{A/N}: Hello again, readers, and a belated happy holidays to you all!

Speaking of happy holidays, this particular drabble chapter is, you guessed it, a holiday themed chapter! What festive trouble might Katarina get Talon into this year? Only one way to find out!

Enjoy!

-Nb

IV: Tis The Season in Noxus

The quiet echo of footsteps trailed down the empty, dully-colored halls of the Noxus castle as Talon made his evening routine round of the Du Couteau property.

The infamous assassin was thorough in his rounds of the castle and the grounds around it, thorough in a way that the castle's guards wouldn't even think to be.

Talon was a different kind of thorough in the others who protected the noble Du Couteau sisters. He was never thorough like a soldier or a guard might be, no, he was thorough like a true assassin was.

Every dark crevice, every unseen crack or unnoticed closet or wardrobe; no corner of the castle walls could escape Talon's hawk-like vision.

And during the holiday season, Talon's job was only that much more vital to the family he served.

With everyone distracted by the merriment and festivities of the holidays, it was a prime and perfect occasion for an assassin or stupidly brave Demacian to sneak their way inside the castle walls and take advantage of such festive distractions within the Noxian walls.

"Talon… Talon?"

Talon was jolted from his deep thinking to look up, finding the advisor to Lord Swain herself, Leblanc, standing in front of him with her arms crossed and a raised eyebrow.

"Uh," Talon stammered out embarrassedly in response, "Yes?"

Her devilish yellow eyes blinked up at him expectantly, "Were you thinking up more dramatic poetry about your bleak sense of duty again?"

His own eyes went wide in slight shock, "P-Pardon?"

Leblanc shook her head and sighed, "Your uh… 'Lady' requests an audience with you immediately. She was very urgent about it and I only complied so I could watch your reaction. For my own amusement, of course."

Talon's face paled at hearing Leblanc's words. Katarina was infamous for pranking the Noxian higher-ups when the holidays rolled around, most typically under the influence of alcohol. This just about always resulted in a very humiliating experience for the individual that was unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of her prank.

It took some actual contemplation before Talon finally let out an exasperated breath and nodded, "I would probably suffer worse consequences if I didn't go to her. Alright, I'll humor her with my presence."

With that, Talon turned on one heel and looked at Leblanc from over his shoulder.

"Where is she at in the castle currently?"

Leblanc smirked, "By the giant tree you all decorate together each season. You should already have an idea of what's happening, silly little Talon."

Talon's face only got whiter at hearing that.

He gave Leblanc a small nod in response and turned again to walk back down the way he came, down the hall and up the stairs to the room he now knew she would be in. And, of course, Leblanc followed close behind up with a devious grin across her pursed lips.

…

Talon stopped in the commons area with the large, decorative tree stood tall for the holiday season with a mountain of presents already stacked high underneath the towering pine tree.

The once-assassin blinked and gazed around at the mostly empty living area in a puzzled way, spotting only Cassiopeia with her snake-like body draped across one of the couches, sipping a glass of wine and reading a book, quietly minding her own business.

"Cass?"

She looked up with a thin, raised brow, "Brother?"

Talon's eyes sunk down to the glass of red liquid in her hand and this time he was the one to raise a brow, "Wine? You've never been one to indulge in alcohol."

Cassiopeia looked down away from him to her book again and once again sipped from her glass, "I need it to deal with Katarina's shenanigans this year."

He frowned, "Is she—?"

"Why don't you open your first designated present under the tree, little hawk?" Leblanc suddenly chimed in from behind him.

Talon looked at her from over his shoulder with a confused expression, "But we still have a good half a day left before the holiday begins."

Cass glanced up from her book with a knowing and rather unamused glare, "Just open the present, Talon. Don't be a bore."

His cheeks heated up furiously, "I am not a bore."

Leblanc shrugged and simpered mischievously, "Prove it then. Open your first present… It is from your Lady Katarina after all. Don't you think it would be rude not to open the present she invited you here to open?"

Talon became very quiet again and looked over to the mountain of wrapped boxes along with a particularly large present to the left of the pile. The largest one, Talon couldn't help but note, almost seemed to be shaking with life.

His cheeks went from red to ghostly pale as he muttered, "Which one is mine?"

Cass rolled her eyes, "Which one do you think? It's the one big enough to hold a person inside—"

Leblanc suddenly materialized into existence behind Cassiopeia's designated couch with one of her infamous self-mimicking spells and pressed a finger over her lips, "Hush now, milady, don't spoil Talon's little holiday surprise!" She practically sang in evil delight.

The half-snake woman sighed in slight annoyance and went quiet to go back to sipping her wine she poured for herself.

Talon didn't want to, but seeing he had no choice, he slowly walked over to the massive, wrapped box and stared down at it blankly. It was less shaking now, and more just quivering with excitement.

"Gods have mercy…" he mumbled as he untied the bow on the present and tilted the lid open just a crack to peek inside.

In a flash, Katarina lunged out from the box, shouting out loud, "Happy holidays!" As she tackled Talon to the floor and pinned him down on the rug with a laugh that was definitely not the laugh of someone sober.

Talon's face turned beet red regardless and he stared up at Katarina in shock as she pinned him down and smirked devilishly, "Were you surprised, Talon? Huh? You sure looked surprised."

She was shaking her rear end in a rather tempting fashion, drawing Talon's attention to the outfit she wore.

Bright red in color with white fur trim, her skin-tight dress was wrapped even tighter at the waist with a black, leather belt and on her head she had a green headband from which protruded two reindeer antlers.

Even worse, Katarina wore candy cane colored thigh highs, lined horizontally with red and white from her feet which pinned down his ankles all the way up to her mid thigh a mere couple inches from where her dress scandalously ended at.

Talon's face became almost as red as her dress and he looked up at her in slight horror, "M-Milady, you are very drunk! Where did you even get such an outfit for this occasion?!"

Katarina winked with her scarred, green eye, "It was an impulse buy. Don't you just love it?"

Leblanc smirked in a pleased way as she watched the two banter, something that Cass quickly took notice of a shot a glare up at her from the couch before tilting her chin to the side to make her look away.

"Don't be a voyeur, Leblanc."

Katarina glowered at the both of them and scowled, waving them off with one hand, "Get, get!" She barked out in a hushed tone.

Cass gave yet another eye roll and sat up from the couch to get up and slither around to take Leblanc's hand and lead her out of the room.

Leblanc groaned a little as just followed Cassiopeia against her will, "But the fun was just beginning!"

Talon watched them leave, much to his dismay before slowly looking back up at Katarina who was eyeing him like hungry lion who just found its prey.

"Milady, I—"

She hushed him this time, pressing her index finger against his lips and slowly dragging it down his chin.

"Tonight, I don't want to be your lady. I want to be your little 'Kitty Kat'…" she whispered out in a drunken purr to taunt him.

Talon didn't know what was in store for him this holiday season. But he did know whatever Katarina was about to do to him would definitely put him at the top of Santa's naughty list this year.

…

{A/N}: Oh boy, Talon's in deep trouble this time. Do you think Katarina will remember her surprise to Talon when she's sober again? Was there a deeper meaning to her special present to him this year than she's letting on?

You will find out soon on the next drabble of The Blade and Her Shadow.

Thanks for reading, and happy holidays to you all!

-Nb