This chapter was virtually impossible to get completed, but its done. After getting yelled at enough by my family and pushed my fans (you guys lol) I was able to finish this. I got a kindle for Christmas and I'm quite excited about it. I found a gay romance novel and I must read it! XD I love all you guys and have a merry Christmas… or Hanukah like Erik! XD Tell me what you guys got for Christmas, I'd like to hear!

Christmas was the most inevitable holiday Erik could ever imagine. He watched all the kids put bows on the presents. Erik couldn't trust them to help him wrap the gifts.

"But a goddam ribbon on that one Alex!" Erik barked. He didn't want any of the children to slack off on the job.

"You all have wonderful presents, should I half-ass it with that too?" Erik snorted.

"No…" They all said with a glum tone in unison.

Erik had a hard time keeping the kids from blowing out the candles on his Menorah.

"I'm Jewish and therefore, I don't believe in Jes-" Charles hand clapped over Erik's mouth in mid-sentence.

Erik bit his hand gently. Charles blushed and pulled his hand away.

"It's a Christmas and Hanukah kind of season." Charles snickered.

"Chanukah!" Everyone shouted.

Erik grumbled as he sheared straight ribbons into curly strands.

He knew they decided not to have eight nights of gifts, or the kids would have gotten greedy.

It became a family decision that it would be a collaborative holiday.

Erik happily accepted their holiday and decided on one morning of Christmas presents. He was quite excited himself and spent the past three days in the parking garage.

He kept everything under lock and key.

Getting a pipe and forcing it into a self-made lock seemed to have helped matters. No human could possibly open it, save for Erik.

Erik excused himself and headed for his room. He pulled off his turtleneck and swapped it for a grey tank top and black leather gloves.

He slid on heavy work boots and went to the garage, direct target.

Erik formed a fist and yanked it upwards, concentrating brutally on the metal rod. It bent to his will and he pulled up the garage door. He checked over his work table. He had raw blocks of Sapphire.

They burned more than just a hole in his pocket, but this was necessary. He had a power saw and his bare… gloved hands. He went to work shaping the round edges. He even had to keep a welding mask over his eyes. He swore he was throwing thousands of dollars away with each scrape and flake of the precious stone that fell to the floor.

Erik finished over half of the project. The second half would be far easier since they it was made out of Hematite.

He concentrated and shaped the metal alloy in identical shapes of the Sapphire blocks.

Erik took a breath as he started polishing each shape. Now he had to make a foundation. Half Hematite, half Sapphire. Erik formed slender thin squares and placed them inside an Obsidian base.

He stared at the finished piece and wiped a tear away.

He chuckled as he started to pack everything away.

Charles would be floored.

He heaved the box on the table.

It weighted almost forty pounds, he would have to carry and place it by himself. Its permanent place would be in the library, that's for certain.

Erik carried half the weight with his ability and the other half with his right arm. He made it to the guestroom and wrapped it before any onlookers came to spy. He swore that next year, he'd get everything gift-wrapped in the store.

He'd finished wrapping Moria's gift afterwards and decided that he needed a break.

He started cleaning the house like a mad man, much to all the children's disappointment. Erik had the house looking immaculate for Charles by the time he made it home.

Erik gave him a quick peck before heading into the warm kitchen that flooded the senses with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and a variety of homemade pies.

Erik cooked Christmas dinner and the whole family was excited.

He'd packed everything and even prepared breakfast, which consisted of eggs, cheese, bacon, peppers, potatoes o' Brien, and gravy.

It was hard to keep Charles out of the kitchen. Twice Erik spilled gravy on himself and he ended up discarding the poor shirt after the third time. Charles was a menace. He tried to "accidentally" spill gravy on Erik. It was then, when Erik caught him. Gravy coated his arm while he frowned down at Charles.

The professor licked the gravy from his arm and Erik's eyes widened.

"Oh wanna play that game then, huh?" Erik growled as he brought a wooden spatula down on Charles' behind.

"Oww Erik!" Charles whimpered as he rubbed his butt.

"You started it. Don't challenge the master at his own game." Erik grinned madly as he tossed the spatula back and forth in his hands.

Before Erik could do anything else, he'd already pinned Charles against the marble bar while his pants and undergarments pooled to the floor.

Erik's apron was splayed to one side as their moans were drowned out by the wailing kettle.

The water was indeed boiling.

Erik moved Charles in front of the stove, but still managed to maneuver just so…

Charles grabbed the edge of the bar and they tried not to burn themselves. Erik thought that this was probably the stupidest thing either one of them had ever done…. Almost.

Charles came first, but before Erik could, they heard approaching footsteps.

Erik pulled Charles' pants up before he could to anything and placed his hand over the wooden spoon he used to make the broccoli casserole. Charles was panting and flushed and Erik kissed his earlobe and whispered endearments to him.

Charles was slightly upset about not letting Erik finish, but he realized that Erik would prefer not to get caught and scar one of the children for life.

Charles thanked God for Erik's better judgment… Hank was in the kitchen. Erik's arousal was easily concealed by the thick long apron he wore. Erik's pants were up, but unbuttoned.

Charles folded his hands behind his back and very carefully zipped them up while Erik fought to keep a straight face. Hank gathered up some ribbons and bows from the pantry and smiled, then left.

Erik and Charles erupted in a fit of laughter after he left.

"You're so devious and yet remain adorable." Erik kissed Charles on the back of his neck.

"I love you." Erik murmured in his ear. Charles' shoulders shrugged up as he accepted the kiss. He turned around and met Erik's angular, narrow, practically perfect face.

"I love you too." He smooched him back.

"Ugh get a room." Alex mocked as he came into the kitchen.

Erik held up a butcher knife in one hand and a present that said To: Alex.

"Nooooo!" Alex almost leapt from the room. Erik gave Charles a sly smile as he put the present back on the cabinet.

Once it was nightfall, Erik was in pajamas, along with the rest of the family. He laughed once he saw Sean in footie pajamas… and Charles!

Erik pulled Charles away from the children and towards the Menorah.

"This is the only thing I have left of my mother." Erik admitted.

"It's beautiful." Charles smiled.

Erik placed his hand over to Charles and lit a match. Charles gasped as Erik brought the lit match to the last remaining unlit candle on his Menorah.

Charles got a little watery-eyed once Erik did this.

Erik could hardly get any sleep that night when all the children kept giggling and he slammed all the doors shut at once by the knobs.

Silence resonated throughout the house.

Erik cuddled up next to Charles for the evening and there was some cuddling and Erik didn't deny a little foreplay either.

The next morning Erik woke up to a bunch of kids jumping up and down on his bed.

He decided not to get angry since they were all excited and it was Christmas, Hanukah, Chanukah whatever holiday they'd managed to create.

Erik decided to do some jumping himself; though when Erik jumped, kids fell off the bed. He even knocked Alex off.

Charles was nowhere to be seen. Erik needed to find him. He shoved kids out of the way. Angel ended up being his biggest competition. Every time Erik was close to the edge of the bed, Angel would stomp up and down while Raven went to her aid. Erik stumbled and ate it against the comforter. Angel's wings were out, giving her the advantage.

"Cheater!" Erik shouted as he dove beneath her and made a break for the kitchen. He saw the hardest course: the staircase.

Erik jumped onto the metal rail and used just a tiny bit of his powers to make it safely to the bottom.

Sean didn't have the same luck, unfortunately.

Erik snorted once all the kids came down in a disheveled heap of tangle limbs and footie pajamas.

Charles snuck up behind Erik and placed a pair of Reindeer antlers on his head, matched with twinkling lights and tinsel.

"What a cute reindeer you make Erik!" Charles cooed as Erik turned around and frowned.

"Certainly." He mocked a galloping stance while the kids cheered.

Breakfast was forgotten as Erik was shoved into the family room. He could see now just how many presents there actually were.

Wrapping paper never stood a chance…

The kids might have been considered as "adults" But Erik would never believe it after this holiday.

Raven's claws came in handy as she tore open a box and revealed a pink cashmere sweater.

"Charles its gorgeous!" She squealed.

Angel shrieked once she opened a matching purple one.

Charles blushed at their attention. Charles handed Erik a present.

"From Sean huh?" he eyed it suspiciously.

He tore back the paper and open the box to reveal an extra large size footie pajamas with sharks on them.

Erik snorted a laugh as he stood up and they looked as if they'd fit perfectly.

"Oh my God…" Erik laughed more.

"Alex was the one that helped me find those." Sean chuckled. Erik handed Alex a present.

"A dartboard!" He shouted as the box was torn open with more force than necessary.

"Easy Alex…" Charles warned. "Be careful with some of the presents ok?"

Erik shook his head in defeat as he handed a present to Hank.

The poor kid was almost crying when he opened a brand new microscope that Erik had picked out.

"Now we can find out what's wrong with Sean!" Raven snickered.

Erik handed Charles a gift. He gingerly peeled back the paper and admired it before pulling off the ribbon.

"Thank you Raven." He smiled at the traveling cart. It also had compartments that would make grading essays easier for Charles.

Erik couldn't wait to give his gift to Charles. He looked over at the fireplace and saw everything was bare, save for his own stocking. He'd meant to grab it, but he was forced to sit and do gifts so he figured he could wait.

After that… there was an assortment of torn paper and ribbons shredded everywhere.

Erik couldn't keep up with the present s getting tossed around and torn viciously open. Even Charles caught the children's madness as he tore open the orange cardigan set Erik had bought him.

"It's beautiful Erik!" He hugged the sweater while Erik frowned just a little.

"I didn't forget you." Charles handed him a package.

Erik forgot about chivalry and aggressively tore back the wrapping while the kids cheered. He revealed a set of turtleneck sweaters. There was a silver toned grey, a emerald one and a white one.

"I don't have any quite like this." Erik smiled; which looked ridiculous with those antlers still on his head.

Erik opened a few more presents and received a cookware set and a 'Kiss the Cook' apron from Angel and Raven.

"I will." Charles joked.

Everyone got a glove and scarf set from Erik and a winter parka from Charles.

They were more excited about playing with their new gifts rather than hanging around with 'the old guys' which Erik frowned deeply at.

"Not so fast…" Erik stopped them in mid-step.

"I have one more gift for each of you." Erik raised a hand, "You must share these gifts since I didn't have enough money for each of you to have one."

He placed a poorly wrapped package in Alex's hands, a rather heavy one in Sean's hand. Erik continued and placed a tiny one in each girl's hand along with another tiny one in Hank's hand.

"Oh my God!" Alex screamed as he opened the gift.

The helmet…

Sean screamed, but was quickly stopped before he could break any windows that had just recently been repaired over the two days.

Sean's present was record player and a set of records, along with a receipt to get more from his choosing.

Raven and Angel opened their gift and screamed louder than the boys; theirs were a set of car keys. Angel saw that she had the spares and she was rather excited. They also both got a diamond necklace from Charles, in which Erik wasn't so sure on the price, but Charles just said that it was Christmas.

Erik handed his gift to Charles…

"This is from me." He smiled and heaved the box onto Charles' lap. He winced slightly as he pulled back some of the silver wrapping paper.

Now it was Charles' turn to scream.

It was a chess set, handcrafted by Erik himself. Charles wanted to cry as he pulled out a Sapphire Knight.

"Erik… you shouldn't have." Charles couldn't stop the tears from falling down his cheeks.

Erik pulled out a Hematite piece with his mind and showed it to Charles.

"Now you're going to have to find a permanent spot for those." Erik smiled as Charles almost wept… if one considered sobbing as a part of it then yes, Charles was.

"An old man gave me that as an idea." He paused, "Oh and these are for you guys." Erik handed cloth pieces to each kid as they stared at them.

Angel smiled and held hers while Alex stared sheepishly as his own matching gift.

"What are these?" he asked.

"They're called a Dreidel."

"Its fine because you'll get a Nun and I'll get a Gimel so you'll lose all your tokens." Erik laughed.

"I don't even know how to play." Raven adored her pink one though.

"I'll teach you guys." Erik smiled, "Maybe after dinner tonight?"

After the presents were unwrapped, Erik had the kids clean up. He found an Armani suit and four silk ties on his bed.

"Charles?" he asked.

"Yep… Oh and this too." He placed something small and metal in Erik pocket and kissed him and headed for the kitchen to heat up breakfast.

Erik fumbled with the device in his pocket.

He finally pulled it out and stared at it.

It was a smoothed over chunk of metal.

Erik had no idea what it was for. He read the little card that had also been thrust into his pocket.

'Concentrate… Don't exhaust yourself Erik, Love Charles.'

Erik looked at the device and slowly pulled at it with his mind, forcing it to work.

The entire thing came to life in his hand and it vibrated.

Erik gasped and it fell to the floor.

He hadn't touched it since…

Lunchtime arrived and Moria came over. Charles brought her a golden cashmere sweater and Erik's bath set as well. She thanked the, both.

Dinner was delicious and everyone ate like pigs. Erik didn't care if the kids chewed with their mouths open or not. He tried not to correct them since it was a holiday… He didn't.

Charles was eating and making these little noises that drove Erik a little stir-crazy. He kept shifting his leg up against Erik's as well. Charles' thought processes were functioning quite well with the images he was giving Erik.

It was then, Erik remembered the other present…

The fucking dress. He promised Angel he'd try it on with everything else that was bought that day…

Fuck… Erik thought. He was so nervous about it he wasn't sure if he'd have the nerve…

To be continued in Dragneto Pt. III Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did!