𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙, 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗪𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗨𝗟 time of the year, as some might say. Naiara, on the other hand, wouldn't say that. She was never too fond of Christmas, but that had nothing to do with the holiday itself, it was entirely due to her family.

Being a Catholic, Native, Spanish-American household in the centre of Austin, Texas, Christmas was a pretty big deal for the Gallaghers, just, not for Naiara. Despite her being a solid three and a half years older than her brother, Naiara never meant much to her parents, Theo, on the other hand, had always meant the world to their them, the favourite child, some might say. This meant that Christmas was never really fair for the siblings. Theo always got significantly better presents, and more of them as well, even when he was a baby.

When Naiara was four, she asked for a barbie doll. It wasn't actually a barbie, it was some knock off, but she wanted it. Badly. Specifically because it looked like her. Before that, Naiara had never seen a barbie with her Native features. The doll, she realized, with her adult insight, was a pretty racist take on Native peoples, complete with a feather headdress and beige cloth dress, but when she was four, this meant nothing to her. She just wanted this doll. She never got the doll, but six-month old Theo did. He got the doll that Naiara had been asking for since the day she saw it at a dollar store on a hot Texas evening.

That was how Christmas typically was for the Gallaghers. Theo got the presents Naiara asked for, and the ones he asked for, while Naiara got socks and boring stickers that never stuck to anything. So, no, for Naiara, Christmas was definitely not the most wonderful time of the year, but for the 118, it definitely was.

Naiara walked inside the firehouse to Buck on a ladder hanging up wreaths, Bobby above him in the barn, hanging a garland on the railing. She stood at the doors, internally groaning as she watched her coworkers decorate. Hen had took to setting up a tree by the couch, Chim stood back watching, not helping one bit. Eddie had simply taken the task of holding the ladder Buck was stood on and Ravi gave himself Santa-hat-duty, swiftly placing a hat on Eddie, then running over to Naiara, one last hat in his hand.

"Don't even think about, ravioli." Was all Naiara said, sticking a finger to him as he approached.

A pout appeared on his face, "But why? Everyone else has one." He asked, waving the red and white hat in the air.

"I don't want one." She stated, walking past Ravi and the rest of her coworkers, straight up to the kitchen.

To her dismay, Ravi followed, insistent on getting Naiara to wear the, admittedly, silly hat. "Why not?" He asked once again. This time, Naiara didn't satisfy him with an answer. "Are you a Scrooge, Nai? A Grinch? Don't tell me you're a Grinch." He rambled, standing in front of the counter opposite of Naiara, putting the hat on the counter.

She, once again, did not answer, just made a cup of peppermint hot chocolate. Ravi titled his head at her, pushing the hat forward a small bit. "You're a Grinch." He whispered, leaning forward. "Guys!" Ravi yelled, finally gaining Naiara's attention.

"Okay, Ravi, let's not-" She was quickly cut off as everyone gathered around them.

"Naiara here," he paused for dramatic effect, "is a Grinch." He finished, a smug smile on his face.

"And Ravi, is a pain in my ass."

Everyone in the room stared at Naiara, shocked expressions on their faces. "You don't like Christmas?" Chimney asked, putting his hands on his hips.

Naiara raised her hands in defence, "I never- I didn't." She rambled, rubbing her hands over her face. "I never said that." She finished, pointing a finger at Chimney.

Bobby crossed his arms, "Well, if you're not a Grinch," he began, "Put on the hat."

She put her hands on the counter, staring at Bobby. "I don't want to wear the hat. That doesn't make me a Grinch, and it doesn't mean I don't like Christmas." She protested, swiftly going back to her hot chocolate in an attempt to ignore the conversation.

"You sound like a Grinch to me." Eddie shrugged.

"Oh, so you're all down to call me a Grinch, but heaven forbid we say that there's such thing as the "q-word curse"" Naiara glared at Eddie as she did exaggerated air quotes.

"So not the same thing."

Her glare never faulted as she muttered some cuss words in Spanish. Eddie's face fell into shock, "You kiss your mother with that mouth?" He asked, Naiara simply gave him a cheeky smile.

"Y'know what?" Buck began, walking behind Naiara and placing his hands on her shoulder, "You are a Grinch. And frankly, thats unacceptable." He said, Naiara turned her head slightly, glaring at him.

"I have a plan," A mischievous grin spread across his face, "We are going to make your heart grow three sizes, Naiara, just you wait."

𝗜𝗧 𝗛𝗔𝗗 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 taken a week for Buck's master plan to start to take effect, and he wasn't subtle about it either. It started with simple things, like more decorations around the firehouse and Christmasy treats popping up in the kitchen. Then, it got worse.

Naiara walked from her bedroom, barefoot, wearing an oversized shirt and very tiny shorts. Her hair was down and knotted, clearly, she had just woken up. Her hand shot up to rub her eye as she yawned on her way to the front door, where someone was rapidly ringing her doorbell.

She opened her door with another yawn, to her whole team, along with their respective family, with massive bins and a christmas tree box.

"It's 6:30." Naiara stared at them with a blank face. "Please don't do this to me."

They didn't say anything, just walked past her and began decorating her house. Naiara closed her door with a tired sigh, then turned to watch the chaos erupting in her house.

"Jeez, Naiara, this place is huge. I can see why you haven't decorated yet." Christopher said as he walked up to her, a big grin on his face.

"Actually, Chris, she hasn't decorated yet because she's a Grinch." Buck smiled smugly as he placed a Santa hat on the boys head.

"Dad told me. Stop being a Grinch Naiara." Chris turned on his crutches and walked over to the living room to help the others with the decorating.

"Your dad is gonna get a boot up his butt, Christopher." Naiara glared at Eddie, then walked into her kitchen and accepted her fate as she made herself a coffee.

Growing up, the Gallagher home was decorated year round, but not just for Christmas. Her father, Leon, was a rather traditional Catholic raised Spanish man. He went to chruch every Sunday, prayed at every meal, and even had a crucifix above his bed. Her mother, however, grew up on a small reservation in very southern Texas. Kateri Shanta knew nothing but her Native roots for much of her life, priding herself on being Indigenous. When the two met, something changed within them both. Leon began to step out of his very Catholic ways and started learning about Kateri and her culture, and vice versa. The main thing that connected both of them, was that they could both speak Spanish. So, as most people do when they're infatuated with one another, the two got married, becoming Leon and Kateri Gallagher. Then, as married couples do, they had children. Children that embraced both their Catholic-Spanish and Apache roots.

The mixture of cultures caused some complications within their household, but they always made it work. However, Naiara just wasn't sure if she could make it work with her team.

"Earth to Gallagher, hello?" Ravi spoke as he walked up beside Naiara. She hummed and nodded, acknowledging his presence. "What're you thinking about?"

She placed her coffee cup down on the island in front of her, "My family. Christmas. How my family is around Christmas, y'know, the usual." She shrugged.

"Let me guess, they're the reason you're such a Grinch?" He asked, sincerely. She nodded. "Willing to share?"

Despite the explanation being able to be a novel, Naiara gave only the highlights. "Christmas just never felt like Christmas to me. I never got to experience all of it." She finished, pouring the now cold coffee down her sink and placing her cup next to the drain.

Ravi nodded, taking in her words. When Naiara turned around to face the younger man, she noticed two things: first, a mischievous grin growing on his face, second, he had a new plan brewing.

"Ravi, no-" She tried to stop him, but in the end, he won, interrupting Naiara and yelling for the rest of the group.

"New plan everybody, gather." He said loudly, walking towards everyone else. "Not you, Naiara. Go get changed or something, you look like a mess." Ravi said as he watched Naiara walk up towards him.

She scoffed and spun around, an offended look on her face. She walked into her room and took Ravi's advice, changing into something that wasn't her sleepwear and putting a brush through her hair.

By the time she walked back into the main area of her house, everyone was back to work, decorating with massive, mischievous smiles on their faces.

𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗬 𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗦, Naiara's house was now a winter wonderland. Every railing was covered in either a garland or tinsel, each table and any available counter space had some sort of Christmas decor, her front door was now home to a wreath, and so, so much more. The only thing missing, was a Christmas tree, since the one everyone had brought was too small for Naiara's very high ceilings.

Naiara was now alone, for the first time in eight hours, sat at her kitchen counter decorating a gingerbread house as she waited for the group to get back with a tall enough tree. She wasn't entertained, and the cookie house was barley even decorated. Her levels of enthusiasm just kept going down as the day went on, as more decorations coated her house.

There was another thing, too. The new plan that Ravi had formed. Naiara wasn't quite sure what to expect. With Buck, she assumed he would pull something like this, but with Ravi, she had no idea the kinds of things he had up his sleeve.

---

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗧 was a whole lot more barren than the group had expected, the only trees left were Charlie Brown trees and ones that looked sadder than Naiara's house when they first got there earlier in the day.

"Okay, other than this tree, what do we have to do?" Karen asked, letting go of Hen's hand.

"Guest list. Who would Naiara want at a Christmas party?" Ravi asked himself as he walked up to a very tall tree.

"Well, Theo, Dustin, Nora, maybe?" Eddie said, walking over to the tree Ravi was staring at.

"What other friends does she have? Like outside of all of us?" Ravi questioned before running over to another tree. Everyone followed Ravi, running after him to see a tree that was both full and the perfect size for Naiara's home.

"Y'know, I think I might have the perfect guest," Buck started, tilting his head at the tree. "Just have to find a way to contact him."

𝗡𝗔𝗜𝗔𝗥𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 horror as her house began to fill up with her friends and people she vaguely knew and people she didn't know at all. She stood in the entrance of her hallway, staring at the people crowding her house.

Along with the people, there was exceptionally loud Christmas music playing.

Buck walked up beside Naiara, watching the expression on her face, "Is it too much?" He asked, leaning against the wall.

She shrugged, the mixed expression never leaving her face, "I.." She paused, turning to look at Buck. "I don't know. I've never had a Christmas party, or been to one. Hell, I never really celebrated Christmas." She began to explain. "I'm just trying to get used to it, y'know, mixing our cultures." She smiled at Buck.

"How did you do Christmas back in Seattle?"

"I didn't, honestly. Nobody in the firehouse was too into Christmas. Most of my friends weren't too into Christmas, but we always did a secret santa. That," She emphasized, "I liked. Without fail, Jack and I got each other every year." Suddenly, a solemn look took over her face. "I didn't think I'd miss him this much."

A small smile appeared on Buck's face, "He really is your best friend, huh?" He asked, the smile growing larger. Her smile also grew as she nodded. "Well," He clapped, "I have a surprise."

Buck threw his arm over her shoulder and led her to the tree, where everyone was gathered, dancing their worries away. "Okay, everyone!" Buck yelled, directing Naiara in front of the tree.

"What's going on?" Naiara asked as the music was turned down and everyone gathered around the tree in front of Naiara.

"So, as we were planning this party," Buck began. "We weren't too sure if this party would help boost Naiara's Christmas spirit, or stop her from being a Grinch." He finished as Eddie walked up beside Naiara.

"But, Buck came up with the perfect thing to prevent further Grinch-ness. We all pitched in, in some way, to help get you a present." Eddie smiled.

Confusion was all Naiara felt as she stared into the crowd of people she vaguely knew. "She's not really a Grinch, just a hard-ass." A familiar voice said above the  music and the murmurs of the crowd.

"Let the man through, people." Karen said, pushing people out of the way, revealing Naiara's Christmas present.

Naiara stood in shock as the owner of the familiar voice walked towards her. "There's no way." Was all she could say.

"You could at least pretend to be happy to see me, Bats." Jack smiled, extending his arms to her as he walked closer.

It took Naiara not even a second to sprint into Jack's arms, throwing her own around his neck. "How did they convince you to do this?" She asked into his neck.

"You really think I needed to be convinced to come see my best friend? You think so lowly of me." He laughed, letting go of Naiara.

She smacked his arm, "You know damn well that's not what I meant. How'd they convince you to leave work to bust your ass out here?"

"Well, when i'm being told my best friend is being a Grinch and avoiding Christmas completely, I gotta do something." He grinned. "Plus, I missed you."

Naiara turned and smiled at all of her friends before embracing Jack once again, "Merry Christmas, Jack-ass."

"Merry Christmas, Bats."