I don't own DBZ… *smashes head against wall* SD3… SD3… well, I don't own either! ;.;

A/N: blame Weiila. It's her Christmas fic that got me in the mood :P and I don't even celebrate Christmas!

A Thief's First Christmas

It was snowing in Altena. It was always snowing in Altena. It WAS, after all, the home of the Water Mana Stone. It had to snow.

Children were running everywhere, throwing snowballs with what little experience they had.

This was nature in Altena. The way it was supposed to be. No one complained.

No one but one thief.

Hawkeye of Navarre stood by his bedroom window and watched the scene unfolding below him. Being born and raised in the Desert of Scorching Heat, he was, to say the least, unfamiliar with the land's climate. But that didn't stop him from enjoying everything around him.

A light smile crept to Hawk's face as he watched the snowflakes fall down gracefully as he would draw his daggers. No, scratch that. He could never hope to compete. Not as a Ninja, anyways.

He opened the window, an act he knew he'd regret. He was proven painfully correct as the bitter frost wind hit him. Opening his hand, the thief caught a few snowflakes and then hurriedly closed the window. He touched them, eyes glowing like a child's, who got a new toy for the very first time. It felt cool under his touch, so gentle… like a certain princess he knew…

The best reaction Hawkeye found to the snow's melting was a childish pout.

Sitting on his bed, Hawk stared into the fire. It reminded him so much of his homeland, it almost hurt physically to watch it. It stood in such a great contrast to everything around him. The wind. The snow. The great castle compared with the sand fortress. The seemingly gentle yet harsh monarch compared with the scary looking yet honorable Kahn. And, of course, the daughters. The ever sweet Jessica, and the somewhat bratty…

He stood up and looked outside the window again. Hawk had to smile as the two he felt he cared for the most came into view, laughing and playing around. One was the self proclaimed Cute Little Girl from Wendel. And if Hawk knew what's good for him he'd stay out of the little Priestess's way.

The princess, however, was a different thing all together. Far more than merely 'cute', and knowing that, she flirted with anything that gave her a first glance. Now, however, she seemed purer than the snow she was throwing at Carlie.

Hawk smiled with amusement as the two called it truce, and began gathering masses of snow. Why, Hawk didn't know. But they still did.

Then Carlie looked up, and waved, obviously at him. He waved at her with a warm smile. Then Angela looked at Carlie and turned her own gaze at Hawk. She grinned, and he felt his cheeks feeling a bit warmer. A wave of her delicate hand was all the invitation he needed. Picking up the heavy coat that was given to him upon arrival, Hawk ran through the castle's corridors and bolted into the courtyard. He cursed yet kept on his smile.

"Hawk! Hawk! Hawk!"

The little girl ran around him in circles, cheering. He wondered how she didn't get dizzy; he was, just from trying to keep up with her literally running around.

"Glad to see you made it, Hawk."

Angela said warmly. It melted his heart, as though creating a shield against the bitter frost. He wasn't alone in the world.

"Well, how could I resist the invitation of a beautiful lady…"

He was about to kiss her hand when Carlie clung to his leg.

"…and an annoying brat!"

The young girl in question pouted, then crossed her arms and half-stomped towards the pile of snow.

"So, eh, what's up with that?"

Hawk said, pointing at the pile; Carlie was busy shaping it as a ball. Angela shook her head.

"It still amazes me, how little you know about snow. Come on!"

She grabbed the thief's hand and he felt his cheeks go hot again. Then she led him to where Carlie was, and they began building the snowman.

About an hour later, in which Hawk's fingers went numb, yet he learned how to make a snowman, the three's master-piece was done.

"Hah hah, we did it! Well, ladies? What do you… think… hey!"

Turning around, Hawk found that he was alone.

"Very funny, you guys!"

He pouted, but then his ninja instincts came into play. He turned around just in time to be hit………………. By a snowball straight in the chest. Giggles came from behind a small snow mountain.

"Even funnier!"

The giggles increased, and several other snowballs came flying towards him. Too bad for Angela and Carlie that even in the bitter frost, Hawk's ninja skills were unmatched. He quickly back flipped out of the way and ran behind a tree.

"Darn, I missed!"

"Carlie missed too."

Hawk chuckled as the pouting faces of his two friends came into mind. So, this is the way they wanted to play? All right, then. He'll play.

"Where'd Hawkie go to?"

Carlie asked, raising her head above the snow wall and looking around. Pink question marks appeared around her head (A/N: hey, it's fluff!).

"Angie, where'd he go?"

The only answer she got was muffled giggles. A few question marks added, the little Priestess looked down at her friends. Hawk had his arms wrapped around Angela's waist, who in turn was desperately trying to get out of his hold.

"Let go!"

"Nah uh."

"Ah ha!"

"Nah uh!"

"Ah ha!"

"Nah uh!"

"Have it your way then!"

Throwing her upper body upwards, the back of Angela's head connected with Hawk's nose, making the ninja let go of her.

"Carlie, run!"

The girls ran towards the castle, laughing, while Hawk ran after them. It hurt, but the Sorceress hardly had enough strength to faze the ninja. He soon recovered and grabbed Angela again, this time adding an onslaught of tickles. Angela's laughter rang through the halls like divine bells, it seemed to Hawk. Carlie's giggle broke through as well, waking the two from their momentary daze.

"You two look like a couple!"

Angela and Hawk both froze, blushing. And then Carlie landed the big one on them as she pointed right above the two.

"Lookie! A mistletoe!"

Hawk raised an eyebrow, not accustomed to the holiday. Angela's blush deepened.

"Well? It's a leaf. So wha…"

He was cut short as Angela's lips met his. She drew back almost immediately, as though afraid of his reaction. What Hawk did, however, was kiss her back. Carlie took this as her cue, and rushed down the hall, singing. When the two finally broke apart, serene smiles was on their lips and red touches on their cheeks.

"I'm liking this holiday better already."

Angela giggled.

"Marry Christmas, Hawk."

"Marry Christmas, Angie."

Looking above them, the two resumed the mistletoe's tradition, uninterrupted for quite a while.

Outside, the snow fell down, the flakes as gentle and tender, as the two's kiss.