Disclaimer: Harvest Moon is not mine.

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Here's my Secret Santa gift for essential apricot. It's Gray x Popuri, just like you wanted! : ) I've never written about them before, so I hope it turned out okay. Enjoy! And Happy Christmas everyone!

A Christmas Undercover

Only ten days left to go. Just a little over a week, really. Popuri knew because of the calendar hanging over her bed, the cute, pink chicken one that Rick bought her last Christmas, with crosses over the days. And a star marking the 25th - glittery, of course. Like every other year since she was about five, she couldn't wait.

Light snowflakes swirled gently around her as she made her way out of Poultry Farm and along the cobblestone street. It was only around eight o'clock in the morning; the town was silent, apart from the sleepy clucking of poultry, and as tranquil as a Christmas card. Popuri paused for a brief moment, brushed her hair from her face and simply smiled at it all.

Then she moved off again, a slight spring in her step now, with the skirts of her long, red winter coat whipping around her ankles. Her oufit, coupled with the basket of freshly baked ginger-bread cookies tucked under her arm, was quite reminiscient of one of those half-remembered fairytales from her childhood. The sort Rick used to read from battered, old picture books, when their father had just left and he was struggling to hold things together.

Up until recently, Popuri hadn't realised just how tough those times had been for her family.

Little Red Riding Hood... she remembered suddenly, clicking her numb fingers. The story began flooding back to her as she bounced along the road. How appropriate that she should be delivering this gift to a kindly, elderly lady? Nanna Ellen - though she was only really Stu and Elli's grandmother - no less.

At that point, Popuri came to a stop just beside the Blacksmiths. She almost needed the hood then, to hide the secretive smile that graced her lips. Still, there was nobody around to see it...

Her cheeks had flushed to match her hair; she could feel them burning against the bitter wind. He could be the big, bad wolf in the story. Though maybe grumpy would be a better description. Popuri's grin grew ever wider, seeming alien in its maturity, on her still youthful face.

If only he weren't tucked up in bed at the Inn. If only they didn't have to sneak around. There were a lot of if onlys, she thought, too many really.

But with Christmas lingering tantalizingly around the corner, nothing could dampen her soaring spirits. Despite her reservations, of which there had been plenty, she was determined. This Christmas would be every bit as enjoyable as the previous years. Better.

Seven days. One week exactly. Or, erm - something hundred? - hours left to go. Math had never been Popuri's strong point.

She was sat with her mother, wrapping gifts at the kitchen table, when Karen and Rick struggled in through the door, dragging a huge Christmas tree behind them. "Careful!" Lillia scolded. Pine needles scattered all over her spotless floor causing her to leap up too fast, amid squeaks of protest from the other three.

"Sit...down...Mom!" Rick panted. His face was glowing a curious tomato shade and his glasses hung lopsided. "Poppy?" he pleaded.

Popuri raced over, cringing a little at the nickname, and managing to knock over a chair in her haste.

"You klutz," Rick sighed, effectively freezing her in motion.

"Maybe I won't help you, then!" She knew it was beyond childish, but... this was Rick, her big brother, for Goddess sake!

He proved her point by briefly waving his tongue at her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Popuri noticed her mother and Karen - an only child, mind you - sharing an exasperated look. "Guys?" she said, now practically bearing the weight of the load alone. "A little help would be nice."

Popuri could still hear her mother tutting while they set the tree upright near the blazing fireplace. "You'd think," Popuri muttered quietly, "that someone so used to carrying his girlfriend home from the bar, wouldn't get quite so breathless lugging a tree a few metres."

Not quiet enough, though, it seemed.

"Hey!" Rick frowned indignantly. "Don't you talk about my fiancée that way!"

But Karen cut through him rather bluntly: "She does have a point actually."

Rick attempted to remain indignant, but eventually shrugged in defeat. With the frequency that Karen got drunk, Popuri imagined her brother's back would never quite be the same again.

After one final, successful push, they stepped back and admired their work. Popuri nearly squealed. As she glanced up at the tree, its branches bare yet hopeful, she felt a fresh wave of excitement wash over her.

Lillia shook her head at her near giddy daughter. "Go and fetch the decorations, will you, Popuri," she asked, though it wasn't really a request. "And Karen, you go with her. You'll find them in a box in my wardrobe." When Rick started to follow after them, she added to him, "And you'll help me sweep up the pine needles, won't you, dear?"

"...Nnnmpf." It was more of a groan than a 'yes', but Lillia chose to take it as the latter. Poor Rick, Popuri thought - briefly. She soon quashed it by reminding herself of his hideous use of that stupid nickname earlier. On no account were annoying siblings to ever call her that. Only Gray could. And only if he wanted to...

She scrambled after Karen.

"Right... we got tinsel, baubles, lights, some rubbishy paper things you and Rick must've made..." Karen was already flinging ornaments about in her own matter-of-fact fashion when Popuri skipped into her mother's bedroom to help. She bounded over and attemped to arrange a pained look on her face.

"They're not rubbishy, they're... artistic. And heartfelt."

Karen laughed that infectious laugh of hers and flung the box out of the wardrobe and onto the floor. She nudged it with her toe. "Here. You sort through that lot, I've got something to find..."

Popuri supposed she should have possessed the presence of mind to wonder what Karen could possibly be searching for in her mother's wardrobe, of all places. As it was, she found herself transfixed by the shiny mass of red and gold sat before her and falling back into the mindset of her five year-old self. It was scary, really, how quickly she could do that.

"Ah-ha!" Apparently, from her quietly victorious cry, Karen had located what she was searching for. Popuri looked up from unfurling a crumpled paper-chain to see her friend and, indeed, sister-in-law to be, holding a very glossy magazine. The cover flashed a sparkling white as it was handed over.

"'Bridal Guide'?" Popuri read curiously. That sudden white blur turned out to be the meringue-like creation a picture perfect model was wearing. With her shiny, blonde bob and fixed smile, she looked quite proud of herself. Popuri, though, simply thought her skirt could use a good deflating. "You're not going to be wearing that, are you?" she asked Karen, jabbing disgustedly at the page.

"No!" Karen snatched the magazine back, rolling her moody, green eyes as she did so. "As if," she said, flicking quickly through the pages before coming to a sudden halt. "There. That's what I'll be wearing. Ordered it a few weeks back."

Popuri blinked, shocked. It was short, lacy - the sort of thing you'd mistake for nightgown if you didn't know better. But it was also, she supposed wryly, very Karen. "Aren't you going to be cold, though?" she wondered, shivering at the very idea. "I doubt it'll be any warmer on Christmas Day, than it is now."

"Freezing, I expect," Karen agreed. She was very bracing about it. "But it'll all be worth it, right? I mean it's only for a few hours, a pretty important few hours, and, well, you only get married once. Hopefully."

After an obligatory chuckle at that last comment, Popuri went back to silently sorting through the Christmas decorations and mulling over what Karen had said. She actually had a point. Sure, that dress would scarcely cover her knickers, but she did have a point. Popuri already had her own wedding planned, despite having been in a relationship for only a short time. The whole Kai thing could barely even be termed that. She knew there'd be flowers, lots of them. In her hair, her dress, the church. It would be Spring, too, and sunny, if she was lucky enough.

Once Karen had finished stowing away the magazine where Rick wouldn't find it, Popuri decided to share her own wedding dream. Unsurprisingly, it earned her a poorly disguised, sympathetic smile. Given past events, she wouldn't have expected anything else. And, anyway, Karen had no idea about Gray. Why should should she? All Karen knew about was her heartbreak over Kai, Summer of last year. Everyone knew. They could hardly fail to in a town that size.

"Girls!" Her mother's soft voice drifted upstairs, breaking off her musings on the past. "Have you found those decorations yet?"

"Yeah!" Popuri called back. "We'll be down now."

"Well hurry up!" Lillia answered. "The tree's ready and waiting."

Popuri and Karen grinned at each other excitedly, before rushing off downstairs.

Four days. "Oh, dammit!" Lillia swore. Popuri jumped rather stupidly, spilling her breakfast, a bowlful of piping hot porridge, down her chin. Her mother never normally swore. Not even mildly.

"What is it?" she asked her, alarmed. It turned out to be nothing more than a minor utensil crisis - the whisk's handle had just snapped clean off. Hardly anything to make a fuss over, anyway.

"Well," sighed Lillia, wiping her hands on her apron and starting to clear up her unfinished cooking, "It doesn't matter. I'll simply ask Zack to order me a new one in the New Year and - "

"NO!" Popuri leaped up, having been hit, full force, by a sudden, sparkling idea. To be honest, they didn't happen to her all that often - hence the childish squeal. "No, no," she assured her bewildered mother. "Don't bother with that. Why don't I take it over the road to the Blacksmith's and see if they'll fix it, hmm? Won't take me a moment."

"But - " Her mother barely had time to protest, before Popuri rushed over and snatched up the broken whisk. She threw it hurriedly into her pocket, hoping she was pulling off the Helpful Daughter act and not straying into the realms of the manic. Judging by the confused look in Lillia's eyes, she was in danger of failing.

"Don't worry, mom," she said as sweetly as possible. "But I know how you wouldn't want to go into holidays unprepared... right?" Lillia simply stared at her, however, and so, without another word, Popuri made a dash for the front door.

"But - but, Poppy, I can just use a spoon and, anyway, I don't think they specialise in - " The door slammed shut.

Even a sharp blast of icy, Winter air could not wipe the smile off Popuri's face as she bounded outside. Goddess, it was cold, though, and a pity she couldn't have stopped to grab a scarf. It was no longer snowing, but clear and crisp. The sun hung low in the sky, too weak by far to thaw the frozen streets. Popuri paused briefly to wave at Rick as he bustled about, feeding the chickens, and then carried on with her short journey.

The Blacksmith's, as it was situated only yards from Poultry Farm, loomed above her almost immediately. Pushing the door open gingerly, Popuri found herself enveloped by an instant wave of heat. As soon as it swung shut behind her, she almost longed for the cool contrast of the street outside. And she no longer regretted the lack of a scarf.

"Morning, Saibara." Popuri strode to the counter, grinning fixedly, her eyes focused firmly ahead. In the background, she could hear the dull, repetitive clank of metal being welded into shape.

"Mornin', Miss Popuri," he answered in usual curt fashion. His blunt attitude reminded her very much of his grandson, Gray. Not so much it terms of appearence, though... thankfully. Saibara was shorter even than Popuri, and not to mention old and gruff, while Gray was, well... Gray. Where to begin, really? "So how can I help you?" Saibara grunted, bringing her abruptly back to life.

Slightly embarrassed now, she fumbled in her pocket for the whisk. "Err... " she stammered. "I was wondering... I know it's a bit of an odd request, but... do you think you could, maybe, please, re-attach the handle of this whisk?" The last came out as something of a burbled rush, but Popuri assumed Saibara had understood.

Exactly as her mother had done mere minutes before, the old blacksmith fixed her a bemused look. The thunk, thunk, thunk of metal stilled briefly, like a skipped heartbeat. Popuri didn't have to glance at Gray to perfectly picture the look on his face right now. She tried desperately not to blush, but knew it was a pointless effort.

Saibara sighed and shook his head. "Y'know, I might just be able to help you, kid," he told her, exasperated. "One moment." He vanished into the back room, still sighing.

Popuri paused for just a moment, then, deciding she wasn't one to miss an opportunity, scurried over to Gray. He froze as she approached him, hammer still clasped tightly in his right hand. Slowly, he let it slip to the floor.

"Hi," she whispered breathily, when he was just close enough to hear. Popuri crouched down a little and attempted to peer up under Gray's favourite baseball cap. As usual, it was pulled so low it covered his mop of thick, red hair and obscured his smile. If he was wearing one, of course. And with Gray that was always a big if.

He pulled the cap up slightly and revealed an amused grin beneath. It was shortly followed by a quick shake of the head, very much like the one Saibara had just treated her to.

"What?" Popuri frowned.

"You!" Gray laughed, struggling to restrain himself for once. "You're hardly subtle, are you?"

Popuri could not deny this - however stubborn and proud she could be. Gray was probably, no definitely, right. "Well, I take some consolation," she giggled, "from the fact that I did not purposefully break the whisk in order to come over here. Now that would be truly weird!"

"You're not kidding," he agreed. "It would be plain alarming if you could bend metal with your bare hands."

Laughter filled the room, unstifled, despite Saibara being just next door. Popuri adored these precarious stolen moments with Gray. She didn't feel as though she missing out on the stability or the normality of being a normal couple; that bit would come later. For now she was content.

They loved that their relationship was just for them. No speculation from outside parties, no gossip. Not until they were ready. They'd have to face it eventually, they knew that, but hopefully they'd be strong enough by then to face anything.

And both Gray and Popuri could vividly recall the pain of a broken relationship. The very public breakdown of a relationship, actually. In Gray's case it had been his best-friend-turned-lover, Mary. Everyone, even Popuri at the time, had thought they were the cutest, little couple in Mineral Town. No one could have guessed that Mary was hopelessly in love with Jack, the handsome local farmer. Or that he himself was planning on sweeping her off her feet with a shock proposal.

A lovely story, really, for Mary and Jack. Not for Gray. What was he left with? The whispers, the sympathetic looks, the agony of seeing them together every single day. Popuri was familiar with the feeling. She remembered the day, last year, when Kai turned up. Everything was as normal, apart from one tiny detail. Unfortunately, it was the sort of thing you couldn't just overlook.

He wasn't alone. She was with him. Jill. The gutsy, spirited ex-farmer who'd been prepared to leave her home where Popuri hesitated. Apparently, Kai had grown tired of waiting. They were going to get married, they said. Have kids, probably. The lot.

Popuri reached out for Gray's hand, remembering how their relationship had blossomed seemingly out of nowhere. Shared looks. Shared feelings. Nothing much at first, but they soon realised it was more than that. So much more promising than they ever could have dreamed.

Forgetting herself, Popuri leaned slowly towards Gray. He was a good deal taller than her; she had to tilt her head upwards and he had to lean down for their lips to meet. Her arms wound tightly around his waist, climbing up his back. Vaguely, she wondered what was taking Saibara so long. Could he know? No, what could Gray's gruff grandfather possibly know about love...

They flew apart as the backroom door was flung open. Popuri, attempting not to look as flustered as she felt, rushed back to the counter. "Just asking Gray if he's going to the wedding," she lied breathlessly. "Pleased to hear he will be."

"Right." Saibara thrust a micraculously repaired whisk at her.

Popuri took it, surprised. "Well that was quick - I mean - how - ?"

"It's mine," he said shortly. "Tell your mother, Merry Christmas."

Popuri was left speechless. She was torn between thanking the man and asking what on earth he cooked in his spare time. He exactly look like the homely type... In the end, she opted for a quick 'thanks' and an even quicker exit.

Finally, it was Christmas Day. No more waiting. Rick and Karen's wedding reception was in full, fantastic flow. It had snowed earlier that morning, as predicted, and Karen had froze in her teeny, tiny dress. Also as predicted.

Still. Aside from the inevitable blue lips and runny noses on the wedding photos, the day had gone off without a hitch.

And the reception, hosted at the Inn by Ann and her father, was no exception. The bar was packed with smiling, singing, dancing villagers. Nearly everyone, it seemed, had turned up to toast the happy couple.

Now Popuri didn't mean to be selfish, but her mind wasn't quite as focused on her brother and sister-in-law as perhaps it could be. There were other benefits to such a party than simply celebrating their union, she happened to think. She'd danced with almost everybody, for one thing - Gray included.

In that fleeting moment when she was able to sway in his arms without attracting suspicion, he leaned close to her ear and muttered shortly to meet him in the kitchens in ten minutes.

Getting away was no trouble at all. Popuri weaved easily and unchallenged through the throng of dancers, until she emerged at the very back of the room. The door was unlocked.

Leaning casually against Ann and Doug's kitchen table, looking very much at home, was Gray. As soon she clapped eyes on him, Popuri couldn't help letting out a rather shrill giggle. He jumped a little, evidently confused by her outburst in what should have been a romantic situation, but she still couldn't stop. It was laughter she'd been holding in for ten long minutes.

"Something wrong, Poppy?" Gray asked teasingly. If it weren't Christmas and a wedding, Popuri knew he would have been a little irritated.

"Nothing!" she answered, snorting embarrassingly. "Nothing, nothing, it's just... A tuxedo and a baseball cap, Gray? Really?"

"Huh! Who are you to talk?"

Ah. He'd really hit her where it hurt there. "Karen made me wear this," she told him defensively, cheeks tinged a definite crimson. "It's my bridesmaids oufit." She tugged helplessly at the frills of a garish, polka-dot frock-y... thing. It was the sort of dress Popuri would have cherished when she was six.

All her silly, inconsequential worries disappeared like melted ice, however, when Gray hugged her. He was as awkward, clumsy and as hopelessly unsure as ever, but it was a definite improvement.

"Here," he said, tugging off his beloved hat and pulling it down over her head. "Now you really look a sight."

They both laughed a bit too uproariously. Over his shoulder, Popuri noticed a distinctly lopsided Christmas tree twinkling in the corner. Judging by its haphazard appearance, Ann had decorated it. And by the looks of it, she had simply thrown a box of tinsel and lights all over the poor tree.

Popuri pulled away from Gray abruptly, struck by a sudden thought: "We are allowed to be back here, right?" This was Ann and Doug's home, after all; something that had previously slipped her mind.

"Oh yeah, sure. I mean I'm practically family."

"Speaking of family... " Popuri paused and took a deep breath; she had been considering this idea for days. "We're having a party at our's on New Years Eve. Would you like to come?"

"But... " Gray looked slightly puzzled by her request. "Won't that give us away?"

"Well yeah." She steeled herself with smile, and said nervously, "But I think we're ready now. Mom'll be so pleased for me and we can tell everyone in our own way. It'll be perfect."

The last part came out as more of a question than a statement. Thankfully, though, Gray nodded. The date was set. New Years Eve, the start of a new chapter.

And it was going to be great New Year, Popuri told herself, as she slipped back to the party. She could barely believe they managed to get through Christmas without anyone finding out - though she was wary of Saibara - but they had. It had all worked out and no one suspected a thing -

Karen was looking at her strangely,

"Popuri, why are you wearing Gray's hat?"

A/N: Whew, that took me a stupidly long time to write! XD I hope you liked it, essential apricot. As I say, I've never written Gray x Popuri before, so I hope it wasn't too bad. Merry Christmas everyone! : )