Reindeer House pt.23
“Once again, I’M BOOOOORED!!!!” Dansaa rolled dramatically across the lounge chair, limbs flailing with theatrical despair. “Someone suggest something FUN!!”
“OHHH SWEETHEART, I THOUGHT YOU’D NEVER ASK!!” Bikkusen swept into the room, a luxurious faux-fur boa trailing behind him. “We should put on… the NATIVITY!!”
A chorus of intrigued ooohs rippled through the room, marred only by two deeply ominous groans.
“No.”
“Absolutely not.”
Rudorufu pinched the bridge of his nose while Puransa stared blankly into the middle distance, already grieving the peace they were about to lose.
“Let’s start the casting~ ♪” Bikkusen clapped his hands. “Who wants to be Mary and Joseph?!!”
“AAAAH!!” Dansaa launched to his feet, arms flailing. “LET ME BE MARY LET ME BE MARY I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BUT THEY NEVER LET ME PLEASE PLEASE—!!”
Everyone slowly turned to look at him.
“…Alright, darling,” Bikkusen nodded graciously. “You’re Mary. Dashaa, you’re Joseph!!”
“WHAT?!! N-no, I don’t—!”
“Can I be baby God?” Kyuupiddo interrupted, peering up with huge sparkling eyes.
“That’s baby Jesus, sweetheart,” Bikkusen corrected gently. “And yes, absolutely.”
Rudorufu opened his mouth to object. Closed it. Said nothing. This was happening.
“Wise men?” Bikkusen continued brightly.
Silence.
“Wonderful! Puransa, Rudorufu, and Buritsen~!”
“WHAT?!!” Rudorufu and Puransa exclaimed in perfect, horrified unison.
“Yusssss!!” Buritsen beamed.
“Kometto, you’re the angel, Donaa the shepherd—”
Kometto squealed, bouncing up and down with joy, while Donaa smiled warmly and nodded.
“And I,” Bikkusen said, striking a pose, “shall be the star.”
Thunderous applause. Mostly from Dansaa.
⸻
The crowd was… far larger than anticipated.
Elves from Elf Village had poured in after seeing hastily scribbled flyers taped to lampposts. Mrs. Claus sat front row with hot cocoa. Santa himself waved cheerfully, already bracing for chaos.
“Oh no… I’m nervous,” Kometto whispered from above, adjusting his halo. “I wonder if the Yule Goat ever feels this way before a big moment…!!”
⸻
The curtain rose.
Mary (Dansaa) entered dramatically, swathed in shimmering fabric, immediately striking three different poses before remembering to walk.
Joseph (Dashaa) followed stiffly, arms crossed, cheeks faintly pink. “I’m only doing this because someone has to protect the baby,” he muttered.
Baby Jesus (Kyuupiddo) lay in the manger, happily gnawing on a gingerbread man.
“Is this historically accurate?” Puransa whispered from behind a cardboard camel.
“No,” Rudorufu hissed back. “Nothing about this is.”
The Wise Men attempted to enter in formation, but Buritsen tripped over his own robe, accidentally presenting his gift early by launching it directly into the manger.
“OOH A PRESENT!!” Kyuupiddo cheered.
From above, the Angel (Kometto) descended slightly too fast. “FEAR NOT—!”
THUD
“—oh no, fear a little—!”
The Shepherd (Donaa) calmly helped him back up, patting his head reassuringly.
Finally, the Star appeared.
Bikkusen descended from the ceiling in a cascade of glitter, lights flashing dramatically. “BEHOLD!!” he declared. “THE STAR OF WONDER, THE STAR OF — oh no wait, is this spotlight too warm?”
Rudorufu, now fully dissociated, flipped through his clipboard. “We are off-script. Again.”
The performance ended not with reverent silence, but with roaring applause, laughter, and Santa wiping tears from his eyes.
“Well,” Mrs. Claus said fondly, “that was… unforgettable.”
As the deer gathered backstage, Kyuupiddo looked up innocently. “So… did I do a good job as baby Jesus?”
Everyone looked at the crumbs, the chaos, the glitter embedded permanently in the floor.
Donaa smiled. “You were perfect.”
Rudorufu sighed. “…Next year, we’re rehearsing.”
No one listened.
To be continued...