You wore a nice wool dress with a Christmas knit to it, with bright snowy buttons down the front and thin sleeves. It wasn't something you would've worn to a party in the city, but for the small town gathering it fit right in. The white stockings and mary jane styled simple black low heeled shoes were enough to keep you warm on the back porch, and not too warm even when you were inside.

Marco wore a knit turtleneck and dress slacks. Knowing he had a white t-shirt underneath with suspenders kept nipping at the back of your mind, but you supposed it was fair.

His eyes kept wandering to the necklace you were wearing.

Fortunately, the sheer number of people at the manor kept you both distracted, but you never wandered too far from one another. The number of people who knew the two of you were an item was going to rise exponentially after tonight, and there wasn't much you were going to have to say in regards to it.

"You look beautiful," Izou compliments you, looking down to your shoes and back up. "I imagine it's a little dressed down for what you usually do during the holidays."

You smile and nod. "Yeah, but I think I like this better. It's just more comfortable." You give his outfit a look over in return. He's not in his usual kimono style, but a nice button up with a faux turtleneck styled collar. It's rimmed in a rich green, with a gold button off to one side. The vest he's wearing is a deep dark collection of greens and reds, in a plaid design with thin lines of gold stitched through it.

It's elegant, and understated, but the dress slacks and shined leather shoes bring it together well. It's easy to forget how Izou was no less built than his brothers, and when he wore something that fit him so snugly it was a little more apparent.

"You look handsome," you offer in return. "I like the gold highlights."

"I appreciate the praise, little sister." He says it so smoothly you almost miss the last word. Nearly choking on nothing but air you cover your mouth and look at him red-faced.

He has the most unassuming and pleasant smile on his face, and it kind of makes you want to punch him.

"Ah, I suppose, future little-."

"Izou!" You nearly squeak the word and he laughs.

"I wasn't entirely sure, mind you, but I am now." He grins and you contemplate scuffing the toe of his shoes.

"We've... barely started dating." You grumble, but you aren't sure what else to say. Izou spares you, humming in agreement but saying nothing more.

Whitey Bay comes over to where you are and you give her a smile. She's got Marco with her, and she's wearing a deep blue dress with a pearl necklace and white heels. Her hairs done up with holly and white pins. It's a little intricate compared to most others, but it works for her.

"Bay, don't-." Marco starts, and she waves him off.

"There's no reason for me to hold back with her," she huffs, standing nearby and looking down at you. It wasn't like she was trying to be intimidating, but she was every inch as tall as Marco, and in the heels she stood a little taller.

You fake concern, looking up at her. "Please don't kill me, Bay."

"I wouldn't dare." Smiling, she bends down and gives you a hug. "Don't be mad at the boys for filling me in." Leaning back she looks at you with genuine concern. "I'm sorry you had to deal with the Charlottes at all."

You shrug, a warm smile on your lips. "Katakuri is a good man."

"You were not engaged to Katakuri." She says simply and you smile.

"You're not wrong."

"But Marco?" She inquires, her tone turning teasing. "Of all my beautiful brothers, you pick the pineapple?"

Marco's behind her, his head in his hand in defeat. There's nothing you can say that isn't going to make him more embarrassed, and that was Bay's entire ploy. He was regretting every time you got him to call her Old Bay. She had a couple years on him, and he imagined this was just his elder sister taking her due.

"Fineapple maybe." You reply evenly.

Bay's eyes go wide for a second before she laughs.

"Don't ever say that around me again." Izou says flatly. "It's terrible. You two are peas in a pod." He grumbles affectionately, his words muttered into his champagne flute.

"Jealousy doesn't go well with your vest." You tease, and Bay puts a hand over her mouth. You're pretty sure you hear Marco snort, but he's put himself behind his sister so Izou can't see his face.

"Ah but it does," Izou retorts smoothly, pointing to the vest. "It brings out the green in my eyes." You and Bay laugh, and Marco comes out from behind his sister and stands next to you.

"Seriously though, I'm happy for you both. It took you fools ten years too long to sort it out." You can feel your face heating up at his words, and Marco slips his fingers between yours. "But Christmas Miracles and all that nonsense, so I guess it's alright."

"I agree with Izou," Bay adds, giving you an oddly admonishing smile. "I'm glad you both got there."

"We just started dating." You say in exasperation.

"They say your partner should be your best friend." Bay offers with a wink. "You've had that part down for nearly thirty years. I think our assumptions are well-founded."

"Hypotheses one might even say." Izou adds and you stick your tongue out at him. "The fact that you both stuck your tongue out at me says everything."

Tongue still out, you look up at Marco and catch his tongue going back into his mouth. Looking down at you he just smiles, tapping the tip of your nose as you put your tongue back where it belongs.

"Ugh. I love you both, but I'm going to step away before I get a cavity." He sighs dramatically, putting a hand on your shoulder as he walks off.

"I hope we're not actually making him feel bad." You say and Bay hums.

"Nah, Izou's happy for you both. He's just trying to go easy on you." She clarifies. "Speaking of, I need to find my other half before he starts getting beer making tips from Rakuyo. I don't want to lose an entire bathroom to shenanigans again this coming year."

"Back into the fray?" Marco questions as Bay walks off and leaves the two of you be.

Shaking your head you tug him down to kiss him on the cheek. "I'm going to the game room to check on Mom and the boys. I promised Ace and Sabo I would come back."

"Alright, are you going back as the honorable sister, or do I get to tag along?"

Laughing, you tug him along. The hall down to the game room is emptier than the living room and back deck, but there are people scattered all along the first floor. Some taking a break from the cacophony of the main areas, some going to the secondary kitchen to help the people with a feast that's often more grand, and harried, than the earlier Autumn feast, and some just meandering as they chat.

Ace, Sabo and Luffy are more than happy to monopolize both you and Marco, pulling you into different conversations and games. Luffy was very good for Dadan that morning while everyone was getting ready, and your mom praises him for it.

Sabo assures you that it was mostly him and Ace, but it's kind of a Christmas gift for Luffy, so they've been letting it slide.

You play video games with most of them, Marco and Dadan keeping Luffy entertained while he beat Ace and Sabo at the racing game they've been playing. You quickly become their #1 target, and you're glad to see them working together faster with the racing game than they had with the card game.

It didn't save them this time, however, since you weren't being held back by the chaos gremlin that was Luffy.

"Sorry boys." You say as you pass the last flag. "Broke my leg my sophomore year and was mostly laid up for six weeks." You explain, tilting your head toward the older console. "Played this racing game for days. You two didn't do too bad though, you'll be some real competition soon."

Sabo smiles, but Ace grumps. "You don't have to say that. We can handle losin'."

"I'm not just saying it though," You assure him, ruffling his hair. "I'll be back, so just keep practicing."

"Don't mess up his hair." Dadan says, brushing her fingers through Luffy's unruly locks.

"It was-." You pause looking back as Ace combs his fingers through his hair, every bit as unruly as Luffy's. "Good luck."

Food is called and you file out of the game room. Instead of sitting across from Marco this time, you're next to him, with just Sabo and Ace in between you. Luffy's on the other side of you and Dadan's next to him. Her girlfriend sitting next to her.

The rest wasn't too different from the other celebration. Platters and serving bowls are passed out. People call for condiments and specific dishes. The kitchen is a clatter of a second round of cooking making more of the things they could make more of, in the time that it took people to eat.

The chaos of the start of the meal turns into a quiet murmur once people's plates are full, and most are distracted by the important task of eating. Random conversations pop up here and there as plates are emptied, filled, and emptied again. Chatter resumes, reaching a near fever pitch of laughter and critical limit of how many conversations can be going on at a single time.

Someone raises a glass to Pops and the whole manor follows suit. For a moment even the kitchen is still and quiet.

The somber moment is broken by levity and the laughter that follows is dappled with stories of the old man and his children. The stories become lighter and the evening brightens properly.

After the meal there's an exchange of gifts. It's mostly the children opening them, being provided a seemingly endless supply of brightly wrapped gifts. Glee-filled sounds and shouted thanks ring out in the living room. A couple people take video and many more take pictures, snapping borders around the moments of time that will one day be talked about after glasses have been raised in memory.

You lean against Marco, who leans against the wall, his arms crossed lazily against your shoulders, as you both watch it unfold. No one asks if the two of you have gifts to exchange, almost the entire manor knows where your necklace came from. Occasionally, Marco would press a kiss into the crown of your head, hug you a little closer to his chest, make sure you were doing okay, and ask if you needed to sit down.

Thatch came over at one point and held a sprig of mistletoe over the two of you.

Marco lifted your hand up to his lips, kissing your fingers and the back of your hand. Something about the action was more embarrassing than if he had just tipped your head back and kissed you. You blushed. Thatch blushed.

No one else came around with mistletoe.

By the time things had settled and Dadan was letting you know she was ready to go, you were in the big chair by the fire place. The boys were passed out around you and Marco was sitting nearby.

They'd come up and told you about, and showed you, most of the gifts they got. The big chair was an easy fit for all of you and over about ten minutes the conversations went from being full of energy to full of yawns. Luffy was tucked under one arm, Sabo under the other - he'd fallen asleep while asking about your new necklace, and Ace was sprawled across all three of you. Currently he was snoring softly into Luffy's knees, his own legs tangled between Sabo's.

You'd gotten Marco to take a couple pictures for you, and the two of you had talked quietly while they napped.

Carrying them to the wagon, you sigh into the cold air.

"These guys are making going back home a little difficult." You admit.

"You'll come back and visit plenty." Marco hums.

"We can come out and visit you too." Dadan offers, tucking Ace into the wagon. "It might not be until I can get the paperwork cleared on the boys, travel gets trickier otherwise."

After tucking Luffy in to his seat you straighten up and wipe a couple errant tears from your cheeks.

"You two are gonna end me," you sniffle. "I really wasn't expecting so much support about staying in the city."

"You like it/You're happy." They answer at the same time and you snort a soft half-laugh.

"If I thought you were indecisive, I'da pushed, I won't lie." Dadan admits, getting into the wagon as you and Marco get Sabo sorted. "But you weren't lookin' for guidance."

You give Marco a hug and he leans down, giving you a quick kiss goodbye before opening the wagon's door for you.

"Be safe, ladies." He says, closing the door, giving you a wave as Dadan pulls away.

"I remember someone saying something about not wanting any romance during her holiday." She teases, her tone flat.

You grin. "I said I didn't want people to go about playing matchmaker." You clarify. "I never said anything about what matching I did myself."

"Mm, but it wasn't you doing the matching, was it?"

You feel your face flush, your fingers fiddling with the necklace. "He gets a pass."

"He gonna move out there with you?"

"Maybe." You answer plainly. "He's going to fly out and help me adjust to the new job, and we'll go from there. I'm hopeful, but I'm also nervous."

"Understandable." Dadan agrees. "That's your best friend."

You look over at her and wait until you get stopped by a stop sign. "S'why you keep you an Kokoro quiet?"

She grunts. "I don't talk about it much cause we're both old and it ain't no one's business. Certainly not no suit coming down to see if'n me and my home are fit for those boys."

"A valid point." You agree. "Let me get you a lawyer."

"I can afford one."

"I didn't say you couldn't." You retort with a smile on your face. "I won't say I owe you for what you did mom, cause it's what mom's do, but I can help. I worked hard to be able to help.

"So let me help."

There's silence between you for a while, but you can see the smile on her face from the corner of your eye. Her pride doesn't want to accept help, but your words are worth more than her pride, because they make her proud of you.

"Who went and gave you that stubborn streak?" She teases, trying to hide her own feelings under the half-heartedly grumbled tone.

"Some bear of a mountain woman." You reply quietly, smiling to yourself as your fingers idly fiddle with the necklace Marco gave you.