied. The younger man mock-pouted.

"It's Jack, come now, need we be so formal?" Mister North asked, gesturing to the white chair on the other side of his desk, "Can I get you anything? Vodka on the rocks?" he asked.

"Nothing quite that hard, thank you." Christopher said. Jack poured himself a drink, rings on each finger clinking against the glass before he set it down. Turning his back to Christopher, he turned back with a clear glass mug full of rich brown cocoa. Christopher's eyebrow raised at that but he said nothing, bowing his head in thanks as the mug was handed to him. Jack sat himself in the high back office chair, crossing his arms behind his head, swinging one way and then the other as he looked at Christopher. Chris glanced back at the elevator to see the large suited guard standing stock still before he looked back.

"I assume this is about a progress report?" Chris asked, letting the mug of cocoa warm his hands.

"In a way, yes..." Jack said, finally lowering his arms from behind his head. It was only then that Chris realized how crisp Mister North's white suit and tie were. Jack sipped his vodka before letting out a small hiss of satisfaction, looking up at Chris with ice blue eyes, "We invited you here to help us with an employee audit, and it's been, what, two weeks?" Jack asked.

"You hired me as an independent consultant to do an employee audit, yes Mister North. I've been making my list." Chris said.

"And checking it twice?" Jack asked with a sharp grin, "I've seen your early submissions. Quite insightful. I don't think we've ever had anyone in human relations quite so... detailed? Have we, Andrew?" Jack asked.

"We have not, sir." The guard replied, moving no more muscles than he had to in order to answer. Chris leaned back in his chair.

"I've always had a knack for this sort of thing. I've been a talent scout, a trainer, human resources..." Chris smiled. Jack nodded, leaning forward a bit, running his finger around the rim of his glass.

"And how about human relations?" Jack asked. Chris' strawberry blond eyebrow arched slightly.

"I don't catch your meaning, sir?" Chris asked. Jack shook his head, leaning back in his own chair. Advance and retreat, every movement seemed part of some machination.

"I'm impressed by your work, Christopher. Particularly the most recent entry, Judah down in Prancer's Novelty shop." Jack said. Chris tensed, his muscles going a little ridgid.

"I... barely submitted that a few moments ago." he admitted.

"Oh, yes, I know." Jack admitted, "I'm quite invested in this audit. Northern Summit isn't just another Mall, nor even a commerce hub. It is a self contained ecosystem. We provide commerce, entertainment, lifestyle guidance and housing. We even have community outreach." Jack said. Chris nodded, holding his cocoa a little bit closer.

"That is actually one of the reasons I accepted this job. If I'd had anything like the Frost Foundation to sponsor pride events or even the sort of support groups you do now when I was younger, I..." Chris trailed off. Jack smiled and nodded slowly.

"There are many out there treated as though they were naughty when they were nice, and a lot of naughty people not getting their just deserts. Through all that chaos, you seem to have a way to read people, to know the truth, to understand their... spirit." Jack said. Chris opened his mouth to speak but Jack held up a hand, each fingernail painted with a milky white enamel, "I know, I know, just one of your natural talents..." he said, "But that is exactly why I brought you up here. I want to offer you a permanent position here in Northern Summit as head of internal relations. It would put you in direct control over hiring and firing, recruiting, training... But the job is a bit more involved than you might expect. You would be granted residency here on site, there would be quite a few non-disclosure agreements, and we have a particularly unusual code of conduct to verse yourself with." Jack said. Chris said nothing for a moment, his green eyes contemplating what had just happened. He raised the cup to his mouth and took a sip, almost gasping at how cool the peppermint in the drink made his mouth feel despite how warm the contents were.

"A residency..." Chris said finally, "Mister North-" Chris corrected himself, seeing the businessman open his mouth, "Jack... I don't think I've ever seen an organization like this. You oversee this building and all the businesses in it. You guide people's lives, you see to their needs. You're almost like some sort of... king." Chris said. Jack's lips pursed at that.

"We are but humble stewards of those we care for, are we not? There is no crime in trying to do things a little differently. After all, we all want Northern Summit to be a beacon of hope to those that lived hard lives, those that were dispossessed, those that still have a sparkle in their hearts despite the cruel, cool things the world has done to them... And I want you to be a part of that." Jack smiled, taking another sip of his vodka. He let out a cool breath before he looked back at Chris, staring dead into his eyes, "How about you spend the night here after closing. We'll set you up a guest suite. You can see what Northern Summit is really like after dark, and decide if you want to be a part of it. If not, we'll forget we ever had this conversation." Jack said, each word sounding both casual and dangerously pointed at the same time. Chris, however, merely smiled.

"Nothing wrong with seeing what goes on here when the doors are locked. Is there a way you can send that code of conduct to my tablet?" Chris asked. Jack set his drink down and leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together.

"Already done. It is a pleasure working with you, Christopher." Mister North smiled, his lips barely visible on his pale skin.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Jack." Chris smiled warmly.

****

There was an exotic thrill to wearing socks on industrial carpet. It helped that they were red and white striped socks. The invitation to stay the night had come on such short notice that Chris had done some last minute purchases of amenities at the stores. He'd headed up to the fourth floor and found his modest guest room. White carpet, buttercream walls, recessed light that spilled out from over the mirror and the crown molding of the room. If anything it felt a bit like a dorm room from college, but Christopher's favorite part was that the bed was built into the wall that joined up against the window. He could look all the way down the exterior of the Northern Summit all the way down to the fountains and the park outside. Ice had frosted over most of the fountain but the moving water disrupted it in the center and red and white lights gleamed up through the frost.

Red satin pajama pants slicked back and forth across Christopher's legs as he walked, his round reading glasses resting on his nose, a few strawberry blond bangs falling across his face as he read through the documents on the tablet. He'd signed several NDAs before leaving Mister North's office, though the sorts of things he was reading were quite perplexing. There were a dozen different consent forms for things he did not understand, including inter-office relationships. Given the complex web of inter-connectivity, it was recommended that if employees were to get in relationships with one another, it was generally best if they did not work in the same shop or office department. Chris could understand avoiding conflicts of interest, but what corporations were that invested in the social life of their employees?

There were permits for alcohol and food, fairly normal stuff, but there were also permits for use of transmogrification of biological matter and possession of non-newtonian fluids and forbidden energies. Chris closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers. Were those permits a joke? Were they seeded in there to make sure he was reading everything? But this wasn't just about rules and lists and ledgers. He had been offered a job, a job with a rather incredible pay-scale given the fact that he wouldn't have to pay for rent or food or commute.

Almost everyone he'd met so far had been nice. Only a few had been naughty. Maybe it was time to see just how wild things got when people were off the clock. Chris moved over to the bed and riffled through the bag of things he had purchased, pulling out a red over shirt and a white t-shirt covered in faint silver snowflakes. That seemed casual enough, right? Then again, if he was here after closing, people were going to figure out he was an employee... and if anyone asked, he'd be hard pressed to lie to them. Hopefully people would be okay with the fact that he'd been evaluating them all. Chris took a breath to brace himself before he headed for the door. It was time to meet the locals.

****

Only the faintest rumble sounded as the elevator doors opened up to allow Christopher to step back out onto the first floor of the complex. He had been given a silver lanyard with white snowflakes on it to identify him as someone that should be allowed on the premises after closing, and seeing how closely the last shoppers were watched as they left he could understand why. Another guard similar to Andrew moved up to the front door and pulled it shut before turning a key and swiping a card. Christopher inhaled sharply as the large panes of glass that made up so much of the building started to shift into a milky translucency. Square by square, the effect worked its way up the four stories to the top of the building... and then to Christopher's delight and amazement, the panes began to twinkle with projected Christmas Lights and snowflakes. It was like being inside a giant Christmas diorama.

A much louder rattle came from one of the nearby shop. Chris turned to see Judah pulling down the metal security curtain that most malls used to protect the space when they were closed. What confused Chris, however, was the fact that as soon as the grate hit the floor, Judah lifted it back up again... to reveal an entirely different shop interior. The tables and shelves were in the same configuration, but the kitsch merchandise featuring fake vomit and shock gags was gone. Comic book belt buckles were replaced with glass bottles of various colored liquids. The inventory of pretend replica swords looked decidedly more realistic. There were foodstuffs when there hadn't been before... and even Judah appeared slightly different, the tips of pointed ears poking through his black and purple hair.

As Chris slowly turned, he saw that the other shop spaces were undergoing similar transformations. The cellphone store disappeared behind the metal grate, revealing an authentic, vintage book store in its place The active wear clothing shop was replaced with the sort of establishment that saw no harm in showing mannequins in leather harnesses, cod pieces and chaps. Even the food court was transformed, the signage now written in some curving, lilting language Chris had never seen before.

The metamorphosis had been seamless, unfolding in mere moments after closing time. As Chris looked around at the employees, almost all of them were sporting pointed ears now. Chris had another gasp as he saw that the frozen yogurt stand was now being operated by an anthropomorphic polar bear rather than just a burly man with white hair. Chris' strawberry blond eyebrows furrowed as he started running back through everything he'd learned about Northern Summit. It was unheard of for a single organization to run such an involved and diverse complex, let alone to have live-in employees, but now Chris understood... This was some sort of community, some sort of sanctuary for... elves? Was Jack North some sort of-

"You're still here! That is amazing!!" Judah beamed excitedly, running over with belt chains swinging and unnecessarily long striped sleeves hanging down past his hands. Chris turned and gave the goth a sheepish smile.

"I... owe you an apology." Chris said. Judah looked confused.

"An apology about what?" he asked, his reverie halted.

"I wasn't honest with you when I made my purchase earlier. I don't have a boyfriend or anything, I just... was there to do an employee review." Chris said softly. He would have expected most people to respond with shock or betrayal, maybe concern about how they did, but Judah actually smiled, reaching up to brush some of his hair from his face.

"I hope I did okay, I'm really hoping to work my way up from Christmas Elf. I'm thinking maybe Christmas Witch or something else a bit more exotic." Judah said. Chris's mouth hun open for a moment as he looked around at the other employees that were starting to mingle. He looked back at Judah hesitantly.

"I did my employee review without knowing what this place is about. I was an independent contractor. Mister North just offered me a job a few minutes ago for the actual... company? Organization?" Chris said. This time it was Judah whose mouth dropped.

"So you don't know about this place? This is... oh wow, what a first impression." Judah murmured.

"I'd be honored if you'd show me the ropes, maybe explain just what I got myself into?" Chris offered. Judah blushed and smiled at that, although he stiffened a bit as his gaze shifted over Christopher's shoulder.

"There will be plenty of time to learn about this place, my new friend..." Jack North said as he all but glided up behind them. Chris turned, slightly taken aback again. Like the others, Mister North now sported pointed ears. His platinum blond hair was now ice white, the spikes almost appearing to be frost. Faint ice crystals formed along his cheek bones for a glitter like effect and the air seemed to freeze around his mouth as he spoke. His white suit now came with a translucent tie. As Jack smiled, Chris became aware that his teeth were each individually sharp.

"I see now the reason for the non-disclosure agreement." Chris commented. Jack let out a light chuckle, circling around Chris and Judah. Judah instinctively pulled closer to Chris until his shoulder rested against Chris's chest.

"Oh, but this is one of the most important secrets of the new world... Northern Summit is a nexus for the supernatural, the mythical, the forgotten, the dreamed, at least for a certain segment of individuals..." Jack amended with a slight shrug. Chris considered that, looking down to the dormant tablet tucked away in a sling bag on his hip, then around before finally looking back at Mister North.

"Is the whole community LGBTQI?" Chris asked in surprise. Jack gave an immense sharp toothed smile.

"Oh yes, Christopher. We are the New North Pole for those of a queer persuasion. Everyone has the right to believe in Jack Frost, the Krampus, even Santa Clause. Each person deserves to have that spirit crystalize in their hearts, to nourish them and energize them, to bring light to a dark and dreary winter. We are that twinkling light shining out... and we want you to be with us, to be one of us." Jack said, reaching out to caress Christopher's cheek. As he touched his skin, ice particles formed on the faint stubble that was growing out after a long day. Chris shivered slightly.

"So do I sign up as an elf or something?" Chris asked. Jack tutted, all but sliding one way and then another as he circled around the two, "Not for you, Christopher, I know you have far more in store. Just what direction that takes you is not my place to say. You'll have an opportunity to try several options out for size though. Regardless of what fate you find, though, I plan for you to put those natural talents to use. We want to ensure our community remains cohesive and efficient." Jack said, leaning in a bit closer, "And, if you should want some company, you know where to find me." Jack whispered before he moved off, all but prancing as he re-entered the elevator and Andrew stepped in behind him. Chris looked at the bodyguard, realizing he had to be at least seven feet all now, his suit stretched over almost obscene muscles. The elevator shut with a gentle thump and everyone around seemed to relax. Chris reached up to give Judah's shoulder a squeeze.

"Can I buy you an egg nog?" Chris offered. Judah blushed and grinned up at the older man.

"I'd love to have one with you, but they don't charge for food here. Just the more labor intensive stuff." Judah said. Chris shrugged.

"Where's the chivalry in that?" Chris smirked. His hand lowered from Judah's shoulder to his waist and the gothic teenager leaned against him instinctively. A warm shiver ran up through Chris as how nice it felt to have someone walking with him, touching him, unafraid of that physical contact. He wanted to say it had been a while, but he wasn't sure if he'd ever felt that way before.

****

It should have been harder to come to grips with the fact that a mega mall in the center of downtown was inhabited by a variety of supernatural winter creatures, all of whom were queer in some way, It should have been, and yet Christopher was finding it oddly comfortable. Everyone got along so well once the doors were shut. It felt like some sort of low key farmer's market or festival. Chris and Judah had walked to one end of the first floor and had sugar cookies and eggnog shakes. Chris had shared his work as an independent consultant and Judah had talked about how he had chanced across an application discarded in the bathroom of the mall when he'd been a shopper. Their walking and talking had almost brought them all the way back to Judah's shop when the metallic glint of the d-loops in the leather harnesses in the former sports shop caught his eye. He slowed to a stop, looking at the rather adult items on display.

"That's the Krampus Korner." Judah said, translating the elvish above the shop. Chris looked at his gothic friend carefully.

"Krampus? That's the evil satyr demon thing that steals bad children and they have festivals about it in Europe?" Chris asked. Judah nodded.

"I've been trying to work up the courage to check it out but most employees don't go straight from an elf to a Krampus." Judah said. Chris looked at Judah, then at the shop, then back at Judah.

"Well, maybe we can work up the courage together. I haven't exactly lived my most out life yet. It might be interesting to take a walk on the wild side." Chris said. Judah smiled at that and nodded, though he stuck close as they approached the shop. Chris paused just outside to finish off his eggnog shake, slurping it up before dropping it into the garbage bin. Judah did the same, not wanting to be rude by taking food or drink inside.

Crossing the threshold was like stepping into another world. The floor of the shop seemed to be made out of actual deep red wood planks and similar paneling ran up the walls. The air was heavy with the smell of leather hide and the reason was obvious. Mannequins aside, the shop had racks of leather vests, jackets, chaps, pants, thongs, pouches and accessories. There were saddles and whips, crops, even hats of a variety of different forms. Chris hesitated slightly to see a rather menacing looking red leather sack hung up on the wall, the panels stitched together with black leather strapping.

Chris looked around with a bit of wonder, although he drew in breath as he saw perhaps the most sophisticated animal sculpture he'd ever seen in his life. It appeared to be some sort of snake man with golden-green scales that shimmered in the light. The scales were flawless, though they grew darker earth tones along the jaw bone and temples, creating mountain ranges of spikes that resembled a chinstrap beard and flared back bi-hawks. The most pronounced feature, however, were dark brown horns that formed a sort of omega symbol, curving out from the snake's head before looping back with a flare.

"Shit!" Judah cursed as the head turned, a nose ring and two eyebrow rings glinting in the light. Two gleaming honey colored eyes with vertical slits blinked languidly before a forked tongue darted out and sampled the air.

"You are not a Krampus..." Chris murmured, almost as alarmed as his friend.

"Ithsss Christhhhmasss Sssnake." The cashier hissed before lifting a long clawed finger to gesture. Chris turned again to see someone that more or less reminded him of a member of a biker gang, though something certainly felt a bit off. Despite the fact that the man had a salt and pepper beard down to his navel and his long flowing hair seemed to be streaked with gray as well, his face seemed younger than Christopher's. He wore a black denim vest that exposed a diamond of gray fur on his chest and a triangle of fur starting at his navel and dropping down into a kilt, a kilt that revealed furry digitigrade legs capped off in large hooves beneath. The man's forearms were almost hairy enough to be fur, and as he came to a stop, the air seemed to fizzle around his head as brown curled horns seemed to manifest from nowhere. Despite their spiral shape, they had several spikes that reminded Chris of blackberry vine thorns.

"My, my, talk about some fresh hide." The man said with a grin, revealing spider bite piercings on his lower lip. As Chris looked at him, his human nose seemed to devolve into a more goat like tape, the curve of his nasal bridge flattening out and his mouth protruding slightly.

"This is quite the shop you have here." Chris commented. The Krampus bit his bottom lip with a cheeky grin.

"I'm honored you would visit, especially two good boys like yourselves..." he commented, "Judah, I've been hoping to have you in here for a fitting for ages." he purred.

"Really?!" Judah asked in surprise.

"I could always use a few good fauns around here, if I could lure you away from your own shop anyway." The Krampus smirked before offering his hand to Chris, "I'm Lukas Koln." he introduced.

"Christopher Kleiner." Chris replied, shaking his hand, "Our ancestors might have come from similar regions." he offered. Lukas grinned wider, betraying sharp teeth.

"Perhaps they did. Perhaps they will." he mused, "But I don't think you came just for a social call. Are you here for accessories, or would you like a fitting?" Lukas asked.

"A fitting?" Chris asked. Judah nodded.

"You try on the part to see if you're meant to be whatever the thing is. Some people try a half dozen roles before they find themselves." Judah said.

"I thought you wanted to be a Christmas Witch?" Chris asked. Judah shrugged.

"No harm in trying things out, right?" he asked sheepishly.

"Nesser, get these fine gentlemen some fitting rooms. I'll help them pick out their wardrobe." Lukas grinned, his brows pushing out as fur started to spread across his face. He stocked off through the showroom, starting to rifle through the racks and the displays. Chris took a deep breath. Perhaps he'd bitten off more than he could chew.

****

After the sheer chaos of Lukas' shopping spree, the quiet of the fitting room was a bit comforting. Chris tried to take that on as solace as he looked at what the Krampus had picked out for him; A red leather jacket, black leather chaps, a codpiece with no cover for his ass and a red leather sack similar to the one on the wall above the registers. Chris had been hesitating almost three minutes before he looked at himself in the mirror. Strawberry blond hair in a vague average cut, reading glasses, pale pasty body... He could use a change. His red satin shirt and t-shirt were removed, then the lanyard, then his pajama pants and underwear and socks. He stood there naked for as little time as he could before he grabbed the leather cod piece and tried to figure out how it went on.

After a few moments, the leather pouch slid around his balls and cock and he tugged it tighter, tying the leather strap around his waist until it was snug. He grabbed the red leather jacket next, sliding one arm into it before he gasped, feeling the interior lined with soft, downy fur. It was velvety and embracing and luxurious. He shivered with delight as the coat massaged his smooth back, then he sunk his other arm down the other sleeve and felt the weight of the jacket come down across his shoulders. He made a bit of a face, blinking his eyes as he wriggled a bit with it. The fur was so soft and so smooth and silky and... sharp? No, that couldn't be right, it couldn't be-

"Fuck!" Chris gasped, back arching as the fur lining of the coat suddenly sunk into his flesh. Each strand took root across his back, his shoulders and his arms. The coat pulled itself shut, fasteners fastening. He felt prickles across his chest, his shoulders, his stomach and his love handles. The coat suddenly felt way lighter since the fur was now attached to him rather than it. Chris panted hard, bracing a hand against the wall of the fitting room, panting. He looked down, watching as fur began creeping down from the waist of the coat, creeping across his hips and his lap.

The fur blossomed in a rich coppery red color at first before it darkened to a mixture of gray and black. It swept down around the codpiece, covering his thighs, then his shins, then his ankles. It felt strange and exhilarating, but Chris lost focus on the fur as his face started to tingle and burn. He looked back at the mirror, watching strawberry blond stubble pushing out of his cheeks, his chin, and his upper lip. As the hair pushed out, it darkened from its light color to a rusty red and then a dark black. The mustache grew in first, the hairs getting thick enough that the skin beneath disappeared. The hair curved down over his upper lip before the sides trailed down.

When they hit his jawline, the hair erupted out like a wildfire in all directions. Hair bristled out from his jaw, surging back to the back of his cheeks. It crept up like climbing ivy until it plunged into his hairline. Having carved an outline, the stubble began to fill in his cheeks, sweeping down in a crescent from the top of his ear to the corner of his thickening mustache. Chris panted, watching his beard grow in the mirror. In moments it looked as though he hadn't shaved all month, then all winter, then more. A strange, almost intoxicating euphoria effervesced from where the hairs emerged from his face. Each hair brought him pleasure, pride, and power...

Chris reached up to caress his forming beard and let out a moan at how thick and bushy it was. He pet it as it curved down from his chin and jaw, he scritched at the underside, combing his fingers through it. His eyes squeezed shut and he moaned louder, unaware that the leather on his codpiece was starting to wriggle and move, form fitting around his cock and balls. It pressed against the skin of his groin, curving its way around the edge of his shaft until it was very clear what he was packing beneath. Chris fell back against the back of the fitting room wall, groaning as his shoulders suddenly broadened.

The red leather coat tugged tighter across Christopher's growing chest, but the sleeves seemed to stretch around engorging biceps and triceps. His chest pushed out further with every breath, failing to fall back to its starting position. Whatever this was, it was a form of power that Chris had never felt before. He was sure of himself, realized and actualized. He was his own person, his own entity, and he was gay... Gay and manly... No, more than manly, he was beastly, monstrous, dangerous...

A growl escaped Christopher's mouth as his teeth sharpened to fangs. His ears stretched to points. His eyes clenched shut. When they snapped open, his irises had compressed to vertical slits like those of a goat. His fingers ached, his fingernails darkening from ivory to ashen gray to black as they stretched out into claws. Black hair sprouted from knuckles, then the back of his hand before spiraling up his arm to join the fur that the coat had implanted in him. His back popped and creaked as it stretched taller, all the while his furry legs were extending too. Chris felt so great, so amazing. He flexed and unflexed muscles in his arms, his stomach, and then his groin. As he did, a slick and wet sounding peeling noise came. He looked down to see his manhood free itself from his groin while still being fully encased in what had been the codpiece.

Looking down at it, the leather had made his cock look hard and firm, large and alien. The normally mushroom shaped tip had been blunted into a flat instrument. Verbs bulged and the entire length throbbed before suddenly and without warning, the leather sunk into and became a part of his skin. Chris was no longer wearing anything other than his red coat. The black fur grew all the way to the base of his equine cock, even managing to cover his pendulous balls as they hung lower and lower, weighed down by the growing size of his testicles. Chris exhaled a hot breath, trying slightly to grapple with it all until he inevitably gave into his baser instincts.

One clawed hand coiled around his black leather horse cock as he started to stroke it, feeling it swell and bloat with each stroke. The other clawed hand moved to comb through his elongating beard. He turned to look at the mirror, seeing the black beard had reached his Adam's apple. It wasn't enough. He wanted more! He deserved more than Lukas had. He grabbed at it, clutching at his beard, tugging. He shuddered and nearly fell to his knees as the beard surged out in length to meet with the demands of his hand. Chris tugged and pulled, feeling his beard growing not just longer, but wider too. It flared out from his cheeks. At first it was just a few inches past his pointed ears, but then it started inching out along his shoulders, making an elongated diamond shape.

Nostrils flared as his nose reshaped into the goat-like flat. His brow furrowed before he hissed, feeling pressure building in his temples. Chris wanted to rub them, but he couldn't let go of his cock and his beard. He tried to clench and unclench his toes, but they had grown oddly numb and warm, flexing through a soupy mix of keratin as it expanded to encase his now fused toes. In moments all he could do was drag a hoof along the floor of the fitting room.The red coat creaked again as Christopher's shoulders hunched and his knees cracked and bent, going digitigrade. His furry ass cheeks were pulling apart to make room for a small diamond tail to flick out and up, twitching as he pleasured himself.Almost as if it was some kind of exercise routine, Christopher's hand was pried apart as his cock got thicker and thicker. It pushed well past the diameter of a beer can even as it packed on another two inches, then four, then six.

Chris drooled slightly, unable to control himself as his beard stretched past his collar bone, inching its way down his chest. He shuddered happily and then spasmed, inadvertently tilting his head forward. It bumped against the wall, sending simultaneous bolts of pain and pleasure through his temples. Realizing how close he was to the edge,Chris suddenly rammed his head against the fitting room wall. The structure shook, the mirror vibrating and the lights wobbling. He let out a mild curse, but it had been enough to break the skin that covered the bump on his right temple. The skin peeled back enough for a grayish brown horn to emerge. Tilting his head, Chris did the same to the other side, roaring as his other horn emerged.

No longer restrained, the bones began to surge out of his skull, rising taller and fanning back ever so slightly before splitting into antler-like prongs. Chris kept jerking off his foot long cock, but it didn't feel like enough. His beard felt amazing, but it, too, wasn't enough. His horns nearly scraped the ceiling of the fitting room and it was clear that it wasn't going to contain him for much longer. Chris grabbed at the door and flung it open before striding out into the store, standing a good eight feet tall and weighing over four hundred pounds of muscle and fur.

"Verrry niccceeee..." The snake cashier hissed in appreciation, but Chris' gleaming eyes were drawn down to the black and purple satyr faun currently hung over the counter, his pucker pulsating invitingly while his purple tail twitched. Chris strode forward before he reached out, grabbing the faun by the scruffy fur around the nape of his neck. He lifted him up from the counter and turned the faun to face him. Judah was panting hard, a long purple tuft of hair hanging down from his chin, earrings dangling from wicked pointed ears. The goatee was at least seven inches long and managed to brush the tip of the faun's very achingly hard pointed and spined violet cock.

"Chris?" Judah bleated, wriggling and writhing, panting hard as his nipples began to ooze what looked like eggnog. The eight foot tall Krampus only nodded as the furs wept across the last of his face, leaving him indistinguishable. Judah moaned even harder and looked up with needy, pleading eyes, "Fuck me, Chris, please! I need it so bad!" be begged. Hearing the faun's ascent, Chris wasted no time to slam Judah back down on the counter, ass splayed in the air before he moved forward. Judah bleated out again, this time with relief as he felt his ass, his intestines, and then his stomach all filled with big black Krampus cock. Clawed hands dug into the black and purple furry hips as Chris started thrusting without mercy.

Despite the fact that his rear end was getting filled like a jackhammer, Judah looked up as he heard a zipping sound in front of him. Looking one way and then the other, the horned snake drew down the fly of his khaki corduroy pants. His beige sand colored underbelly was only faintly green around the central slit. As it was exposed to air, a small gush of clear precum squirted out before two thin but sturdy hemipenises emerged, each of them pierced with a thick metal ring. Judah's goat eyes dilated before he grabbed one in each hand, stroking them both vigorously before plunging them into his mouth.

"Oh yessssss...." The cashier groaned, his scaly hand rubbing the purple shag of hair between Judah's two faun ears.

No longer being pushed over the counter by Christopher's thrusting, Judah was stationary for the full grown Krampus to get in as deep as he could. Each strike to the faun's prostate sent wave after wave of pleasure through him, but he still suckled the snake man's twin cocks. Chris moaned, panted, groaned and howled. His hands held Judah's hips firmly, making him unable to respond as another clawed hand turned his head and met him with a beardy Krampus kiss. The shopkeeper filled Christopher's mouth with his ample tongue, the two embracing. Chris didn't fight it at first, feeling their tongues tangle and wriggle and writhe. Mustaches meshed, beard manes brushed, horns clattered and clicked as they hit one another and still they kissed.

The heat of the kiss began to bleed away, leaving Christopher feel oddly cold, as if he was standing in a snowbank at the edge of dark and dreary woods. There was a faint clatter of the leafless branches shifting in the winter wind. The fur that hung down around his thick hooves was sopping wet, his back ached from not only lugging a heavy bag around on his shoulder, but having it wriggle and flex as he carried out the duties of a Krampus. The physical form was undeniably compelling, like the way his grapefruit sized balls fed his absolute monster of a horse cock, but it just didn't feel like him, like his story or his Christmas. As Christopher grappled with the realization, the weight of reality came rushing back as he suddenly came deep inside of Judah's ass. Chris threw his head toward the ceiling of the shop and let out a howl of delight. Judah pulled back off the snake man's twin cocks, serpentine semen dripping from his mouth as he bleated out an orgasm of his own, his spined cock spewing satyr cum across the wood floor.

There was a moment of exaltation, of orgasm, of the infinite glow of sexual pleasure, and then a sudden burst of glittering ice crystals. Chris fell forward against Judah's bare back, the red coat suddenly hanging heavy and oversized on his bare skin. Toes splayed out on the wood to keep his balance and soft fingertips brushed bare hips as Chris felt where he had filled the Goth's virgin ass.

"Ah damn, I thought for sure we'd get at least one of them..." The Krampus sighed sadly, reverting back to his mostly human guise with a fluid ease, though he kept short brownish black horns sticking up before the hairline of his long flowing locks, his salt and pepper beard impressive as always. Chris still arched over Judah, both of them panting hard, spent and confused about what had just happened... despite the fact that they had each enjoyed it very much.

****

The hours had run, one into another as the night had grown longer. The light of the moon fought back against the projected Christmas lights and snowflakes on the milky glass. The mythical shops had closed, the security grates pulled down and locked. Even the main lights had been dimmed, leaving the mall illuminated only by the random assortment of Christmas Trees and illuminated garlands. It had taken some humility and determination, but Chris had retrieved his clothes and gotten dressed before helping Judah do the same, the two sitting on the raised white tile edge of a large planter currently containing a fourteen foot tall Christmas tree. They were the only souls still awake, apart from a night guard wearing what appeared to be a blue nutcracker's uniform. Chris waited until the guard was half way down one of the side corridors before he spoke.

"I hope I wasn't too rough on you." Chris said softly. Judah turned his head to look over his shoulder at Chris before giving a meek smile.

"No, you were just the right rough." he said, "I'm glad we did it, even if it wasn't the right fit." Judah said fondly. Chris gave a half-weary laugh.

"So that's really what you meant? That was the fitting?" he asked. Chris turned half way around in his lap, giving a shrug.

"We tried to see if we were meant to be Krampus and it didn't fit. That's just one less thing to think about as we try to find our true selves." Judah said. Chris looked at Judah's face with wonder before he leaned forward, bringing his lips softly to the clerk's. Judah closed his eyes and leaned back, letting their lips dance and brush for a few moments before they broke it. For a long moment there was silence, the two feeling the warmth of the Christmas lights glowing on them. Chris opened his eyes first, seeing Judah bask in the kiss.

"I should get you to bed, I don't want you sleeping through your shift tomorrow." Chris said softly.

"And I don't want you too tired to try a different fit tomorrow night." Judah grinned, "But could we maybe just stay here a few minutes longer? I like the way you feel around me." Judah said. Chris smiled warmly at that and let Judah turn forward again, letting the smaller man's back rest against his chest. He wrapped his arms around Judah's shoulders and stomach and held him there. Judah leaned back into the embrace and closed his eyes, feeling safe and content. For Chris, it felt as though his life had been one long flurry of days and he had finally found the most wonderful time of the year.

****

In any mall setting, it was generally the food court that acted as the beating heart of the mercantile community. By contrast, the Mocha Express was a colony unto itself situated on the main thoroughfare. The isolation from the other food vendors made it even more apparent when the milk frother was in use, filling the air with the high pressure hissing and sputtering. The barista stood at the machine, his corn silk blond hair bundled up in a stocking cap while his stubble beard was almost invisible against his skin. Pale blue eyes looked through black framed glasses and his black apron had a symbol of a penguin on it holding a paper cup with both flippers. Earrings hung from the bottom of his lobes, though most of his ears were up in the hat as well. After some more effort, the barista began to mix ingredients together, stirring it all before popping a top on. He turned around and presented it to his customer.

"One fruitcake hot cocoa." the barista said in a flat affect that was almost a monotone. His customer met the barista with a cozy warm grin, green eyes sparkling with a bit of vitality despite the early hour, and a slight hand brush through his own shock of strawberry blond hair. Christopher Kleiner was the newest employee at the Northern Summit complex, aware of the mall's secrets and a student of its eccentricities.

"And my friend will have a double shot caramel macchiato." Chris supplied. The barista turned and moved to start crafting the second drink. Despite knowing better than to drink a coffee shop coffee immediately after it was sealed, Chris brought the cup to his lips and inhaled slowly. He hadn't been sure what to expect for flavor, but the Mocha Express boasted the largest list of hot chocolate flavors than he'd ever dreamt of being possible and it had become a natural inclination to try a new one each visit. He hadn't been sure what to expect for fruitcake flavored hot chocolate, but he was delighted that it seemed to have a nutty base with an undercurrent of zingy sweetness. When it eventually cooled to the point of drinking, he was sure he'd be blown away by the flavor.

"Here's your double shot." The barista said, setting the next cup down. In a way, Chris felt for the young man. Only last night he had been a polar bear looking to hibernate, but now it was bright and early and he had to serve people coffee. Chris paid for the two drinks, gave the barista a tip and headed off down the thoroughfare. He'd only had a few hours of sleep, but he'd woken with a bit of pep in his step. Learning that there was a whole secret world had been astounding, but then sampling life as a supernatural winter creature had been amazing - even if a bit unsettling.

Chris looked up at the sport's shop. The wood floor and wall panels were the same, but the mannequins showed puffy ski jackets, the stands showed off snow shoes and the wall showed snowboards. Even the cashier had reverted to a human state instead of the horned Christmas snake he'd been when the sun went down, although his skin was so pale it practically had a greenish hue to match the verdant mohawk he sported, lip rings and earrings glinting in the fluorescent lights of the store. Chris shook off his distraction and looked around at the shop keeper for the cell phone store with his thick afro and long sideburns, then the shop keeper for the puzzle store with his horn rimmed glasses and almost painfully on the nose green Santa hat.

There were still so many employees to meet, so many species to discover, let alone finding the way he would be spending his future. He hadn't been meant to be a Krampus, that much had been made clear when the alternate form burst into snowflakes and ice crystals, but it had been but a single sample of the winter smorgasbord being offered. Chris refocused his contemplative thoughts as he moved into the Novelty store where Judah worked. They had stayed up as late as they dared, cuddling in the afterglow of their encounter. They had both become Krampuses briefly, but Judah had reverted to his elf status and Chris had resumed being human. It had simply not been meant to be that they take on those forms.

Chris passed a display of metal three dimensional puzzles and navigated past a pyramid of t-shirts sporting screen printings of ugly Christmas sweaters before he came up to the counter where Judah sat. The nineteen year old looked up from where he was sitting, his feathered quaff of black and purple hair more of an unkempt bed head mane than normal. Pale hands with black painted nails accepted the cup eagerly as soon as Chris proffered it, bringing it up to his dark stained lips. He took a molten hot drink, exhaling slowly with eyes squeezed shut, his double nostril rings catching the light before his almond brown eyes opened.

"Thanks, babe, that was just what I needed." he said before leaning across to kiss Chris on the lips. Chris returned the favor, feeling an electric charge go through his spine as he did. Some small part of him felt guilty that he was almost a decade older than his presumed boyfriend, but he knew such age differences weren't as big of a deal as people got older... although at the moment that was rather the point. Chris sipped his drink without thinking about it before moaning.

"Oh my god..." he murmured.

"That good?" Judah asked with a smirk.

"How can... how can it be that good?!" he asked softly, "It's like a whole fruitcake, but dipped into chocolate batter..." he murmured. Judah smiled.

"I guess not all of the magic is reserved for night time." he said, taking another sip of his own drink before he moved out from the kiosk and headed to the back of the shop where a trolley held a stack of plastic bag sealed merchandise. Judah set to work unsealing the products before properly tagging and folding them. After a few moments, Judah looked up at his red headed boyfriend in his red button up shirt and black slacks, his dark lips pursing a bit, "Babe, you know I love having you around, but I don't know if Mister North is going to like you hanging out all day. Might see it as favoritism or something." Judah said. A rosy blush came to Christopher's cheeks before he gave a quick nod.

"You're right, you're right... I wasn't brought here to flirt with the cute elves." Chris whispered, waggling his eyebrows. "Can I give you one more kiss?" he asked. Judah smiled and nodded at that and as Chris came over, Judah reached up with both hands to hold the older man's head to his. Their lips danced and wrestled, rubbing back and forth, their tongues teasing and slapping a few times before they reluctantly released one another. Judah licked his dark lips to savor the flavor of Christopher's saliva.

"Have a good day, babe." Judah whispered.

"It'll be the best, because I know I'm ending it with you." Chris whispered, giving Judah's hip a rub before he turned and grabbed his hot cocoa, heading back into the mall. He had to head up to his room to get his tablet and he'd be able to start his day. Chris headed along the tiled walkway, taking a leisurely pace toward the elevators, unaware that several stories straight up there were icy blue eyes boring down on him like needles.

Jack North's lips were thin and fair, looking half frozen from their pale bluish-white tinge. His hair was such a light platinum blond with frosted tips that they practically looked like icicles. In his human form, Mister North did not display the pointed ears or ice crystals he naturally had on his cheeks, but his white suit, white tie, white slacks and white designer shoes still carried a certain presence that made those around feel an unnatural chill. Perhaps that was why his personal bodyguard had gone on a campaign to add so much muscle and mass to his form, becoming the largest elf on the premises by far.

"Smitten by the first piece of candy he sees. He's practically melted into a puddle of cheer already." Jack muttered, "It isn't fair. I brought him in, I offered him a position, room and board, not to mention a very generous stock option." Jack muttered, sighing wearily. He stepped away from the clear glass guard rail of the sky bridge, moving to rest his head against the swollen meaty pectoral of his seven foot tall bodyguard. The Asian man stared ahead impassively through his blacked out aviators, a thick handlebar mustache framing his emotionless mouth.

"Maybe it was because you hired him to evaluate the workers, sir. He never evaluated you." Andrew offered. An almost invisible white eyebrow arched into a point before Jack raised his head, attempting to get a glimpse of Andrew's eyes beneath his sunglasses, although his efforts failed.

"Normally I would never stand for someone to criticize what I do. After all, how could anyone understand the breadth and scope? But I think you may be right. How can I make him shiver with delight if he does not know the real me?" Jack considered. With a resolute nod he gave a pat to Andrew's other thick pec, "Andrew, let's go get me a makeover. I have to make sure I become whatever real me will impress him the most." Jack said before gliding off across the sky bridge. Andrew let out a breath in what was the closest facsimile to a sigh he could muster before he caught up to his employer with a few large strides.

****

Chris had assumed that he had lived to see the end of the mall era before getting a job at Northern Summit. Sure, it was a sort of special case, but in a strange way it gave Chris some comfort that it still existed. Chris held his tablet computer under one arm as he wandered into what could only be considered a 'gift shop' in the strictest sense of the word. The back of the store had rather conventional library style shelves stacked full of puzzles, toys, games, science projects, rolled up posters and various knickknacks. The entire front half of the store, however, was dedicated to stands topped with pre-made gift baskets. Each one had a unique wicker base, color tinted plastic wrap, a smattering of Easter grass and carefully curated contents.

Chris gave a smile to the cashier, a Filipino man with a wispy split mustache and a much thicker black beard. Long black hair hung out of a drooping green beanie cap. His sleeveless shirt might have been considered too informal for some venues, but it had been crafted out of fine white linen that matched his linen pants. Chris looked at the cashier for a moment before the name popped into his head; Tom Ten. He'd been brought in to evaluate the employees before being offered a more permanent job, and while he was no longer anonymous, he didn't want to exactly advertise when he was examining the workers in case it might influence their behaviors.

Chris circled the shop, looking from gift basket to gift basket. There was one full of plush animals, and one that was a dozen assortments of chocolate. The Summer Sausage, cheese and crackers basket caught his fancy, especially with its burgundy plastic wrap, but he slowed a bit as he reached the back corner and found a basket with a children's book. There was a troll tromping through the snow, dragging a human child by the ankles while thirteen sons waddled after her like ducklings. Despite himself, Chris couldn't help but blurt out what he was thinking.

"How many Christmas stories are there where something kidnaps children?" Chris asked. A light chuckle came from the cashier's lips.

"That's Gryla, Icelandic legend. She kidnaps the bad children each winter and takes them home where her husband has been keeping the fire going so they can feast on them. Their thirteen sons are the Yule Lads." Tom explained. Chris looked into the basket to see a little troll stuffed animal along with various bags of dried banana chips, apricots, prunes, and other fruits.

"I guess I still have a lot to learn." Chris said. Tom glanced around to see if there were any uninitiated customers nearby before he leaned forward a bit more.

"I saw your fitting last night. Kind of a shame it didn't stick. I liked the beard." Tom said before stroking his own. Chris gave the cashier a smile before he moved back into the shelves as if he were looking for something to purchase. There had most certainly been elements of being a Krampus he had liked. It had been a source of immense physical pleasure to grow a long Krampus beard, and the horns had been riveting as they pushed out of his skull. The coat hadn't been half bad either, and he had sort of been wanting to try out the red leather sack... but it just hadn't settled right with him. He wasn't meant to be a demonic satyr that kidnapped naughty children. He also was fairly sure he wasn't meant to be a female troll that kidnapped and ate children, although he had felt such an affinity for Judah since they first spoke to one another. Chris tried to shrug it off.

"Mommy, mommy, can I please have the mint popcorn?!" A child asked from outside. Chris glanced up, and while he didn't see the answer the parents gave, he saw the child's resigned face before they followed on without further comment. He felt sorry for the kid, relieved that the child had not made a fuss, and knew deep down that the rational response to being declined could only help in the parents/child bond later in life. If they were respectful, they would get the reward of trust and freedom that much sooner. Chris smiled a bit to himself before bringing his attention back to what he was doing. With a nimble hand he brought out his tablet and opened up the list of employees, moving through to find Tom Ten.

****

There wasn't a single customer service or retail job in the country that did not bring with it an immense sense of relief when the last customers were gone, the doors were shut and everything was officially closed. Chris could feel the anticipation like electricity as he watched Andrew lock the doors and move over to the control panel to enter the security codes. Level by level, the glass panels that made up one third of Northern Summit's structure went from transparent to translucent. The milky barrier offered a sense of privacy and safety, not to mention acting as a backdrop for projectors to cast images of snowflakes, Christmas lights and other seasonal symbols on. The mall's primary lights flicked out, leaving everything bathed in the rainbow cascade of all the Christmas decorations.

The telltale clatter of security grates came as the clerks pulled them down in front of the shops, leaving them sealed only a moment before lifting them up again to reveal entirely different shop interiors. Human guises and glamours fell away, revealing the mall employees as elves, polar bears, a Krampus and a host of other creatures. Chris found himself standing there, wondering just what became of Northern Summit in the summer months... Was it Christmas in July, or were his memories of the shopping enclave some sort of artifact of a greater magic at work?

"You look like you've been hypnotized by the northern lights." Judah commented as he walked over. Chris blinked a few times, a rosy blush rising to his cheeks.

"I guess I'm still adjusting to everything. This is a pretty amazing place." Chris said. Judah smiled and came to rest his head on Christopher's shoulder.

"I'm glad you think so. It is very nice having you around." Judah smiled. Chris lowered his head to rest against Judah's forehead, closing his eyes for a moment and enjoying the closeness before he straightened back up.

"Ready for dinner?" Chris asked.

"I am starving!" Judah said with glee.

****

The undulating din of the food court was audible well before Chris and Judah entered, though even hearing it in advance did not prepare the two for just how busy everything was. Chris hesitated as they rounded the corner and saw the utter mayhem. Every table was occupied, every chair filled. There were lines streaming out from the different vendors. Christopher took it all in, a little bit amazed at just how many people worked at Northern Summit.

"Maybe we should have dinner in our room instead..." Chris considered. Judah squeezed his hand and looked up at his boyfriend.

"I don't know about you, but all I have to eat up in my room are some candy canes." he smiled meekly, "I'm sure we'll find someplace until things calm down." Judah considered, letting his dark eyes scan the lay of the land before he smiled and started walking, tugging Chris along behind him. Chris smiled despite himself, following after his headstrong boyfriend until they reached a hip height retaining wall that bordered a raised planter. A large indoor tree rose up from it, filling the air with the faint scent of pine. Judah patted the retaining wall and grinned.

"My throne awaits?" Chris asked as he sat himself down. Before he had managed to fully settle, Judah hopped up onto his lap, maneuvering his body weight around before coming down in a rather stimulating position. Chris felt his breath catch a bit. Judah seemed unaware of the influence he was having until he shifted his weight from side to side a few extra times before finally leaning his back against Christopher's chest. After a moment his smile blossomed a little larger, feeling an erection firming beneath him.

"Excellent." Judah murmured. Chris let out a soft hiss from his lips.

"You are a naughty boy." Chris said. Judah grinned before he inclined his head, indicating something up above. Chris looked upward, spotting a strange sort of mass on the branches above that looked like some sort of loose bird's nest with some berries on it.

"Mistletoe..." Judah whispered. Chris looked down at his Goth boyfriend, then back at the mistletoe and then back at his boyfriend. He took a hold of two of Judah's many belt loops and turned him around until the shopkeeper was straddling him and he leaned forward to kiss him.

Their lips met with a soft but sturdy hunger, parting moments later to make way for eager tongues. Their bodies complimented one another. Judah felt perfect on his lap, against his chest, pressing to his face. He loved the faintly minty aroma Judah had, the dangerous accessories he wore, not to mention his utter confidence in public. He didn't care what people thought, he just went for it.

The two kissed under the mistletoe for moments, minutes, then almost half an hour. It wasn't until Christopher's lips started feeling a bit chapped and a budding moisture of precum had blossomed in his boxers that he finally broke the kiss. Judah nuzzled his cheek against Christopher's chest before he finally sat up more and looked around, grinning wider.

"See, I told you things would quiet down!" He said with excitement. Sure enough, about a quarter of the tables had cleared and a few of the shops no longer had queues stretching from one stall to the next.

"Great, I'm starved..." Chris lied. He certainly was hungry, that much was true, but what he yearned for most wasn't food. Still, it was a wise idea to fuel up and he felt Judah slip from his lap, dropping back to the floor. With a great sense of regret that the moment was over, Chris followed after him. As the scents and aromas of the food court hit Chris, however, he realized just how hungry he was. He wanted something filling, something heartwarming, something.... Sweet. One of the shops had made some sinfully good looking plum flavored jelly. If he could just find a way to combine that with some fresh baked rolls or cookies, he knew he'd be all set. Chris licked his lips a bit as he considered all of the options, his stomach rumbling with urgency.

****

There was a sublime stillness that came just before dawn. The inhabitants of Northern Summit had long since gone to bed. The frosted, milky effect on the window panes had faded back to glass, at least on the uppermost floors of the building. Christopher leaned against the cool guard rail of one of the pedestrian sky bridges that looped out over the cavernous open air space and looked out over the city. The Christmas lights clinging to the bare trees outside shimmered in defiance of the cold and the dark, and the first few sparkles of light came from windows in the other buildings downtown. There was a soft and subtle smile on Christopher's lips as he looked out at it all. The world seemed so much more innocent, so much more good and true and vulnerable this early.

It took several moments for Christopher to swim up from his thoughts enough to realize he was hearing a faint tinkling sound.... No, not quite a tinkle, more of a jangle? No, a jingle... Christ turned his head and inhaled sharply in surprise. Judah stood at the far end of the foot bridge, but he wasn't wearing any ordinary outfit. His throat was wrapped in a collar laden down with small silver bells. A harness came down over his shoulders and across his pectorals, looping together on a triangle shaped metal clip before flaring out again over his ribs. He had on what seemed to be a leather cod piece, though even the belt running around his bare hips had bells on them. There was even the faint flint of metal coming from a new ring embedded in his septum. Chris felt an electric tingle racing from his toes to his brain, though it did seem to collect around his groin a bit.

With a nervous, even sheepish smile, Judah started walking towards Chris again. Each step was punctuated by the twinkling of the bells. Chris couldn't help but let his jaw drop a bit as he realized that his boyfriend's ass was bare. Judah slowed as he came within a few feet of his boyfriend, reaching up to brush dark black and purple hair from his face.

"What do you think?" Judah asked. Chris grinned wide.

"I love it... Is it another fitting? It doesn't look like a Christmas Witch outfit..." Chris said. Judah shook his head.

"It's not, I went back to the leather shop after our visit and I tried to put into words what I liked and what I didn't about the Kr-UNGH...." Judah suddenly groaned, huffing softly, bending forward. Chris raced forward to embrace him, wrapping one arm around his back.

"Judah, what is it, are you alright?" he asked. Judah looked up, although his nose was already starting to darken. His nostrils had grown wider, enlarging his nose. Dark rings were appearing beneath his eyes and the ears that had been pointed before were starting to stretch.

"I tried to explain what I liked and didn't like, what pieces fit and what didn't. The Krampus got this knowing look in his eye. He explained it to me and once I heard it, I couldn't believe how blind I've.... I've.... Ugh!" Judah moaned, tipping his head back, a hand grabbing at his chest. To Christopher's surprise, thick strands of white fur erupted through his skin between his nipples, blossoming out into an uneven patch that was spreading rapidly. The enamel on Judah's fingernails grew brittle and cracked, flaking off as his actual fingernails got darker and thicker. Tendrils of fur began to creep out from the edge of his codpiece, traveling down his legs and climbing up his stomach.

"Judah, we need to get you help, this doesn't look comfortable." Chris said with concern, reaching a hand to the small of Judah's back, feeling his pinky finger brushing a nub of a furry tail that was curving up from the top of his ass cleft.

"It's worth it, Chris, it's been in front of us the whole time... know what I'm meant to be, what you're meant to be, and how we're meant to be together..." Judah whispered before he let out what sounded like some sort of groaning neigh. His eyes clenched shut as two lumps began to form on his forehead, building up rapidly, making his pale flesh look red and irritated. More fur began to extrude from his forearms, his shoulders and his back. The curving spade of a tail grew taller. The hair on his arms was a dark brownish black, but the fur on his chest and stomach remained a buttercream white. As Judah struggled, his nose continued to broaden, widening his lips with it.

Chris watched in helpless shock as his boyfriend warped between his eyes. So far he'd been maintaining his lithe figure, but it was then that Chris looked down, realizing Judah's toes had fused into groups. The skin had gotten webbed together, then the webs had tightened, forcing them into place. His black painted toenails had softened and spread, covering the toes with a keratin sheath. More dark fur sprouted around his ankles, his thighs, his biceps and triceps. His skin was rapidly disappearing. Judah forced his eyes open, looking up at Chris before he winced. The painful lumps on his forehead shifted before sharp bony nubs broke through.

Judah nearly collapsed in relief, falling into Christopher's arms. No longer restrained, the nubs began extruding out centimeter by centimeter, revealing longer and taller horns. For a moment Chris assumed that the harness had induced some sort of Krampus relapse, but as the horns split out into definite prongs and forks, Chris started to realize what was really going on. The bells on Judah's collar jingled faintly as he continued to change. His calves stretched longer, his ankles taller. His new cloven hooves shifted, as did his knees. While Judah had remained just as skinny as before, he had grown a good four inches, then six. He looked into Christopher's eyes rather than up at them, raising one fuzzy hand capped with hoof-like fingernail tips to rest on his boyfriend's chest.

"The way you knew who had been bad and who had been good, the way your cheeks get all rosy, you wanting to be so nice to people even when the world is so harsh, and how good it felt to sit on your lap..." Judah murmured, panting a bit even as his noose broadened into a cervine muzzle, his tongue running across teeth that were getting flatter by the second. One ear twitched as it broke free of his head, new muscles helping it to maneuver with the faintest emotion or reaction. The other ear soon followed suit.

"What are you saying?" Chris asked, watching Judah's horns turn into antlers as they continued to split and spread above his head. Judah smiled a bit sheepishly.

"For someone that's so good at analyzing other people, you seem to have a blind spot when it comes to yourself." Judah said, his voice still intelligible, disputing the fact that the words were now coming from a mouth pushing out into a reindeer muzzle. "Here, come on..." Judah said finally, taking Christopher's hand and leading him back across the sky bridge and towards the elevator.

****

The door opened with a gentle click, pausing only for a moment before swinging wider. Light spilled into the room, falling across a white powdery substance that covered the floor. Judah peeked in, looking one way and then the other before he advanced with more confidence. Christopher followed after his boyfriend with a bit more caution. In all the time he had been working at Northern Summit, he had assumed that the shop space at the end of the promenade had been vacant and unused, but now that he was walking past short candy cane fences and styrofoam snowmen, he wasn't so sure.

"I know it's around here somewhere..." Judah murmured, bending over a rock before moaning suddenly. His deer tail flicked, his buttercream ass fur rippling while a leathery black anus undulated. He moaned softly, his face popping as it pushed further into a muzzle, his antlers rising taller from his head. The purple color in his hair had remained vibrant, though the black was fading to a reddish brown hue. He swallowed, trying to compose himself before he stretched and flicked a switch.

All at once, the cavernous shop space was filled with light... and not just any light, but every kind of light. Fake bushes were webbed in Christmas lights, though they paled in comparison to the fourteen foot tree dressed up in a rainbow of lights and covered with transparent colored glass ornaments. The walls had been painted like an Alaskan night's sky, though there was some sort of projection showing an aurora borealis dancing across the surface. A sweet, peppermint scented breeze began to circulate through the area and a miniature wood cabin sat at the back of the space. The windows were translucent, probably some sort of orange colored gel film on the glass panes, but it looked so cozy and warm. A meandering path wound its way through snowy hills with gift boxes sitting atop them, and on the porch of the cabin was a golden throne covered with soft, red velvet cushions. Judah straightened back up before he turned to Chris, his doe eyes large and pleading, his lips pouty.

"I need you to fuck me..." Judah whispered. Chris' lips twitched a little as he looked around.

"Isn't this where kids come to see Santa?" he asked. Judah rotated one hoof back and forth in the snow.

"I've been good all year, this is my wish..." Judah pleaded, leaning up to nibble on Christopher's neck. Chris shuddered softly. Judah had always smelled nice, but now he smelled so earthy, so peaty, so musky, so... male. As if he knew his influence on his boyfriend, Judah turned, backing his reindeer rump to his boyfriend's lap. He gave it a little rotational force, trying to stimulate him even more. Chris blushed, his cheeks growing rosy once more before he all but bolted for the chair. Judah grinned from pointed ear to pointed ear as he followed after him.

Chris carefully sat down on the throne, trying to get a feel for how sturdily it was built. He did feel a bit naughty knowing what was about to happen, but at the same time he considered how much of a by-the-book employee he had been all these years. He'd never asked for much, never been an undue imposition on his employers. Perhaps this was a reward, though he was sure HR would consider it a heinous mistake. Still, watching his reindeer boyfriend saunter up was more than enough to make him quiver in his proverbial boots.

Judah grinned as he watched Christopher fumble with his fly, drawing the zipper down and reaching in to move his boxers out of the way. In a few moments Chris was able to produce his rapidly hardening member. Judah grinned, approaching the throne before he knelt down before it, leaning in. Chris gasped in shock as the reindeer man unleashed a long, wide tongue to lap at his member. Judah gave it a few good licks from base to tip before he rose back up onto his hooves, moved forward, and straddled Christopher.

Furry deer legs settled on either side of his hips before that fur lined pucker began to slip back and forth along the edge of his member. Chris writhed and moaned at that, leaning back in the chair. Judah licked his lips wantonly before he reached back behind the chair and withdrew a red and white fleece nightcap, complete with a pom pom on the end. Just as Judah lowered himself down, letting Christopher's hard mushroom shaped cock head find its mark, he drew down the hat onto his boyfriend's strawberry blond hair.

"Ohhhhh...." Chris moaned, finally understanding what Judah had meant as he felt the hat come down around his head, but his revelation became an exaltation as he felt the hot, slick, writhing interior to his boyfriend's ass wrapping around his cock. Chris grabbed onto Judah's furry hips and began to drive his own upwards, sliding into the ass as much as he could. Judah neighed and snorted as he came down, delighted to feel so fulfilled. He leaned in to give Chris an awkward kiss. Chris reached out, grabbing onto the back of Judah's transforming head, pulling him in. The two exchanged sloppy, wet kisses as a human tongue and a reindeer tongue mingled with a hungry need.

As much as Judah wanted to melt into the kiss and lose himself, he forced his eyes open, watching with excitement as the color drained away from Christopher's hair. The well groomed locks bleached to a crisp linen white, sticking out from the edges of the hat. His rosy cheeks seemed even rosier as a glittering dusting of white stubble began to crystallize across his cheeks. It spread like a mild frost, creeping down from his ears to his jawbone, cresting forward. A soft dusting began to form on his upper lip, then his chin. The hair was velvety smooth at first, though it came in unevenly. Either side of his chin seemed to grow the fastest, hair pushing outward, growing days worth of length in mere moments as his mustache filled in by the second.

Judah began to raise and lower his ass rhythmically, feeling Christopher get into it. The human thrust up and then let his ass fall back, rising up and down, working like an engine. He couldn't help but love how sturdy and muscled Judah was now. Chris broke their kiss to nuzzle the side of Judah's face, working his way up to one pointed ear. He kissed the brown velvety fur, then he opened his mouth to lick it, then nibbled. Judah's eyes squeezed shut as he bleated out a strange sound, his leg kicking and his tail flinching. Chris grinned, moving to treat the other ear to the same affection, feeling his own body starting to really fall into a good cyclical wave of inertia.

Up and down, up and down. Every time Chris came crashing down, he felt his body jiggle. It was almost as if everything had been high and tight for so long that it was all shaking loose at once. His stomach wobbled, his upper arms felt a bit doughier on the inner edge, leading to a wobble there as well. As much as he was moving, his legs were feeling heavier and heavier by the second. Judah nearly let out a sound, watching the pounds starting to add onto Christopher.

Sure, he had been a fit and handsome man of distinguishment before, but now? His fit and firm shoulders had been a bit too firm before, angular and hard. Now they had a gentle softness, a friendly slope. His washboard abs softened and inflated, rounding out and becoming more like a pillow... and those pecs, that beautiful chest, it all seemed so much easier for Judah to love as they grew rounded and fuller.

"Deeper, fuck me deeper!" Judah begged, throwing his antlered head back as the fur closed over the last of his human flesh. His nipples had turned black, his tail had grown another three inches, his hooves were solid and firm and his body was jacked with countless muscle groups he'd never even considered before.

"I think I should say something like you need to ride me harder..." Christopher moaned, his voice a little deeper than it had been before. Judah did as he was commanded to, throwing himself down around that cock, trying to hilt himself on it. He shuddered and panted, moaning, fingers tightened and releasing. Chris closed his eyes as well, listening to the wet plap-plap-plap of his cock plunging into the reindeer's musky ass, hearing the jingle of the bells on his leather harness and the soft slapping of flesh against flesh, unaware it was his own flab growing out on his arms and his pecs starting to impact the growing shelf of a belly stretching before him.

Hot breaths escaped Christopher's lips even as a white mustache curved and curled over the edge, obscuring it from view. The longer strands sticking out from his chin had been joined by the rapidly lengthening curtains coming down from his jawbone. The hair had been straight at first, but as it unfurled it began to curl and twist, becoming bushier and bristlier. The hair built off of itself, forming thickets and forests rather than a cascading waterfall.

The last color drained from Christopher's eyebrows, leaving them white and oddly thicker than they had been before. While his face still seemed relatively youthful, it was being consumed by the winter white beard growing out of his follicles at an unmatched rate. His mustache was soon thick enough to hide his lower lip as well, obscuring his mouth entirely. Wily strands of hair stuck out and back from his cheeks, adding to the already confidently ungroomed plumes curving down from his cheeks.

As the auditor writhed and shifted on his throne, his white hair spilled out longer and longer from his Christmas Cap. The hair hit his shoulders, descending down his back. New white curls began to poke through from his chest, spiraling outward like a fractal snowflake until it passed over his meaty pecs, his fat nipples, and even his rotund stomach. His pants were tight, his shirt was tighter, but the best fit of all came from how well the reindeer's ass fit around Christopher's own pole. Chris bit his bottom lip as he thrust upward, nearly shaking Judah loose from his crotch. The reindeer had to grab onto the sides of the chair to steady himself, but even that failed as Chris thrust even harder.

"Oh.... Ohhhh....." Chris moaned, feeling his balls swelling and sagging, sinking lower in his sack until they had room to double in size. Testosterone surged through his body as white hair erupted from his forearms, his shoulders, even his back. Chris panted into the kiss, his hands roaming all over Judah's body until, deep inside his body, there was a sudden rush of Christmas spirit.

"Ho ho ho!" Christopher bellowed, his eyes sparkling as they took on silver flecks of color. His manhood suddenly urged, stretching a good six inches deeper and three inches wider inside of Judah, wedging him impossibly tight on the cock inside of him. Chris felt his stomach jiggle and shift as it added a few last pounds, but the damage was already done. A hot, thick, sticky deluge of cum shot deep into Judah's furry reindeer ass, much to his delight. Judah collapsed forward, mindful of his antlers as he rested his head against Christopher's chest. His nostrils flared as he snorted, though the sweet moment was short lived as he soon gasped in shock, rearing back and bleating unexpectedly.

Chris looked down in shock, watching Judah's leather codpiece constrict and contract like some sort of shrink wrap. It perfectly encapsulated Judah's own cock, mimicking every detail down to the veins before it suddenly changed to a different shape. Judah nearly sang out in shock and ecstasy as the codpiece stretched out, tapering to a fine point, elongating the flesh inside to twelve inches. The material grew warm, began to tingle, and then seemed to bond with the wearer. The black leather faded to a brownish pink flesh tone, revealing Judah's obscene reindeer dick.

As the cool air hit the newly minted flesh, Judah neighed out and snorted again before thick jets of sticky, yellowed, feral reindeer cum splashed across Christopher's face. The webs of spooge stuck to his perfect white beard, staining the hair and soaking into it. Where the hair became a creamy off-white, it began to grow much faster. Chris grunted as muscle began to tighten beneath fat. He grunted, snarled, moaned, panted and then yelled suddenly in shock and pleasure. His thick mustache grew yellowed as it got thicker, the bushy curls coming out wilder from his cheeks. The curtain of curly hair unfurled down across his chest even as his chest expanded. The layer of fat was being propped up by sinewy new muscle, rapidly growing nipples and a jiggling belly stretched over a muscle gut.

A pop came, then another... but it wasn't Christopher's body. The sound came as stitches broke, splitting out around rapidly growing flesh. Christopher's shoulders expanded wider, his arms thicker, his abdomen thicker. His shirt tore out, falling away in tatters, revealing a massively hairy, muscled, incredibly warm body. His pants, likewise, tore away to reveal thick tree trunk-like legs coated with so much white hair it was practically fur... and his balls hung low, swollen with two of the largest ornament sized testicles Judah had ever seen. In moments Christopher was reduced to wearing nothing but his Santa hat, his beard reaching his navel, his body easily double the mass it had been moments before.

Twinkling eyes looked up at Judah before Chris dove forward, taking eight inches of pointed reindeer dick into his mouth. The few inches he couldn't swallow were wrapped up with thick, brutish, hairy knuckled hands as Christopher fondled and stroked the base of his reindeer's dick. Judah rasped a hollow breath as he came again, filling Santa's mouth with his oddly sweet and savory cum, a flavor Christopher found rather familiar, almost like....

"Nog?" Chris mumbled, some of the cum spilling out of his mouth before he sealed his lips around it again, guzzling the seed down. It was warm and nourishing as it coated his esophagus, flooding into his belly and warming it up. Chris was only starting to realize how much room he had in his stretched out stomach. He could likely drink every drop Judah had to offer and still have room for much, much more... But that was a problem for another night. For now, everything was perfect. He sucked Judah off even as he filled his ass with cum, the two exchanging their sinful gifts beneath the projected aurora that filled the night sky. The two had found themselves in each other, revealing a destiny greater than either had imagined. If Judah was sure of anything, though, it was that the best place for him to be on the planet was mounted atop Christopher's brand new North Pole.

****

Dawn had broken, then daybreak, then a long, chilly morning. The windows of The Northern Summit were transparent, allowing everyone to see the snowflakes falling outside, collecting on the inch and a half that had fallen earlier. The way the clouds diffused the light, it was impossible to tell what time of day it was. Icicles had formed outside on the bare, light strewn trees, making the mall seem all the more inviting. It all felt quite cozy. In fact, Christopher had never felt cozier in his life. He sat in one of the mall's massaging recliner chairs, feeling his ample back being manipulated by vibrating rollers and rubber balls beneath the leather. He had found a nice pair of red sweatpants and a red sweatshirt that fit him, though he kept it unzipped to reveal the marshmallow white t-shirt underneath. Leaving the hoodie unzipped also left ample room for Christopher's glorious white beard to cascade down like a lion's mane that reached almost all the way to his belly button.

For fear of drawing too much attention, he had gone without the hat, although Chris had been forced to pick up a pair of reading glasses at one of the kiosks as he made his rounds. Adjusting them on his nose slightly, Chris looked back down at the tablet resting on his lap. The background had been changed to a papyrus texture, making it look more like a paper list than some computer generated infrastructure from a hacker movie. Chris swiped through the personnel files, rather pleased with the general success that they were all rising to. While very few of Northern Summit's employees had failed to miss the mark before he had learned the secret truth, it seemed that in the days since he'd become Santa, there was an even more unifying effect. Everyone just seemed to work more cohesively.

"My, my, it looks like you're quite the gift this year..." A soft, cool voice wafted over. Christopher looked up, hesitating just a moment before he realized that he was in fact looking at Jack North. The young business man was wearing, of all things, a white sweater with a night cap of his own, although his was white with red trim. Similarly, his white slacks came down to red shoes that seemed to show him as an inverse of the traditional Santa ensemble. A short tuft of white hair hung down from his chin and his ears looked as though they were trying their hardest to reveal their pointed nature despite the glamour of the daytime hiding all of the magic in the mall.

"It looks as though you got more than a gift card yourself this year..." Chris said in awe.

"You sleigh me, Chris..." Jack forced a chuckle, moving over a little closer, "Does one have to wait in line to sit on your lap?" he asked hopefully. Chris swallowed a little, taking a breath before he stood up.

"Mister North..." Chris began.

"Jack, you can call me Jack..." he pleaded.

"Jack..." Chris relented, "You hired me to be observant, and it would be impossible not to observe your... overtures... these last few weeks. While I understand that Northern Summit is a far more liberal workplace when it comes to interpersonal conduct, I don't think we're in agreement on what the future holds between us. I would very much like to continue to work here as your employee, and to do everything I can to help Northern Summit... I just don't want to have to put you on the naughty list." Chris said as politely and firmly as he could. Jack's lips pursed a little.

"So you're not really in the market for a Mister Claus then?" he asked hesitantly, waiting only a moment before sighing and nodding, lowering his head, "Very well then. You can't blame me for trying. It must be nice to have that kind of warmth." Jack said, "Merry Christmas, Chris." Jack said before he turned, slinking away back the way he had come.

"Jack?" Chris called after him. Jack hesitated, turning to look over his shoulder. Chris smiled, "I'll keep an eye out and try to help you find the perfect gift." he offered. Jack smiled at that, the faintest hint of color coming to his cheeks.

"I think I would like that... Besides, winter isn't over yet. New Year, new me..." Jack said, feeling hope starting to build in his chest once more. Chris smiled with relief at that, looking past Jack and out across the mall. Christmas time was never easy, full of stress and expectations that were impossible to realize, but in his one place, at this particular time of year, all he could see were smiling faces. That small ember of holiday cheer was a start, and with a little luck he could help fan it into a toasty warm fire that would warm the hearts of many, many more.

****

The shelves had been emptied, the gift baskets sold. One last mad rush had made its way through the Northern Summit mall before everything finally quieted down. The weather outside was getting more frightful by the second, making Christopher particularly glad that he did not have a long commute to get home. He walked up towards the Mocha Express at a leisurely pace, seeing that Judah had already beaten him there. Under the guise of a human, Judah had still grown taller. His trademark black and purple hair was adorned by a headband with antlers on it and his classic boots had been replaced with ones that had an extra heel to it, making it a little more akin to his new hooves. The young man chewed on his bottom lip, resting his fuzzy chin on his hand. While most of the fur had retreated from his body, at least when the humans were watching, a patch of fuzz had persistently clung to the tip of his particularly cute chin. Chris felt a stirring in his red pants just looking at his most amazing boyfriend.

"How about.... The Lychee Lichen shake." Judah said finally. The barista nodded and moved to gather the ingredients.

"Lichen, a very festive winter treat." Chris grinned. Judah turned and moved right up to Chris until his flat stomach was pressed to Christopher's belly. The Goth sneaked one hand up under Christopher's shirt, running it up and down the soft, round flesh affectionately. He gazed into his lover's eyes, now a distinct contrast between a young face with a white beard.

"How was your list?" Judah asked.

It was nice. I checked it twice." Chris smiled, "Though I'm still feeling hungry." he added, glancing over at the barista, "Can I get a cookie and cream shake?" he asked. The barista nodded. Judah snuggled up against Chris.

"You know, if you were the real Santa and I was your reindeer, the kids would leave carrots out for me to nibble on." Judah considered.

"You're right, but aren't we the spirits of some sort of gay version of the holiday?" Chris asked curiously, "They might not be carrots that they leave out."

"Food for thought." Judah chuckled. In a few more moments their drinks were served up, the two of them paid and meandered away from the shop, heading down the promenade of the mall, looking up at the projected images on the frosted glass panels.

"Christmas Eve, and the mall is closed on Christmas Day." Chris said softly, "That's a lot of time to enjoy ourselves."

"You're telling me... I wonder if the Krampus would sell us a nice long leather leash so I could pull you around." Judah grinned. Chris chuckled at that, although he slowed and used one arm to pull Judah close. He leaned in, giving his partner an affectionate beard rimmed kiss.

"You don't mind that you didn't wind up as a Christmas Witch?" Chris asked. Judah shook his head.

"I think I just wanted some magic in my life, and you gave me more than I could ever have imagined. Besides, I think I'll be able to learn how to fly, right? That comes with this..." he chuckled.

"Well, you can sit on my lap whenever you're not taking to the heavens." Chris purred.

"I would like that very much." Judah said, giving his boyfriend another kiss.

"Merry Christmas, my love." Chris whispered.

"Merry Christmas, Santa." Judah purred in utter contentment.