#(( azzie having deep connections to the phantomhives that are given childhood depth!! ))

[wolfofwinchester]

@casketdweller (beloved) asked: For Claudia to find tucked in among the gifts for the children, was a stuffed toy of her own. Shaped in the form of Gelert, There was a blue-green ribbon tied around its neck. There was obviously no, indication who left it for her, but it had her named written in that familiar script on the tag lovingly attached to the ribbon.

It was the boy that found it first, somewhere among the rain of paper and ribbon, and bounding black hounds chasing hollow wooden balls tossed by giggling maids. It was cleverly hidden, Vincent thought to himself, tucked behind the biggest boxes beneath the branches of the pungent tree (one's nose would clear right up if got too close!). The little canine was carefully retrieved and given an eyeballing, and the name tag, after a moment, earned something of a sly and smug grin.

Poke. Francis's new wooden sword jabbed Vincent right in the shoulder, earning a playful and muted 'ooow' as he drew a hand to clasp the spot. ”What are you smiling about over here?” She inquired suspiciously, twirling the wooden end side to side as if to dig in. “Bring it out. You are meant to open your gifts where we can all sight it.”

“It's not mine,” Vincent responded, wiggling the mini Gelert at his little sister who scrunched her brows curiously. “it's ma's. Let you have three guesses as to who it came from.” His grin only widened, knuckles crowning beneath his chin.

Down drooped the wooden sword as the young maiden examined it, eye quick to catch the tag dangling from the ribbon. Her brows scrunched deeper, tapping it up to the light. “How did he get in here? The morning has been too busy, someone should have seen him.”

“You are only asking now how he gets into the manor? Only now?” Vincent chuckled. “How many times have we spotted him and we hadn't the slightest clue where he popped from? He could be coming down the chimneys for all that we know. Would you be surprised if there was a secret door through the solarium?“

That earned a scoff and a roll of those blue eyes. ”Not in the least.“

”Ask not from whence Mr. 'Callows' came, my little sister.“ Vincent tapped at Francis's nose before giving it a buzz with a pinch. ”Ask where he is going only.“

”Beneath our pine?“

”Perhaps he is hidden amongst the ornaments, shrunken down to the size of a thumb.“

”You're daffy.“ The sword drew up and gave a gentle bonk to Vincent's noggin. ”Give mama her present, it is not polite to hold hostage gifts meant for ladies.“

”Since when is it that ma has enjoyed being treated with the courtesy of a lady~?“

Another bonk. ”Daffy boys are run through with swords and left outside for crow's pinochle, you know. National decree by the Queen herself.”

“Oo,” Vincent made a face, squinting his eyes at his little sister and pointing at her. “You, my sword maiden, are malevolent.” A swat at the sword and a rustle of his fingers through her hair with very audible protest, and Vincent rose up and wandered across the floor to Claudia at last. Francis was naturally tailing him, fixing her hair with grumbles beneath her breath and huffs. “Ma?“

Ma — Claudia — was somewhere on the nearest lounge buried beneath a long draped blanket, a shawl, a slumbering wolf, and fresh curly wood shavings, her wood cutter's blade fiercely at work shaping out the crude satyr. Her brows popped in acknowledgement, white-pupiled eyes flicking up from her work. ”Aye? Are we ready to move outside?” She inquired with a grin and squint of the eyes. Oh yes, despite the horrible fact that it was sheet upon sheet upon sheet of snow out there, Claudia would expertly drum up the interest of playing in it with the children. Just because she hated the blasted cold did not mean they needed to inherit her grudge for the season!

But lo, her eyes hooked onto the Gelert and lit up into a bloom. “Ohhh.”

“It's for you.” Vincent offered, hopping up next to his mother, never minding the wood chips. Francis flanked on the other side, very much minding the wood chips and sweeping them off before getting cozy and burying her face into Gelert's coat. “Hidden in the tree.”

Crooning with adore, Claudia abandoned her work to cradle the toy and bring it in close to embrace, stroking fingers over the head and tapping at the little ears, her expression completely melted with drooping lips and a matching hum. ”Did you fall asleep again? You got a pup now!” She remarked to the wolf, who only snored in response. Her eyes rolled and a hand clapped heartily at his side with affection before pinching at the name tag.

Ah, there it was. A knowing, twisting smile grew across unpainted lips. Her heartbeat skipped a few regulated pulses. Vincent and Francis both observed, sharing a look with one another that matched in thought before glancing back to their mother and her 'mysterious' unnamed gift.

“Isn't that the sweetest little wolf ya ever seen?” Claudia asked, winding both arms around her children to yank them in and hug them close, patting the small wolf to her chest. “Soft the touch, too. Either of you really felt him?” Her head tilted, wiggling it at Francis's nose and making it give her a kiss, which made her face scrunch, yet earned a small smile in its wake. “He's even got a ribbon! I don't know whether to keep it tied, or put it on one of you.”

“All the better to noose Vinny with.” Francis hummed, leaning her head into Claudia's shoulder and finally reaching up to actually pet the little wolf plush, stroking the top of its noggin. Claudia gasped with false shock, hand drawn to her chest.

“Ma, she is wicked this morning.” Vincent shot, fist pinning to his cheek. “I don't think Franny should have gotten any presents for such behavior. She's likely to turn green and grow warts with that very attitude. It's more fitting for a goblin.”

“I am deserving of them. I have dealt with you all this year, have I not?” Francis clicked. “You are utterly incorrigible and sneaky as a fox.”

Vincent fluttered his eyes at Claudia. “I?”

“You.” Claudia smirked, gently elbowing his shoulder. Her son only sighed defeated, shoulders slumped. “She does have a point, you know.”

“If I may say,” Tanaka spoke from his perch behind the chaise, a gentle but impish smile of his own on his face. “he has you for a role model, my Lady.”

A scoff! “I?!“ Claudia exclaimed.

”You.“ All three responded.

”Damn and double damn.“ She relented, holding mini Gelert up to her face and wiggling him. ”Am I worthy of this persecution, little Gelert?“

The toy wolf's eyes only shined in the light of the morning. While it held no opinion itself just yet, perhaps the stealthy gifter would be a fourth to agree.