Temari yawned and pulled the thick blanket closer around her legs. A mug of lukewarm hot chocolate sat in the built in cupholders of the couch. The girl put down her manga and closed her eyes. She probably shouldn't stayed out in the park until three in the morning with Ryuzaki. Or let him convince her into trying his tea even though she knew it would make her stomach recoil. But whatever the reason, Temari felt incredibly nauseous when she woke up at seven.

"You are not allowed to come downstairs today." Ryuzaki had said and patted her on the head, "You've been working hard. Take a day off."

The girl snorted as she remembered their conversation from the morning. Ryuzaki had been nothing but serious. He even had Watari monitor her to make sure that she didn't try to sneak down to the investigation room. But Temari didn't mind his watchful eye. In fact, she was kind of fond of it. Ryuzaki was overprotective because he cared for her. Temari liked knowing that.

Besides, this was the first real alone time she's had to herself in a while. With everyone else working on the investigation and Saya at school, she had the whole living space to herself. She read in peace, eat whatever she wanted without a mooching child (with the occasional 26 year old), and even choose what TV show to watch. Finally, she could watch a mystery movie without having the ending ruined!

"Temari. Sayako has just entered the lobby." Ryuzaki's voice came through the loudspeaker, "Please prepare her afternoon snack and entertain her until Matsuda finishes his work."

There was some scuffling of the microphone, "Don't worry, Saya!" Matsuda shouted desperately, "I've only got a little bit more to go. I'll be there soon!"

"Matsuda, you have almost two hundred more criminals to record." Ryuzaki replied dryly, "Anyway, we should be done at around seven thirty. Contact Watari if you need anything."

And with that, Ryuzaki cut off the connection and left the clueless girl to figure things out for herself. Temari groaned as she lifted herself out of the couch cushions and took a final swig of her tepid drink. She took emptied the mug out in the sink and wondered what little kids liked for snacks.

"Temari!" Saya yelled excitedly from the elevator and rushed into the kitchen, "Where's Grandpa Watari and Uncle Matsu?"

"They're working on a case. I was told to feed and play with you." Temari said, "So, what do you want for a snack?"

Saya cast her backpack aside and plunked herself down at the kitchen table, "I want some chocolate. Ryu showed me his special stash."

"That's kind of unhealthy. What about curry buns?"

The little girl stuck out her lip, "With dried seaweed on the side?"

"Yes." Temari agreed, "With seaweed."

"Yay!" Saya cheered, "I love you I love you I love you!"

Temari smiled and got the snack materials out of the cupboards, "I love you too."

"Saya!"

Matsuda swept the little girl into his arms, "I miss you! But don't worry, Uncle Matsu is here now. He'll play with you and make you a special snack."

"You're supposed to be downstairs." Temari pulled on the older man's sleeve, "Now get back down there before they catch you. I can take care of Saya."

"I like Uncle Matsu better." Saya climbed onto Matsuda's back, prompting a piggy-back ride, "He builds rice cracker towers with me."

Temari sighed. So now she knew why the area around the kitchen table always felt gritty. It didn't surprise her that Matsuda and Saya would often fail to clean up the crumbs of their creations.

"Matsuda. We know you're up there." Ryuzaki's voice came through the speakers once again, "Come back to the investigation room immediately."

"Can I have 10 more minutes?" Matsuda pleaded.

"No."

The little girl reached her hands toward the ceiling, "Please, Father Ryu! I love Uncle Matsu."

"I am aware of that." The man on the other end of the intercom continued calmly, "But Matsuda is a member of the National Police Agency and needs to do his work. And if he isn't in this room in five minutes we will send Aizawa to retrieve him."

Temari's blood ran cold. A quick glance behind her revealed that Matsuda felt the same. Everyone was afraid of Aizawa, and for good reasons.

"Okay Ryuzaki," Matsuda relented, "I'll come back down." He bent down to allow Saya off of his back. The little girl gave him a tight hug as he gently kissed her forehead, "I'll be back in a few hours. Don't you worry."

---------------------------------------------------

"I wanna play in the snow." Saya excitedly bounced up and down as she pressed her hands against the large windows in the living room, "Temari, can we go to the park?"

The older girl shook her head, "Not yet. Wouldn't you rather play with Uncle Matsu?"

"Yeah. I think I would." Saya collapsed on to the couch, "How much longer do we have to wait?"

"About half an hour."

"Ugghhhhhhhhhh." The little girl slid down the smooth cushions with an exaggerated groan, "I can't wait that long. I'm going to die."

Temari picked up the remote, "Watch some TV. Look, it's your favorite, Sailor Moon."

Saya wordlessly pulled her knees to her chest and focused her attention on the screen in front of her. Temari smiled and picked up her manga, knowing that she would have at least the next fifteen minutes to herself.

"Fighting evil by moonlight. Winning love by daylight." Saya softly sang, "Never running from a real fight. She is the one named Sailor Moon!"

"Does your school have a singing club?" Temari asked her little sister, "You're good at music, Saya."

"Stop talking, Temari. I'm trying to watch my show."

The older girl chuckled, "Alright."

It sometimes amazed Temari how different she and Saya were. Even at age six, Temari was never as open and willing to speak her mind. But she was glad that her little sister had turned out the exact opposite of her. Saya could enjoy her youth with the people she loved.

But then again, Temari's mature disposition had earned her a place on the task force; and a close relationship with Ryuzaki. She has a father of her very own now. Someone to protect her, someone to show her life, someone to show her love. Temari wouldn't trade any of that for the whole world.

"We're back!"

Three people entered the den. Two had black hair and one with brown. All wore smiles of various lengths.

"Good evening." Ryuzaki greeted the girls and sat down next to Temari, dragging Light with him, "We decided to end a bit early. How was your day off?"

"Boring." Temari answered immediately, "Can I go back to back to work tomorrow?"

Ryuzaki took her hand and pressed it against his forehead, "No. You still feel warm."

"That's not how you do it, Ryuzaki." Temari laughed and picked up the man's other hand, "You're supposed to place your hand on my forehead, not the other way around."

Light shook his head, "Ryuzaki, you're really not meant to parent, are you?"

"He's a good dad." Temari replied, "But a lot clueless sometimes." She took her hand away from the older man's forehead, "Also, Saya wants to go play in the snow. Can we eat out tonight and walk around the shops?"

Ryuzaki paused for a minute before nodding, "I suppose that would be okay."

-------------------------------------

"Whoa! It's so fluffy!" Saya's eyes widened excitedly as she jumped into a big pile of snow, "Uncle Matsu, will you build a snowman with me?"

Temari bent down and picked up a handful of the white powder, molding it into a hard sphere. She had only seen snow once in California. Her fifth grade class had gone to a science museum as their class trip and there was a snowstorm simulator. For three minutes you could step into a small room and watch in awe as synthesized snowflakes blew all around you in a factory-made flurry. But this snow was different. This snow was real. It came from the sky and covered everything in sight. Temari decided that she liked this snow much better.

"Aren't you cold, Ryuzaki?" Light asked the man beside him, wearing only mittens, sneakers without socks, and a woolen hat, "You didn't even put on a coat."

"I can assure you that I am fine." The shivering man stuffily responded, "Now, I am going to go play with Sayako and Matsuda."

The girl laughed as she watched her superior amble away, "He's totally cold. I can see his cheeks getting rosier by the second."

"I agree." Light said and chuckled, "But he can't just let his pride go for a little bit, can he?"

Temari shook her head, "Nope. That's just how he is."

"Want to get something hot?" He offered, "We haven't been spending much time together aside from the investigation. An older brother's got to care for his little sister, right?"

The girl nodded, "That's a good idea. Ryuzaki will probably want some coffee anyway."

The boy and girl walked side by side along the sidewalk, talking about trivial things and laughing. It had been a while since they had last talked alone. But since the handcuff rule wasn't practical in public, now was the perfect time. The two really did enjoy eachother's company. They fit perfectly as a brother and sister, as they should.

"What kind of coffee does Ryuzaki like?" Light asked as they waited in line at a small café.

Temari looked up at the menu hanging above the counter, "He likes any kind as long as it's sweet. We'll just order him a black coffee and fill it up with creamer and sugar packets."

"Sounds good." Light agreed and stepped up to place his order, "One large black coffee and two cinnamon rolls please."

"Two cinnamon rolls? You're going to eat both of them all by yourself?"

Light laughed, "Of course not. You get one of them too."

Temari smiled. Light is always so thoughtful and kind. He was so smart too. She really looked up to him.

After emptying eight miniature coffee creamers and several handfuls of sugar packets into Ryuzaki's cup of coffee, Light and Temari headed back to the park. The warmth of the cinnamon buns became elusive as soon as they stepped foot in the winter air. Naturally, the treats were devoured before the two arrived at their destination.

Light and Temari looked around as they arrived at the park. The three people they had left behind were nowhere to be seen. It was like they disappeared into thin air. Wait....there was a spot of pink peeking out from behind a large pile of snow that wasn't there before. The girl smiled and ventured out towards the mound.

"Hmm," Temari said loudly, "I wonder where they could be." She looked behind a tree, "They're not here. What do you think, Light?"

Light's eyes lit up, catching on to Temari's cue, "I don't know, Tema. But they've got to be around here somewhere."

Little giggles escaped from behind the wall of snow, followed by terse whispering and some shuffling. Temari had no doubt that the rest of her family had devised this.

Temari shook the snow off of a stout bush, "Light, have you checked that snow mound?"

"Nope." Light answered, "Let's head over there, shall we?"

The shuffling and whispers got more intense the closer the two got to the snow mound. Temari smiled and peeked over the top, instantly getting a face full of snow.

"We got her!" Matsuda cheered, "Now on to the next target!"

"No you don't!"

Slowly but surely, Light had crept up behind the snow mound with an armful of snow. He dumped it all on the three crouching figures, inciting surprised screams and calls for revenge.

"THIS IS WAR!" Matsuda smashed a snowball into Light's chest, "TAKE THIS!"

Saya threw a pitiful looking chunk of snow at the attacked man, "This is for giving Temari candy and not me!"

"Kira!" Light wasn't even safe from Ryuzaki, who kicked snow in his direction, "You are Kira!"

Temari collapsed to the ground, unable to breathe from laughing so hard. She couldn't remember the last time she had had so much fun. Realizing that he was overpowered, Light had curled up on the ground in fetal position with his hands over his head. Temari made sure to take out her phone and snap a few pictures. There were some memories that needed to be preserved on film and this was definitely one of them.

"Help me!" Light begged, "Temari! Help!"

Still giggling, the girl stood up and went over to Light, brushing the snow off his back, "I call a cease fire. You're going to kill the prisoner."

"Are you sure, Sargent?" Matsuda paused, snowball in hand, "Just one more?"

Temari thought about it and then nodded, "Okay. One more."

"Bombs away!" Saya jumped on to Light's back, stuffing snow under his hat, "The prisoner is dead!"

Light laughed and cautiously stood up, making sure that the little girl on his back remained supported, "Thanks for that. If I get pneumonia I'll be sure to cough on you guys first."

"I don't want nummanmia!" Saya exclaimed and clung to the older man's neck, "It was all Ryu's idea!"

The guilty man shrugged, "Watari said I wasn't allowed to kick people. I think this was a satisfying alternative."

"I'm cold!" Matsuda complained and rubbed his arms, "Let's get inside somewhere."

Everyone else nodded their agreement and the group headed out to find the nearest heated restaurant. Unfortunately, Ryuzaki's coffee had not survived the battle. The liquid had spilled and gotten completely absorbed by the snow. Temari picked up the empty styrofoam container and tossed it in a nearby trash can, chuckling all the way. There really never was a dull moment with these four.

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welcome to ash's fluffy winter bonus chapters!!!! i love writing these and i might release a one shot book in the future depending on how things go

QOTD: what is your favorite christmas anime arc?

i love the hetalia christmas episodes and how everyone overlooked england.  poor boy :(